Cat Chat 2

[Sixx O'Clock]

I'm not sure if this is the place to post this, but could I get a few opinions on the pros and cons of owning a cat?
I've read some articles and have more research to do, but I'd like to hear from individuals ^^

Sure! Here's my list of pros and cons based on my experience of owning cats. I've had cats my whole life, so I've learned quite a bit from them.
Pros:
-Independent; usually won't bug you for attention too much.
-Small; good pet for a smaller house or apartment.
-Clean; they don't need baths (usually), and most types just need to be brushed every once in a while to keep mats from forming.
-Long-ish lifespans; most all of the cats I've owned have lived to be 18+. My oldest was 20 when she passed, my great-aunt had a cat that lived to be 24, and my current oldest cat is 18 with no health issues.
-Don't need to go outside to use the bathroom; I'll touch on litterboxes in the cons list, but if you live in an apartment or someplace without a yard, having a pet that doesn't need to go outside to potty is a good thing.
-Affectionate; all cats are individuals, of course, but as long as you spend some time with and bond with your cat, they can be very sweet and affectionate. My cats even like taking naps with me and just curling up on the couch while I'm playing video games.

Cons:
-Claws; like I always say, if you don't like the claws, don't get a cat. There are deterrents you can buy that will (usually) stop them from scratching things they shouldn't, and things like cardboard scratch-pads and scratching posts to keep them occupied, but accidents do happen.
-Litterbox cleaning; the general rule of thumb is to have one extra litterbox for every cat you own. So if you have one, you'll need two litterboxes, if you have two, you need three litterboxes, etc. They need to be cleaned regularly, at least once a week for one cat, but more frequently for multiple cats. I have three cats and need to clean their boxes every day.
-Spraying; generally, if a cat is spayed/neutered, this shouldn't be a problem. But there are instances where a cat will still spray even if they're fixed.
-They hide their illnesses/injuries; talking from experience, I can definitely vouch for a cat's stoic/secretive nature when it comes to illnesses and such. Depending on the injury, they might go into hiding. It's very important to keep close tabs on your cat(s), because sometimes, by the time they start showing signs of illness, it's sadly too late.
-Hard to train; cats can be stubborn and don't usually listen to commands that well. As I said, all cats are individuals, but on the whole, don't be surprised if you find that your cat just isn't interested in listening or being taught things.
-Escape artists; depends on the cat, again, but some of them can be quite crafty at escaping. You'll need to cat-proof your house before getting a cat, i.e. securing windows and vents, being watchful when opening outside doors, etc.

All pets come with their own challenges and perks, so it's basically just choosing which ones you'd be okay living with. I'm biased since, like I said, I've had cats my entire life, but I find that they're a joy to have around and have definitely become part of my family. c:

[Thalassic]

I'm not sure if this is the place to post this, but could I get a few opinions on the pros and cons of owning a cat?
I've read some articles and have more research to do, but I'd like to hear from individuals ^^

I believe that cats make great "beginner" pets due to their (largely, not always) independent attitude. They can take care much of their requirements (mostly) themselves, unlike dogs for example, who would need a lot more attention.

The biggest con of owning a cat would be the costs for me. Just like any other animal, they will come with inevitable vet charges, and some cats can be picky eaters (or need specific foods for medical reasons), meaning that you might end up investing more into their diet than you initially assume. Same with litter, but I personally havent had any cats that were picky about the litter we use, and I find that the bags are fairly inexpensive and last a while. And they really dont require expensive toys! Most cats are more than happy to play with crumpled paper balls and paper bags (never leave a cat unattended with a plastic bag) and boxes, and you can bring them leaves and sticks from outdoors.

The smell can be a deterrent for some people, but its really not that bad if you leave their litterbox in a well ventilated area and clean it at least once a day (or right after they do their business, if they are the type of cat who dont bury their treasure).

Due to cats being climbers and explorers, its very likely that theyll break some of your things. Most of it can be avoided if you simply dont leave fragile objects near the edge of a table, on high shelves, or other areas that a cat would find interesting. But I've had them shatter full water glasses, vases, plant pots etc. They will also try to eat any plants you have, so make sure that anything within reach isn't toxic to cats. You can use citrus peels and citrus scents to keep them away from things they shouldn't eat, such as plants and wires. Cats also like to scratch things (furniture, wallpaper, wood) as a way to mark their territory and keep their nails in good shape. You can avoid that to some level by giving them scratching poles, but they won't always prefer them over furniture.

Noise and general nuisance. This very much depends on each cats personality, but some cats can be very vocal and loud. I've found that most cats also hate it when doors are closed, and mine will often demand that you open it for them (not because they want to enter the room, they just like having the option). A lot of cats will also try to escape through doors and windows, so you will have to be very careful about leaving them unattended near a window or balcony, for example. I also do not recommend letting cats outside as a whole, as it only puts them in dander, as well as endangers the local wildlife.

Those are the main cons that come to mind for me. But much of those can be avoided by just being attentive, or by adopting an adult cat (if their personality has already developed, you would know exactly what youre getting yourself into).

