Please help - Looking to Adopt!

I decided I want to get a cat of my own. My sister has 3 at her apartment and I think they're cute.

Now, first of all, I know the sort I want. Here's a picture of the sort of color it needs to be - I know there is a name for it, but I just don't recall the name itself. The picture is a bit off, so I'll explain it. The cat is black, white, orange, and is sort of a rusty color with all these colored spots. I don't know the particular color name you'd give it though. I'd prefer it be short haired..



I may delete the picture in a day or two in order to keep my bandwidth from crapping out, I know there are a lot of people who will see it.

Now, onto the questions I have about cats.


1. My sister's cats are mean. One is dumb ( I mean that in the nicest of ways ) and has been bottle-fed since it was a kid. I swing my hand at it like I'm going to hit it, and he just stares at me as if I'm stupid. Apparently, he's never been beaten or disciplined, he's just sort of apathetic to anything you do to it. Just a note.. I don't hit cats, just try to shoo them from time to time. Her second cat is very noisy and extremely scared of everyone, a new face and POOF, it's gone! Her third cat is a big orange one who's very mean - he bites and attacks from around corners and stuff. It's just cat behaviour, but he's so big that it actually ends up hurting people. So.. How do I get my cat to be quiet, very polite, and enjoy sitting in laps and being held? I want it to be very comfortable in people's arms and extremely docile. Is there a way to promote this? ANY ideas would be appreciated.


2. Bowel problems. One of my sister's cats stinks like nothing I've ever smelt. It's awful, like something died. Two of them don't make bad odors, but one of them does. It -always- has the runs, and it -always- smells like it. So how do I get my cat 'regular?' I want to keep him as normal and unodorless as possible. Should I try washing him?


3. Water! How do I get my cat to not be terrified of water? I wouldn't mind being able to bath him from time to time, or maybe include him in my shower. I know this is a bit of an odd question, but I'm a very clean person and I don't care for something that sheds all over the place and stinks - I'll just buy a pillow if he won't keep himself clean.


4. Area. I want my cat to primarily stay in my room - how do I accomplish that? I know cats are fickle creatures.. Dogs come when you call them, cats come when they want to. How do I persuade him to lurk primarily in one room of the house?


Thank you! Please help me out ASAP, I may try to find a good kitty tonight.

Also, could you please link me to any adoption clinics in the Mobile, Alabama region? Thank you.

Naomi as respectfully as possible I will say that based on your above post, you really shouldn't own a cat. You are already placing so many restrictions on this poor animal. What happens if it poops in the middle of your bedroom floor? Can you handle that? All cats shed, most cats are scared or curious about water, I don't know one cat that will voluntarily jump into a shower with their human, and I really think you need to perhaps wait awhile before getting a cat. Volunteer at an animal shelter near you so you get some experience under your belt before you go looking for the perfect calico cat. If you swing your arm or hand at a cat, you will scare them, they may bite or scratch you and it is not acceptable behavior for someone to do toward a cat. Your sister's cat could possibly be sick, infested with parasites, and if it has the runs a lot will be in danger of becoming dehydrated and very ill. It could be allergic to the food, or??????? When was the last time it went to the vet?

I also want to be nice and 2nd that what Hissy said .

The color combination you like is called a calico. They are almost always female.

To your questions:

1. You can't make a cat have just any personality that you want it to have. They are living beings and have their own unique attributes. You can't just make one into a lap cat - they either are or they aren't. The best way to know would be to adopt an adult cat from a shelter, ask questions of the staff who may know the cat's personality, and spend some time with her to see if her personality is right for you.

2. As far as litter odor, well I'm sure some just do stink more than others. The better quality of food that you feed the cat, the less it will stink, in general. It also just depends on the cat and which food agrees with their system the best. The best way to combat litter box odor is to keep it clean, and that means scooping the litter out at least once a day.

3. Cats in general just plain do not like water. It is ingrained from birth. Turkish Vans and Bengals are two breeds that generally do like water, though. Many cats will tolerate baths if they are needed. Cats don't usually need to be bathed, though. They are very clean animals. No offense, but if you don't want a pet that sheds then perhaps a cat isn't your best choice. They do shed, it's a fact of life. The longer the hair the more you will see it, but short haired cats shed too.

4. Will there be enough room in your bedroom for kitty to be kept occupied? For there to be a good amount of space between kitty's food and litterbox? For kitty to run and romp and just be a cat? Why do you just want it to be in one room? The only way to really accomplish this is to lock it in there all the time, and if it is a small room really isn't fair to the cat. Cats are curious and will explore the rest of your home.

