Phoenix
20-12-2010, 11:54 PM
Thank you for considering getting a cat from a rescue. For every cat or kitten rehomed, another one gets rescued from a potential life of hunger and misery on the streets. Before you start planning on bringing your new friend home, the very first things you need to consider before selecting your pet are:
Can you ensure your cat will get fresh water daily? A suitable diet for the cat you choose (a meat based diet)? Do you have room for the scratching post? The litter tray? Will you be able to be with the cat for a few hours each day or will you be travelling around a lot e.g. through your job without anyone looking after the new cat? Will you be willing to ensure your cat is microchipped if not already done? Neutered/spayed? Are you willing to groom your cat daily (if longhaired)? Offer a warm and safe place to sleep? Take the cat to the vets when he/she needs to go, for example for boosters or in an emergency? Ensure when you are on holiday there's someone who can look after the cat or put the cat into a cattery?
You need to consider the cost. It will cost £50 a month minimum for the food, pet insurance, cat litter and the flea and worm treatments. You need to add on to this the cost of neutering (between £30 to £50 for a male, £40 to £70 for a female), the cost of microchipping if not already done by a rescue (about £20 to £30), the cost of toys (about £20 a year depending on the toys), the carrier (between £20 to £50), the bedding (about £10), the scratching post (about £20 a year depending on how often it gets used), catteries or petsitters (about £80 for a petsitter and about £50 a week for a cattery) and emergency vet bills (you can expect to pay a minimum of £60).
How much time will you be able to spend with your new cat? Are you in rented accommodation or do you own your house? Do you live in a high rise block of flats? Do the other family members agree with having a new pet? Do they have any allergies? What are your future plans? Why do you want a cat? Remember cats can live for up to 20 years and a few can live beyond that.
You will need to consider the cat's behaviour as well. How would you cope with normal cat behaviour, e.g. scratching? Hunting? Moulting? Hairballs being brought up on the carpet? Territorial behaviour? Sexual behaviour if you fail to neuter or spay your cat?
If you are still keen on getting a cat or kitten, now is the time to consider what character of cat you want. Do you want a confident cat? Shy? A feral (if you have a farm or stables where the feral can "work" for a living)? Do you want a kitten or an adult? Kittens look cute but they need a lot of work. You need to carefully supervise them. Do you want an adult or even a senior? They are not as young as kittens but they don't need as much supervision, they will usually be calmer and happy to curl up. Do you want a male or female cat? Longhair or shorthair? Pedigree or moggy?
If you want a pedigree, enquire at your local rescues. They may know of a pedigree who needs a new home or they might have the right breed in, or GCCF may help.
If you want a non pedigree, go to your local rescue, for example Blue Cross, Cats Protection, Battersea Cats and Dogs Home, the RSPCA or smaller local charities that may be in your area. There are thousands of moggies looking for new homes so please consider them all.
Part 2 coming tomorrow. I spent this evening writing it before posting the first part (too tired to type part 2 - doing it tomorrow)
Can you ensure your cat will get fresh water daily? A suitable diet for the cat you choose (a meat based diet)? Do you have room for the scratching post? The litter tray? Will you be able to be with the cat for a few hours each day or will you be travelling around a lot e.g. through your job without anyone looking after the new cat? Will you be willing to ensure your cat is microchipped if not already done? Neutered/spayed? Are you willing to groom your cat daily (if longhaired)? Offer a warm and safe place to sleep? Take the cat to the vets when he/she needs to go, for example for boosters or in an emergency? Ensure when you are on holiday there's someone who can look after the cat or put the cat into a cattery?
You need to consider the cost. It will cost £50 a month minimum for the food, pet insurance, cat litter and the flea and worm treatments. You need to add on to this the cost of neutering (between £30 to £50 for a male, £40 to £70 for a female), the cost of microchipping if not already done by a rescue (about £20 to £30), the cost of toys (about £20 a year depending on the toys), the carrier (between £20 to £50), the bedding (about £10), the scratching post (about £20 a year depending on how often it gets used), catteries or petsitters (about £80 for a petsitter and about £50 a week for a cattery) and emergency vet bills (you can expect to pay a minimum of £60).
How much time will you be able to spend with your new cat? Are you in rented accommodation or do you own your house? Do you live in a high rise block of flats? Do the other family members agree with having a new pet? Do they have any allergies? What are your future plans? Why do you want a cat? Remember cats can live for up to 20 years and a few can live beyond that.
You will need to consider the cat's behaviour as well. How would you cope with normal cat behaviour, e.g. scratching? Hunting? Moulting? Hairballs being brought up on the carpet? Territorial behaviour? Sexual behaviour if you fail to neuter or spay your cat?
If you are still keen on getting a cat or kitten, now is the time to consider what character of cat you want. Do you want a confident cat? Shy? A feral (if you have a farm or stables where the feral can "work" for a living)? Do you want a kitten or an adult? Kittens look cute but they need a lot of work. You need to carefully supervise them. Do you want an adult or even a senior? They are not as young as kittens but they don't need as much supervision, they will usually be calmer and happy to curl up. Do you want a male or female cat? Longhair or shorthair? Pedigree or moggy?
If you want a pedigree, enquire at your local rescues. They may know of a pedigree who needs a new home or they might have the right breed in, or GCCF may help.
If you want a non pedigree, go to your local rescue, for example Blue Cross, Cats Protection, Battersea Cats and Dogs Home, the RSPCA or smaller local charities that may be in your area. There are thousands of moggies looking for new homes so please consider them all.
Part 2 coming tomorrow. I spent this evening writing it before posting the first part (too tired to type part 2 - doing it tomorrow)