Can you tell me if getting a cat is a bad idea under my circumstances?

I've been wanting a cat forever...specifically a kitten...and I'm ready for everything  that comes with getting a cat personally but I have some concerns. I just wanna know if it's a bad idea or not

1. I live in a smallish 2 bedroom apartment with a roomie, my roomie said she's fine with me getting a cat, but I know she's not terribly fond of them and is also allergic (so am I, but i'm willing to deal with it)

2. She's getting a leopard gecko around the same time I would get a cat, the gecko would stay in her room, but I'm still wary. has anyone here ever owned a lizard and a cat?

3. I'm an animator and I collect a lot of expensive collectibles and toys and such for movies/shows I like, if I leave these out on a bookshelf, do you think a cat would destroy or eat them?  

4. I've never had a pet before! I'm very paranoid so I've been researching like crazy and I think I can handle it but is a cat the right pet for a pet newbie?

I'd really appreciate any advice! Thanks!

would you consider adopting a senior cat instead of a kitten? Senior cats usually have lots of good manners and you wont have to worry about stuff being knocked off. You could find a cat around 8 to 12 yrs. most cats live to 15-24ish. I have one now who is 18. She sleeps a lot but most kitties do anyways.

I don't have experience with lizards. As long as the cage has a cover I wouldn't think the cat would bother it.

Getting a kitten you would need to be home a lot in the first 2 to 4 months to not only feed-but help it learn manners-teething-climbing-scratching. It may be overwhelming. I would suggest an older kitty.

You can visit a shelter and see how they react to you. Sometimes I tend to be drawn to the shy ones. They usually have the best personality when they get used to you. But that is just me.

Kittens are NAUGHTY . They'll chew everything and climb everything and knock everything over. I would recommend an older cat, too, though I don't think you need to get a senior. Over 3-4 years old, though, definitely.

As long as the lizard isn't running around loose the cat isn't going to bother it. Any tank that can keep a lizard in can keep a cat out, unless the cat busts through the screen or knocks the tank over. But careful placement of the tank should prevent that.

I agree with @foxxycat  . Kittens are great. They are adorable, sweet and fun. So are older cats. Kittens are the first ones to go out of a shelter while middle agers and seniors sit, watch and wonder, "When will it be MY turn?". As mentioned, they have already developed their personalities, they are already litter trained and have manners. They also still have a lot of love to give and are magnificent friends and companions. 

What I suggest you do is visit a local no kill shelter or rescue and let them know that you are looking for a cat that has a more mellow personality. You'd love my Henry. He's 9 years old. He's so laid back and chill. He's the perfect gentleman. He has his favorite places to nap and he loves to cuddle. He has never broken or gotten into anything he shouldn't. He's just happy chilling out and enjoying his middle age years. You should look for a cat like him. Shelters and rescues are full of them. If you tell the workers what you are looking for, they can point you in the right direction. Meet the cats they suggest. See if any of them choose you because that is how it works with cats. We do not  choose them. THEY choose US. If nothing works out (it will), then go back to the kitten idea. You'll be saving 2 lives. The cat that chooses you and the one that the shelter or rescue takes in to fill his or her spot. 

Good luck and welcome to TCS! We are glad yo are here!! 

Willowy said:

Kittens are NAUGHTY

. They'll chew everything and climb everything and knock everything over. I would recommend an older cat, too, though I don't think you need to get a senior. Over 3-4 years old, though, definitely.

As long as the lizard isn't running around loose the cat isn't going to bother it. Any tank that can keep a lizard in can keep a cat out, unless the cat busts through the screen or knocks the tank over. But careful placement of the tank should prevent that.

Click to expand...

Kittens are A LOT of work and you really need to have two of them so they can keep each other occupied. Kittens are like 6 month old babies: everything they can get their paws onto, may end up in their mouths (hopefully not in their tummies). Keeping your home kitten-proof is a must.  I really think you're better off with an older cat. Not necessarily a senior cat but any adult cat over the age of 1.

The roommate can keep the lizard cage / tank in her bedroom and keep the bedroom door closed at all times. It will be an off-limits area to your cat. Make the roommate's bedroom off-limits from the start so the cat doesn't get used to going in there .

Be prepared for vet bills. They can be expensive, especially emergency vet bills. Look into pet insurance and / or setting aside money in a bank account to use for unexpected emergencies.

Consider other pets as well. Many small animals like hamsters, rabbits, guinea pigs, etc make great pets for first time pet owners.

Or look into fostering for the local shelter or rescue.

I would definitely agree with the above. A kitten is not a good idea for you. Kittens get into everything and mess with anything, you will have to spend a lot of time training and working with this, but in the process things will get ruined and damaged. 

Getting an older cat is better. Not necessarily a senior cat although this would be good to. I'd agree with the idea of getting a cat that is at least a few years old. You can find one that is very calm this way as well and its personality will be much more fixed. 

