Owning a cat: An honest review
The other day, someone found my blog by searching for "owning a cat: honest review".
I'm guessing google sent them to my blog because I have a Dinnerly post that has the phrase "an honest review" in the title.
I posted a screenshot of this search phrase on my Instagram because I thought it was funny, but several readers said that they would actually really appreciate a review post about owning a cat!
And I realized that when I was trying to decide if I wanted to own a cat, I would have loved to read an honest review of cat ownership.
Especially from someone who had a lot of hesitation about the idea.
So, here we are.
I'm an unlikely cat owner
I never in a million years anticipated that I would have a cat walking around my house.
(Please read the second paragraph in this post for embarrassing proof!)
I didn't grow up with cats, for one thing.
And I've never been a super animal-crazy person.
Also, I like things to be clean and neat.
To wit, when I first met Mr. FG, I told him that I did not ever, ever want to have a dog. That was a non-negotiable deal breaker to me; if you want a dog, then I am not the girl for you.
PERIOD.
I didn't have such strong feelings about cats, but I certainly did not anticipate owning one.
I previously said yes to caged pets
I might not be a huge animal lover, but 4/4 of my kids are.
So in the past, I've said yes to a number of caged pets.
We've had
- fish
- many hamsters
- a guinea pig
- lizards
And I had even consented to a tarantula (luckily, we ended up with a second lizard instead. Whew.)
However, Lisey really, really likes cats, and she really, really wanted to adopt one.
I was scared. And nervous. So many unknowns!
Things that scared me about cat ownership
Since I'd never owned an un-caged pet before, I had a lot of concerns.
I was worried that:
- the cat would scratch our house up
- the litter would smell up the house
- cat hair would be everywhere
- cat paraphernalia would take up a lot of space
- it would be a lot of work to take care of a cat
- we'd have to go to the vet a lot
- a cat would be expensive
- owning a cat would just be very inconvenient
How have my worries panned out?
Well, I am happy to say that this has been way, way easier than I anticipated.
And in many ways, a cat is less work and less mess than a guinea pig (or even a hamster).
I was surprised!
The Scratching
Our cat was 7 years old when we adopted her, so she was already long past the super scratchy kitten phase.
I was worried she would scratch our leather furniture, but she hasn't. She does scratch our doormats, but I don't really care about that.
And when we first got her and she slept in Lisey's room, she would scratch at the door trim when she wanted to be let in.
But now that she sleeps by herself, she doesn't scratch at the doors anymore.
Which means it is probably safe for me to sand and paint this door trim!
The Smell
I have been pleasantly surprised at how not smelly the cat has been.
We use Arm and Hammer Slide litter, and it is seriously good! As long as we scoop it every other day, the smell is very minimal.
This litter is more expensive than some, but it's worth it in my book.
And the cat herself really does not smell.
(Unlike a dog. Ha.)
I really cannot emphasize enough how good this cat litter is. If smell is a problem, you really need to give this brand a try!
Cat Hair
Shedding probably varies by breed, but it has not been bad with ours.
Sonia keeps up on brushing her, which removes a lot of the hair. And the regular sweeping/vacuuming we do manages the rest of it.
Basically, we haven't had to add more cleaning than we were doing before.
Space Issues
Since the cat has free roam of the house (obviously!), we don't need a cage. So that's a plus.
A litter container and a feeding station take up a lot less space than a big guinea pig cage.
Amount of Work
I think cats are less work than guinea pigs, mainly because scooping a litterbox is so much less work than changing bedding in a cage.
The Vet
We haven't had to take our cat to the vet much at all; mainly we've taken her in for nail trimming.
Zoe and I did have one successful nail trimming session with her, but since then, we've just had unsuccessful attempts. So, we've decided to just pay the $15 every few months to get her nails trimmed.
At the vet, she's so scared, she's very subdued and she lets them trim her without complaint.
At home, she gets a little spicy when we try.
The Expense
Adopting our cat was free through the county animal shelter, so $0 there.
Vet costs have been minimal, as I mentioned.
We get free rabies shots through the animal shelter, so that's another $0.
We get our litter and food delivered through Chewy, and I'd say that runs us about $150/year.
And a few times a year, we need to pay $15 to have her nails clipped.
Overall I'd say this is pretty affordable.
Of course, I imagine that as she gets older, we will have some more expenses, but for now it's not bad at all.
The good parts of owning a cat
I addressed my worries already, so I figured I should talk about the upsides of owning a cat.
She makes my girls very happy
This is the largest upside of cat ownership by far. The girls just adore the cat, and since they are happy, I'm happy.
I like to do things that bring joy to my kids!
She's a very social cat
I know some cats are loners, but our cat loves to be near people. She's very attention-starved in the morning just from us sleeping all night with our doors shut.
So, she's fun to have around because she wants to be petted and scratched.
She makes us laugh
She does funny things like making chirping sounds at birds, running around scared at nothing, batting at bookmark ribbons, and licking drink condensation.
She's really sweet when someone is sick or sad
I don't know exactly how she seems to know this, but she will often choose to go sit with someone who is not feeling well.
For instance, she rarely sits on Lisey's bed during the day, but after Lisey had her wisdom teeth out, the cat stayed right beside her in bed for several days.
I don't know if it's just happenstance, but it IS very sweet.
In conclusion:
I'm really glad that I said yes to Lisey wanting a cat.
The joy she's brought to our family has been worth the small amount of inconvenience.
That said, I am still holding firm on the No Dog policy. A girl has to draw a line somewhere.
I grew up with cats (there were only few months in my childhood and youth when we did not have a cat - between losing a cat and a new cat finding us :-)) and I am still a HUGE cat lover. I love how independent cats are, and they bring so much joy!
Just out of interest: Is your cat allowed to go outside?
Love cats! When our last one died of old age we decided no more. We are able to travel to our kids houses with no problem. All our kids have cats and dogs so we have a nice visit with them. 3 black labs and 3 cats!
Our cats are sweet too, we love them! I agree, they are not much work, and we can go overnight somewhere without worrying about them. We always have had two cats. Boys get along with each other more than girl cats, and tuxedos seem to be the friendliest breeds. We trained them very young to let us cut their claws. Scruffing them helped and they are used to it now.
We don't like getting woken up by the scratching at our bedroom door when we are asleep, but if we ignore them they stop. They mess with our plants, but we put gravel in them and they stopped. Mostly. We had to get rid of our peace lily, because its poisonous.
Overall they give us a lot of joy, watching them play, petting them, and when we praise them they flip around on their back over and over. They do seem to hang around more when we are sad.
I have always been a dog person, but somehow we now have two cats in our home. I do have a dog. We at one time had two. Our Golden Retriever crossed the Rainbow Bridge in 2019. Five months later we couldn’t take it anymore. The house felt so empty without a dog. We now have a one year old Golden Doodle who has really made me happy. I was a mess after I lost our Golden Retriever.
Same! My 10 yo Boxer passed away in January and I was really in the dumps. He was with me before marriage during rock bottom lows, and there when I got married and had our daughter. It was SO hard to let him go. I thought for sure I didn't want another dog for a long time, I felt like I would be forgetting him. I lasted about a month and got a puppy. 🙂
I'm a hard-core dog person. I've no biological clock whatsoever, but I do have a puppy clock--I desperately miss having a dog and want a puppy so badly!!! However, I make do with cats because they're easier to rent with. (We rent a house with all bills paid for less than a mortgage payment and have an amazing landlord, who doesn't even charge pet rent. "No dogs" in the lease is honestly the only negative.) My husband and I had four cats altogether when we first met, three of which were his because he's The Cat Whisperer. After old age came calling for the others, only my cat remains. We were worried he'd be a bit lost being alone for the first time after his brother passed away this January, but he's LOVING the single cat life. He's thirteen, and only this year did he get us all to himself. He's even more of a hug monster than he was before! He expects to have breakfast with me everyday (one hand pets him while the other eats), loves shoulder cuddles, and I have to braid my hair at night to keep him from nesting in it.
He's also only the second-ever cat that I've been drawn to. He began life as a severely bow-legged and cross-eyed kitten who was scared of everything because he couldn't see well. He was so fugly that I 1) fell in love instantly and 2) worried that no one else would adopt him. His eyes and legs both straightened out naturally within a year, leaving him a most handsome patched Siamese. While he can certainly see better than he did as a kitten, his depth perception remains questionable at best. We share a complete lack of coordination and spatial awareness. He's completely indoor, needless to say. 🙂
Such a sweet love letter to your pet cat. ☺
I'm a doggie person but my daughter (who lives in a little apt on our property) has 2 inside cats and they are sweet. She rescued one after it had been shot so it's very skiddish but if you know where to pet him on his body, he'll let you all day long, lol.
But my oldest dog also knows when someone isn't feeling well. Years back I had some polyps on my uterus and was nearly anemic by the time the drs did surgery, but she would come and lay on the couch with me and rest her head on my lower stomach. It was like she knew I was having issues there and wanted to comfort me. Once I had my surgery, she stopped doing it. Animals can be amazing.
I am an experienced cat owner (and lover) and I endorse this review! Cats indeed are not for everyone, and cats are like any living creature -- they have their unique personalities, etc. so some cats are more challenging than others. But an animal that is taken care of well and treated kindly will likely bring more joy than not. I am glad that you brought up that as pets age new challenges will perhaps arise. Aging cats can get sick, struggle to do what they used to like use the litterbox well, etc. But this is where I hope all who have committed to the care of an animal will choose to remain kind and committed. Our pets love us and deserve our compassion throughout their WHOLE lives. BTW Love all the pics of your sweet cat. I've said this before but tuxedos are my absolute favorite although I love them ALL! I'm glad that she is a really good fit for your family!
I am not a cat person. Neither is my DH> Fine if they are in someone else house, but not in mine. I am a Dog person. I have a 9 yr old. Cock-a-poo. Whom doesn't shed. so no mess to clean up there. Now if I could train her to put her toys away!
I am okay with other people having cats so long as I don't have to go inside their houses for long periods of time due to my allergies (went to an in-law's house recently and ended up needing my inhaler so that was fun.)
I'm weird about animals. Dogs and cats actively raise my anxiety. Gerbils and other small animals gross me out.
So yeah. I have a hard and fast rule about no pets in my house.
Only $100/year for litter AND food? What does your cat eat? Lol, my mom's cat is trying to eat us out of house and home!
We're currently spending about $5/month on the cheapest store-brand litter from WMart and $1/day on food - 2 cans of wet food and a bit of kibble.
She's eating dry food right now, and since she's overweight, the vet told us to not feed her very much.
Sadly, even though we measure her food religiously according to the vet's directions, she is still plump. Sigh. I think the problem is mainly that she is extremely lazy.
Haha your description if her being "extremely lazy" is hilarious. Our sweet chubby kitty easily sleeps 20 hours a day. Such a tough life, huh?
I'm a cat person. I grew up with both dogs and a cat, and the cat was by far my favorite.
I adopted an elderly cat as an adult, but sadly, she only made it about a year with me. She had been the skittish 3rd cat at my friend's house, but as an only cat with me she really opened up! So I'm happy to have been able to give her a really great final year. She helped get me through a very difficult period in my life.
I'd love to adopt another cat, and I think my kids would love it. What's holding us back right now are allergies - I have a mild cat allergy, and my kids seem to have it as well. My mother-in-law has really bad allergies, and lives nearby, so if we were to get a cat, it might be difficult for her to visit.
Now that we're more settled in what should be our "forever" home, though, I'm hoping after we finish a few projects, we may be able to start volunteering at a shelter and explore the possibility of adopting a cat.
I LOVE cats and miss having 1 around. But our dog is getting older and doesn't particularly care for cats. Our last 2 cats were the complete opposite -- one was very vocal and lovey and the other one was a loner. But we think the loner one was because the other cat was so strong. The strong cat also knew when we were not well and would always sit with us and make us feel better. And when I had my hysterectomy, he knew where to NOT step and slept on my chest.
Both have passed, and it's very difficult. I'll stick with the dog for now, but I know I will be heart broken when he leaves us. My sister will not get anymore pets because of this reason. And I understand why, but the love of a pet is wonderful.
Glad you have found the love of a cat.
I will say that I'm a little skeptical about cat reviews, because are so individualistic. My friend, for example, has had cats for 40 years and her experience is all over the place: friendly, not friendly, scratches, scratches only certain furniture, doesn't scratch, messy with litter, not messy with litter, etc.
I'm glad you pointed that things will change. A prospective owner needs to know that costs can go from minimal to very expensive with no notice. My previous dog went from "a little off" to "time for him to go" in 60 hours. There was no treatment - only exams and tests. Even so those last three days cost thousands of dollars. (I don't regret that in the least and within two months I'd adopted another middle-aged shelter dog.)
Bless you, bless you, bless you for getting a middle-aged shelter pet. So many people want the adorable pups and kittens.
My sister is like you, she gets them in older middle age, as gives them a beautiful last few years of life.
We purposely chose a cat that was middle-aged because we wanted one that was calmed down from the kitten phase.
