I Really Want a Cat But My Parents Are On the Fence About It

corashannon

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People of Cat Site,

 I'm brand new here and though I don't have a cat(yet) I really want one. I'm a 15 year old  and I homeschool so I spend a lot of time around the house. My family just moved and in our other house we had a nice outside cat named Percy that lived in our shed and I spent a lot of time with her, she passed away before we moved. We've always had a cat around ever since I was little but now we don't and I'm really missing the presence of having a cat around. My brother is okay with getting one and my Mom is as well but the main thing my parents are concerned about is the litter box. They think it will smell to much and they don't know where to put it. I was doing research online and I want to put it in the bathroom cupboard and clean it every day. Will that help? My Dad is the person I really need to convince.

Another thing I'm nervous about is that when I was twelve I got a baby bunny, but I had a really hard time house training it (or training it at all) and we had to give it to a friend because me and the bunny didn't really work. My parents never let me forget that even though it  was three years ago and I'm a lot more mature and ready to handle a cat.  I'm afraid if I bring up wanting an inside cat my parents will say no because of the rabbit. I think cats and baby rabbits are really different but my parents lump all pets together. I've been working on saving up enough money to rescue an old cat from a shelter but I need my whole family to be okay with it. How do I tell my parents that I will be the one caring for it and so on....My main question is how do I convince my parents? My parents are not pet people, but they do like cats, my Mom even suggested getting a cat once but my Dad shot it down saying "Where would we put the litter box?" Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You
 

di and bob

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Litter boxes don't have to be that bad, I have two covered ones (extra large so they don't feel trapped) and since I have went to clumping litter, the smell is tremendously better. The clumping litter costs more at first but you don't have to change it very often and is cheaper in the long run. You don't have to 'see' anything with a covered one, do you have a place in your bedroom? Just scoop before you go to school and after you get home and there shouldn't be any odor. I keep a scoop and those cheap plastic sandwich bags nearby to make scooping easier. I agree too that there is a big difference between 13 and 15, you are much more mature. You are also much more motivated, you WANT the cat and will try to make it work. Cats are much easier to care fro then dogs, I think, at least you can leave them alone in a house and you don't have to find the messes outside to pick up! Is there something you could 'trade' with your dad for getting a cat, like taking out the trash every day, mowing, or doing laundry,etc.? I would just try to reason with your dad, promise to accept the responsibility, and tell him it will keep you interested in something at home and not be with your friends! (and boys!)
Also, it's been proven that children who are given the responsibility of a pet grow into more responsible adults, and have more empathy towards others, both animal and human, that is something every parent wants for their children, All the luck and keep us posted!
 

ruaryx

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Hi, I really wanted to respond to this post because I actually got my cat when I was 14.  I don't regret it, but I'm not sure I would recommend it.  First of all, if your family isn't invested in YOUR cat (mine wasn't either) what will happen if your kitty needs to see the vet?  Are you sure that your parents will agree to pay for medical expenses?  Shots and spay/neuter is manageable (I was able to save up with my allowance) but what about unforeseen illnesses or accidents?  

Furthermore, if your parents were willing to give away your bunny because it "didn't work out" what will happen if your kitty isn't perfect?  Cats are usually easier to litter train, but what if kitty has an accident or likes to scratch on the couch?  Yes, these behaviors can be figured out with patience, but will your family have patience if they are on the fence?  Also, my family had a problem with the litter box too.  It actually never really smelled to me, but I always had to keep it in my bedroom, right next to my bed since it was so small.  This wasn't ideal since I had to keep her food and water bowls in there too.  

Are you willing to spend most of your allowance on food for the rest of your teenage life?  If your family is willing to help out financially, that would be great, but I know mine wasn't.  

I had a big scare when my family's house got foreclosed a year after I got my cat.  The new apartment didn't allow pets and my family insisted that I just take her to the humane society.  I couldn't imagine losing her!  Eventually it worked out because I begged the landlord, but it was super stressful!!

Finally, what will you do when you get older?  Cats can live up to 20 years.  I actually decided to go to a nearby town for college as I didn't want to be too far away from my cat.  My family agreed to do the bare minimum, feed her and clean her litter box, during the school year.  I would come visit her during breaks and in the summer.  I know that she had food, but my family aren't animal lovers and I knew she was probably lonely.  I felt really guilty all the time for having to leave her alone.  I finally decided to get an apartment in my college town that allows cats.  This usually costs more than regular apartments and may be harder to find. Recently, I've had to take a few trips to the vet (I'm still living in my college town) and since I don't have a car, it's a cab ride to and from the vet.  Are you willing to make these commitments?  

