Cats and infections...

i'm convincing my parents to let me get a cat, and they're almost 100% convinced....my question is, do indoor cats generally get more infections than dogs? we've only had dogs before and my parents are a little hesitant about getting a new kind of animal. my mom thought that cats naturally have more health problems than dogs, but i think she was referring to outdoor cats (since they're exposed to more "dangerous" stuff). so, i just wanted to clear that up.

thanks for any replies.
-Liz

All animals are pron to infections. BUT with regular checkups and routine vaccinations you can 80-90% insure your animal to have a healthy life. Just like humans you never know what the future will bring for health. I have had cats and dogs, even small furry cuddles and i can tell you no one species is at risk for diseases anymore than another is.

Not really. Cats are more prone to certain things than dogs (e.g. urinary issues), but other than that, not really. Dogs are really more susceptible to many kinds of illness, as well as injuries (since they spend time outdoors and play more roughly) as well as the different problems found in various breeds. Indoor, mixed breed cats are not very prone to health problems at all.

I have had cats all my life and they have all been pretty healthy. I've only spent on general vet visits and shots.

I don't think indoor cats are particularly prone to infections, although a bored and frustrated indoor cat may be more prone to stress related illnesses (such as cystitis) and behavioural problems. But as with any species, some individuals may be more sickly than others. Before you get any pet it's important to make sure you're prepared to deal with whatever comes along. Make sure your parents are willing to deal with any problems a cat may have. How will they react if it starts peeing outside the litter box, for example? That may never happen (Jaffa my 9 year old has not once gone outside his box) but how would your parents react? You need to be sure they are prepared to deal with the problem and not just put the cat outside or get rid of it.

I have both dogs and cats and I will say that I spend a LOT more money caring for the dogs than the cats. With 2 dogs and 13 cats, I think I still pay more each year for my dogs than cats. Spays/neuters cost more, they must be on heartworm medicine, their toys cost more, flea medicine costs more, vaccinations and checkups cost more.

I find I bring my dogs to the vets more often than the cats. Since they go outside and play more roughly, they get into more things. I've had dogs that run into things and needed stitches about once a year, they eat things they find outside and have digestive problems, and about 1/2 of my dogs have had arthritis and were on medicine for years on end.

Flip a coin, but I think that cats are easier and less costly to raise than dogs.