cat help????? i really want one!?

Question

hi. i am 11 years old and i really want a cat. i believe i am responsible enough ( i wear contact lenses which require constant cleaning, and i have never once lost them or gotten an infection ) . i am moving to a new house this March and the backyard is a whole acre with lots of trees. only thing i wouldn't really like is that if it is an outdoor cat, there tend to be a lot of squirrels and birds so i am not sure exactly how that will work out... however if it is an indoor cat then it might poo all over the house and will be a trouble. but i really want one so can anyone please tell me the pros and cons of getting one. and if i do get one then could you tell me whether to have it indoors or outdoors? also one of my brothers has a slight fear of cats ( scared it will bite him. but than again, that's with ALL animals ). also include how to convince parents.

THANKS IN ADVANCE :-) ♥ ♥ ♥

i am planning on adopting from a shelter or maybe from my friend ( who's cat just had babies)

thank you tiff for saying you think i am smart. ( which i do as a matter of fact get As in all my classes )

hey dodo person..... why would you not be able to tell me in public??

Answer 1

Cats usually do not poo all over the house like dogs would. They are easily litter box trained (put the cat in the box. Once it knows where the box is, it's pretty well trained).

It is always best to have your cats inside, even if you do have a large yard. The biggest concern your parents will have is scratching -- which is trainable.

Cats are also extremely friendly (they get a bad rap by people who don't know them). My cats come when they are called, and love to lay on my lap. They love to be cuddled.

Show your parents you're ready. Let them know you're aware of the type of care cats need.

1. feeding
2. Litter box cleaning
3. Exercise/attention (play )

Show them you're also ready for the responsibility. Do you have chores? Make sure you do them when you're supposed to, without having to be reminded.

They also cost money. Food and litter are expenses. Are you willing to either add to the chores you do around the house to earn a little more? Or take a cut in your allowance to offset that cost?

Talk to your parents and find out what their concerns are. Write up an agreement with your parents -- maybe even a time frame. You live up to your end, and at a certain date, you get to adopt a kitten. This will demonstrate that you are responsible and ready.

Answer 2

Whiel it is great that you can take care of your contacts, cats require more care than that. I don't think you should try and "convince" your parents that you want one. You should sit down with them and discuss the possibility of getting one. They may not want to have any animals in their new house. Should your parents agree to bring a cat into the home, they would be the ones that would have to apply to adopt one and sign the adoption contracts as an 11 year old cannot sign a contract. While it sounds like you would be the one that feeds, exercises and cares for the cat, your parents would need to be the ones that financially support it. I highly do not recommend keeping your cat outdoors. Alot of bad things can happen to them. I have 3 strictly indoor cats who were adopted from rescues where they found them living outdoors. All 3 contracted FeLv because they were exposed to it from other FeLv positive cats that lived outside. A member of my family had cats that she allowed to live outdoors and all of them met a painful death. If after talking to your parents, they allow you to get a cat, please keep it indoors. They can be trained to use the litterbox so that they do not poo all over the house and they make great cuddlers. My 3 are super friendly and love to be on your lap.

Answer 3

Wow your new house sounds fab and perfect for a cat to wonder about. You also sound very responsible so I'm sure your parents would trust you enough to look after a cat. It's best to let a cat be able to come in and outdoors as it pleases. Cats are territorial and need to be outside patroling their territory but they also need somewhere warm to sleeo and like the cuddles you will be able to provide so it feels safe. A cat will try and hunt birds but the success rate is low so don't worry about that too much. It will be also a good way for your brother to overcome his fear of animals by learning how to handle a cat from you.

Answer 4

i just got a cat, and it is very easy to care for. even as kittens, using a litterbox comes naturally, and my cat has never pooed anywhere he isnt supposed to. they keep washed up all by themselves and everything.

if you do make him an indoor cat, there are a few human foods that are poison to cats that you should be aware of.
examples are chocolate, garlic, and onions. if you keep these out of his reach, he should be just fine!

i think the best way to convince your parents would be to show them a picture of a very cute kitten, and they will probably fall in love with it :)

good luck

Answer 5

A responsible cat owner would not let a cat outdoors. Cats get hit by cars, can be attacked by other animals, get diseases and parasites etc.

