Quick question

unetsu

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Hello, I'm new here and I have a quick, important question. Actually, I have many questions, but this is a very important one.

I will be adopting a kitten very soon (8 weeks at the youngest). I have already planned for him/her in many ways, but there are still a few things I need to do.

I am wondering if cigarette smoke will affect my cat's life. My mother and step father smoke in the house and it travels out of their room sometimes. I'm just worried that it will hurt my cat. I know that smoke can affect animals, but how much?

Note that I will only be living here for another 2 years, and although my parents do smoke inside, they only do so in their room. I will be keeping my cat exercised and he/she will be taken out side on a harness frequently for some fresh air and play.

Thanks for reading and I hope to get an answer.
 

my-boy-jasper

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Hi and Welcome! You're right, passive smoking isn't good for all animals (including humans). I think it's hard to quantify how much it will affect you're cat. Some humans are more sensitive than others (e.g. asthmatics) and I would suppose it's the same for cats. Cats have small bodies and I suspect that they need less exposure to smoke than us to be affected. Sorry, it's all just slightly educated guesses.

I wouldn't worry too much about a little bit of smoke, unless you're cat turns out to be especially sensitive. If you're worried can you work out how the smoke travels - door, window etc - and block it off when required? Ask your parents to smoke away from the house? Take steps to minimise it, as much for yourself as your cat.
 

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  You have every reason to be concerned when it comes to second hand smoke affecting your kitten. If your parents do not respect the effects of their second hand smoke indoors towards other family members, then you are only putting your very young kitten in a toxic environment where he is at most susceptible to chronic future health issues. I would seriously reconsider adopting till you have your own place..................
 
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unetsu

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It is bothering me so much to the point of possibly not adopting. I am going to do some research on it to see what I can do. My parents don't really see it as a problem since I don't make a huge deal out of it myself, but when it comes to the health of my animal it does bother me. My boyfriend suggests getting an air purifier to filter out all of the bad stuff. I'll do some further research on this. Thank you for the feedback.
 
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unetsu

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Thank you for the warm welcome. It would only be a little bit, since my parents keep their door shut. Nevertheless it still worries me. I like to keep my window open for fresh air, but sometimes the smoke comes from their room and into my window. Lately, they've been telling me when they're about to smoke, so if we keep up the communication I think I will be able to block it off safely for the cat. Again, it would just be minimal smoke exposure, so now that I think about it, I have a feeling it will be fine.
 

my-boy-jasper

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I suspected it might be coming through the window. If I were you, I would start upping the ante with your parents and tell them YOU are not happy that their smoke is drifting into YOUR room as it's bad for YOUR health and YOUR cat. Starting with some research to inform yourself is a good idea and will help you make the case to your parents. Feel free to come back here and post what you find about passive smoking and pets. Of course, I don't know how receptive your parents will be to the idea that they should change their habits (like smoking away from the house/not near your window). Sounds like they are already trying to be considerate but might need an extra push from you. If it helps at all, this is an area I work in and I can promise you that getting people to change their habits is not easy. But something that does make people think twice is the health of their children (I know you're really concerned about your cat but appeal to the thing that they care about;).

P.S It just occurred to me that you might live in an apartment, not house. Putting a fan by your window to blow the smoke back might work too. Don't let it consume you in any case. Good luck!!
 

brand leesnider

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Maybe your parents can smoke outside until you move out. Do you have a non smoking friends you can move in with; until you own move into your own place.
 
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unetsu

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Maybe your parents can smoke outside until you move out. Do you have a non smoking friends you can move in with; until you own move into your own place.
I'm 17 and finishing up High School, and by choice am staying with my mother for another year to save up some money. 
I wish they'd smoke outside, they're just too lazy. Again, I don't blame them, though. I never made a problem out of it before so why should they have to stop now? At least that's how I see it, for them. 
 

eb24

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I'm a little unclear on this point: will you be keeping the kitten confined to just your bedroom? Or will s/he have run of the house? 

I suppose in this situation neither is ideal. Trying to confine the kitten to just one room for an extended period of time is going to be challenging as they are curious and will eventually want to get out and explore and socialize. But, if they have full run of the home then the risk of exposure increases, especially since you can't monitor what's going on at all times. 

That said, I don't know if exposure to cigarette smoke would completely deter me from adopting. Honestly, the bigger issue I would consider is your age. Not that you are too young or too immature or anything like that. Rather, adopting a pet is a huge commitment and is one you are making for possibly the next 20 years of your life. You are at the age where every door is open for you and you have no idea where life will take you. While having a pet (especially a cat) is wonderfully enriching, it can also be a hinderance to whatever may happen in your future. 

To give you a different perspective, when I was 18 and just finishing high school a friend of mine had a cat who had kittens and then abandoned them. Of course I couldn't let them go to a shelter so I took them in and bottle raised them. I fell in love and was desperate to keep one but my parents absolutely put their foot down. As angry as I was at the time I'm actually really glad they did. Had I kept that kitten I either would have ended up having to leave him behind with my parents or, would have had to get rid of him. At that age I never thought I would move away from my hometown but several good opportunities came along (both academic and work related) that led me to live in Seattle, Chicago, and Boston for extended periods of time. And, it just wouldn't have been possible for me to take a cat on those journeys.

What if you decide to go to college and live in a dorm? Or, want to backpack through Europe for a few months? Even if you can't see yourself doing these things that think about it in simpler terms. Even if you just want to go stay overnight at a friends house or take a long weekend away you have to make arrangements. And, while it's do-able, it definitely takes some of the spontaneity away from the experience of being young and not having any responsibilities. And, you certainly don't want to give up opportunities just because you can't find a long term (or even short term) cat sitter. 

So, if I were you, I would wait awhile more before making this commitment. If you really need a kitten fix why not start volunteering for a local shelter as a cat socializer? You could even become a kitten foster. It's the best of both worlds because you get to have cats and kittens in your life and home without having to make such a long term commitment. And, you save lives in the process! 

Ultimately the decision is yours and you know what is best. I just wanted to give you the perspective of someone faced with the same choice who chose differently. I finally adopted my own cat when I was 28 and at least settled in the city that I know I will stay in. As much as I missed having pets during that time I'm really glad that I didn't. Not being tied down for those years was the best learning experience possible and the most fun I have ever had. Just keep the door to your future open because you never know what will come your way! 

Best of luck in whatever you decide to do. 
 
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unetsu

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I would never confine an animal in one space. That's not fair to them! My bedroom is not very big to begin with. 
I appreciate your concern and I value what you've said since I can understand that most young people wouldn't want to commit to taking care of a pet. However, I've been thinking about adopting for a year now, and I'm not really one to venture far from home. 

I know that things change, but I have never been interested in going out or leaving home for long amounts of time (by home, I mean wherever I am staying, not just my mother's house). I would love to travel to Europe or Japan, but I'd only do so for a week at most (mainly because of financials...) If I should ever not be home for longer than a day, I would hire a cat sitter, or pay my mother a few bucks to take care of him/her! I don't want to sound like I've got it all figured out (because I don't), however I am certain I won't be going to college. It's not something for me. It's too expensive, and it takes too much time. I could explain my reasons in further detail, but I don't want to end up talking too much, and it's a lot to explain. Yes, I know that not going to college sounds like a bad decision, but it isn't for me. So, I won't have to worry about being too busy at school to take care of my furbaby. 

I'm not just on a kitten fix, though. I love older cats just as much! I've just ever had a cat of my own. I have a four year old here, but he is never home and only likes to cuddle with my step father! He is his cat. I hardly ever see him because he is not fixed and is always outside (and yes, I've offered to pay to fix him, but my step dad doesn't want to!) I want to be able to train my own cat and grow with my own cat, you know? I LOVE my 4 year old, but like I said, he's never home and is not mine. That's why I want to adopt a kitten, so that he/she will grow with me.