Also being as respectful as I can be, I'm not sure that a cat is the right choice for you at this time based on the criteria that you have for this pet. Cats are amazing creatures, but you have to accept them for what and who they are. They don't conform.

With all due respect to you

Ditto what they said

And as far as me having no cat experience, I've had these three cats running around my house for two months because they've been moving. I've JUST NOT gotten to where I think they're cute.

Yes, they spent a lot of money on the cat - I -loaned- them $800 to get him looked at in an out of state clinic. Nothing is wrong with it, it just has odd bowel problems.

I'd really like opinions on what I asked instead of opinions on what you think. I'd like you to keep in mind that any home is a home, because the world isn't perfect. I don't expect for a cat to do my bidding, I just want a pleasent, happy, and saved cat to break my things for me. I was angry when the big cat broke my vase on the mantle, and I was even angier when it pushed my little rice cooker off of the table, but I never fussed with it or got upset. I was just apathetic about it, I thought it was cute, though I'd never show that to them.


I want a cat because I like them, not because I want something to sit in my lap and like water.


Given your choice, would you rather I just not get one and let them be put to sleep from overpopulation? I'm trying to do something nice, I don't particularly like animals a whole lot, I come from a very large hunting family. I'm fairly detatched from the whole animal rights thing due to it's extrimities, but I totally disagree with people hitting or abusing them.

My apartment is perfectly fine for a cat, it's a 2 story 2-room, 1-bath, living room and full kitchen. Plus it's a city apartment so it can go out whenever it wants - it's a very nice neighborhood.

You've got to understand, I'm not typically a pet owner, but I decided I want to take care of a cat because my doctor says it's good for me to have something like that and due to the extreme rate of which they're being euthenized here, I thought it would be nice to just rescue one of them from the otherwise piteous life of living in an 2x2 cage until a 4 year old kid decides he wants to pick on their ears and yank their tail.

I'm honestly doing it because I do like cats, and I do want help at least one of them out of problems they couldn't help but be in.


If you could just advise me on how to better get it used to a house and such, that would be good too?


I've had three for about five weeks, but now I want one for myself. Like I said, I'm never had a pet besides babysitting them, so it's all new to me.

I respect your opinions as cat owners and what not, but I'm from a different part of the world where cats are cats and humans are humans. I don't lend them a human-like respect, but I would never abuse them.



I'm just trying to do one good thing for a resolution, but I must say it isn't happening like I was hoping. Instead of saying what I can't do, try telling me what I can do. Maybe that would help me more.

I agree with Hissy. Cat's aren't perfect. They all have some sort of behaviour problem. They could be mean or hyper, they could poop on the floor etc. You cannot keep a cat confined in one room. That's cruel. They need lot's of space to run around.

Sounds to me like you're not ready to own a cat. Read some books on cats, volunteer at shelters and ask cat owners questions. Once you learn more about cats, you won't make so many rules for them. I have two cats living indoors with me, if they poop on the floor, I certainly don't hit them. I clean it up, put in in their box and show them. They get the hint, cat's are intelligent creatures. I have beds for my cats, that way when they shed alot, it goes onto their beds. I simply just take the covers off, brush the fur off and wash them.

Do your bowel movements smell like roses? Sorry, but cat's can be far less stinky! If her cats are eating a high quality cat food, their bowel movements should be the same everytime. If they eat wet food, they can get diarrhea.

Many cat's are afraid of strangers. My cat Peppurr is terrified of men! Men with glasses and hats that is. Some cats take time to warm up to visitors, but eventually they will. Why would a cat warm up to somebody who attempts to slap it? You should never even pretend to hit an animal. They will become so scared of your hand that every time you try and pet them, they will lay on the ground in fear.

Calico is the kind of cat you are looking for. It is not a breed, just a color. I have a feral calico kitten waiting to be caught!

Seriously, think about what you have just said. Cat's are wonderful pets, they shouldn't have any rules. The only rule my cats have are NO GOING OUTSIDE, INSIDE ONLY!

And as far as wanting the cat to be in one room, I don't want it to live ih one room - I just think it would be fun to lay in bed and have it in a chair or on the bed with me.

My house it more than enough for two dogs, much less a single cat. For instance, I would rather him have sort of a designated pillow or maybe just an area he slept in regularly. These cats I have never sit still, they're sleeping on my china cabinet and under the bed, on top of the TV or behind the stereo. I just thought having it sleep in one area would be kind of nice. It's not like I'm following him around smacking him everytime he lays someplace other than wherever he needs to be - I just thought it would be easier for him to like a spot and WANT to be there.

