Advice on adopting a cat

freakyogre

dizziblonde wrote: »

Mine is indoor only as we lived on a main road - I rang CPL and mentioned the road issue so I was probably looking for an elderly cat or something similar, also mentioned I was a sucker for a hard luck story (nowt more likely to make cat rescues squeal with glee). Was offered either a deaf cat they wanted confined to barracks or the tripod who they didn't want going out as she can't jump up onto stuff very well. Went for the tripod and we've been miaowing insults at each other for about 7 years now.

As for the window thing - the cat over the road for us refuses to use the front door - I've actually watched him sit at the front door, watch his owner go in the house, and make his owner go all the way upstairs, open the bedroom window so he can climb onto the downstairs bay window roof and get in the house that way. Talk about having your human well-trained!

I wouldn't mind an older car (not too old though, i'd like some life out of it...that sounds horrible )

Aww, one of my old colleagues cats did that, I often saw it balanced on the window sill. Our cat used to love it when our back door and my window was open. He'd jump out of my window, run to the back door, through the hallway and my bedroom back out the window. He'd go round like this for a while, it was hilarious.

Paul_Varjak

Believe me, you never know how neighbours will take to animals. Some simply depsise them and will go out of their way to make your life a misery.

I once lived in a small cul-de-sac with about 18 properties. One neighbour used to come out of her house every time she saw my cat following me along the cul-de-sac (on the opposite side of the road to her house). It went on for two years until, one day, I turned to her and said PI55 OFF! I never heard from her again. The same woman frightened another neighbour so much that the neighbour got rid of her two cats!

Before I moved away from the cul-de-sac I asked my prospective new neighbours if they objected to me having cat. They said they did not. But as soon as I moved in it became apparent that one member of the household hated cats and I once caught her trying to kick my cat.

So, you may not think a cat is a problem but some of your neighbours may well take a different view, particularly in a house converted to flats where there is a potential for noises to annoy the neighbours and for smells to carry from one flat to another (or at least into the common areas).

freakyogre

Paul_Varjak wrote: »

Believe me, you never know how neighbours will take to animals. Some simply depsise them and will go out of their way to make your life a misery.

I once lived in a small cul-de-sac with about 18 properties. One neighbour used to come out of her house every time she saw my cat following me along the cul-de-sac (on the opposite side of the road to her house). It went on for two years until, one day, I turned to her and said PI55 OFF! I never heard from her again. The same woman frightened another neighbour so much that the neighbour got rid of her two cats!

Before I moved away from the cul-de-sac I asked my prospective new neighbours if they objected to me having cat. They said they did not. But as soon as I moved in it became apparent that one member of the household hated cats and I once caught her trying to kick my cat.

So, you may not think a cat is a problem but some of your neighbours may well take a different view, particularly in a house converted to flats where there is a potential for noises to annoy the neighbours and for smells to carry from one flat to another (or at least into the common areas).

I realise that. We had a cat when I lived at home who went missing for about 4 days. We searched everywhere for him and eventually my dad found him in the bottom of a neighbours garden with a seriously injured eye. It had blown out and looked like a big black olive. We rushed him to the vet and he had to have his eye removed. The vet confirmed that it wasn't an accident, some b*stard had hit him with what he thinks was a piece of wood. Not sure if it was the neighbour whose garden we found him in, or happened elsewhere and that's where he ended up, but still, whoever would do such a thing sicken me.

Noise wouldn't be a problem. There is only one neighbour I hear at anytime and that sems to be a baby crying...a lot!! And smells I can't see being a problem either to be honest. Unless I left a litter tray for days without emptying it, no one could smell a thing. I don't smell anything from the flat opposite me (with a dog) and in my opinion dogs do smell!

Thank you for your reply, I am taking your advise, but some of these things wouldn't be an issue.

I'm still not 100% sure on what to do and will probably hang on a few months anyway as have just started a new job (so would like to make it past my probation period before making any big decisions) but at the moment it's more a yes than a no!

dizziblonde

freakyogre wrote: »

I wouldn't mind an older car (not too old though, i'd like some life out of it...that sounds horrible )

Aww, one of my old colleagues cats did that, I often saw it balanced on the window sill. Our cat used to love it when our back door and my window was open. He'd jump out of my window, run to the back door, through the hallway and my bedroom back out the window. He'd go round like this for a while, it was hilarious.

When I say older - she was 2ish we think when we got her and according to the vet she's still going great guns and resolutely healthy now (she should be since she never does anything more than move from one patch of sunlight to the next). They just didn't want her outside in case she came across a dog or something and couldn't jump to safety - she likes to claim she can't even get on the sofa without being lifted up which is a blatant lie that people fall for.

I don't think I could ever get a normal cat after having this lunatic though!

FrankyLovesPets

The best advice I can give is based on my past experience before adopting my own little kitty Smokey (2yrs now ).

We had a lot of questions before getting smokey and we talked with people at our local shelter and then reached out to people on Petfinder. The info you local shelter provides and the info you provide to them, will help guide your decisions. They know how to match peeps with there furry friends - so take the advice directly from the experts and your be set!!!

Franky ~~

*Help pets through Petfinder and DoGreatGood.com- saving pets with every search*

LittleMissAspie

Our cat goes out only when we are around, so evenings and weekends. She doesn't go far so it's easy to get her back in before dark. With your set up though it might be easier to keep the cat in all the time though. So I would go for a disabled or FIV cat as I don't agree with indoor cats either.

As for the neighbours, are people supposed to avoid pets, socialising, motorbikes and anything else that has potential to upset someone? Should I ask permission from the neighbours to get a pet?!! How ridiculous.

rita-rabbit

If you don't want to take two get an elderley/long term illness cat as they need homes/may be used to staying indoors alone for prolonged periods. Young cats need more stimulation/company & may find things to occupy themselves whilst your are out/asleep: damage furniture, plants/howl loudley etc!

Personally I think two is better.

I think the door panel/catflap in your flat door is a good idea though as it would give a chance to stretch his/hers legs & explore the rest of the building (indoors). Like you said none of your neighbours business!

AnneWorkman

I have been fostering cats for the past year with the Cats Protection and I'm now just about to adopt. If you would like feline company but aren't sure how things will work why not consider fostering first? It allows you to help out a cat, gives you a chance to 'try' having a cat around without the commitment, and if you end up with a cat you just can't give up then look to adopt then. With fostering you have to keep the cat inside anyway, so living in a flat isn't a problem.

I am in rented accommodation as well, so can't fit a cat flap. We let our cat out the back door when we get in from work and he comes back in for his tea. Never seems to go too far and it's working well so far, only had once time when he wasn't back before dark and he came back quite happily not long after.

chez22

I already have 2 rescue cats and I'm about to start fostering for The Blue Cross. Have a funny feeling I'm going to end up adopting them all myself! Don't think I can cope with 30 cats!:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: