What's the answer to "What happens if you get a cat you don't like?"?

Question

Was asked as much by a _potential_ cat owner.

"They have such different personalities..."

(Which I agree with.)

This person really should have a cat, so -- what's a good answer to "What happens if you get a cat you don't like?"

(Mine were both adopted as cats, not kittens, so I'm clueless as to how much personality-moulding can be done on a kitten...)

Answer 1

If you pick a cat or kitten that has not picked you, don't be surprised when the personality/lifestyle conflict comes to pass. These little beings pick you. Let them come to you. When a person looks at a animal that they believe they want, and make the commitment, and get it home, it must be a supportive relationship. The Human supports the Feline by providing food, water, shelter, dental, medical, and if you are not a loser, cat box care. My four full grown Felines are all indoor animals. I live with my wife in a 1Bdrm apt. with them all. They are clean, and do not tear anything up. There are chemicals in the soil that can kill your friend. The water in a puddle can kill your buddy. A busy road will eventually claim your fur covered alarm clock. The Feline supports the Human with companionship and unconditional love. What a deal. At any rate, you now have a little life to be responsible for. Do so. You adopted/bought/acquired this little fuzz-ball, now make the best of it. Taking the animal back, giving it away,or worse..... just abandoning the poor thing is heartless and criminal. Do right by the little beast. Care for it like it was your very own child. This will pay dividends you will only appreciate later on down the road. I know you will be glad you did.

Answer 2

yet another handle this: somebody won't be sure if that's a minor element and somebody out right here in YA land has extra adventure with the venture and can lend a standard fix. hence saving a pointless trip to the vet. Ever pass to the vet, pay $150 just to earnings "no longer something to do yet time" or "purely wash it and wrap it for some days" enter from some human beings will help the owner come to a decision no count if a visit to the vet is so as or if that's in straight forward terms a minor fix. Too oftentimes alot of persons suspect that the owner is lazy and uncaring. no longer real. purely searching for extra enter to return to a decision on what to do. The extra enter and distinctive techniques a individual can get (alongside with hyperlinks to do analyze) the extra effective the guy is knowledgeable and could understand what to do interior the destiny...and pass that archives directly to different people who will maximum in all probability ask.

Answer 3

I think you have to take a minute and think about why you don't like the cat. If you adopted it, then there must have been something that attracted you to it in the first place. What has happened to chnage your mind? Is it a behavior problem? Is it aggressive, is it not housetrained?

Contact your local humane society and see if they can give you some useful training ideas on how to resolve the behavior problem. Contrary to popular belief, many cat behavior problems can be solved. If it can't be resolved, such as a conflict with another pet, a family member's allergy or a cat that refuses to be housetrained or serious cat aggression, the best thing to do is to relinquish it to the humane society who will try and find a more appropriate home for it.

Answer 4

Well, I did end up with two adopted kittens that didn't like me and I wasn't in love with. The only answer I can come up with is to return them to where they were adopted from, and try another cat. If you don't get along with a kitten it's only going to get worse as they grow up. they will chew clothing,, pee on things, make life awful.
It may be awful to say, get rid of the animal, but for the owner and the animal, not good to live together. Some cats/kittens are just not great house pets.

Answer 5

My daughter left a calico cat with me after she went to college and then became allergic to cats so she never came to get her. She was not a nice cat, I fed her daily, talked to her but really we were never close. She lived until she was 18 years old and my feeling for her never changed and I guess I was relieved when she died. I have a cat now that is 3 yrs. old, a male named Jeffrey who was feral when I got him at 7 months. He loves me and I love him. He listens to me and maybe he is just more intelligent than my other cat was, but it is nice. He comes when I call him and I can reason with him if I need to clip his nails or something that I know will be unpleasant for him. He seems to communicate with me as well. I'm not sure what to do with a cat you don't like, I guess just take care of it or find another home for it.

