Pros and Cons of having cats

Post Reply New Topic

I want to have a pet cat

But then i already have a 8 year old kid at home who is messy and naughty

Plus I have lot of household work, i work part time and also i suffer from mood swings

So what are pros and cons of having a cat at home for me?

I think kitten would be more heavy work for me

I am not a fan of kittens, but usually a cat that grows up in your home will be more bonded so when I have new cats I usually start with them at kitten age and just suffer through the first year.

Once they become adults they are your companion, unlike a dog who worships you a cat will simply respect you as an equal and depending on how well you set your boundaries and how cuddly they are the dynamic could go many ways.

Cats can sometimes be demanding, especially if you spoil them but usually that's why you have to have boundaries. If you let a roommate walk all over you they will, same goes with a kitty cat.

pro's

They are soft
They purr
Cats are often very pretty
each one has a diverse personality
They are not huge and heavy and only sometimes are they clumsy

cons

Sometimes they can be aloof
they scratch of furnature
You have to brush and groom them or you'll get hair everywhere
You have to help protect against hairballs
litter box (enough said)

I like kitty's My two are my friends and we respect each other and they know my boundaries and I know theirs. I pet and hold each of them usually at least once a day and I love them very much.

Pro: cats are cute.
Con: cats are evil.

For me there is only Pro: It is, having a friend who is a cat!

I love cats, and have always had at least one in the family since I was very young.

However they can cause difficulties. I too prefer adult cats to kittens. Once you get past the first initial few weeks of cuteness with kittens they can become a bit annoying, knocking things over, climbing up you to get to your shoulder, and are naturally more messy than adult cats.

Having said that, by getting a kitten you can have more of an influence over its personality, if you are gentle and loving with it, then it will probably grow up to be a sweet, affectionate adult, and be very bonded to you.

If you are houseproud, you might find a cat is a source of annoyance to you. Especially if it is an indoor cat.

You could try getting an adult cat from a shelter, one that is a bit older and more settled. If you spend time with it first you can get some idea of its temperament. It's always a bit of a risk this though, as you don't know if it has issues from kittenhood that left it with behavioural difficulties.

Anyway I'm being negative here, cats are lovely, but can live for 20 or more years, and are a big commitment.

cats are very good when you're not feeling well they sit on your bed with you.

I love all animals, and we have dogs, cats, horses, chickens, and have had a goat, and my wife has had rats and snakes and rabbits too. But cats, I'd prefer not to have, and here's the list of pros and cons as I see it:

Pros:

Need less attention

Are born housetrained/boxtrained

Are less emotionally dependent (won't get jealous/angry & do damage if you have guests or leave the house)

Cons:

Hair (most breeds) is just everywhere including inside drawers and food containers, and in every body cavity... YUCK.

Unpleasant (to me) ways of showing affection; kneading with their paws, and making needle punctures in you chest, etc., and they like to drip saliva on you

"Too" independent; might not care if they ever see you again, as long as they're fed & have water

Charles

Pro: Very friendly and lovable if raised right.

Con: Can be really needy.

thanks everyone

the idea of getting a grown up cat sounds better

as i said earlier i work, plus i have a kid at home i cant handle a kitten.
it would pee everywhere plus it would cry at night etc....

i would prefer a grown up cat(at six months are they grown up????)

At six months they are grown up enough to reproduce, but they are still quite kittenish with their behaviour.

Maybe go for a cat aged 3 or older to get one that's more placid. The shelter will thank you for it.

And make sure that your cat is spayed or neutered!

I love cats, I have 2. The hair and the scratching are problematic, but I can't imagine a home for me without at least 1 cat.

They break things, they sharpen there claws on everything, they need a litter-box, they shed on everything. But they are funny so I say there worth the occasional headache.

I absolutely ADORE cats (: They're cuddly cute little balls of fluff, and honestly take less care than a child. If you raise them right from a kitten, they bond with you better (adopting one from a shelter if they're in a horrible position will make them your best friend for life). True, they need to be toilet trained and cleaned up after, but so do kids. You have to clean up when they make a mess, if they're a long-furred cat (or even one that cleans itself a lot) you'll need to worry about hairball care -- just get hairball care dry biscuits and mix them with their regular age-corresponding dry food.

As posted above, they have very diverse personalities, make a great companion, and don't need as much attention as other pets. If you raise a cuddle bug, expect a stolen lap or a ninja stealing your freshly vacated computer chair. If you raise a cat with more boundaries or who just doesn't like attention much, you just have a critter that might claw at stuff and be demanding. It all depends on how their raised and their parentage. The two cats I left at home are 10 (almost 11) and 4-5. They are the most affectionate creatures I have ever met. One has the brains, one has the brawns, and they can be a destructive force if they wanted to -- but where's the fun in that?

Aged 3 cat would have been raised by others so i wont know its temperament
plus then it wont live longer with us...i think they die around age 9 something

Pro: They do this sometimes. (Link)

Con: You have to clean the litterbox (probably the most obvious con item there is).

Not true, a cat that has a few years on it will have already developed its personality, so you'll know exactly what you're getting. Shelters have cats of all personalities, including those that have been around kids.

Kittens are sort of hit or miss in that area. You might end up with a kitten that becomes skittish of your family because of sensitivities to children, or one that is mellow and enjoys everyone's company. Cats are 50/50 like that. You can raise them right for most situations, but environmental factors don't always overcome genetic predispositions. There have been studies done that show that most outgoing kittens come from mothers that are naturally more nurturing.

Also, a cat that is taken to the vet regularly (2x a year) can live into it's mid teens to early twenties. If you want a long lived cat, the best thing to do is provide them with premium foods. Some of the best foods on the market for cats are Felidae, Innova, Wellness, Castor and Pollux, Wysong, and my personal favorites: Weruva, and Tiki Cat. Vitamin supplements and some sort of tartar control additive will also keep your cat in perfect working order for years to come, and if there's any digestive upset, mixing a 50/50 percent of canned organic pumpkin (not pie mix) will keep them regular.

I used to do occasional rescue work. Nothing official. There are a lot of irresponsible people on Craigslist, and sometimes my family takes on a pet listed on there that needs a little extra care. So most of what I know is through experience, trial and error, and a lot of pet books.

Pros:
Cats can be very social pets in the right circumstances. (That why I suggest getting an adult.)
Cats don't need to be walked everyday like dogs do and are generally less noisy.
Landlords prefer cats over dogs.
Cats, if given the right food and veterinary care, are long lived. I currently have a three legged cat who is almost 15, and still active and happy!
Cats are great bed warmers!

Cons:
The litterbox needs to be scooped daily, and cleaned weekly to prevent them from soiling in the house.
Cat pee smells terrible, and sometimes even a fixed cat will mark if it's stressed. This is a hard habit to break them from.
Cats have bacteria in their mouths that can cause infections, so if your cat bites you or your child and it breaks the skin, they need to be taken to the doctor immediately for a shot.
Cats scratch furniture if not provided with a post.
Cats have hairballs.