Cat owners - I need some advice?

Question

Thinking about getting a cat - or cats. Never had them before, so excuse me if I seem a bit dim.

How do cat trays work - don't they stink the place out? And where do you keep them (not the kitchen surely)?

And also - I've been told that it's always better to get two, if you can, rather than just one - that way, they won't get lonely. (Cats, that is, not trays!) Would you agree with that?

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

One other thing - it sounds silly, but I do worry about it bringing in mice and things. Seriously, I would FREAK if that happened, and every cat owner has some story about dead mice being left on their beds. Is this a frequent event?

Answer 1

No stupid questions here at all - 5 years ago I had never owned a pet other than a goldfish before. My husband convinced me to get a cat & we ended up with two brothers (he & the breeder ganged up on me & guilt tripped me about seperating them blah blah !!!!)

Turned out it was the best thing ever as if we were both out for the evening we didn't feel bad about leaving them as they had each other. They generally get on really well, but we have had a couple of recent incidents where they fell out big time & were really fighting vs play fighting which they do all the time, but seemed to have sorted themselves out - we put it down to moving to a much bigger house in a different country ie lot of changes etc

Re litter box, if you use clumping cat litter & clean it every day it will not smell, if you can smell it then it's time to change the whole lot. I have kept them in the kitchen, albeit in a corner away from food areas & behind the door, hallway, bathroom, built in wardrobe.

Ours are indoor cats as we lived in a flat when we got them so roaming wasn't an option plus the breeder would only let us have them if they were going to be indoors as they are not a very street smart breed (Bombay's)

I would definitely recommend you get some, mine have brought me so much joy & I wasn't really that bothered about pets beforehand - good luck !!

Answer 2

I have 4 cats, all indoor so all using litter trays and no, they don't stink if you look after them properly. I have 2 very large litter trays with lids and swinging doors. I use litter tray liners, then a few layers of newspaper then I fill the trays up to a depth of about 3-4" with granular cat litter. I scoop the poop and use a powder deoderiser every day. I completely change out the litter once a week. If the cats weren't happy they wouldn't use the trays as they are very clean animals. I keep my litter trays in the spare room which is actually a cat room/my home office. Decide where the tray will go and keep it there. And yes, it's better to get two as opposed to one. Apart from doubling the veterinary costs having two is no more hassle than having one and they will be company for one another. It's best to get them from the same litter and ideally they should be the same sex. Good luck. I wouldn't be without my cats for the world. If you want to email me for more info, feel free.

Answer 3

yes 2 cats keep each other company. I would always recommend getting 2 especially if you are considering kittens. Litter trays need not stink. You can get covered trays with a sort of cat flap affair and filter in the top. If you use a wood based litter there is virtually no smell unless they have done a fresh poop. You need to have a litter scoop and scoop out the faeces at least once if not tice a day. My future daughter in law keeps her litter tray for the 2 kittens I gave her, in the toilet and puts the scooped poops into the toilet along with the litter. (wood based can be flushed) . I have 12 cats and have 4 giant sized litter trays in my kitchen in a spare corner under a work surface and you would not know they are there because I scoop about 4 times a day and replace the litter regularly.
Before I gave my future daughter in law the kittens, I got her some books on rearing kittens and cat care in general . She had great fun buying beds, tray, toys etc and reading and learning in order to ensure that she was a responsible cat owner. Had she not been willing, I would not have given her the kittens even though my son is experienced with animals.
I recommend that you do the same. She had never had cats or kittens before and was amazed at how affectionate and intelligent cats are. I get regaled daily about how wonderful my grandkittens are, how they sit on the stairs waiting for them to come home from work, how they recognise the sound of my son's motorbike or car when he gets home.
Cats are great fun and ideal pets for people who don't have the time to give to a dog.
If you have a cat which has access to outside, bringing dead (sometimes alive) small beasts and birds to you as a gift is simply par for the course. The thought might freak you out now but when it happens you learn to pick it up in a tissue and dispose of it without offending your feline friend.

Answer 4

Well on your question about the cat litter trays well you would want to be cleaning out the clumped pieces every day and the whole tray about every three days. Cats are notoriously clean animals and will not go near the tray if there is any smell from it.