Everyone is always wanting to adopt the kittens at the shelter where we volunteer, and the girls and I are always bemused. Like, yes, kittens are really cute, but an older cat is so calm and is really better for snuggling.
We adopted a kitten once because my husband was hoping our older barn cat would teach the kitten how to catch mice. And she did! She'd bring him mice that were dead at first, to teach him what a mouse was, and then slowly graduated to bringing him slightly alive ones so he could "hunt" and eventually--we watched this--she sent him into the garage where she knew there was a mouse, and sat outside waiting patiently for him to hunt it and kill it! He was so proud when he brought it out. They were both the best mousers.
That's another good reason to have a cat, especially if you live in the country: just having a cat around is often enough to deter mice. We never had a mouse in any house where we had a cat.
The funny thing is, I don't set out to adopt middle-aged dogs. I set out to adopt an adult, it just happens that each time it was a 6 year old that seemed the right fit. (The first one was a challenge to integrate into my life and my neighborhood but we got it done.)
I agree. Owning our cats is worth the (small) inconvenience of dealing with kitty barf (one of our cats has a sensitive stomach) and the litterbox. My girls just love on them (the 5 year old sometimes a little too firmly) and I can't imagine life without them. Glad that you're enjoying your kitty.
As an animal lover, I love seeing all your cat pictures! She looks so sweet. I grew up with both cats and dogs (and love both), but my husband is very allergic to cats, so we are a dog-only family. The kids and I love to visit other people’s cats, though. I’ve never wanted to deal with the mess or smell of caged animals or a litter box, but life to me feels empty without a dog, so I guess I’m the exact opposite animal-wise.
I grew up having a cat in the house and didn't hate them, but also didn't love them. I was in the middle. My husband was an absolutely no way never ever are we having a cat. BUT our 6yo sure wanted one. This week last year, she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. We spent 4 days in the PICU, 2 weeks before her 6th birthday. On our way home, we found an abandoned kitten in our yard (we live in the middle of nowhere, and she was SO small! and cute). There was no way I was leaving her out there, so we brought her in. We watched for the mama for days to no avail. There was no way we were getting rid of her because my daughter had fallen completely in love.
I swear this cat has a sixth sense. When my daughter's blood sugar drops low overnight, the cat jumps up into her loft bed and meows (we sleep with our doors all open). We have alarms on our phone for her sugar so we're already up and moving, but this cat will sit there and meow until we treat her low. And once we're in the bedroom, the cat jumps down and goes back to whatever she was doing before!
That's wonderful.
In my experience, cats absolutely know when their people are not feeling well. That's amazing about the blood sugar.
That goes beyond sweet to being a very valuable animal!
I grew up with a whole menagerie of animals so I was used to cats and dogs and rabbits romping around the house, chickens (and more rabbits) in the back yard, frogs and lizards and fish and snakes and parakeets in their respective enclosures. But as an adult on my own I just have 2 cats. I would love a dog, but logistically they are more difficult for me to take care of.
I have always had an easy time with cats until I adopted my calico kitten 2 years ago. She was sick for the first 8 months of her life and it took a long time and a lot of trips to the vet to figure out it was food allergies making her so sick. She is still super prone to eye and ear infections and I joke that I got a lemon. It has cost me thousands of dollars in vet bills and special food but I love that little lemon, she is probably the smartest and friendliest cat I have ever had. I am just thankful she came into my life at a time when I could afford to take care of her. My other cat is healthy but super skittish. But she is the cuddliest cat I have ever had, which I love.
One of my coworkers came up to me a few months ago and wanted to talk about cats. She is in her 60s and had never owned a cat until recently. She said she couldn't believe what she had been missing her whole life. She never imagined having a cat would be so much fun.
From my daughter:
I have a cat and we haven't had any problems at all.the cat plays with our pet monkey and steals food from her.I would recommend an outdoor cat,but only in warm-year-round climates .they are clean animals and try to bury all feces.
This is so cute!
I'll add my 2 cents because I grew up with outside dogs & cats, never inside. I had no inclination to have pets as an adult, even though I had a positive experience with outside pets in my formative years.
That all changed after my daughter came along. She loves animals of all kinds so this is the list of animals we have had: tree frogs, fish, geckos, an adult shelter dog when DD was 8 (who recently passed) & when she moved home earlier this month as a college student, she brought along her nearly adult shelter cat. Literally every animal we have had has been because of her desire, not ours. It has sometimes been a challenge but my love for DD supersedes any preconceived preference or inconvenience on my part.
I was rewarded by having a once in a lifetime experience with the shelter dog, who I came to realize was my soul dog. If I had not been selfless by putting DD's needs before ours, I would never had a life changing experience with my beloved canine. The dog that I never wanted became one of the best experiences of my life.
We just lost our sweet little cat "Miss Kitty," an orange tabby that adopted us. She was found outside our home in the dead of winter and was about two months old. She brought us joy for almost 20 years! Losing her last month was very painful.
I would recommend a cat as a pet to anyone.
Aww. Hugs to you!
Thank you!
I've had so many cats, because we usually have them in multiples, as they seem to find us by magic and take up with us. The one we have now was dumped in our yard about 12 years ago -- we heard a car door slam and the car take off, and suddenly there was this cat standing in our yard. I hate when people dump animals! He had been raised to be a rough play-er, which was probably cute when he was tiny, but he was turning into a large cat, and he inflicted some damage on my daughter's then-boyfriend and my brother-in-law when he was young, even though each was just petting him. I'm talking blood running down the hand damage. It took years to train him out of attacking playfully at every touch.
We've had some lovey doveys and some stand-offish cats, but all were interesting. They definitely become more trouble to take care of as they age. Thank you, Kim S., for pointing out that they are still our responsibility for their whole lives. The elderly cats who get abandoned or surrendered by their owners just for being old and harder to care for just breaks my heart.
Overall, though, cats are easy. You can leave them with plenty of water and food and a litter box and be gone for a couple of days. They are easily entertained with silly things like a ball of aluminum foil. They might indeed sit with you when you are sick (my last cat to die of old age would sit by me when I was sick and put her paw in my hand like she was holding hands with me). They can be trained, and can come to their names just like a dog. I love having a dog and have had one for most of my life - I have one now - but cats have been a big part of my life, too. Oh, and cats and dogs can often get along quite well. This current cat loves dogs, and would run and play with my little terrier/chihuahua mix that I used to have.
I adore cats and have had them in the past--but serious allergies made me realize we had to stop being cat owners, sadly. Your cat is beautiful (I love tuxedo cats!), and I have been wondering, what is her name?
