College Student looking into buying cat

Hello all,

I am a college student and am looking into getting a cat. I intend for it to be an all indoor cat considering i live in an apartment. I have enough money for matienence and plan to have fun with my cat. I am looking at saving one from the local shelter because i want to save a cat. Im looking at either young or adult cat so that it will not be wild and crazy. I however am looking for one that already has shots...where is the best place to find a cat like this?

The best place to find a wonderful companion would be at your local shelter...you will find many adult cats that already have been neutered and have had their shots...there is a small adoption fee and there is nothing more exciting than gaining a new companion...remember, this is for life...

D & D's Mom

Welcome to TCS

Welcome to TCS!!! I agree that looking for a kitty at a shelter is a great idea. You can also search for kitties available through rescue in your area at www.petfinder.com. Also make sure to think about the costs of vet care - kitties need check-ups too! If you're not sure what this costs in your area, you could call around to local vets and ask what the charges for routine care are. Good luck finding your new kitty!

Originally Posted by lady20

The best place to find a wonderful companion would be at your local shelter...you will find many adult cats that already have been neutered and have had their shots...there is a small adoption fee and there is nothing more exciting than gaining a new companion...remember, this is for life...

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there are many poor souls waiting for a real home!.. ... I hope you can make the best decision...

Hola y bienvenido a TCS, ...Catulina

y Milky

te saludan!!!........

(Translate: Hi and Welcome to TCS, Catulina and Milky say hello to you!!!... )

See you on the forums!

Everyone should have a cat, but make sure you get the right kind of hair. If your are going to get a long-haired cat make sure your are ready for it. All cats will shed and while they are pretty clean a long-hair leaves more around than most short-hairs.

Make sure you have a deep litter box and are ready to take it out every day. It will stink up your house otherwise.

Good luck with your cat. They are great!

If you're willing to do some checking and maybe make a few calls, you can often come up with a great, calm, adult cat that is in good health. We have a guy at our shelter that is a fantastic cat, about 3 years old, up on his shots, and even declawed (that means he would HAVE to be an indoor cat). We almost always have a few like that, and that would be true of most shelters.

I would suggest you go to a few shelters and let them know the kind of cat you are looking for. IMO college students don't have a lot of time on their hands, so I'd pick a shorthair where there is not a lot of grooming. Longhairs are pretty but require daily combing.

Males tend to be more outgoing then females, but you might find a cute little girl that catches your eye.

Let us know what you come home with

Hello and Welcome to TCS neighborhood

Good for you! I am so glad you are looking to adopt a kitty from a shelter. I volunteer at my local Humane Society, and know there are a lot of sweet kitties who need homes. There is nothing like coming home after a long day and being greeted by a sweet furry friend!

Welcome to TCS. This is a great place, with great people and great advice. Glad to have you as part of our family.

,
Rob & Sport

hello & welcome to tcs. Have you had a chance to find your kitty yet?

Welcome to TCS!

Thank You SOOOOOO MUCH for wanting to adopt!!!!!!

My family adopted 2 cats a year ago. It was such a wonderful experience that my sister and I will NEVER "buy" another pet. We will ALWAYS adopt, either from the shelters or from rescue groups

Yay!!! I wish I had adopted a cat when I was in college. I didn't know what I was missing I didn't get one until my last year of law school, and then a month later I adopted a second. I think college is the perfect time to bring a furry friend home...you are home more often during the day (I studied at home more than I ever did in the library). The only issue would be figuring out what you are going to do with the cat when you go home, if you have to travel, over vacations. (Not a big deal, just something to think about....there are cat boarding places, pet sitters, friends, etc.)

Adoption is totally the way to go. It is much cheaper than getting a "free" cat (like from the newspaper, craigslist, etc.) because the shelter or rescue group will have already spayed/neutered the cat and it will be up to date on all of its shots and probably micro-chipped already too. Some even throw in a free first vet visit. Paying for all that stuff can be well over $200 but most shelters will have all of that taken care of for a mere adoption fee of $50-ish.

My favorite website ever for pet-searching is http://www.petfinder.com. Nearly all shelters and rescue groups use this website and it really lets you see all the cats you can choose from! Start there and then go see cats in person. The shelter workers will know the cats' personalities the best so tell them what type of cat you want and they'll point you in the right direction.

If you don't want a wild and crazy cat, definitely do NOT adopt a kitten. Look for cats that are over 2 years old. Kittens are crazy little things and also generally do best when adopted with another kitten the same age to keep them entertained.

Also think about your other expectations....do you want a long-haired or short-haired cat? How do you feel about claws? Long-haired cats are grooming intensive and will require an excellent vacuum too De-clawing is definitely not advised, but if you aren't ready to deal with a cat that doesn't use a scratching post, look for one that is already de-clawed as there are many that need homes.

Hmm....what else. Whatever food the shelter is feeding, you'll want to make sure they give you a little bit or at least find out what it is so you can buy a tiny bag. Then gradually switch the food over to a higher quality food (dry food switches have to be done gradually over about a week). Pick up some wet food too because it's super important to feed cats at least a little wet food if you can't feed them all-wet. Also, when you bring your kitty home, give it time to adjust. Keep it confined to a small area, like a bathroom, for the first night or two. Then let it out to explore a little more.

Wow I'm definitely rambling! lol

I am very excited for you! Welcome to TCS. Be sure to post pictures of who you end up with