And as for the mice and birds, well yes unfortunatley this is a part of a cats nature and there ain't nothing you can do to stop it. I give my four cats the best of food, however they will still have a little present on my door step every day or so.

These little things are however outweighed by the quirkiness of a cats behaviour when they are playing with a toy, many hours of fun watching them, and there is that little piece of happiness when you hear a cat purring on your lap.

Answer 5

Cats are wonderful and if you get a cat you might as well get two they will keep each other happy. Most cats are already litter trained when you get them. Try and get two from a shelter they are usually the best cats and have all of there medical issues taken care off already and they usually know their personalities. If you don't want mice make sure the cats are not out side cats. Their mice will then be toys not real. One other thing, if your cat does bring you a mouse that would mean he found it in the house and they're doing you a favour. Make sure you can afford a pet they are a lfe long family member cats live up to and sometimes more that 16 years now. Vet bills are expensive so keep that in mind as well. I love my cats I have two and they make me so happy. As far as litter get the clumping kind and clean the litter box daily and each cat should have it's own litter box. I put the litter box in a closet and keep it clean. They welcome me home at night like to play and they each have diffeent personalities. The best thing I've ever done for myself.
Good luck and buy a good cat book.

Answer 6

Cat pans do not stink the place up if you scoop everyday. Use a good clumping litter and get some good air freshener (I use Febreeze or Oust) and you should not have a problem. I have a basement, so the pans are in the basement. If you don't have that, try a laundry room or bathroom. There are also places online that you can buy cabinets that look like a piece of furniture that the cat pans go into, try a google search. As far as how many cats to get, if it were me, I would get two. I have owned cats my entire life - from one to six at a time. Six was a bit too many, I currently have three and that is a good number for me. You are right, when you are gone from home, the two will keep each other company.

Now, as far as them bringing home mice and other vermin, they won't if you keep them as inside cats. Don't let your kitties outside, please! Cats do very well inside of the house and do not need to go outside, contrary to what people say. None of my cats were ever outdoor cats and they were very content to stay inside. If you let them outside, they stand a very good chance of being hit by a car, becoming some predators dinner, target practice for a cat hater and can pick up nasty diseases for which there is no cure. If you are getting kittens and NEVER let them outside, they will not want to go outside.

Also, clip their nails frequently and give them a cat scratcher to keep them for digging at the furniture and woodwork. Get a pair of cat clippers from the pet store and just snip off the clear pointy end of the nail. If you start to do this from the time they are kittens, they will not cause you problems later on when they are older and you need to clip them.

Good luck and enjoy your new kitty or kitties.

Answer 7

I've had dogs my whole life, but a month ago I adopted an 8 week old kitten and tomorrow I'm going to the pound again to adopt two more!

If you want a life long bond, I would suggest getting a kitten or young cat (1-2 yrs old), although older cats need homes too! You should check out the pound, I live in the wilderness with not many people around, but the shelter is always full of kittens and cats! Plus, most of them come pre-spayed or neutered, or if not, you will get a voucher to have it done for 1/3 of the price. Yonug cats are still relatively young and playful, like kittens, but less crazy and immature, so if you want to skip the babying part you could just get a cat.

Litterboxes - I usually keep ours in the kitchen in a corner - litter tends to fall out of the tray when the cat jumps out, so its alot easier to clean on a kitchen floor where you can sweep it away than having to vaccuum the floor in your living room. Besides, if theres ever an accident, its easier to clean up there. You can just shove it in a corner, and show the cat where it is. They'll know how to use it. I use a brand called Feline Pine - you can find it about anywhere. I can keep the same litter up to 4 weeks and it stays pretty fresh - except its a good idea to flush any cat poop down the toilet, it tends to stink, that way your litter will last longer.

Two cats ARE better than one! Even though they are independent animals, having a playmate around will decrease loneliness. If you want to get cats and not kittens, I suggest adopting siblings(plenty of shelters have families or older litters of kittens who've stuck together). Two cats who have never known each other and are in a new environment will not get along that great. However, if you decide you want two kittens, it doesn't matter if they are not related, although if you find siblings, that would be great as well. However, two kittens are much more likely to get along initially even if they don't know each other, than two adult cats who haven't.