Well, Lisey did name her Shelley. But none of us ever call her that! We call her all sorts of other nicknames, or we just call her, "the cat", oddly enough.
I don't even know why!
We have Catnip aka Cat. And Pumpkin aka Kitty. They never get their real names! Love cats. So easy and loving.
As a kid all of our cats came to "Kitty" because thats how my mother called them to dinner (Here kitty kitty!). When I got my own pets I only called them by their names so they would know them. And they know the other cats' names too and will look at them when they are called or talked about.
I'm a crazy dog lady, but we got a cat a few years ago because my daughter really wanted one. I was meh on cats before, but now I really like them. It helps that ours is very sweet and cuddly.
This is all accurate. We had some nice indoor cats before kids, and at this point I pretty much am nope on indoor pets as long as the bulk of feeding and cleaning is still my problem. And it would be. I don't kid myself on that, lol. That would be one thing to point out to potential cat owners. If you don't love cleaning up after the people you live with, then you're not super likely to want to clean up after a cat, either. Weigh that.
Our current outdoor female, Cleo, ought to probably be an indoor cat, but see above re: nope. She's a sweetie. Definitely not all cats are like Cleo. Cleo will put up with *anything* from the kids.
She has a brother, Leo, who's an intact male outdoor cat — he's almost as fun as Cleo for the kids, but doesn't put up with quite as much handling. Cleo and Leo are young adults. Late teenage human equivalent, maybe.
We always have barn cats as well — right now two adult females, an adult intact male who's in and out, and a juvenile male, plus a litter of two. Barn cats can't be counted on as friends because we also have owls, and both are necessary to keep the rodent population in check.
So many millions of unwanted kittens, strays, euthanasia...I'm gently wondering about why your outdoor cats are not neutered. I hope it's OK to ask.
No, I completely understand the question and am not offended.
We are 12 miles from any town, live in a production agriculture area with many predators (owls and coyotes are the most common), and are much more likely to ask for cats than we are to have extras to give away. Many people are willing to share — all our cats came from other farms within the last three years with the exception of the new litter and the one little guy.
If there ever comes a time when we have too many (which hasn't happened for maybe 10 years?), we will be happy to share, too.
The average life span for one of our outdoor cats tends to be very short, around two or three years. And, our two most local shelters charge about $100 to adopt any pet, which is a pretty major deterrent when the lifespan is so short.
And, thank you for asking!
... I guess the short answer should have been: We need them to regenerate.
I appreciate the response! You’ve clearly thought it through.
Coyotes eat cats. Thats awful.
Ha! I told my husband the same thing prior to marriage. No dogs. Marry someone else if that's important.
Our dog just passed of cancer. He was only 9. We has him 5 years. My kids loved him.
Now we are discussing kittens and cats.
Does your cat run out the door? I have a toddler. Curious about escape habits with your cat.
I'm fairly sure our cat was an indoor cat even with her previous owners, because she does not seem remotely interested in going outside, even if the door is open.
My current four were all adopted as strays and none of them ever had the least interest in going outside. I guess they realize how good they have it inside.
My daughter is also an animal lover. I would have preferred a cat, but we have cat allergies in my house. We went for a rabbit instead, and my honest review is to not adopt a rabbit. Rabbits require a large cage and exercise area, so that is one problem. We have about a 4x6 area dedicated to the rabbit which is much bigger than a gerbil for example. Beyond the space needs, the rabbit is super messy. Rabbits shed a lot and pee in a litter box but don't 100% poop in the little box. The poop is little round pellets so that is not really hard to clean up. The big problem is the hay they eat. The hay goes on a sidecar of the cage and the rabbit pulls the hay out to eat. Between loading the sidecar and the rabbit pulling out the hay, it gets everywhere.
The hay clogs up a normal vacuum so the only good way to clean it up is with a full size shop vac. (I tried a smaller, more portable one and it clogs that too.) The other problem with the grass is that it aggravates allergies if you are allergic to grass and weeds.
We are now 6 years in with this rabbit, meanwhile, my daughter is 9 hours away at college! They live 7-14 years but can live up to 18 years with good care so it is a long long commitment. I would 100% not recommend a rabbit.
Lol- I agree about the rabbits! My daughter got two cute little bunnies when she was in suburban 4-H and she needed to raise animals for a project. Their names were Peace and Love, and they were the meanest, messiest, least "pet" like animals we've ever had, and we've had many! We picked a small kind that were supposed to tolerate handling and be able to learn some training things. They were fierce and hostile, kicking, and even fighting with each other. We feel when we adopt an animal that we are responsible for their lifetime, so we kept them for several years, long after 4-H. Finally when my girl went off to college, she found Peace and Love a home with kids who wanted rabbits and had better indoor-outdoor space. I promise I totally warned the parents in advance.
Just "an honest review" of rabbit adoption.
Aw I'm so glad you got her, cats are amazing. My husband was also strongly against furry pets for years but finally gave in and we got a kitten. He later admitted she's way less work than he expected. Cats, especially short hair, are generally SUPER low maintenance. Easier than leopard geckos that's for sure (which we've also had). Our cat doesn't even use the litter box anymore because she does her business outside (it's available if she wants it though). There aren't really coyotes in our neighborhood so we feel comfortable letting her be indoor/outdoor. Cats are great pets, so affectionate but not hard to care for. We also recently got a puppy and he is definitely much more work in regards to cleaning, training, finding food he'll eat, etc. I'm very glad we got him, he is a great addition to our family, but dogs are not for everyone. 🙂
HA! I told my husband there were two deal breakers in terms of marriage: he would never complain about how much I spent on books and we would have Irish wolfhounds, preferably two at a time although I could live with just one. When he said yes, he did not know that Irish wolfhounds are the tallest dogs, bigger than Danes, and shed hair like they were being paid to do so. I am so wildly allergic to cats that I was not able to sit near colleagues with cats because my eyes would start swelling shut before the meeting was over.
As I said below, I'm a crazy dog lady who adores all dogs (and basically all animals, to be honest): but the only dog I've ever been afraid of in my life was an Irish wolfhound who looked me straight in the eye--and I'm six feet tall--and growled. Luckily I was able to talk him down because I have this Dr Dolittle thing with animals. But yikes. And I'm past 50 and have been with thousands of dogs in my time.
(Then there's the horse who kept biting my daughter, who was riding it, and I had to untack her because my daughter was off crying, and the horse rolled her eyes and I made a fist and said, Look--you bite me and this is going in your muzzle. She didn't bite me. But mostly animals adore me and vice versa.)