But yes, I am worried about having free time (I in fact just made a thread about that). While I am simple and pretty lazy, I still like to spend my free time with my boyfriend and family. I also do have my Senior year to deal with and soon, work. So, yes, time is something I am factoring in. I am going to think very hard on this before choosing, as I have been for a long time. A cat would bring me so much joy, but would he/she be harder to have than to wait for? I don't know.

Thank you so much for the input and sorry for talking too much.


 
 

angels mommy

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I'm a little unclear on this point: will you be keeping the kitten confined to just your bedroom? Or will s/he have run of the house? 

I suppose in this situation neither is ideal. Trying to confine the kitten to just one room for an extended period of time is going to be challenging as they are curious and will eventually want to get out and explore and socialize. But, if they have full run of the home then the risk of exposure increases, especially since you can't monitor what's going on at all times. 

That said, I don't know if exposure to cigarette smoke would completely deter me from adopting. Honestly, the bigger issue I would consider is your age. Not that you are too young or too immature or anything like that. Rather, adopting a pet is a huge commitment and is one you are making for possibly the next 20 years of your life. You are at the age where every door is open for you and you have no idea where life will take you. While having a pet (especially a cat) is wonderfully enriching, it can also be a hinderance to whatever may happen in your future. 

To give you a different perspective, when I was 18 and just finishing high school a friend of mine had a cat who had kittens and then abandoned them. Of course I couldn't let them go to a shelter so I took them in and bottle raised them. I fell in love and was desperate to keep one but my parents absolutely put their foot down. As angry as I was at the time I'm actually really glad they did. Had I kept that kitten I either would have ended up having to leave him behind with my parents or, would have had to get rid of him. At that age I never thought I would move away from my hometown but several good opportunities came along (both academic and work related) that led me to live in Seattle, Chicago, and Boston for extended periods of time. And, it just wouldn't have been possible for me to take a cat on those journeys.

What if you decide to go to college and live in a dorm? Or, want to backpack through Europe for a few months? Even if you can't see yourself doing these things that think about it in simpler terms. Even if you just want to go stay overnight at a friends house or take a long weekend away you have to make arrangements. And, while it's do-able, it definitely takes some of the spontaneity away from the experience of being young and not having any responsibilities. And, you certainly don't want to give up opportunities just because you can't find a long term (or even short term) cat sitter. 

So, if I were you, I would wait awhile more before making this commitment. If you really need a kitten fix why not start volunteering for a local shelter as a cat socializer? You could even become a kitten foster. It's the best of both worlds because you get to have cats and kittens in your life and home without having to make such a long term commitment. And, you save lives in the process! 

Ultimately the decision is yours and you know what is best. I just wanted to give you the perspective of someone faced with the same choice who chose differently. I finally adopted my own cat when I was 28 and at least settled in the city that I know I will stay in. As much as I missed having pets during that time I'm really glad that I didn't. Not being tied down for those years was the best learning experience possible and the most fun I have ever had. Just keep the door to your future open because you never know what will come your way! 

Best of luck in whatever you decide to do. 
I completely agree with all of this. Also, to address the smoking only in their room, well, air is still circulating & traveling through the vents, so the whole hose IS effected. Just think about how it bothers

someone who doesn't smoke, & a cat, especially a little kitten has much smaller & more sensitive lungs. (I even only use natural cleaning products).

I would wait if I were you for all the reasons EB24 listed. You are young, & it is a big commitment in many ways including financially. You want to have the option if an opportunity comes along for you, that would not work w/ having a cat. You would also be limited as far as traveling. Cats don't travel well, & stress easily.

Yes, Volunteering at a shelter would be a good substitute for you now, instead of getting a cat at this point in your life.

Check out the thread "Need Advice" for more info. I listed for her.
 
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eb24

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Thank you so much for the input and sorry for talking too much.
 
Dont apologize! This is a huge decision and you need to vet it. It shows great maturity and that this isn't a decision that you are making lightly. 
I know that things change, but I have never been interested in going out or leaving home for long amounts of time (by home, I mean wherever I am staying, not just my mother's house). I would love to travel to Europe or Japan, but I'd only do so for a week at most (mainly because of financials...) If I should ever not be home for longer than a day, I would hire a cat sitter, or pay my mother a few bucks to take care of him/her!
 
