how to live with cats

Having a cat can mean different things to different people. Some want a cat=
 to cuddle and sit on their laps; others are happy to live with a very inde=
pendent cat which spends most of its time outside and doesn=E2=80=99t want =
too much human interaction.

What is important is that you try to find a cat that will interact with you=
 if you want it to. All cats are not the same and how each individual cat b=
ehaves with you can depend on its inherent personality and early experience=
s (or lack of experiences), which can make it fearful or confident with peo=
ple and life in general.

The environment in which you keep a cat is also extremely significant =E2=
=80=93 for example if it lives with many other cats which do not get on, th=
en it will be stressed and will react differently than if it was on its own=
.

While there is no guaranteed way to choose the perfect cat for you and your=
 lifestyle, understanding your expectations as well as what makes cats tick=
 will help you to bring home a cat that should be able to cope with its new=
 environment and be the pet that you want too.

To care for a cat you will need to:
Provide plenty of human companionship
Provide regular, suitable meals with a constant supply of fresh water
Provide a clean and comfortable bed
Provide the cat with outdoor access or be prepared to empty and clean a lit=
ter tray on a daily basis
Provide it with a stimulating and safe environment
Groom it regularly. Longhaired cats require daily grooming
Have it neutered between 4 and 6 months old
Vaccinate against the major feline diseases regularly
Worm regularly and provide treatment for fleas
Take the cat to the vet when it shows any sign of illness
Insure your cat or make sure you can afford the cost of any veterinary trea=
tment it may need
How much care and attention does a cat need?
As pets go, cats are relatively low maintenance compared to dogs which need=
 companionship, walking, training etc. However, like any pet, they do need =
care, and some cats need more care than others. Do you want to spend a lot =
of time with your cat, do you want it to be demanding, or do you have limit=
ed time? Cats can fit into busy, modern lifestyles more easily than dogs, a=
s they are pretty independent, can be left alone much more easily and are m=
ore suitable for smaller flats or houses. Cats are often chosen by people w=
ho have busy and stressful lifestyles and who want some companionship when =
they go home to relax.

What do you want from your relationship with a cat? If you=E2=80=99re the k=
ind of person who really needs to have a close relationship with your cat a=
nd to be able to handle it and have it interact with you, then you=E2=80=99=
ll be disappointed if you take on a nervous cat that hides every time you c=
ome into the room. You may want to think about one of the pedigree breeds w=
hich can be more interactive and perhaps more needy of human company than s=
ome moggies. This may however become a problem for the cat if you are out a=
t work all day and only available to give attention on evenings or weekends=
.

Some cats need to know exactly what=E2=80=99s going to happen when, in orde=
r to feel relaxed. Such cats would be quite happy living with an old lady w=
ho rarely has visitors and leads a very quiet life, but would probably find=
 it quite stressful living in a home full of kids and other animals with lo=
ts of visitors and activity. Other cats, however, might thrive on different=
 interactions with lots of people and fit in perfectly well in a busy house=
hold.

If you=E2=80=99re not likely to have the time or inclination to groom a cat=
 on a daily basis, don=E2=80=99t even think of getting a Persian or a cat w=
ith a long coat. In pedigree jargon, any cat with a longer coat, aside from=
 a Persian, is called semi-longhaired because the coat is not as full as th=
e Persian=E2=80=99s and does not have such a thick undercoat; however, it i=
s still long and requires grooming. In addition, if you are extremely house=
-proud, you may not want lots of hair everywhere.

A shorthaired cat is a much easier option, as most cats are fanatical about=
 their coats and keep them in immaculate condition. That=E2=80=99s not to s=
ay that they don=E2=80=99t leave hairs around =E2=80=93 bear this in mind i=
f you=E2=80=99re thinking of getting a white cat but have dark furniture, o=
r vice versa. Likewise, a cat is quite likely to sharpen its claws indoors,=
 often on the stair carpet, sometimes on the furniture or even on the wallp=
aper. Whether your cat does this can depend on the cat itself and also the =
environment you provide for it; however there are things you can do to try =
and deal with this, but it is best to acknowledge from the outset that your=
 cat is an animal with free will and natural behaviour that may not suit so=
meone who needs to have an immaculate house.