I'm not trying to discourage you from getting a cat, but I want you to know what you're committing to.  It has been a struggle to always keep my cat with me and fed and healthy, but I definitely don't regret our time together.  She is the sweetest lap cat I have ever known.  Just make sure that you make an informed decision. 
 
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corashannon

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Hi Ruaryx,

You are right I am really close to starting collage and I don't think I would go to college close to home just for the cat(honest opinion) That's why I wanted to get a older cat....I'm going to talk to my family about it. I haven't actually asked them yet.
 
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corashannon

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Thank you so much for the ideas, I'm hoping to talk to my family soon:)
 
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corashannon

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The second post was for Di and Bob!
 

twckittenmom

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So the litter box. One they are very very right they stink. Yes to all us cat ownerd whos noses have adapted to not believe its all that bad. Well it is. I have astma so i fewl it more than i smell it. Bathroom cabnets are a nono unless you have a spare guest bathroom id sugest not. Some cats like mine love to throw litter onto the floor. Also having the cabnet door and bathroom door open all the tine is a hassel. If someone forgets and shuts it and the cat has to go. He will find the closest thing to a litter box. A laundry room is a good place if you have one. I dont recomend a closet. The amonia smell seems to find its way i to cottens. A covered one in your room will work. And a fabreeze plug in helps very much to hide any smells. Buy doller store diaper bags. You can bag individual scoops in scented bags and it really helps with the smell.
 

ruaryx

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Hi Ruaryx,

You are right I am really close to starting collage and I don't think I would go to college close to home just for the cat(honest opinion) That's why I wanted to get a older cat....I'm going to talk to my family about it. I haven't actually asked them yet.
Hm, older cats may have health problems due to age. I guess you can look for one that has a good medical record. Alternatively, consider fostering! It is all the fun of owning a cat without the commitment.
 

pinkdagger

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I second fostering. You can give a cat a temporary home, so you get to take care of and play with a cat until it gets a permanent home so it's more of a short-term responsibility which may appease your parents.

There is nothing worse than bringing home a pet that the family is not fully invested into. Even older cats can surprise you with how long they'll live, some regardless of the quality of their care and their previous owners. If they do come to develop health problems, it can be an expensive endeavor, which is even more significant that you would identify this as "your" cat and not your family's. If it is yours, you would have to be committed to taking it with you when you move out.

This might seem kind of hypocritical (I'm a student who wound up with 5 pets when I was 12, 3 are still with me now that I'm 25, and during my second round of college I also added a cat to my little self contained family), but I wouldn't recommend getting a pet as a student, especially one bound for a school far away in the near future. Student housing, especially affordable housing for students is very difficult to come by in some college cities and having a pet makes it far more difficult to find housing. Most people don't want to rent to those with pets, and a lot of people have preconceived notions of cats being smelly (spraying, inappropriate litterbox use) and destruction (scratching inappropriately). It's hard to find housemates or roommates when you have pets, like if you have or meet friends who aren't big on animals or need to ask strangers to be housemates who may intentionally or unintentionally do harm to animals.

There are many animals who just "are", and you can't train them if they have no willingness to be "trained". At 12, I would say overseeing the care of your bunny was your parents' responsibility - just like with this cat, a pet should be a family commitment. It only causes frustration hard feelings to feel that you're alone and no one is helping you, while your parents become frustrated that you're not pulling the weight you said you would, which is the entire life of the animal.

If your home is large enough, you could really put a litterbox anywhere. If you're diligent scooping it once or twice a day, there should be no smell. Research and try different types of litter (things like low dust and unscented) and scope out different locations where you could fit a large box and see where it's the least intrusive. It sounds like there are other reasons your dad doesn't want a cat other than the litterbox, but that's kind of his scapegoat, to be honest.
 
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corashannon

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Just wanted to update, I was taking with my little brother and he said he'd love a cat as well! Anybody have any tips for bringing up adopting a cat to parents?
 

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Cats are VERY easy to train. All you have to do is show them the food bowl and litter box. They should just go there, but if not just show them everything again



Convincing is the tough part, just keep on trying but don't beg.


Good luck!
:D
 

AbbysMom

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Cats are VERY easy to train. All you have to do is show them the food bowl and litter box. They should just go there, but if not just show them everything again



Convincing is the tough part, just keep on trying but don't beg.


Good luck!
:D
Hello and welcome to the site! :wavey: The thread you are replying to is two years old. :) Hopefully the OP has a cat by now. :)
 
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