Naomi,

First of all this is a cat welfare board. That is what we are about, to help people who have cats, want cats or have a problem with the cat they have. I have over a dozen cats, they are not looked at as having human attributes, they are cats, they have good days and bad days, they spit and hiss and even bite at times, and we know they love us. They used to be ferals so that is just a part of them that we accept. On the other side, they lay with us at night, cuddle with us on the couch, jump on our lap and even launch up to our shoulders. We accept them for who they are, and do not ask them to perform in anyway, or to conform to how we think, or how we feel they should act.

Several of your statements concerned me. That's why I spoke out as I did. It seemed to me that you were or are asking a cat to be what you want it to be, and therefore may not allow it to just simply be a cat.

Are you sure you wouldn't rather have another type of pet. My second favorite pet after kitties are guina pigs, they are VERY cute, they purr, they can live in a small area, they are smart and for the most part they like to snuggle. I would LOVE to have a guina pig but I think my little monster kitties would try to eat it! They do have calico guina pigs, maybe you can look into that for a pet. Cats are very independent, and it is really luck to get a lap cat. All of the have there days!

I suppose it's wrong to want to rescue a cat from being put to sleep by giving it a good home?

If I weren't concerned with the cat's health, why would I get one?

On top of that, how could I have taken care of THREE of them for five weeks?

I fed them a can of wet food twice a day, scooped their litter in the evening, always made sure they had good water and hard food? I mean, just because I would LIKE for the cat to have these particular attributes doesn't mean I would take him back if he didn't.

When I go to adopt, I have to pay $80 for an otherwise free cat no one wants - it goes to the ASPCA.

Could you just help me figure out how to encourage it's behaviour into something very placid? That's all I was asking to begin with.

I just can't believe you all think I'm ultra-picky and angry towards cats just for thinking having a calm, clean, and nice cat would be nice.

It is just because with cats you never know when you are going to get. I think your best bet would be to go to a shelter and get an adult older kitty. They should be calmer. Make sure to spend alot of time with it at the shelter before adopting it to make sure the kitty is close to what you want. but just like people, cats have there off days. My oldest kitties are around 4 and they are just starting to calm down, so maybe a cat that is older the 4, and calm would be best for you.

I had a rabbit for 4 years. I was very attached to him, but he died just before I moved to the states from some sort of pnumonia. There aren't very many pet doctors where I was from, otherwise it might not have happened.

I wish I could have him back, but I can't find them in the US, and even if I could, my apartment isn't rabbit-proofed like my old flat was.

Rabbits.. You have to tape up every wire, electrical opening, wooden surface, and anything that smells or tastes like -anything- off of the floor. I remember the most funny thing he had ever done was actually chewed up a scented candle and somehow manage to hide a shoe from me, he really liked the thick strings on them.

I miss him dearly, though I just don't know if I could spend weeks and weeks trying to find everything he could break - I didn't have so many things back in Shenyang.


That's the only animal I've ever had, and the only reason I say I've never owned a pet is because he wasn't really mine, but my friend at the time said I could take him to the states with me because it was nicer for him. That's the closest thing I've had, now I want a cat.




The reason I have so many questions is because in Shenyang, there aren't really cats. No, they don't eat them.. That's Korea, and even then, there's nothing wrong with it. The cats where I'm from would sooner kill you and eat you as they would let you feed them a steak.

They're very thin, but very strong - you rarely see them. They're like mice when you flip a light on, they run everywhere. The idea of keeping a cat in the house or actually OWNING one seemed so odd to me at first.

Anyway.

Naomi, please try to understand that we are simply trying to ensure that the cat does have a good home, and some of the statements in your first post raised some red flags to many of us.

I would definitely suggest that you consider adopting an adult cat from the shelter. First, as I said in my first post, you would have a better idea of the cats personality and can probably find one that is more of a snuggly cat who doesn't mind being picked up and handled. Also, an adult cat won't race around like a kitten and may be less likely to destroy things. Not that it can't happen with adults, but the youthful exuberance won't be as strong as a kitten.

As for encouraging a cat to hang out in your room, when you bring it home, make your room her "safe" place. Let her hide under the bed until she feels comfortable coming out. Put her food and water in there. Even limit her to that room for a while with her food, water, litter and toys for a while. Especially if you bring in a new cat while the others are still in your home, you don't want to just put her in the middle of them and expect good results. She needs to feel safe and secure in her new home before you introduce her to other cats there.

Cats are by their very nature clean animals, unless they are sick.

I also would say , go to your shelter and see what cats they have . If you like a cat there , ask away all the question you may have and they gladly will tell you all about that cat . Then you would know if the cat like to snuggle or not , but there is no garanty about that . I also would opt to a older cat , they are more lay back then the younger ones .