All of this is well reasoned and is a good plan. I guess my point is still looking at the unknown. Maybe you will get a job that wants to send you to Paris for 6 months. Unlikely? Yes. But these things do happen! I'm not saying they don't happen as we get older, I'm just saying they are more likely to happen when we are young. By the time you are my age (30) you will have a better idea of your career trajectory and if moving around or extended trips is a part of that. And yes, there are plenty of people who travel frequently and have pets and rely on pet sitters. I would just hate to see you be in a situation where you turn down opportunities and events because of your furry friend. 
I don't want to sound like I've got it all figured out (because I don't), however I am certain I won't be going to college. It's not something for me. It's too expensive, and it takes too much time. I could explain my reasons in further detail, but I don't want to end up talking too much, and it's a lot to explain. Yes, I know that not going to college sounds like a bad decision, but it isn't for me. So, I won't have to worry about being too busy at school to take care of my furbaby. 
 
I dont necessarily think it's a bad decision at all. Though it has it's merits, College certainly isn't right for everyone. And, you are right about it being very expensive and that even after you graduate there is no guarantee of finding a job, as bachelor's degrees are a dime a dozen these days. To further illustrate, I have one brother who did go to College (and not just any school but one of those super famous, ivy covered, East Coast schools that kids try and gouge each others eyes out to get into). Since graduating he has not had a job and bums his way through life, crashing on different couches. My other brother however, did not go to College, and he makes bank writing Apps for the IPad and IPhone (I bet you even have some of his creations on your phone right now)! The point being, College doesn't make you successful, it's about the drive you already have to succeed. A College degree can help further that, but it doesn't make that happen for you. 
I'm not just on a kitten fix, though. I love older cats just as much! I've just ever had a cat of my own. I have a four year old here, but he is never home and only likes to cuddle with my step father! He is his cat. I hardly ever see him because he is not fixed and is always outside (and yes, I've offered to pay to fix him, but my step dad doesn't want to!) I want to be able to train my own cat and grow with my own cat, you know? I LOVE my 4 year old, but like I said, he's never home and is not mine. That's why I want to adopt a kitten, so that he/she will grow with me.
 
Sorry I didn't mean to imply you just wanted a kitten and wouldn't love them when they grew up. It was more just an expression. 


I will say this though- I would not bring a kitten into a home that had an intact male already living in it until after he as been neutered. Unaltered Males are extremely territorial and pose a great threat to such a tiny kitten. Even if he is outside the majority of the time it sounds like he does come in every once in awhile. And, when he does, you are risking major bloodshed. Not to mention all the damage he is doing to the neighborhood and furthering the pet overpopulation. Please, do whatever you have to to get him fixed!
But yes, I am worried about having free time (I in fact just made a thread about that). While I am simple and pretty lazy, I still like to spend my free time with my boyfriend and family. I also do have my Senior year to deal with and soon, work. So, yes, time is something I am factoring in. I am going to think very hard on this before choosing, as I have been for a long time. A cat would bring me so much joy, but would he/she be harder to have than to wait for? I don't know.
I think overall you are approaching the situation exactly right. It seems you still have some concerns to work through (and that we are all happy to help you vet) and you are waiting until you are 100% sure. I think the time will come when you just know one way or the other. I just hope you take some of thinking about your future from a selfish perspective into account. It's the only time in your life that you can! 
 

cheylink

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   Honestly, I have been exactly where you are years ago, and the best thing in your situation is to make sure you have a secure, stable, healthy environment for yourself before you introduce a kitten into the mix (which will be it's family, it's home). I know it's hard at this point since you live day to day, but be honest with yourself and know that you are not sure of your living situation now much less in the near future. This isn't an insult, this is someone telling you we always have the best intentions in mind for our future, but it doesn't always work out this way.

    I
 
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