Can I keep a cat on vegetarian food?
Are you a vegetarian and want your cat to be one too? If you want a vegetar=
ian pet that won=E2=80=99t challenge your beliefs, then it would be better =
to get a rabbit =E2=80=93 a cat is a carnivore first and foremost, and look=
s and behaves as it does for just this reason.  A cat is what is called an =
obligate carnivore =E2=80=93 it has an absolute need for some of the nutrie=
nts found in meat and all of its senses of smell and taste are atuned to be=
ing a carnivore =E2=80=93 it would be unfair and very dangerous to health t=
o even attempt keeping it as a vegetarian.
Feeding your cat or kitten

Is there a type of cat which doesn=E2=80=99t hunt?
You may have a great aversion to your cat hunting outside. Perhaps you are =
a bird lover, or are simply unable to deal with small carcases on the floor=
. Hunting is normal behaviour for cats. Keeping a cat indoors may prevent i=
t actually killing anything, but it will still need an outlet for this, its=
 most instinctive behaviour, and not all cats will be happy with an indoor =
lifestyle. Likewise, if you=E2=80=99re simply getting a cat to keep vermin =
at bay, you won=E2=80=99t want to find yourself with one which isn=E2=80=99=
t especially interested in huntin=E2=80=99, shootin=E2=80=99 and fishin=E2=
=80=99 and prefers being a couch potato! Older cats are likely to hunt much=
 less than younger ones and some cats don=E2=80=99t bother at all, but ther=
e is no easy way to know how a cat will behave.

Can I keep a cat indoors?
If you think about the lifestyle of a cat which has access outdoors you wil=
l realise that being outdoors brings a huge variety to its life and allows =
it to use all of its hunting behaviours if it wants to. Of course, there ar=
e risks outside for cats, but you need to balance these with the very posit=
ive aspects of physical and mental stimulation and an outlet for natural be=
haviour.
Indoors versus outdoors

Can I have a cat with a baby or young children?
There is no reason not to have a cat or kitten if you have children.  It is=
 up to parents to teach their children from the very beginning how to appro=
ach, stroke and handle cats and to treat them kindly.  Many children have f=
antastic relationships with their cats and learn about respecting other cre=
atures and being gentle =E2=80=93 it is done successfully all the time, but=
 it is up to parents to lay down the rules. Perhaps taking on a new kitten =
when you have a new baby or a toddler might be a lot to handle at once, so =
ensuring you have time for all the parties is part of a successful relation=
ship. Likewise, if you are pregnant there is no need to get rid of the cat.=
 Simple and basic hygiene precautions and common sense management of the ca=
t, while the baby is small, can ensure all cohabit happily and safely.

Should I get an adult cat or a kitten?
A kitten gives you the opportunity to take on an animal right from the begi=
nning and treat it and care for it so that it gets the best start in life. =
You will also be able to get some idea of its character. However, kittens r=
equire a lot of attention and some forethought to prevent them from getting=
 into trouble. If you leave them alone you have to make sure they will be s=
afe while you are away. You may also have to organise neutering, initial va=
ccinations and so on, depending on where you get your kitten from.
Where to get a cat or kitten and what to ask

While kittens have a huge =E2=80=98cute=E2=80=99 factor, it is worth rememb=
ering that they don=E2=80=99t stay kittens for very long =E2=80=93 just six=
 months out of a potential 14 years or more.