Indoor cats use a litter box.

Answer 6

Oh yes! All the time lol, it makes me jump up with fright and say sorry (cats name) and then I realise it is just one of the cats rubber balls that I am stepping on. It is so funny when that happens! lol

Answer 7

pros: they are easily litter trained
con: your brother will be scared silly
Con: cats go inside and outside
Con:they usulally like to be alone

Answer 8

Honestly, I've never had an outdoor cat, and wouldn't want to, but it works out for lots of people.

First, your concern of the cat pooing all over the house probably will never occur because cats have a natural instinct to go to the bathroom where they can cover up the odor (because in the wild, it means that other predators can't find them as easily), so a litter box is the ideal place for a cat to go to the bathroom. Also, most cats you will get will already be litter-trained, even if you get them as kittens because you really don't have to convince a cat to use a litter box. I have two cats and I've only had one of them poo outside of the litter box once and that's because during the night the bathroom door got shut (the bathroom is where I keep the litter box).

Cats ARE a big responsibility, though, but the good news is the more work you put into your cat, the closer you and your cat will be. Daily responsibilities you have when owning a cat are feeding, watering, grooming, and playing with your cat. Cats are not like dogs and if you don't play with them and snuggle with them, they won't just love you anyway, you've got to earn their love and affections. When you groom them you've got to be sure their coats are clean and free of mats and parasites, you've got to be sure to clip its nails when it needs it, and check its ears for wax or canker. If you love your cat, though, you won't even notice doing these things because you'll want to take good care of them.

I really can't think of any cons to getting a cat except that you will get scratched every once in a while if the cat gets scared or upset while you're holding it. There are options for this, though, the most obvious one would be declawing which is not recommended by anyone, even vets, as declawing your cat is like removing the first joint on all your fingers, and you can get SoftPaws which is a plastic sleeve basically for the claw so that they cannot use them to scratch you or furniture. (see the link in sources to check this product out). I've never had to use them, though, as my first cat was declawed when we got him, and our other cat has never had a problem with wanting to claw at things.

Cats aren't really biting creatures like dogs are. A cat will usually only bite at you when you're playing with it or will just barely nip at you as a sign of affection.

I would choose to always have indoor cats simply because I would worry about them being outside where I can't watch them. Also, outside there are predators that would love to have a tasty snack of cat like hawks, coyotes, wolves, dogs, or even other cats sometimes. It's just not a risk I'm willing to take. Cats are domesticated for a purpose and they don't need to go outside to be more fulfilled. If you feel you need to take the cat outside, keep it on a harness and leash and teach it how to walk on a leash (yes, it IS possible, I did it with my male cat). Also outside cats are exposed to more parasites (worms, ticks, fleas and the like), and diseases. I really feel that the domesticated cat that we keep as a pet is meant to stay inside and can be trained to do so very easily.

As for convincing your parents, do you have a neighbor or a friend that might let you take care of their dog for a few days to prove to your parents that you're up to taking care of a pet? Maybe you know someone who is going on vacation or out of town that would let you cat or dog sit. Just explain to your parents that you really feel like you'd be able to take care of a cat by yourself (I feel like any eleven year old that wants to, CAN take care of a cat by themselves, sans driving it to the vet and paying medical bills). Bring up some of your accomplishments. You seem like a bright little girl and I'm sure you probably get good grades in school, so bring that up. Maybe start making lunches for yourself, taking more responsibility around the house (do things like do your chores before you're asked or doing things that aren't normally your responsibility). It really depends on you and your parents and your relationship.

One last thing, I highly recommend that you go to your local animal rescue, aspca, or pound to pick out a cat or kitten. There they will be able to tell you the temperament of the animal and how well it would probably fit in with your family, and you're saving an animal from euthanasia. If you get it from a pound, you save yourself the cost of getting the cat spayed or neutered as they will have done that when receiving the cat or kitten, and they will have given the cat or kitten as many shots as they can, which will also cut down greatly on vet costs. Look for a kitten or cat that is alert, curious, bright-eyed and somewhat active, as these are all signs of a healthy animal.

Answer 9

get a dog they are more easy to get along with
cats are loners and not as cuddly

Answer 10

i cann't tell u in the puplic i am 13 e-mail me [e-mail]