Adopting an older cat would be in your best interest then. As Heidi has said, if you confine the cat to one room, make sure the cat has litter pans, food water, a cat condo and toys. You do not want the food/water and litter pan to be close to each other, across the room from the pan is best, to cut down risk of health problems. You can buy a cat pillow and hope the cat decides to sleep there, but they sleep where they want to and that is just the way of it. I would suggest you get at least a 5 year old spayed female, they are more laid back than a neutered male. The cat will be in shock for a few days and you may have litter pan accidents and the cat may not eat right away. You want to watch and be sure that the cat is at least eating and drinking some.

hi and welcome to the catsite. The place to find out information about cats. The color cat you picked is a calico most often a female cat. Cats are finicky things prone to doing just exactly what they want to do, most often not what we want. There is two ways of going about getting the kind of cat that you want. The first way is like what everybody has suggested and get an adult cat from the humane society that is proven docile loving cat. Second is to get a very young kitty that has to have almost constant care to the point that the kitten associates you with mommy.

Part of that care for the small kitten would involve washing the kitten when he is real little and letting the kitten get used to water. This would be hard to do with an older cat so you would have to take your chances with that.

valanhb suggestion on closing a cat in one room is a very good one for getting a cat to accept one room to mainly be in.

Some cats have health problems that the vet cant figure out what is wrong just make sure the one you pick out is healthy looking and does not have any disagreeable odors to her.

Have fun picking out a kitty that you can enjoy and love whether it is an older cat or a kitten. Hopefully these suggestions have been some kind of help and don't let these other rude comments by some of the other people discourge you from getting a cat to love and cherish for your very own.

No, they don't eat them.. That's Korea,

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Koreans don't eat cats, though the Chinese do. Asking a Korean if he/she eats cats (or insinuating that he/she does) is considered an insult.

George

I think that you mean well. We all have to start somewhere and you've come to the right place. You can find out the answers to just about anything concerning cats here.

A lot of us around here can get kind of jumpy because we've heard sad stories over and over again. For example, I myself had a roomate who came from a family like yours...not animal lovers, hunters, etc. She adopted a young male cat Jeebus,who as it turned out had special needs. His eyes and nose leaked, he was skittish, shed a lot, and seemed to have a slightly deformed face. But he was a very sweet cat. Her boyfriend didn't like cats and THREW it one day when it pooped in their bathtub. He probably did this because he was a sick cat. Jeebus developed a fear of men, and rightly so. When her boyfriend suggested she get rid of the cat she agreed. I think she didn't realise the commitment she was making to take care of this animal. I sat her down and had a long talk with her. She was breaking up with this as*hole, so I didn't understand why his opinion should have anything to do with her keeping Jeebus. I told her that it was a life she was responsible for and she kept him for a while longer, taking him to the vet and trying to keep him well. Finally there came a time when we were both going to move our seperate ways. She wanted to move back home but her father detested cats and wouldn't let her bring it home. Without putting up much of an argument she pushed the cat off on her friend, who had also never owned an animal before. Jeebus ran away from his new owner, but returned. About a month later I heard that he was put down for medical reasons. So you see this is the sort of thing that people at TCS are fearful of when someone adopts a cat for the first time. But all catlovers have to start with their first cat at some time. Bear with us and we'll help you make the right deciscion.

As everyone has already pointed out, an adult cat is the only way you can be sure of personality. If you were to get a kitten there would be no saying how it's personality would turn out. I've raised several cats from kittenhood. Some turn out to be lap cats and some don't. I adopted one of my cats from a shelter and he's hates to be held, but I know his personality is extremely loving because I was volunteering at the shelter.

Keeping your cat in one room probably wont work out like you'd like. That said, both of my cats spend about 50% of their day in my bedroom. We sleep together, and when I'm not home they like to crash on my bed. Also I have a scratching post in my room which one is obsessed with. If you adopt a cat which isn't already declawed then you should definitly get it a scratching post. And for sure DO NOT get your new kitty declawed. Most people don't know that this is taking off a portion of the cats finger.

As for bathing your cat, it's not really necessary. Cats are extremely clean animals and will take care of this themselves. Bathing actually strips the oils from a cats coat. It's rare that a cat will smell badly, and if it does it may be due to a medical problem. If you'd like to keep the shedding down then it's best to brush your cat regularly. Some cats love being brushed and some hate it. Again, this is something you could test out in the shelter. If you really wanted a cat who likes to shower you could adopt a Turkish Van, who are notorious for loving water. Maybe you could find a Turkish Van rescue group.