With adult cats, it is at least clear if they are long or short haired.  Yo=
u should be able to get a good idea of a cat=E2=80=99s personality, althoug=
h if it is being kept in less than ideal circumstances and is stressed or f=
rightened it may act very differently compared to when it is relaxed. A con=
fident adult cat is likely to move in and settle down quite quickly; a nerv=
ous one may take more time. It will be much easier to leave an older cat al=
one in the knowledge that it is not going to get itself into trouble, and i=
t will generally be much less hard work and worry than a kitten. An adult c=
at will probably already be neutered and vaccinated.
Choosing an adult cat and where to get one

What sex of cat should I get?
The sex of a kitten doesn=E2=80=99t really matter, as long as you neuter yo=
ur kitten before it reaches puberty (at about four months of age) when the =
influence of sex hormones kick in. Un-neutered cats may exhibit unwelcome r=
eproductive behaviours. For example, un-neutered male cats will mark their =
territory with strong smelling urine while un-neutered female cats can come=
 into season every two weeks if they do not become pregnant.

If you are getting just one cat or kitten, it doesn=E2=80=99t matter which =
sex you choose. Equally, if you want two kittens and you are getting two fr=
om the same litter, the sex of either cat is probably not important. Howeve=
r, if you have a resident cat and are getting just one kitten or another ca=
t, it may be worth considering going for one of the opposite sex to try and=
 remove some of the competition factor. A kitten may be a better option tha=
n another adult cat in such cases as the young cat=E2=80=99s immaturity see=
ms to remove this competition factor =E2=80=93 for a while anyway during wh=
ich time you hope they will get to like each other! Neutering also removes =
the need for so much competition and makes the choice of sex much less impo=
rtant.
How to tell what sex a kitten is

Should I choose a specific breed or moggie?
The majority of cats kept as pets are what we call moggies or domestic shor=
t or long haired cats =E2=80=93 that is they are a random mixture of lots o=
f different cats, we have often have little idea about their parentage (wel=
l the father anyway). This means we have no control over the colour, body s=
hape, coat length or anything else that the kittens can inherit from their =
parents. So, for example, if your kitten is from a moggie mum but its fathe=
r is unknown, it may develop a longer coat than you desire if the father wa=
s indeed longhaired.

There is more to choosing a pedigree cat than just liking a certain coat co=
lour or length =E2=80=93 there are ethical considerations with some breeds =
if you really want to consider the cat=E2=80=99s welfare.  There are also h=
ealth issues which you need to check with the breeder and things you need t=
o ask. Good breeders aim to breed healthy, people-friendly cats and avoid (=
or seek to deal with) inherited disorders which arise.
Pedigree cats =E2=80=93 things to consider

What breed of cat should I choose?
There are many different breeds, some of which will require extra care and =
attention, for example if they have a very long coat or even no coat at all=
. (See our A-Z of cat breeds). Some pedigree cats are more people orientate=
d and may not like to be left alone for long periods. If you are out all da=
y at work it may be worth getting two kittens together for company =E2=80=
=93 do your research about the breed you are interested in. Always make sur=
e that health comes first, no matter what the =E2=80=98look=E2=80=99.
How to choose a kitten

Can I have a cat if I have a dog?
If you have other pets there should not be a problem in getting a cat, but =
you just need to make sure that you take everything into consideration.  If=
 you have a dog you just need to make sure that you make introductions care=
fully so that your new cat is not chased or injured while the dog gets used=
 to it. Not all dog types make good companions for cats.
How to introduce a new cat or kitten to a resident dog

How many cats can I have together?
It=E2=80=99s very easy to =E2=80=98collect=E2=80=99 cats =E2=80=93 they=E2=
=80=99re addictively beautiful, they=E2=80=99re small and they=E2=80=99re q=
uite easy to care for. Even if they don=E2=80=99t get on, they tend to remo=
ve themselves from the situation rather than fight. However, there may be a=
 great deal of tension between cats which owners just don=E2=80=99t pick up=
 on. Cats originate from a largely solitary species and although they can l=
ive in groups these are usually related individuals or are self-selected so=
 that cats are not sharing space with cats that they don=E2=80=99t get on w=
ith. Cats may start to spray or soil in the house because they=E2=80=99re t=
rying to deal with a situation where they feel under stress because of othe=
r cats, and this might be all that owners notice.