Cats are the only pets I have ever owned. They are so easy and entertaining. I have a whole series of photos of where and how one of our cats chose to sleep.
We love our cat! He's a Maine coon mix and is very social, loving, and he does funny things. Cat ownership isn't for everyone but if you are considering it, here's a few thoughts.
I LOVE Tidy Cats Charcoal litter. No stinky cat pee smell and no nauseating perfum-ey smell. I scoop daily and change out the litter weekly. Keeps things smelling good and keeps the cat from using areas that aren't his litter box (we had problems with this early on--and I learned my lesson).
Some cats require special diets--with that being said, I don't plan on going down the canned cat food road unless I have to. Your vet should recommend a good quality cat kibble--don't go cheap! Spending the extra money may save you money on vet bills later.
Cat hair--our cat does shed a lot. If that's your story, invest in the Furminator--super helpful for those extra hairy beasts out there.
Adopting cats--I'd go through a quality animal shelter instead of a pet store. I'm sure it's harder now to spend time with the cat before owning him/her, but I found that our local shelter was very invested in making a good match between what we wanted in a pet and what the cat's personality was. Think seriously about what you want or what you can't tolerate--active and playful might mean the cat climbs the curtains--is this ok with you? How friendly do you want your pet to be? Do you need a lap cat to snuggle with? Talk with the staff to inquire about personalities. Also, our shelter had a trial period--maybe 30 days? I don't remember exactly, but if things weren't working out with the pet, we could bring him back within a specified time period and either get a refund or try a different cat.
AND the nice thing about owning a healthy cat--we can leave for a couple of days and he's fine with enough food/water/fresh litter.
Kristen, your cat is so handsome! I'm glad it's been a good experience for you.
I always have owned small prissy dogs! I also own one cat at a time. I like them. They are funny. My current cat is THE BOSS.
I could have totally written this post! I was very nervous about having our furniture destroyed, the potential personality quirks, the smells and cat hair—I had prepared all of my defenses when we finally adopted a 7 month old from a shelter in February. She was shy at first and peed on our bed a few times early on (really not cool!!) but once we learned to trust each other, she was the best thing for ALL of us in the lockdown, always coming over and jumping on our laps for a snuggle, so sweet and friendly. I was a convert! Sadly, the risk of a shelter cat is that she had FIPV and we had to put her down 6 months after adopting her (the vet bills were nearly 3x her adoption fees, ouch) which was tough on all of us, especially my kids (7&11). Although the FIPV was very unlucky, we felt like we totally lucked out on the personality (oh, and she never scratched our furniture, thank goodness!). So ending with a question should we take the plunge again someday, how can you tell if their personality is a good match in less than an hour at a shelter?
Thanks for sharing, Kristen!
We visited our cat a few times in the shelter before we adopted her; Lisey picked her out of the many cats there because she was so friendly. She walked right up to the cage wall each time, eager for attention.
And she has continued to be a pretty attention-loving cat, so I guess her shelter behavior has held true.
Thanks, Kristen! The shelter near us has so many adoptions it’s highly unlikely there would be more than one visit possible—they definitely can’t update their website quickly enough either! It’s a same hour decision, yes or no. 🙁
PS does the cat litter you suggest have a scent? The only thing worse than cat pee/poop is that PLUS a nauseating perfume. I can’t stand scented things.
Tidy Cats charcoal litter. https://www.purina.com/tidy-cats/cat-litter/free-and-clean
I'm also not a fan of perfumed stuff. Bleah.
It does have a mild scent; I wonder if it comes in an unscented version as well.
The one I linked is scent-free and dye-free. It's been a major game-changer for me. When my mom had a cat, she also strongly preferred this litter (and she lived in a very small assisted living space where it was hard to escape the odor).
I too HATE the smell of used scented litter. I use the Walmart brand of kitty litter. It's unscented and reasonably priced. (Plus, order $35 or more and shipping is free.)
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Special-Kitty-Scoopable-Tight-Clumping-Cat-Litter-Fragrance-Free-14-lb/42132298
Kristen! I was just poking around on the Ting site and noticed an article there about Ting's favorite frugal bloggers ..... lo and behold, you were on the list! Did we know about this or are you being your usual modest self? 🙂 It was a nice shout-out for you.
Oh, was this a recent post? I don't think I knew about this!
https://ting.com/blog/the-best-blogs-for-advice-on-frugal-living/
Fairly recent, yes.
Wow, that’s a really nice, and totally accurate review!
Cats seem to make many people very happy. I find them unappealing and I am quite allergic to them. These two things are likely related. I do find them rather stinky, and don't mind how dogs smell. I also like how horses and cows smell, being a farm kid, so my opinion is perhaps not trustworthy.
Well I HATE cats. Actually I really just HATE cat litter. I hate the smell and the litter that gets tracked outside of the box. I recently switched my (three!) cats to a pine pellet litter and the smell is gone! Have you heard of this? It’s very cheap, so I figured it might be something that interests you. One year of litter would cost about $6. There are tons along you tube videos out there if you ever wanted to consider it.
So glad your cat has brought joy to your home. I am very allergic to cats. We are currently a pet free household and considering adopting a dog.
I had a cat, Charlie. He was one of the great loves of our lives. He preferred my husband to me (as you probably know, cats choose a person, their special person, and they stick to it) but he often gave me consolation snuggles, snugs, and purrs. He had the best personality of any cat I've ever known! He passed away last fall at 15, and I just think about him waiting for us at the Rainbow Bridge in Heaven. I can't say I want another cat, because, if you've ever owned more than one cat, they are not all created equal personality wise. Charlie stories live on in our home and hearts, and I have tears in my eyes typing this now. Definitely consider getting a cat, if you are undecided. Hopefully you will get a Charlie. 🙂
Oh wow. I could have written this same post about my Jack who passed away last October after we have 16 years together. When you have a special cat like that, it is hard to think about ever finding another one as special.
Oh, Sarah, I'm sorry to hear about Charlie. He sounds like a wonderful cat and how fortunate you were to have him in your life.
I've had cats for years and unfortunately have experienced losing my wonderful feline friends. Although each is different and one could never, ever take the place of another, I've found that my heart is accommodating for a new cat, even if it feels broken at the passing of another. I value each relationship so very much and I suppose I'm just selfish for wanting to have a relationship with a cat where I can share my love and affection. I would encourage you to consider adopting another cat. He won't replace your love for Charlie, but simply build upon it.