For the pros: a loved and well cared for cat will love you back. I'm pretty sure I've seen studies about how petting a cat increases your mood, but you honestly just have to try it out for yourself. They are beautiful, adorable, silly creatures, with their own unique personalities, and any time I've shared a space with a cat, they honestly made my stay so much better. Some of them are even super cuddly and will climb into your lap themselves, and its such a joy. A cat will be a great companion for probably 10+ years (some even live past 20), so its no small commitment, but to me personally its absolutely worth it.

[Ebony Stardust]

Thank you both, Clock! and Thalassic
I'll keep that all in mind!

[Sixx O'Clock]

I wasn't really sure if I wanted to post about this, 'cause I'm used to people coming at my throat when I ask for help like this, but hopefully that won't happen here.
Before I actually ask what I came here to ask, let me preface a bit. My oldest cat, Gabrielle, is about 18 years old now. She's overall healthy, just dealing with the usual senior cat stuff. Lately, she's been peeing in my dad's clothes hamper. I keep their litter boxes clean, she doesn't have a UTI or any issues like that, the vet is just attributing it to being old.
So my question is, does anyone have any ideas for how to stop her from doing that? I'm already going to try and suggest a lidded hamper, but my dad is notoriously stubborn and he might not go with that. I don't think litter box placement is the issue either. Maybe there's something she doesn't like about the litter itself? Anyone have any recommendations for affordable litter to try if that's the case? This is kind of an urgent matter, she peed on his clothes again a little bit ago, but some of it ended up on my dad's power strip and now it's fried, so he's pretty mad.

[Bitters]

...

Sorry you're dealing with that. It definitely doesn't help that it puts you in such a stressful position.

"Nature's Miracle" makes a spray that worked when my parents' kitty started acting up. You can just spray the outside of the hamper. It costs about ten bucks and doesn't make the room stink.

Whatever happens I wish you the best of luck in handling it.

[Sixx O'Clock]

...

Sorry you're dealing with that. It definitely doesn't help that it puts you in such a stressful position.

"Nature's Miracle" makes a spray that worked when my parents' kitty started acting up. You can just spray the outside of the hamper. It costs about ten bucks and doesn't make the room stink.

Whatever happens I wish you the best of luck in handling it.

I'll try that, thank you!

[ChunkyChad]

-snip-

I went through something pretty similar with my cat (he's 15 now but I think 13 when he was having problems. Like Bitters said cleaning the area will defiently help cause as long as they can smell it the cat will return to the spot, in my experience we had to take out the carpet, but a good cleaning spray should work.

As for what to do for your cat, my vet recommenced these like calming scent things (sorry I can't recall exactly what they were called but they were very similar to the fragrance things you plug into the wall. Maybe ask your vet next time you see them cause that really helped my cat, and since you mentioned there's nothing medically wrong and the box location is likely not the issue than it's possible that something had upset your cat and now their a on edge which is causing them to go outside the box so getting them something to help them relax might help. Plus they weren't very expensive from what I recall

[ᴍᴀᴏᴄɪғᴇʀ]

-snip-

As for what to do for your cat, my vet recommenced these like calming scent things (sorry I can't recall exactly what they were called but they were very similar to the fragrance things you plug into the wall.

Feliway products might be what you're thinking of? They plug into an outlet and release pheromones to calm cats.
If you do try that, @Clock! just be aware that they don't work for every cat.

As for cleaning the area where she's peed already, what's worked for my pets is an enzyme cleaner specifically designed for pet mess. You can buy them on Amazon and such, and they break down the pet mess itself so your cat no longer smells those places as being familiar toilet areas.

[Sixx O'Clock]

-snip-

As for what to do for your cat, my vet recommenced these like calming scent things (sorry I can't recall exactly what they were called but they were very similar to the fragrance things you plug into the wall.

Feliway products might be what you're thinking of? They plug into an outlet and release pheromones to calm cats.
If you do try that, @Clock! just be aware that they don't work for every cat.

As for cleaning the area where she's peed already, what's worked for my pets is an enzyme cleaner specifically designed for pet mess. You can buy them on Amazon and such, and they break down the pet mess itself so your cat no longer smells those places as being familiar toilet areas.

I have tried Feliway with my cats, and it only really seemed to help my youngest, but I asked my dad to pick up some deterrent spray and some detergent for his clothes that should get rid of the urine smell.

[Bitters]

Just venting.

My younger cat LOVES his wet food, so I try to give him a can every so often. Keeps him hydrated or whatever, been doing this for him since he was tater sized. Today, for the first time ever my older kitty expressed interest in it. This was really special, because she used to hide whenever I brought it out (this has been the case since her adoption as an adult kitty). If I dared bring her a bowl, she would act as if being called out for being naughty (recoiling, hiding for >30 minutes). Really traumatic. Typically I would discreetly feed the little guy a bowl and not even acknowledge the older kitty in the process in order to avoid stressing her out. Well. She's been growing increasingly curious and today she approached the bowl, liked what she smelled, and tried some.

She loved it so much that I cracked a can for her.
Well, that was a few hours ago, and just now I've been hit with a hot wave of the worst stink. Oh my gosh. My eyes. I don't think I've ever had a cat make diarrhea, wow. My apartment is small, and I'm currently hiding under my covers with cherry chapstick under my nose. I don't know how I'm even going to scoop it. Wish me luck.