Answer 6

re-home the cat and you need to do this yourself - it is the least you can do for the cat. Find someone who will love and care for the cat just as he is or who has more time and patience rehabilitating or training it to behave. I once thought that one of my cats made a very poor pet cat... but look at him now! He'll never be a lap cat, but he is soooo smart and has the manners of a well-trained dog. Luv him to bits!

Answer 7

the best place to get a pet dog or cat is through your local humane society. If the pet does not work out then they ussually ask that you bring them back. At the humane society they let you hold, pet, and play with the animals.

Answer 8

well what you can do is take it to a kennel or give it to someone you know that will take care of it .Chose a right person give it to a person who you will be able to keep in contact in and make sure that the cat likes the person and that that person wont abuse the cat.....

Answer 9

It is sad indeed...

I took in a VERY sick stray boy at the end of November (this past Nov.)

He's a tabby/orange/tiger. He allowed me to pick him up, he struggled slightly, I put him in my front hallway till I figured out a quick solutin because I had my 3 to consider health wise. He looked sick as well.

He seemed withdrawn/quiet/un social but not a wild feral. I picked him up a few times but he was a little uneasy. I chalked it up to being sickly and upset in general.

In less than 2 weeks we had him to the vet. We were given a gift from my city's pound for caring for strays (my 3 were strays) So is Tom, a stray.

He got ALL of his medical needs cared for 100%. ALL of them. No matter the cost. It was so awesome! I cried! I was happy to give this "Tomcat" a second chance. My boy Tommy was my heart.

He had to stay in our basement for nearly 1 month though. He had spreadable diseases. Ticks, fleas, URI, eye/ear infection, FIV, worms, ect.
It is a nice place to stay btw not a dungeon.

He was neutered and all "tuned" up medically. He needed antibiotics in his food along with Lysine and ear/eye goop.

He began gaining weight. TONS of it! :) He was single digit weight wise he is now 15 pounds!! In 3 months! And STILL growing!! He is also 5 years old. He also has a hudge head/bone structure to support his muscular bulk.

He was now full of piss and vinegar so to speak. I went outside in the back with him a few times. He stayed by me BUT was kinda cranky, hissy, growly, swatting at my feet. I chalked it up to excitement/wariness being out in a new yard.

I spent A LOT of time with him. I would sit there and nap or read quietly or talk to him or pet him. I'd let him know someone was around so he was not alone/lonely all the time.

He began wanting to follow me & my boyfriend up the stairs to see where we went after we left him all alone :(

We had to kinda push him back and shut the door on his confused looking sad face :( IT KILLED ME! I needed him to be cleared medically before allowing him to interract with the others.

We began allowing him to play upstairs with the others locked up for 4 hours+ per day. He slept in our room at night too.


I began to notice his attitude towards me change. Drastically.

I got growled at A LOT for no apparent reason that I saw (anyway). Swatting at my feet/legs that broke skin on occasion. Biting my hands/scratching my hands too.
Hissing at me too. Avoiding me, not playing with me at all, ignoring me.

I NEVER HURT him or even yelled at him. I scolded gently knowing his issues when he was REALLY a bad boy. He IS a big devil.

He slept on our bed 24/7 despite his crankiness to me. I got confused by his mixed signals.

He likes my boyfriend, cats, food, water, windows, string, not ME! Maybe I sound/look like a woman that hurt him. Or he is resentfull for keeping him in the basement when he wanted upstairs. I don't know. I am hurt.

It is getting worse. Even my boyfriend is getting the shabby treatment now. Just not as bad.

What should we do?? He would not be adoptable to anyone else the way he acts ALL the time. Except the Mother Theresa of cats!

He would be euthanised in a shelter due to poor quality of life, aggression, health issues (chronic illness's), general overall meanness, ect.

YET, I still LOVE him as does Mike and the other cats..

Oh well. Poor Tommy. Life was bad to this big boy. People SUCK! People and the streets ABUSED Tommy.

Answer 10

sometimes you can take them back, sometimes they can be trained or will mould their personalities to fit you, sometimes you will find yourself liking them even if you originally hated them, its never a good idea to abandon a cat.