Should we get?

Question

Thinking of getting 2 cats as we don't have the time to devote to a dog. Live in a village have 4 kids age 3mths, and 2, 3, and 4 years, have a big house and massive garden. Never had cats before, what do I need to know.

Do you not think kids that have animals as youngsters grow up to be more caring adults and learn responsibility.

Answer 1

What is Mandy25 thinking of. She certainly does not like cats much. It's cruel to de-claw. they can't scratch or climb trees etc. without claws.
We have always had cats. We had kids too.Our grown up children have cats and now we have grandchildren. As a family we have always had cats and we have always had at least two. They like company and I think you are very sensible having two. Do get two from the same litter if you can.
I used to breed Siamese and both of our children have Siamese,but we now have two Oriental Tabbies. I love all the oriental, thin, short haired cats but that is my preference.
Go for it and be a big happy family. Good luck!!

Answer 2

It would be better to wait until your children are a bit older before getting any cats. Although they are more independent than dogs, they will still need your attention. Small children tend to pull animals about and think they are toys. The four year old may be ok, but not the others.

As an example, the family who live two doors from my son & his family have small children and about five cats. The cats roam and not one of them has been neutered, which is totally irresponsible. The poor little female is always pregnant and the last litter was born and weaned in another neighbour's shed!

Please don't think I'm suggesting that you would neglect your cats, because I'm not, but this is the sort of thing that can happen when people get animals then find they have no time for them.

Concentrate on giving your lovely family lots of time and attention; teach them about the responsibility of keeping pets, then when they are older, think about getting your cats.

Good luck to you all!

Answer 3

Sounds like you're very busy already. Cats don't need as much attention as dogs, but they do need some. Are you getting them so your children can be exposed to owning pets? If so, maybe wait till they're a little older. Right now they are really too young to be responsible pet owners. If you do get a cat now, don't get a kitten, they need a lot of attention.

However, you have an opportunity to give a good home to 2 cats who might be hard to adopt. Most people only want to adopt one, and usually they want a kitten because they're cuter. If you were to get 2 brothers, for instance, maybe 1-2 years old, or 2 cats who have been raised together, that would be the best combination for your situation. That way they can keep each other amused and you won't have to worry too much about destructive behavior. I've had cats all my life and in my experience, they find trouble to get into when they're bored.

Also, don't take this the wrong way, but since your kids are so young, older cats will be able to get away if the child is playing too rough. Please consider that cats have claws and depending on the cat and the situation, they will use them to defend themselves. I always made sure to keep an eye on my kids as toddlers when they were around my cats.

Make sure they're neutered or spayed, if you get them from a shelter, they probably will be. If you plan to let them go outdoors, it would not be a good idea to declaw them, they will need their claws to defend themselves and climb a tree if necessary. Make sure to keep up on their vaccinations, and consider how close to your house the nearest busy road is, outdoor cats tend to roam and could get hit by a car.

Best wishes to you.

Answer 4

Cats are great! (I wouldn't go with kittens though-too fragile.)
I don't think your kids are too young at all (though it does depend somewhat on their personalities. Do they want cats? Are they typically rough or more easy going? Stuff like that). I got my first cat at age 2, but before that my mom always had her cats around me. I'm an animal lover big time, and I think having spent my childhood surrounded by furry bundles of love is part of why I feel so connected with animals now.

2 cats sounds good, I would reccommend getting a pair from a humane society. If you can find two cats who came in together or get along really well, it'd be better than trying to introduce two who don't know each other.

I would look for a cat who is at least part-something energetic, to be more likely to handle little kids being around and a busy household. Ocicats are the greatest cats on Earth, in my opinion! I have one who behaves very much like a dog. Burmese, Burmillas, Abyssinians, or a mix or any of these and many other breeds also fit the profile I would look for in your situation.

Just be careful you watch your kids really well with the cats at first, make sure you teach them to never be rough, pull the cats' tails, etc. It's an important thing they see that if they are gentle and show love, they will be shown love in return from their pets.

Please also always keep your kitties indoors, provide anual vet visits, safety collars (important for cats because sometimes they climb up and get stuck on things-safety collars break off so they don't get choked) and tags for the wellbeing of you pets.

Best wishes!

EDIT: In response to Mandy25, don't get a Ragdoll cat. They go limp when picked up, and if one of your kids was rough-housing with it, it wouldn't be able to fight back and the cat may end up injured. Not a good breed to have around young kids at all. Once they're older and learn to be gentle, Ragdolls are great cats, but for a first pet, I'd say no.

Also, don't declaw. If a kid is being rough to the cat, it is actually a good thing for the cat to swat him. It'll teach the child that the cat can feel pain and will respond in a negative way. Plus, declawing is really a cruel and painful practice that should be illegal everywhere! (See the link below).

Answer 5

If you are going to get 2 its easiest to get them when they are young...or if they are older, get 2 who are already familiar with eachother. They can be harder to put together the older they get. (sometimes)
If you are looking for a cuddle bug lap pet...there is a 50/50 chance you will get that. Some cats are really affectionate...some cats are 100% independant. Really get a feel for the personality when you are looking and make sure you find the right one.

Other than that...most cats shed a lot. Unless you get a ragdoll cat that do not shed, but are quite expensive.
Know that if you do not declaw there is a high chance you will have some scratches here and there (especially if they are kittens) and unless you get them used to a scratching post asap, they can damage furniture.
You can alway deter by putting anti scratch tape on corners of your couch and other areas they tend to scratch at...there are options (like nail guards that you can put on their nails), it just depends on how much safeguarding you want visitors to see when they come over. Or you can always de-claw if that is somethign you are ok with. I personally have had all my cats de-clawed. If you do de-calw they CANNOT be outdoor cats since they cannot protect themselves against other animals....or climb trees to get away.
Other than that they are pretty self sufficient...and can be a very nice addition to the family. And if you are like most cat owners, you will have a warm fuzzy bundle at the foot of your bed every night to keep you warm.

Answer 6

Even cats require care. But if you can handle the vet bills, by all means get two! Especially if you can get a pair from the same litter. You'll enjoy watching them play with each other and with the kids, when the kids are big enough.

Good luck!

Answer 7

I'd disagree with some of the other views here; Cats are not a lot of effort. If you are willing to be around to feed them and to change their litter box, thats basically all there is to taking care of a cat aside from a visit to the vet from time to time for their shots and a checkup.

Answer 8

No, No, No.

The kids are too many and too small.
You're busy enough; the cats would end up either strays
or back in a shelter.

Especially no kittens. I really, really think it's a better idea
to do one thing really good (focus on & raise your kids)
than to do a few things (considerate and responsible
pet owner) in a slipshod and hassled way.

Situations change, and the first ones to suffer (get left behind,
dumped, forgotten) are the household pets.

Animals are a commitment and a privilege, not an afterthought.

The best to you and your young family.

Answer 9

Yes! Cats are awosome! As far as your kids, make sure you get them kitties so that they are trained to be around kids. Also be sure to keep cat dishes away from kids, for some reason kids like to play with cat food??? or at least mine do.

Answer 10

Embee is right; if you are going to have a cat it should be because they are your number 1 thought, you have many other commitments which come before having to look after a cat and i think it would be unfair to the cat to not have the love and attention they deserve.