What you need to know before you get a cat. When planning to get a cat or a kitten, many factors should be taken into account. First of all, it is necessary to take into account your lifestyle and the situation in the house, and it is also important to assess whether you can change your lifestyle and create the necessary conditions for your cat to live a full and healthy life.
Do you have time to take care of your cat?
A kitten can become a new cheerful member of the family, but sooner or later it will grow up, so the decision to purchase a cat is a long — term commitment. Many people believe that it is easier to keep a cat than a dog. Nevertheless, cats also require a lot of attention and support.
Other factors that will influence how to take care of a cat and take into account its needs include your decision to have a kitten or an adult cat, since kittens require more attention than adult cats. You will have to feed and train them regularly. It is also important to decide whether you want an ordinary cat or a pet with a pedigree, whether you contact a breeder or a shelter, because some cats from the shelter may have had traumatic experiences in the past, and such animals will require special treatment from the very beginning.
The behavior of a cat and its reactions depend on a set of genes and its life experience. Most social skills are developed in a kitten under the age of eight weeks, so it is very important to give him enough time and attention in the first weeks of his life.
Is there time for a cat or a kitten in your daily routine?
Any animal will change your lifestyle, and hopefully for the better. However, you will not be able to completely adjust your life to the pet’s schedule, so it is worth considering how you will combine your permanent duties with new ones and change the daily routine after the appearance of a cat or kitten.
Ask yourself questions:
- Do you have any children? Having children can affect which cat breed you should choose, since some cats are less suitable for families with young children, while others are more suitable.
- Do you have other pets, and how can they react to a new pet? Introducing a new pet to the animals living in the house is not an easy task. This will take time and patience. It is possible that the animals will be able to fully accept each other only after a few months, but there is a possibility that this will not happen at all.
- Do you have a place in the yard where the cat will have free access, or will it be constantly kept indoors?
- Do you work full – time, and if so, what will happen to the cat during your absence?
- Will you be able to change the situation in the house to create conditions that are suitable for keeping a cat?
- Do you travel a lot? If you do not plan to take a cat on trips, consider how to provide care for the animal during your absence.
- Can you allocate financial resources to meet the needs of the cat, including the costs of insurance, food purchase, veterinary services, hair care and transportation?
By answering these questions, you can not only determine whether your home and lifestyle are suitable for keeping a cat in comfortable conditions for it, but also find out which type of cat is most suitable for you.
Is your home safe for a cat or a kitten?
The house in which a cat lives is an important component of its well-being. In the new home, a wide space for discoveries opens up in front of the kitten. Allow your pet to explore the space independently and learn to navigate in a new home in a calm mode, but be sure to pay attention to the sources of potential danger.
Also, make sure that there is a quiet place where the cat can retire, especially when it first appears in the house. This way, she will be able to gradually get acquainted with the new territory and family over the next few days.
Actions that you can take to reduce the stress impact on the cat in a new home:
- Allocate a special feeding area for the cat. This place should be far away from the tray and ideally away from noisy places, since cats prefer to eat in a quiet environment.
- Make sure that the cat’s tray also stands in a quiet place. This place should be permanent, easily accessible to the cat and located away from bowls with food and water.
- Be sure to arrange a space for the cat where it can play, hunt, climb and sharpen its claws.
- Prepare a separate sleeping place for your pet.
Are there any sources of threat to the cat’s health in your home?
Both inside the house and outside, a cat or kitten can face the following dangers:
- electrical wires or power cords;
- easily accessible household chemicals, cleaning products and medicines;
- open burners;
- balconies;
- toxic or poisonous plants — cyclamen, holly, mistletoe, wisteria, dieffenbachia, philodendron, azalea, rhododendron, nightshade, oleander, poinsettia, ivy, Japanese aukuba, sweet peas and ficus.
Think about whether you can devote enough time to a cat or a kitten and whether your home is suitable for a pet. By answering these questions, you will understand whether you can create safe conditions for a happy animal life. If it becomes clear to you that you are really ready for the appearance of a pet, you can establish an excellent relationship with your new companion.