Good on you for loving cats and wanting to share your life with one!  I wouldn't recommend it at this time, #1 reason being the roommate, #2 reason being the gecko, and #3 reason being that before you take personal responsibility for anyone in your care, you need to know their basic needs and be able to care well for them.  You can learn about this on this site, a really good place to start! and maybe after you and the roommate part company, you'll be in a better position to adopt one (or hopefully more -- cats are very social and love the company of other cats, for the most part!  They keep each other company while their humans are away or busy, too.) .  (As far as the collectibles are concerned, those are easy to put away or get up out of the pathway of a cat.  And they're only material things, not living beings.  If you don't feel that way, perhaps it's best not to include another living being in your life at this time.)   

@Tarasgirl06 Brought up some really good points, especially with having a roommate. I've heard a lot of negative stories along the lines of, "Well, my roommate was cool with the cat at first, but not anymore, now I have to rehome it" and especially with the allergy issue, it could become an argument. I agree with the others on here saying to look into getting an older cat; the first cat I ever got outside of my house was a shelter cat that was just over a year old, she is such a lovely thing that now lives with my old roommate.

Is the situation you are in now permanent? Do you move around a lot? Have you known your roommate for awhile? The aforementioned kitty got moved between four apartments and it stressed her out so bad. If your lifestyle is busy, I would definitely suggest an older (not necessarily senior) cat that can do well on it's own. Kittens take a lot of time and attention to get them trained. If you work from home, or are home most of the time, a kitten might be an okay choice... just don't get frustrated when it does kitten things and starts to get into stuff. 

foxxycat said:

 
would you consider adopting a senior cat instead of a kitten? Senior cats usually have lots of good manners and you wont have to worry about stuff being knocked off. You could find a cat around 8 to 12 yrs. most cats live to 15-24ish. I have one now who is 18. She sleeps a lot but most kitties do anyways.

I don't have experience with lizards. As long as the cage has a cover I wouldn't think the cat would bother it.

Getting a kitten you would need to be home a lot in the first 2 to 4 months to not only feed-but help it learn manners-teething-climbing-scratching. It may be overwhelming. I would suggest an older kitty.

You can visit a shelter and see how they react to you. Sometimes I tend to be drawn to the shy ones. They usually have the best personality when they get used to you. But that is just me.

Click to expand...

She is absolutely right!!  Kittens are a lot of work!!!  I have a full time work, live alone, and have an almost 3 year old cat.  Yes, she is young, but is an adult, has outgrown the "kitten" behavior.  Let me tell you what I am talking about when I say "kitten" behavior.  A little over a year ago, neighbors of mine were out taking a walk, I had just driven up into my driveway, getting home from work.  The neighbors I noticed had 3 kittens running along side of them.  I musingly yelled out to them saying, "I have seen people take their dogs on a walk, but kittens is a first for me".  The neighbors said that the kittens are not there's, but someone up the street had a feral who gave birth to kittens, and these 3 just ran up to them and started following them on their walk that day.  I found out who the family with the female feral was, asked them if they were missing these kittens, they said they had their hands full will cats as it was, if I wanted them, they're mine.  Well, this was a Friday night.  Now, I was feeding ferals out side in  my back yard at this point, but had no indoor cats.  I was excited at finding cats who "wanted to be in doors".    I moved my dining room table to the side, took up the dining room rug, put up gates so as to keep the kittens contained in the dining room which was now sans carpeting.  I set out litter boxes, beds, toys, the cat tree that I had bought which has never been used yet, etc, the whole 9 yards a tell you.   These kittens I say were about 3 months old and let me tell you A HANDFULL.  They were all cute as a button, but the energy level was, let me say, jet - powered energy  Go, go go!!!  If they were not sleeping, they were constantly on the go.  They loved the cat tree. 2 of the 3 were litter box trained.  They ate  like little horses.  I really had nothing to complain about, it's just that there was no way I can keep these 3 because they demand A LOT of attention.  I even called in Monday and stayed home from work,   I knew I could not call in Tuesday, that I had to go to work.  I called a friend that fostered and took in cats.  She lived on a farm, and if she could not adopt these 3, she told me they would be welcome to be barn cats.  Considering they were feral any way, no harm done.  All I knew is that I did not have the time and energy that they required and deserved to give them the best life possible, and if I could not do that for them, I must find someone who can.  I know I was a bit wordy here, but I just wanted to make sure that you understand that having a kitten is not the same as having an adult cat.  Totally different ugh.

I may have missed it but I think one thing that wasn't mentioned is "claws."  If you own a lot of memorabilia and/or collectibles you may want to give this some consideration.  There are many options to give a kitty something other than your furniture to scratch but you should think about this also.  Our cat(s) have all their claws and some have been better about using them than others but it's a part of sharing our house with a cat that we accept.

I'm not in any way trying to discourage you, I think you are wise to ask questions before bringing a cat into your home.  

