may adopt a cat....oppinions please

My family adopted a lab pupppy in november without really knowing what we were getting ourselves into and recently have had to rehome her. We have a 15 mo old and a baby due in July and the puppy was soooooooooo energetic. We could not keep up with her energy needs nor would she stay off our countertops, high chair, or daughter. We just couldnt handle so much dog. Our 15 mo old misses the puppy and we do want a family pet. Recently we have been researching cats and kittens and we think An adult cat might be the right fit. There is a young adult female that has been spayed and declawed at our local pound that my daughter took to...my concern is that I dont want to have to rehome her for any reason. I work full time, my husband is a full time student and stay at home dad....someone is home 24/7. We have the finances and some time daily to devote....not much time. We dont want to clean up 5000 messes a day, housebreak, or have to separate the pet and our child. I am looking for opinions on whether an adult cat sounds suiting to our family. Thanks

Adult cats are (generally) a lot less rambunctious and boisterous than puppies. Dogs are more dependent in general- they have a pack instinct, and once you have been considered part of their pack, they become dependent on you most of the time. Your 15 month-old may think that the cat is a fun toy to play with, and the kitty will play with her, but cats (generally) do not like to be pulled on too much. For the first couple days after the adoption, I recommend supervising any to all playtime/cuddle time between your daughter and the kitty, just to make sure everything is okay. Some cats will give love bites when overstimulated during or after playtime/cuddle sessions, and they can also get hurt by inappropriate behavior caused by kids, so just make sure both sides are treating each other properly. 

If you're willing to take up the responsibility of feeding the cat twice/three times a day, cleaning the litter box at least  once a day, if not more frequently, taking the cat to vet visits, and buying toys and maybe a cat bed for her to hang out in, then I think you may be prepared. But do carefully think about the decision before you adopt so you won't have to go through the process to re-home her later.

Best of luck. 

Natalia

We plan to get her toys, a cat tree and a window pearch. I hve to research foods...I havent owned a cat in a long time. We plan on using the omega paw roll and clean litter box...any thoughts?;our daughter is supervised every second she is awake so we would not let her hurt a cat or vise versa...the reason we separated her from the dog was because the dog was huge and could do , major damage to her and her toys in a second. The cat also has long fur...anything we need special for that? A zoom groom?

smithfamily2012 said:

We plan to get her toys, a cat tree and a window pearch. I hve to research foods...I havent owned a cat in a long time. We plan on using the omega paw roll and clean litter box...any thoughts?;our daughter is supervised every second she is awake so we would not let her hurt a cat or vise versa...the reason we separated her from the dog was because the dog was huge and could do , major damage to her and her toys in a second. The cat also has long fur...anything we need special for that? A zoom groom?

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You can always check out our canned/dry food reviews in the Cat Food Reviews section. There's also a forum on raw homemade food if you're planning on taking that plunge as well.   I've never had direct experience with the Omega Paw Roll and Clean Litter Box but there is a helpful review on it here.  

One of the most recommended brush brands for shorthair, mediumhair, and longhaired cats is the Furminator brush, which I also use for my two (longhaired) Ragdoll cats- it really helps with shedding and helps them keep their coat nice, shiny, and free of mats and tangles; most cats are okay with the texture of most brushes as long as too much pressure isn't applied. There's a lot of varied reviews on Amazon, PetCo and on the website itself, as well as on TCS here. The Zoom Groom also has mostly positive reviews (TCS reviews here).

A cat tree and a window perch would definitely make her purr-fectly relaxed and happy. I think you are mostly ready, just need to do some research on what specific materials to buy. 

Best of luck.

Natalia 

I know you mention you don't have a ton of time to spend with the animal. Cats are usually pretty self sufficient so that's good. However, I adopted my first long haired kitty about a year and a half ago. I don't regret choosing her as she's really a wonderful companion. I love her dearly. I did however, underestimate the amount of grooming I'd have to do to keep her coat healthy.

I HAVE to brush Beans daily. I'd imagine that is not typical and most long hairs only require brushing every few days. I had to visit the groomer today as she had some mats I couldn't comb out.

I'm not trying to discourage you, it's just something you should think about. That and the fact that once or twice a year they shed a whole lot for a few weeks.

On the plus side, giving a belly scratch to a belly as grand as this is unmatched.

What an impressive belly. Very worthy of a nice long brushing. 

bigperm20 is right. Longhaired cats do require brushing every day to keep their coat nice and soft. I spend at least 30 minutes daily brushing both Thalia and Ailise, and they're considered mediumhaired. 

Natalia said:

What an impressive belly. Very worthy of a nice long brushing.

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Herein lies my dilemma (i.e. my trip to the groomer today). She will tolerate being brushed everywhere but her belly. She ended up with 2 big mats on her belly and she wouldn't let me work on them. I had to call in a professional.

She enjoys a belly rub but that's it. It's a no fly zone otherwise.

The cat we like seems to be more fine haired than fluffy. I will update tomorrow...we are visiting her again tomorrow.

I would definitely ask if the cat deals okay with young kids. If the kitty has not been socialized to young kids, she might be afraid and react negatively. An adult mellow cat may be the right fit but it needs to be the right cat for your situation.

I think she said her daughter had already spent time with the cat at the pound. If not ask the pound to let your family spend a little quality time together with kitty to make sure it's a fit.

She was adopted before we got there we are going to wait a couple weeks before we adopt...but adopting an adult cat if definately what we are going to do.

smithfamily2012 said:

She was adopted before we got there we are going to wait a couple weeks before we adopt...but adopting an adult cat if definately what we are going to do.

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Sorry you missed out on her. The good news is there are tons of homeless kitties out there who need love. Good luck.