Cat Care???

Question

We're getting a cat soon and this will be my first time owning a cat. We're getting a shorthair. He's 1.5 years and he's black and white(they call him Oreo). How much do cats interact with people(or children)? How often do you have to change the litter box?

Answer 1

They interact quite often but it really depends on the cat. Cats are generally independent and don't come to you when they are called (but not all cats). It will interact with you on a daily basis but at first in a new home it will probably hide. As far as the litter box it should be cleaned daily or at least every other day.

Answer 2

I have 2 black & white cats & 2 other cats. Each cat is different in how much they interact with you & children. It's best to not push yourself on the cat, let the cat come to you first. You should talk to your cat & call it so it knows you want it & let it get use to you & it's new home. If it seems scared try to make it feel safe by giving it a box or a space where it can hide. Make sure it knows where it's food & water are at & that it feels safe to go to them & also the litter box. I scoop out the poop from the litter box at least every day & dump it out & put clean litter in every week, or sooner if it starts to smell. After a day or so your cat should start to get use to your house & not be so afraid, it should start wanting to play with toys & you. Every cat has it's favorite toys & games, some like feathers, rubber bands, little toy mice, toys with bells, or toys that have a stick & a string with a toy on the end that you can move around & let it chase. you'll have to just try different ones to see which your cat likes best. They also love the little plastic thing you take off a new plastic jug of milk & twist ties. I hope this helps you? Enjoy your new cat, they are great pets. Good Luck!!!

Answer 3

All cats have different personalities. Some cats love children and are just very loving in general while others are very independent and like doing their own thing. Only time will tell.
We change the litter every week while using a scooper every once and while during the week if it starts smelling at all. It depends on how big your litter box is, though. Ours is pretty big... and know that if you don't change it enough the cat will find other places to go. :( Found that out the hard way.

Answer 4

Taking care of a cat is not so different as to how you would care for a human. They need a place where they can go to the toilet i.e. a litter train (that constantly needs cleaning - a cat will not want to poop on old poop, it needs to be fresh as much as possible). They need feeding, once in the morning and once in the evening with a good value cat food. Water should always be available for them to drink and you can treat them with milk once in a while. Make sure the cat has a flea collar and is flea'd and make sure you register with a vet and that all the cats vaccinations are up to date to keep him / her safe from harm. You may also want to consider a cat flap - so it can go out when it wants. Cat toys and a scratching post are also a good idea, and a nice warm bed to sleep - an old pillow or part of a duvet should be fine. Then it needs plenty of love and attention and BINGO! You have a perfect happy cat. Good luck.

Answer 5

Sherrie L has given you some really great advice on how to help your new cat settle in to your home. All cats are different and how confident they are usually depends on how much they were socialised as kittens. Above all, be patient as all cats take a little while to settle in to a new home, with all it's new smells and sounds.

Cats are very hygienic animals and have very high standards about cleanliness of the litter tray. I use the type of litter that clumps, so whenever I see any dirt in the tray, I scoop it out. I usually do this three or four times per day. Every 5-7 days I empty the tray completely and wash it with soapy water, then refill with litter ready for the next 5-7 days.

As this is your first time of owning a cat, I can highly recommend a book called "Do Cats Need Shrinks" by animal behaviourist Dr. Peter Neville. It's compiled of his case histories and covers lots of different behaviour problems and how to solve them. Even if your cat never has any problems, this book is really good at explaining things from a cat's point of view and helps you understand them much better. In case you are interested I've posted links to this book below.

http://www.pfneville.f9.co.uk/pfn/shop/media/dcns.html
http://www.pfneville.f9.co.uk/pfn/shop/

Good luck and enjoy your new cat.

Answer 6

Every cat is different in how much they interact with people. Some are very independent and only come around every once in a while and others will follow you around and sleep in your lap. It depends on the individual.
You should scoop the litter box every day or every other day at the least.
A really great brand of food I would recommend is "Nature's Variety Raw Instinct". Good Luck.
Sloane

Answer 7

litter box -- if just one cat every other day or so is fine. you can even use baking soda in the pan to basically keep any smell away. it works pretty much minutes after its business. i use it and doesnt cost as much as that expensive cat litter that comes with it. id say change half the litter once a week i did that and there seemed to be no problem.

if there are a good bit of spiders around or that can get in your home make sure to watch out for those i found one or 2 trying to make a home out of my cat box.

cats are pretty much great with anybody and most are pretty much up to being loved all the time.

Answer 8

From my experience male cats are more tolerant of children than female cats. Most cats that like to be outside, male or female, aren't too sociable. We change the litter in the litterbox once a week, but scoop it out once a day. You may also want to put towels down on furniture you don't want cat hair on. Every cat sheds, especially during the summer.

Answer 9

Cats are very good pets. If u let the cat outside, it is not a very good idea. I have two cats and they get mad if i dont change there litter fast enough. I clean the kitty litter on trash nights, which are wednesday and sundays. At least twice a week will be good.

Answer 10

well it depends on the cat for how much it interacts
ask the people that are selling him to you they will tell
you there what he is like
you change the litter box every other day to ensure that he doesnt go on the floor
also make sure not to put the food dish next to the litter box as no one wants to eat in the bathroom
you should make sure that you dont move the litter box
too much as he willl get confused
good luck and i hope this helps!