I have allergies so can relate and also take allergy medicine.  I like to rationalize that since I'm allergic to tress, pollen, mold, etc. I'd have to take the meds anyway.   

I hope you find the best possible solution and wish you lots of luck!

I sure thank you for the support, not for my ego but for the cat or kitten, who is the most important consideration to me.  In my family, we've always felt our cats are beloved family members, not "pets"; we would never "own" them and they are with us for life, through thick and thin, in all but instances which would be life-threatening for the cats.  So I'm really glad you seem to agree that when you adopt a cat, it's a VERY important decision not to be taken lightly, and the environment must be safe for and conducive to a cat and his or her happiness and wellbeing.  (This is The CAT Site, yes?) 

Sorry to butt in again, but I just re-read your post and, while I stand by my first post in reply, I do think YOU would make a good cat caregiver and I think a cat is definitely in your future! Hopefully more than one! 

Wow!!! Thank you all for your replies!! I really appreciate it.

Some people have told me I shouldn't but I really can't find it in my heart to not have one, I know there are people in much worse off situation than me and have many pets, I don't see why I can't handle a small one. Plus all my friends are cat experts so I think I will be alright. My roommate is a good supportive animal lover friend of mine so I don't think a pet will come between us or vice versa. 

In fact! I've arranged meeting with a cat I fell in love with online in a few days. Does anyone have tips before I go?? I've never been to a rescue before so I don't know the ettiquette very well, and I don't want to make any novice cat handling mistakes! What should I do to make sure he likes me?

Offer out your hands in a fist rather than outstretched fingers. Be relaxed and calm and quiet.

Have a look at this It was a three part BBC documentary with a lot of cutting edge cat research and very much worth a watch. You'll have to find the other parts yourself.

ETA Asking on here's usually a good sign you'll be an attentive owner. And of course if you're in North America - don't declaw!

I, too, would recommend an older cat. They may take a little longer to adjust (hiding under the bed, etc. )but they are much calmer and don't have that high energy action anymore that is apt to knock over things and get them into trouble. My cats have wove around collectibles on the mantle for years and have never broke one, just don't yell and scare them into panicking.  Small animals and cats do not mix,  as long as you could make sure the lizard never escaped it's cage, you would be all right. But anything like lizards, birds, and hamsters would be viewed upon as prey and are not safe around a cat, it is just instinct for them to attack, the same for most dogs too. As for meeting your cat, be calm, call to it in a quiet, high pitched voice, and do not stare directly into it's eye's, that is viewed as a threat. If you get a kitten, be ready for constant high energy for the first year and possibly two, then they turn into couch potatoes, so be prepared to think, "this will pass, she WILL grow up"! You are bringing a new member into your family and your life, be prepared for a long journey full of joy and love! PS One thing I forgot.... get one of those corrugated cardboard 'scratchers' for your new baby, they save your furniture and  give them hours of fun, you can flip it over to make it last twice as long too!

Di and Bob said:

 
Small animals and cats do not mix,  as long as you could make sure the lizard never escaped it's cage, you would be all right. But anything like lizards, birds, and hamsters would be viewed upon as prey and are not safe around a cat, it is just instinct for them to attack, the same for most dogs too.

Click to expand...

I think it really depends on the cat. My current two cats have zero interest in my three mice. Occasionally Emma will sit next to the tank to see why the mice are squabbling but she gets down when I tell her NO. I have the tank in the bedroom and neither cat has access to the room when I am not at home. When the cats were kittens I had gerbils and back then they were kind of interested in the gerbils but it was mostly out of curiosity (what kitten is curious about everything?) than viewing the gerbils as prey to eat. My previous cat also had no interest in the gerbils I had back then. Maybe I just have strange cats

But it's always best to be safe As I said in my earlier post, the lizard tank should be moved to the roommate's bedroom (if it's not already there) and the bedroom made strictly off-limits to the cat from the start. The roommate should regularly check the tank to make sure it is secure to prevent the lizard from escaping. If the cat sneaks into the room, remove the cat immediately with a firm NO and close the door.

buddi said:

In fact! I've arranged meeting with a cat I fell in love with online in a few days. Does anyone have tips before I go?? I've never been to a rescue before so I don't know the ettiquette very well, and I don't want to make any novice cat handling mistakes! What should I do to make sure he likes me?

Click to expand...

Be clear about your lifestyle. The rescue will do their best to find a cat who will fit into your lifestyle. If you're not home for more than 12 hours, an energetic kitten or adult cat with special needs may not be best no matter how cute and friendly they are. Ask about the cat's background and why the previous owners gave it up. The online bio may not have the whole story and sometimes a cat just has an unknown history, such as strays.

I agree about being honest with the rescue about anything they ask you. I work at a shelter and many of the people we reject are because we think they may not be giving us the whole truth. Also being direct with them and prompt about answering them is good. 

For the cat, let it sniff your hands. Observe it from a distance, usually sitting down is best. Let it approach you if possible. Most cats are more interested about being out at first and then will approach you.