If you have two cats living together very successfully then think very care=
fully before you add more. If you have three cats living well together then=
 thank your stars and quit while you=E2=80=99re ahead! The trouble with add=
ing more is that it might not be just the relationship between the resident=
 cats and the new one that causes problems; it may upset the whole equilibr=
ium of the resident cats=E2=80=99 relationship and introduce difficulties e=
ven between the original cats as tension and stress levels rise. Any new ca=
t needs careful introduction.
How to introduce a new adult cat to your cat.

The best way to have two compatible cats is to choose siblings. These will =
have grown up together, and this usually bodes well for a good future relat=
ionship (although never guaranteed!).

What does it cost to keep a cat?
If you are buying a pedigree cat then there will be associated costs and th=
ese may be quite large. Pedigree kittens usually come vaccinated and in som=
e cases already neutered. If you are getting a cat from a rescue organisati=
on then they may ask for a donation or a fee and again it will probably com=
e already neutered and vaccinated. Kittens or cats from friends or neighbou=
rs don=E2=80=99t usually come neutered or vaccinated, wormed, treated for f=
leas or anything else and it will be up to you to register with a vet and g=
et these things done. Neutering is obviously a one-off cost, but several va=
ccinations will be required to make sure that a kitten is protected from in=
fectious diseases; thereafter a regular booster vaccination will help to pr=
otect it during its life (requirements depend on the cat=E2=80=99s lifestyl=
e and risks associated with that =E2=80=93 your vet can advise you).  Then =
there is food, preventive health care regarding treatment for fleas and tic=
ks and worms, cat litter if you want or need an indoor litter tray, beds an=
d grooming equipment if you take on a longhaired cat. Microchipping is also=
 recommended in case your cat goes missing. We recommend that you also insu=
re your cat so that if an accident or illness happens then you do not have =
to worry about the costs. Choose your insurance carefully to make sure you =
get what you expect or need.

I am allergic to cats =E2=80=93 is there any breed which is better than oth=
ers?
Many people think it=E2=80=99s a cat=E2=80=99s hair that causes us to react=
 to them by sneezing, wheezing or itching. In fact it=E2=80=99s a protein o=
r allergen called Fd1, present in feline saliva, which causes the allergy. =
Because cats groom themselves regularly they have saliva all over their coa=
t.  This dries on the coat and when the cat scratches, moves or brushes pas=
t objects the dust or dander and the hairs which contain the allergen are s=
pread about. Cat-lovers who really want to have a cat but are allergic some=
times think that by choosing a breed with less, little or no coat they can =
avoid the problem. However, as it is saliva that causes the problem, this i=
s unlikely to help, and although longhaired cats do seem to cause more alle=
rgic reactions that=E2=80=99s probably only because, having more hair, they=
=E2=80=99re also covered with more allergen.

It=E2=80=99s worth trying out different cats by visiting friends with cats =
to see if they elicit less of an allergic reaction. Unfortunately it=E2=80=
=99s a very difficult problem to get around for people who react or who hav=
e family members who are allergic.

What should I do with my cat when I go on holiday?
If you go away on holiday you also need to consider who is going to look af=
ter your cat.  If you are only away for a day or two you can ask a neighbou=
r to pop in and feed it and check it is OK. If you are away for more than t=
his you may want to consider a boarding cattery, as many cats may wander lo=
oking for company.  If you have a nervous cat it may hide when the feeder c=
omes and he or she may not be able to be sure that everything is all right.=
 A good boarding cattery will keep your cat safe and you can relax while yo=
u are away. There are bad boarding catteries however.
How to choose a good boarding cattery

When should I get a new cat?
If you are considering getting a new cat or kitten, choose a time when it i=
s quiet in your house (not in the middle of a family celebration etc) and p=
erhaps when you have a day or two when you can help it to settle in and be =
there while it finds its way around, not just before you go on holiday etc.

Where do I get a cat from and how do I choose it?
Once you have thought about the responsibilities and costs of keeping a cat=
 and what type you want, then consider where you are going to get it and ho=
w you are going to choose your cat or kitten.
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