So sorry about your loss of Charlie! I lost my Pumpkin last December at approximately age 19. We rescued him as a stray. He was definitely my cat, or should I say I was his human! I could not stand being “catless.” So by Christmas time we had a kitten—another stray. Sir Bentley actually prefers my teen daughter, which I tease her about stealing my cat, but even though I am not his favorite, like your Charlie did he comes and gives me head bumps and sits on my lap and purrs for short periods of time as a consolation. I love him dearly, even if he did choose my daughter over me! I vote for your getting another cat! They won’t be like Charlie, but that doesn’t mean they won’t bring joy into your life!
Beautiful review of cat ownership! 🙂 I do not own a cat (I have birds), but I am a pet sitter and get to enjoy being around other people's pets. Cats definitely bring me lots of joy.
We have 2 tuxedo cats, one of whom looks exactly like yours! They are sisters and we love them dearly. Cats are so much fun and so entertaining and yet are capable of being left overnight by themselves. For longer trips we do have someone who comes to feed them and clean their litter box, but because we have TWO they entertain each other and comfort each other. They sleep with us every night and have since we brought them home as kittens 3 years ago this month.
Aww, that is so cute that you have two!
I absolutely loved all the pictures. But then again, I am a cat person.
Our cat, Baxter, looks so much like your cat. And he too is a wonderful addition to our family.
We are definitely a cat household, and I was so glad when I read that the Frugal Girl household had adopted a cat! I've always done claw trimming at home, and it's only our most recent cat who was giving me a really bad time. (He's on phenobarbitol because he sometimes attacks people; the boy definitely has issues). We adopted the strategy of DH petting and rubbing his head while I trim him claws and this has worked perfectly for us. You might want to give this a try since Shelley doesn't sound like she is anywhere near the problem child that Silvio is!
I started off wrapping my cats in a towel, then sitting them in my lap (criss-cross-applesauce) and taking one paw out at a time. The wrapped towel helps them feel more secure, and keeps claws covered until they need to be clipped. Now, we have what's called a Nail Clip Party, where I just sit on the kitchen floor and take one after the other (I have four cats) and clip nails. Afterwards we all get really excited and pig out on cat treats (well, they pig out on cat treats). Usually when I get the first one ready, the others come running because they know the Nail Clip Party is underway. (That's the only time they get cat treats.)
I'll preface this by saying I've always been a cat person. I, too, grew up around lots of different pets--dogs, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, turtles, rabbits--but because my father hated cats, never cats. I finally got one as a teen and have consistently had cats in my life since then. Currently, I have four (plus feeding a couple neighborhood strays). All have been adopted via pet rescues or came to me as strays and the ones I own are inside only cats.
My experience has been that cats have their own personalities that can be engaging, funny, entertaining, lovable, comforting balls of feline fur.
Yes, they leave fur everywhere (it's only fur). Yes, they are demanding when hungry (aren't we all?) and although I hate doing the litter boxes, I'm not fond of cleaning the bathroom either.
This past spring (right after COVID hit in my area), my Hank suddenly became ill from a urinary blockage. Cue emergency vet visits, surgery and special prescription food for the rest of his life (not to mention enough worry to last me a lifetime). He's an amazing awesome cat though, and a valued member of our home (pride?), so I figure it's just luck catching up with me for a lifetime of easy, low maintenance cats.
Now that the kids have grown and gone, it's me and Jack, Sam, Pip and Hank. I can't imagine a life without cats. It would be very lonely for sure.
I second the comment about using pine pellets for litter. SO cheap and no urine odor whatsoever. You do need to scoop every day or two for the solid stuff, because it won’t mask those scents. But I feel better having my cat use something natural and cheap!
Great tip for cutting your cat’s claws is to loosely cover their head with a towel. The process takes us a couple minutes when our cat cannot see what we’re doing. She’s loud and fidgets (still a two-person job), but it would be impossible otherwise.
We have a dog and a cat, and the cat is hands down less work all around. Love them both!
I've never had a cat, but read that you could put a cat in a pillow case when you needed to transport him to the vet. I told my neighbor, who I had to take to the vet while she tried to control her wild cat. It worked great, the cat actually liked walking in there when we held it open for him to explore. He then laid totally still on her lap on the way to the vet. I'm wondering if that might be easier than wrapping a cat in a towel.
Quick tip on cutting cat's claws...use a toe nail clipper then afterwards give the cat a treat. It is quick and easy as well as you train your cat to accept her paws being touched (which most cats don't like unless you train them as a kitten). Also a treat does not always mean food (although a favorite snack works extremely well as an after processes). Our cat responds to the words, "that's my girl" because she knows she get special loving.
A friend who is a vet showed us this trick and it really works really well. I simple place her in my lap with her back to my belly and wrap my arm around her while extending the paw that I will be working on. As a norm the front paws are what should be cut leaving the back paws alone unless they have become very long You can tell this is needed on any paw by the curvature that extends back toward the paw and sometimes is very close to touching the pad of their paw (happens on some older cats). The reason you leave the back paws alone, most of the time, is because if your cat goes out or gets out they will need sharp claw to defend them self if needed, it is called the bunny push where as cat grab on and use their back paws to kick opponent in the soft underside. Our cat is a indoor cat per our adoption agreement yet our agreement was modified because I proved that all my cats have been trained and had/have learned that jumping the fence or going outside their yard is not allowed (pictures and video are such a great thing now a days, lol) . Placing a cat who already has issues with having their claws cut by wrapped in a towel certainly works however they become very aware of what is coming and learn to dread the process which causes their reluctance to hold still even more so in my opinion.
Just so you know, I didn't grow up having cats, either! We had beagle and a parakeet until I was 6, then no pets until I was able 12, when I got a chameleon, which died after 18 months. Nothing after that.at my parents' house.
We have 2 cats at present. We've had as many as 4 at one time (too many, but we enjoyed them anyway). We also had one large dog when we had the 4 cats, and quite frankly, the cats were less trouble than the dog.
He's a very sweet dog and well-behaved, but somebody has to be home to let him out to do his business. Ugh. Love him to death, but I'm glad our daughter took him home with her after two years - he was her dog, after all, and his living with us was a stopgap. When we visit her, he gets all excited to see us, and it's very gratifying!
But what you discovered about your cat staying by someone feeling sad or unwell has been the case with all our cats. We haven't had any "loner"cats, probably because we have always handled and talked to them a lot.
When I sit on the sofa, both cats want to sit on my lap. If I'm not in the living room and my husband is, they're all over him.
They follow us from room to room, and their antics are hilarious!
Having a cat is like having a wild animal (a tiny tiger, perhaps?) in the house, but a friendly one. Unpredictable sometimes, but that's why they are so interesting!
