Buying a Kitten. Need .

[Dean Moriarty]

Ok, so I live with my girlfriend and she's been on about how much she wants a pet. At first it was a puppy, but I convinced her that wasn't fair since we have a 1 bedroom apt in a city. No yard, not enough room to roam for it. So that leaves us at a kitten. She's a great girl and sometimes I work long hours so I think she'd love having a little cat to play with and keep her company when she's home.

 

Obviously, owning a cat is a big responsibility though. This would be a big committment and I'm wary of complications. Things like the cat scratching up furniture, peeing outside the litter box, leaving hair all over furniture and clothes and exorbitant vet bills.

 

So that's where you guys come in. I'd like your advice on what breeds are friendly without being overbearing, don't shed too much and are generally well behaved. I know she'd like to cuddle with this kitten but I housesat for a family with a siamese cat and the damn thing followed me everywhere and was always climbing on me to the point of being obnoxious.

 

I'm considering adopting a bengal kitten. They're gorgeous looking, like little tigers. Any experience with that particular breed or any others would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks!

[norajane]

Adopting a kitten or cat from your local animal shelter is a great way to find a wonderful pet and save its life - many shelters, especially city shelters - have to put the animals down after a while because they can't afford to keep them all.

 

In fact, if you wait a month or so, the shelters will be overflowing with animals that people gave as Christmas presents and then realized they couldn't/wouldn't be able to actually take care of them.

 

Adopting an older cat gives you a better chance at knowing the personality of the cat before adopting. Depending on their breed and how they were raised, some cats are lapcats and love affection and attention, and others are more independent and only like attention certain times. They're also litter box trained so you won't have to worry about that. Kittens are generally litter box trained already, too. Cats are generally fastidious about that sort of thing and don't go outside the litter box unless they are sick, upset, or the litter box is not kept clean.

 

If you want to avoid cat hair, get a short haired cat, not a long hair. It will still shed, but you won't notice it as much. Also, buy a cat brush and brush her frequently - that will keep the hair issue to a minimum.

 

As for scratching, get a scratching post covered in carpet or fiber, or make one, and teach the cat to scratch there. Again, if you adopt an older cat from a shelter, it's possible to find one that has had its front paws declawed which will eliminate the problem, but most cat people do not recommend declawing cats as it is a cruel thing to do...however, I am less opposed to it if declawing makes the difference between saving a cat's life by adopting it, or leaving one more cat in the shelter to be put down.

 

I would not get a cat and spring it on your gf as a surprise, however. If this is going to be HER cat, it's best for her to pick it out...or, as most cat owners will tell you, have the cat pick your gf! If you want the surprise aspect of it, don't tell your gf where you are taking her, and bring her to the shelter as a surprise. That way she can spend time with the cats and fall in love with the one that's right for her.

 

As her gift, you can pay for the shelter fees (generally not too expensive) for the spaying/neutering and shots. You can also make a gift basket as a kitty starter kit that includes a brush, food, food and water dishes, some cat treats, a few little toys. Also, pick up a litter box and litter so she'll have everything she needs when she brings kitty home.

 

If you and your gf know nothing about cats, I'd suggest picking up a book on cat behavior and training, or do a lot of reading online. Cats are very easy, but they're much easier when you understand what their behavior means and how to train them to be indoor house cats.

[norajane]

Do some research online about Bengals if your girlfriend would like one of those. I just found this description on Wikipedia:

 

Bengal cats are very high-energy, intelligent, and curious. They are particularly interactive with their human housemates, wanting to be in the middle of whatever the human is engaged in such as following the human around the house. While friendly and with very distinctive personalities, Bengals generally are not "lap cats." There are exceptions, but most Bengal cats prefer being petted or played with without being held. The best way to bond with a Bengal kitten is to play with it for at least half an hour every morning and every evening (and they need to be taught what is acceptable play behavior like any young animal).

 

Bengals often have dominant personality types and demand attention. As their activity and play requirements are high, this is not a cat best left to its own devices for long periods of time as they can be quite mischievous and destructive when bored. If an owner is likely to spend much of the day away from the cat, it is an excellent idea to have another high-energy feline companion to occupy the Bengal cat. However, bengal cats are quite capable of jealousy and spitefulness if they feel that another feline is getting more attention, or if they are being ignored.

[EYECANDY000]

I have a ragdoll and hes the most friendliest kitty ever.. But their breeds arent the risky type..At first I thought it was just my kitty, but I looked them up and it said that these breeds are very friendly and not as social..

Just get the kitty thats able to psych you out my being so friendly and reaching out to you from the cages hahaha... ive seen it!..

 

Also, one last thing when you are adopting a pet the shelter asks you a lot of questions and if you answer the question wrong you can be denied..

If you currently have another pet in the home, Denied!

If you had a pet before and it ran away, Denied!

they ask how many hours will the cat be alone in the house by himself.

Who else stays in the house?

are there kids?

 

 

I would probaly say get a fido though instead of a feline..

dogs are more active, and they interact more with humans..

[monkey5]

My first cat I got was a purebred siamese from a breeder. He was a great cat, however, he was a bit standoffish...and only lived 12 years. (he was born with one kidney. ( )

 

My new cat is a mutt from a local animal shelter. I believe he is a mix of a bengal and something else-but he has more personality than any cat I have ever seen in my entire life.

 

I personally recommend an animal shelter. The majority of the animals in there won't find a home and will be euthanized before they get the chance. At the shelter, observe the cat's cage. Check to make sure it uses it's litter box and keeps a neat cage. Not only does it need to have a neat cage, but it needs to look well-groomed. Normally, in animal shelters they have all different breeds, so you can pretty much choose what you like. The shelters also normally have a little "get-to-know-you" room, where you can take the animal and observe it outside of the cage and see how it interacts with you.

 

Kittens are probably the best best. When they are at a young age, you can imprint them and train them easier. Older animals are great, however, quite a few have been submitted to the shelter due to the error of the owner, because they didn't train the animal properly, so it has a major behavior problem...That's not true for all, but quite a few.

 

I hope all of this helps! if you need more info, feel free to PM me.

[Trialbyfire]

I'm owned by a male Bengal cat. Sometimes he lets me out but most often will give me hell, when I return.

 

He condescends to allow me to pet and play with him. I am his personal furniture, in that if he feels like it, I must provide a lap or a stomach. He's very vocal and demanding. This morning he woke me up at 5 a.m. because he decided he wanted to crawl up the wooden strips of the french windows in my bay window. He's 5 years old, not a kitten.

 

He can jump from a sitting position to the top of my fireplace mantle, without breaking a sweat. He can also do tricks but if you ask him, he will tell you that he taught me tricks.

 

He will also punish me, if I don't respond within his time guidelines.

 

He's smart, althletic and beautiful. Arrogant beyond belief. Personality plus, plus, plus and amazingly affectionate.

 

He's also the love of my life. I will never again, get another cat who isn't so full of life and personality.

 

Edit - My owner is in my avie now.

Edited December 29, 2007 by Trialbyfire