Any odours from a cats bowels can be maintained by cleaning the box on a regular basis. Once a day should be plenty with one cat. Most cats don't really pass gas or anything, and will bathe any offensive areas themselves. When you are hunting for your shelter cat maybe check out their butts (ya gross, I know) and see if they keep it clean. Most will. Put the litter box in an unused closet or in an out of the way area.

So that's basically it. If you do adopt please come back to us with any questions you have.

Originally posted by NaomiK
You've got to understand, I'm not typically a pet owner, but I decided I want to take care of a cat because my doctor says it's good for me to have something like that...

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Ok I have alot to say and hear me out. It's also 142 AM so I may not word all this that great.

The welcome was because the way you worded your post sounded bad and scared some of us. We have cats..some a couple some alot. We have a motherly instict twards these animals and if we are rude it's because of wording not because of choice. We only want to help you. Everyone warning you that you may not be ready for a cat was based on what you had said in your posts. You want a clean cat and no shedding..all cats shed whether short hair or long haired. (You shed hair too!) Gently brushing regularly will help immensely and vaccuming regularly will keep it off your floor. Cats are very clean creatures though. I have 2 inside and 13 outside(mine and strays) they all bath frequently and even the outside cats arent dirty. Cats arent like dogs(no offense to dog owners/lovers) they dont roll around in dirt and stuff. Yes I see my cats sometimes roll in the grass but that is because of the warm sun and them leaving their scent. You are wanting one inside. Inside the cat would be very clean if you house is clean because there is no dirt or anything to get it dirty. As for the litter box If you keep it scooped (clumps of poop) daily and the whole box changed regularly then it's paws will be clean and you wont be smelling the litter box. You also have to have a good litter..not the cheap stuff. [Note: You also have to feed good food. I started Spica on Purina kitten chow and her poop was so strong smelling it woke me in my sleep. Then I swithed her to Iams kitten. Now it's alot better. It would be even better if I could afford higher food than this.] The only clean problems you will have is hair shedding and if it gets sick (which can happen and is very expensive). If they get sick or even stressed they may not use the litter box and will use the floor. When I first brought Spica in she peed on my bed twice and pooped in the floor once. It was due to stress and her litter box not being to her liking. So you'll have to deal with sickness and litter boxes. Also dont forget behavior problems. It could be using the litter box fine then come you come home and have poop all over the place and pee on your bed and have to wash your sheets and not be able to go to bed when your tired from work. Little suprises like that happen alot. Cats have different personalities too. Some want to be in your lap and others never do. Some want to be pet as much as you'll pet them others want to be left alone. You also would probably be better with an adult cat. Kittens and younger cats are hyper and create messes and problems. Oh and the pillow thing you were asking about...Every cat I've ever had inside (including the one I have now) have slept on my bed. As for staying in one room that's not always possible. My cat runs out of my room as soon as I open the door about 99% of the time. Lately she's stopped doing it as much. Cats cant be made to do whatever you want either. You say you're not typically a pet owner...what if you give this a chance because of what you're doctor says and then you end up with a cat that doesnt have the personality you want and you dont want it. Then you'll give it away. What about the cat...it will have adjusted to you and then you'll have caused it stress by giving it to someone else when you shouldnt have had it if you couldnt handle it. We are all trying to be nice...it's just hard when we want to make sure you dont make the wrong decision for the cat or for you. Cats are wonderfull intelligent animals and you have to be able to adjust to living with them just like if it is another human being. It will take adjusting and you need to remember cats(like all animals) are animals. We cant make them do anything. You cant change their personality or make them do what you want. Either you adjust to them or you dont have one. Just think over all the advice whether good or bad. Make a Pro/con list or something. You need to make 100% sure for you and the animal that this is what you want and need. It's wonderfull to want to save one from a cage, but a person that's not normally an animal person will have a harder time with a pet than an animal lover. Cats are like children..animal or not they need alot from us and only we can provide it. The better we provide the happier and healthier the animal. This site is a very valuable resourse for can info. The forums can help you with any cat problem you have with the 3 you have and the one you want if you decide to get it. Just please think it over really hard...be sure this is what you want. If you have doubts, dont do it. Oooo one last thing I almost forgot..bathing..Cats keep licked and bathed. They dont ever need bathing unless it gets something on them. If you decide to bath one, ask us before you try it. There are right ways and wrong ways.

Dont let yourself get offended by what any of us say. Noone is purposefully trying to offend you. You have to remember this is internet and all we have to go by is words. We cant tell the tone of what either one of us is saying.