I absolutely LOVE cats and have been a cat person forever. I have two now and will always have a cat. They are easy to take care of and yes there is some expense with litter, food, nail trimming and the once a year shots but that is so much less then taking care of a dog. We can leave our cats alone to go out of town and have a neighbor check in on them opposed to spending $75.00 a shot to have a dog walked and fed sometimes multiple times a day. Plus cats don’t make a lot of noise and show affection in a very different way then dogs. And it is true and uncanny how they seem to know when someone is sad or not feeling well and will lick you with their little sandpaper tongue or cuddle. I love dogs but especially when they are someone else’s, I’m staying with cats forever.
We have had cats for all of our 30 year plus married life. We like them very much as pets. No dogs was a non-negotiable for me also. Our kids both got dogs when they grew up and got their own places. I still don't want one. LOL! Your cat is beautiful and it sounds like you got a really good one for your family. I love tuxedo cats. We have mostly had tabby cats but did have a gray tuxedo for awhile and she was one of our best cats.
Love cats And dogs!!!!!! Oh the joys of having both. For me it would have been a deal breaker if we couldn’t have them. We have 1 indoor/outdoor dog & 3 cats the same way.
I have a cat that owns me. We've been together almost 7 years. That's truly amazing considering she has extreme catatude! She is not a fan of affection and detest cuddles. She bite and scratches when I attempt to pet her. And biting me when she wakes from a nap has become a habit of hers. She is a handful! Frustrating at times, but I wouldn't trade her for anything.
I agree with the arm and hammer litter!
I currently have 3 cats and a very small dog. Not enough. I can't imagine not having interactive pets around; life would be so dull. My 15 year old has ambitions to run her own cat rescue when she is grown up.
My kids begged for years for a pet and I always said no, but when we heard a feral kitten meowing for two days under our porch, we took him in. He’s cost us around $400 in vet bills but we are learning lots about unconditional love (due to his limited time with mama cat/ siblings, he still needs to play fight so we do get scratched a lot). He’s part of the family, and I’ve had lots of opportunity to teach the younger kids about boundaries, giving love when someone is acting “bad”, not taking things personally... all important things. We’re all fascinated by this amazing creature God uniquely made and are trying to be good stewards
I have 2 standard poodles. Search #TobyCharles and #SullyMonroe on IG to see them. They DO NOT smell, DO NOT shed, are smarter than every other dog(and a few kids) I've encountered. They provide such unconditional love and devotion that I will be absolutely GUTTED when they go to rainbow bridge. We take them on vacations, we feed them high quality food, we take them with us when we dine in restaurants( outside) and when we shop at outside malls/and stores that allow dogs. They bring smiles to everyone's faces. Especially children. I would NEVER consider being in a relationship with someone who ever said " No Dogs". Thankfully, my spouse and I are on the same page.
I would love to know how you spend only $100 per year with chewy.com. I like Chewy, and I have double the number of cats, but even with one, I don't think my food and litter costs would ever be so low!
I just logged into Chewy.com and I see that we spent $175 in 2020 for our cat. So, my estimate was a little off; I'll update the post accordingly.
However, the $175 is still a little bit deceptively high, because we currently have a LOT of boxes of unopened litter here. So I'd say we must have used closer to $150 or less of supplies from Chewy in 2020.
Since she is an older (and overweight) cat, we don't feed her a whole lot of food, on the vet's advice. She just eats dry food, and we use Arm and Hammer Slide litter. And we don't have treat expenses because we are trying to help her not get fatter!
We have a tuxie that could be her sister. Except for the cat-itude. Ours is antisocial, doesn't like pets, she was shellshocked when we adopted her and now she's trying to be the alpha and our male tabby is getting tired of it. Think we need to re-home her.
I'm down with the whole no dog thing, even though I'd say some people would have quite the reaction to this..."how dare you. What kind of person are you to not want a doggo!". It's OKAY to not want a dog!!!
Yep. Both are morally neutral options! Totally fine to have a dog, totally fine to not have a dog. Live and let live!
I have had cats ALL my life. Not one at a time but in multiples.
Always strays wanderingto my door, or other accidental ownership. My cats are always
Indoor only.
I have NEVER heard of a completely cost free shelter that gives you a pet. Rescues routinely spay or neuter, basic shots, chips, and the adoption fee helps with those costs. Besides your extraordinary luck to get a 'free' cat you get free mandatory rabies vaccinations. You do not mention other vaccines or flea control meds. I assume you forego those? You don't provide beds or scratch posts or cat perches? All cats have instinctive need to stretch and claw, regardless of age. Toys and play items can be homemade...a box, shoestring, paper balls etc. I assume you do that instead of buying.
$150 a year for 1 adult cat, providing a quality food, you mentioned a bit higher priced litter, just those 2 necessities costs me 3 times as much at least!
I shop for sales, coupons etc. I use a cat litter by Tidy Cat in the largest economical size 38lb. I also use a cat box deodorizer by Arm and Hammer, approx $4.
I don't buy high end cat food--I buy Fancy Feast, kibble and pate/canned.
How do you get by with 1 scooping every 2 days? Now I do have 2 cats but I've halved my cost to compare your your cost.
One last thing, I am thrilled you agreed to your daughters cat request & thrilled you chose a senior Cat ( 7 & up adult to senior) If the pics are your kitty, she is a twin to my 17 yr old tuxedo. I have a grey/wh tuxedo who is about 11. Wish you long and happy life with your lovely kitty.
Yep, that's our cat in all these photos! Tuxedos are just the best.
The county shelter here sometimes gets too many cats, and when that happens, they waive all the adoption fees for the cats in order to clear them out and make space. We happened to adopt at one of those times. The rescue my daughter and I volunteer at charges $175/cat, though.
We do have an Ikea cat house that our cat likes, but she also really loves cardboard boxes. We've tried buying scratchers, but she is never interested in them. She does do some scratching on our front door rug. Ha.
Thank you for this wonderful, funny honest story. I was on the fence about getting a kitty. Now thanks to your story, I think I can make owning a kitty work.
I have a cat his name is Buddy And he really is my buddy. He stays with me no matter were I go.He seems to watch over me.I am 85 and he takes care of me. He is always there.I really do love him.
Litter scooped every other day hardly smells? Well maybe once a day would smell even less? How would you like if your toilet was only flushed every other day? Also I will say my dogs don't smell, maybe because I bathe them?
I love my cat Bailee. Like your cat he's very affectionate, and loves attention. And he's company. Especially since I live alone.