Also, make sure you take them to the vet right away! Testing for FIV (feline AIDS) and feline Leukemia should always be done before you decide to adopt any cat, and most shelters have them tested and ready to go. Take them to the vet and make sure they get their rabies, deworming (a must! since all kittens are born with worms), distemper, etc. All these shots are important, as well as spaying and neutering, which will make your kitties less aggressive and healtheir and happier in the long run. Indoor cats tend to live longer than outdoor cats, so I would recommend that as well.

Hopefully this helps - as independent as they are, if you establish a loving bond, your cat(s) will absolutely love you, jsut as a dog!

Answer 8

The trays do give the cats a place to go potty. So yes, it does help to keep from stinking the place up.

Since I have 3 cats, I have 2 trays. One is in the bathroom between the toilet and the wall. The other is in the closet of the room I use as an office.

Speaking of trays, make sure to get a scooper and scoop them out every day. If you don't, you'll be sorry!

Some cats prefer to be only kitties. Other cats do enjoy having someone their own size to play with. And if you get two cats, it'll be easier on you if you get them at the same time so they won't have to get used to sharing you. And chances are pretty good it'll be easier for them to work out dominance issues.

If you get one cat, then get a second cat later, you can expect a little hissing and spitting. Have someone your cat doesn't recognize as family carry the newcomer in: That way he won't feel you've thrown him over for a brat.

Good luck!

Answer 9

Hi
If you are going for a kitten, I would get two as they keep eachother company - a vet would advise this as do the Cats Protection League in the UK.

We got our cat Murphy this year in March from the local cat shelter. He was a former stray who was a bit reluctant to get to know us at first but he has now become king of the house and a real lap cat. He was already litter trained and found his tray straight away when he moved! Litter trays are not smelly, I would recommend a cat litter like catsan which keeps the tray odourless. Cats are very clean animals - Murphy miaows his head off when ever he uses his litter tray to tell us he has done something and it needs removing!

It's best not to keep your cat tray in the kitchen, and dont keep it near the cats food either - would you eat in your bathroom? Murphy eats in our kitchen and his litter tray is in another room downstairs that we rarely go into.

Depending on where you live, your cat could become an outdoor cat. Murphy is a combination of both, he only uses his tray if he has been in the house for a long time - normally when it is raining and cold! He went 3 months without using it in the summer!

My boyfriend had never had a cat, and really wanted a dog, but he loves Murphy - cats are very independant, they just get on with life themselves! I wouldnt be without our cat now, he is beautiful!

Answer 10

We have a wonderful system for getting rid of our waste so we don't have to deal with the smell. The litter tray is what the cat must have. The cats don't like them when they are smelly either so they need to be kept scrupulously clean (cats have much more sensitive "smellers" than humans do. A dog you can take outside to do his business - so that is a downside to a cat.

I do think that two cats are better than one. If there is only one you have the possibility of a neurotic dependancy problem developing. When there are two they are much happier if you have to be away at work or school for long periods, or even want to take a weekend away.

And cats have different personalities. You will probably get a number of people who will attest that their only cat is just fine. So I am just giving you an opinion.

The book "Cats for Dummies" is excellent and you will find it informative and helpful on all cat issues. Of course my very favorite is Anitra Frazier's "The New Natural Cat" and she definitely supports the idea of the two-cat household.

Both books are readily available through libraries, through Amazon (you might get a used one at a low price) or in any bookstore. The Dummies book was not available when I got my first two cats and I wouldn't part with my copy of Frazier's book for anything.

Answer 11

Hey Donna

I have two cats. As for keeping eachother company, yes they do indoors but when they go out they go their own seperate ways. Personally I think two is better than one. The litter used in cat trays usually have good absorbsion qualities. This is ok for urine,but solid waste always runs the risk of smelling. This is where spot cleaning comes in to it. As soon as I find any solid waste I remove it. I do this by placing my hand in a bag and picking it out and then roll the bag down so the waste in then inside the bag. As to where to keep the tray, its simply a case of where you've got room for it. Generally I change the whole litter two to three times a week. Unless you've the got the time, it's best to start with cats that are already litter trained. I got mine from an animal rescue centre. If there is a centre near you I'd suggest you'd take a look.