What do you think is proper care?

What to you is proper care for cats? I think they need something to climb, good food, constant fresh water, somewhere comfortable to sleep, a clean place to go to the bathroom, and some attention when they ask for it.

What do you think?

All of the above and these as well..

Lots and lots of stimulating toys and decent medical care both curative and preventative.

Dexter & Sadie said that you got that right.

All of the things mentioned before PLUS, maybe another kitty to play with? Those gigantic cat trees must get boring when your on one by yourself!!!
Laurel

Food, Water in Clean Bowls.
Litter box (clean) in a safe out-of-the-way location.
A warm bed.
Medicinal supplies on hand.
Combed/Brushed regularly.
Scratching posts.
Various toys to stimulate and exercise them.
At least 10 minutes of interaction and play time with them daily.
Claws trimmed as needed.
Touch to the body, ears, eyes, and paws and stroking to the body.
Attention as required or accepted.
Occassional treats.
Vetenarian checkups as needed.
Proper shots when needed.
Oh yeah, and lots of love and kisses.

I forgot the scratching posts and brushes....
Only 2 of our 6 have claws (not my choice, they came to us that way).
The old girl doesn't tolerate brushing, and the shorthairs as well as the dog, love the zoom groom.

I do whatever"ordered to do"/// I give them food/ h2o changed on cue...lmao long story , love , basic vet stuff at home, good medical care when needed, more toys than most kids have, feildtrips, outdoor playtime, I wake up when they desire there feedings to start , I try to groom but the groomer gets theere nails, and whatever the demand ...

These are all pretty good. I also bathe my cats once a month. My cats hardly get outdoor playtime though. Princess does on occasion, my Orei is terrified of going outside, so I don't make him.

don't forget SPAYING and NEUTERING

Originally Posted by meiam

don't forget SPAYING and NEUTERING

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Good point!

opps forgot that... mine are always done before coming home..

And the strength to do what we need to do to end their pain and suffering if we are faced with making "The Decision".

I agree with the things everyone else has already mentioned. Additionally, I would say as a human bringing a cat into one's home, a good human should also attempt to understand cat behavior and psychology. I think many people at TCS may already have this philosophy.

Besides some of the things already listed...

I think part of proper care is being honest about what you really want from a pet and picking a companion who has an appropriate disposition to match. I like strong pets who are proven survivors and have a strong will to live with a lot of toughness and adaptability -- but that also means I will see a lot of alpha behavior, some aggressiveness and...well, my pets are not the most affectionate towards other humans. It's always been that way.

But my point is this -- before you get to proper care, you need to make a proper selection so you get a cat whose personality matches your style of ownership. I see so many threads at this forum where people are having issues because they picked a cat that does not match their expectations of what they want from a cat. And the cat is probably not too thrilled about having that human as their owner, either.

Originally Posted by gayef

And the strength to do what we need to do to end their pain and suffering if we are faced with making "The Decision".

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Yeah, that is tough, but true. We don't want them to suffer, do we?

These are all really great points. The desexing is extremely important, thanks for bringing that up.

Just thought I'd add, I think you also need to have your cats indoors.

yes to all the above and LOVE. I also think that its a good idea to have a few dollars saved for any vet emergence, you could just put some money aside each fortnight, as our cats dont get sick on a payday and most vets wont let you pay later.