I am a lover of cats, not that dogs aren’t great companions as well. Cats are not as much work. You don’t have to walk them. One big plus, a cat will not try and smell your butt or other parts, of your body, they are to dignified for that. I would choose a cat over a dog any time. I live high up in the Rockies, so my cats do not go outside, unit late spring and summer. I have a special designed enclosure for them outside. They love it, and yes, the birds and other critters, fly and run through it. My cats just don’t seem to be fast enough to catch them, or maybe there to pampered for that, what ever.
Owning a cat is so much easier than a dog. I have both. Cats are loving and less dependent on you. They are the easiest animal to care for and take care of. I love my cats
I my cat pumpkin. She is 19 yrs old and blind now. I keep her as comfortable as I can. Use a heating pad under her blanky. She loves that. I will truly miss her when she's gone. I've had her since she was 3 yrs old. Got her off the streets.
I had 4 cats and a dog.Sadly,one of my babies passed away,but I still have 3 kittys and a malshi named after my deceased daughter.I would be lost without my fur babies around.Reason being,UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
Sooo glad you gave a furry friend a forever home and she seems to live her new place! My female kitty is way more cuddly and friendly than my boy. Just always remember she's a member of your family now. Not just a pet, but a small furry person who can't talk but still has emotions and a personality just like humans, complex and changing with the weather and she loves all of you!
Now you just need to get her a kitty kaster the best cat toy ever 😉
That running around "scared of nothing" activity is, and bear with me here because I truly believe it, is them protecting you from demons. Kitty will make them chase her to get them away from those humans she loves. I adore that theory and I believe it. I've had many cats in my life and all of them have done the demon distraction the same way
And sadness or illness? Animals are sentient beings and sense when someone needs comfort. They just sense the need. If cats had opposable thumbs and could walk bi-ped I'm convinced that if YOU are in need of loving care they'd get a pot of chicken soup made and serve it to you.
I have a dog now. After my last kitty passed I was so heartbroken I just couldn't adopt another one. Then my sweet dog came along and twelve years later I'm still laughing at her antics and endeard by her continued puppy playful energy, and so amazed at her intelligence! She's a Chihuahua Jack Russell mix and those two breeds are little spitfires by nature, put those two breeds in one dog and W.O.W what a handful of joy and love... Keep you on your toes though.
I want a cat again sometime in the future, but like every cat in my life it will FIND ME. All my cats have come to me in odd/unexpected circumstances.
Keep loving your cat, you did right by your children too
I think the same. And all my kitties have found me. And it always when I was about to go through something life altering
Owning a cat is so easy! It's nice to come home to my cat. I talk to her all the time as if she's a person!
Our Chloe is a joy, a refugee from the mean streets of Morristown, NJ, a constant caring companion after I broke my ankle, a chaser of sunbeams and laser dots. She was amazingly tolerant of our late 70-pound pit bull mix Maxie, even when he swatted her in the face with his tail. I didn't have a cat until I was 67 and now, ten years later, I don't want to think about living without one.
Good story! Your cat is beautiful! My Rudy has enhanced my life alot and he is my baby! I am happy when he is happy! Loved your story about your cat and hope to hear more positive accounts of cat ownership!
Nice. I have multiple animals.
I'm so glad that you gave a cat a chance. I have always loved cats. Each cat of mine has been different. A couple have been as easy as yours but I have had a few that have required more work & attention. But I love it. I can't have human children so cats are my children.
Cats are wonderful. Their presence is a blessing. They extend happiness.
Start by saying that I love all animals.
My mother hated cats, said they're sneaky. So I grew up with dogs. I snuck a kitten into my room in high school and she made me take it back when she heard a meow. I became disabled in 2008, 3 years in a nursing home. I had gotten a parasite in my liver from well water. I tried a dog when I got out. But pulling on the leash when walking frightened me for falls. My friend suggested cats. I was adamant that they were too aloof. But I found two on Craigslist brother and sister, absolute lovebugs. Both sleep in bed with me and are the best companions. I never married or had children, these are my babies. Plus, you can go out and not worry about getting home to let the dog out to potty.
There is no taking their for walks in inclement weather. 'Nuff said. 🙂
Yes! Cats are so low-maintenance compared to dogs.
I absolutely LOVED reading your story!! I have 3 cats and I just don't know what I'd do without them!
They each have their own personality for sure. Zero is 15 and he's my "Chatty Zero". He's almost human, he's my alarm clock every morning, in other words he wants his morning treaties. He is truly the very most LOVING cat I've really ever owned.
Little Kid, aka: Daisy she is 13 is naturally, "The Middle Child", she weighs 22lbs she's a big girl, but just breathtakinly beautiful! Playful is an understatement for her, give her a few catnip puff balls ands she out of control!
Last, Harley Rae she will be 6yrs old in May. She is also breathtakinly beautiful, she is a Calico with the most amazing markings I've ever seen. She also, is very playful, but on her terms by far.
Thank you for your story it made me laugh and also some tears, Cats really are such amazing Furry Kids, I wouldn't have a home without them.
Meow meow meow <3
Our cat is an alarm clock too! She never forgets to ask for breakfast.
Great article and I agree with everything you said. I'm a cat lover and my cat has brought me nothing but joy and laughter and loads of love. And to those that say cats are dumb have ibviously never owned a cat.
I love your kitty. Very cute! I used to be more of a dog person (not much any more) but I honestly love all animals (not too big on reptiles, amphibians or snakes though). I used to pet-sit when I was a teen & I loved every minute of it.
I love my kitty a whole lot. His name is Vadim. A friend of mine found him all alone outside on a rainy August night & I went to go pick him up the following morning. His back right leg was broken & I was alarmed. He didn't seem like he was in any pain. We stopped at the vet & the vet said he was approx. 3-4 months old; no chip at all. I had also stopped at PetSmart and grabbed supplies/food for him. I stay with my folks & I sneaked him into my home that evening. They eventually discovered him & wanted me to contact local animal shelters (ok I lied to them; said I called one place but didn't contact any). I didn't bother putting up "Found Cat" ads or anything because he reminded me of my previous black cat Jub (whom I had lost June 28 2019) & I didn't want to give him up at all. I instantly fell in love with him. He's been with me ever since early August 2019. I love him dearly. It turns out when he was neutered (back in late Sept of 2019) the vet did a x-ray while he was sedated & it turned out that his back right leg healed up. His leg juts out a little bit when he sits down but he runs, plays, jumps around just like any other kitty ⬛
$150 for food and litter sounds way too low. I pay $120/year for litter alone. Calculate quality food $1.50/day (no kibble, better raw food).
Better food often means less vet costs.
If kitty has something serious, vet costs can go into the thousands.
But the love you can share with your purr-machine is priceless.