Ask:
We had to put our almost 16yo dog down last week and are considering a cat now as the kids really need a pet. it will be a house cat, but we have no clue what kinds of cats are kid friendly. We really have no clue about cats period! So if anyone can offer any suggestions as to what to get, what food to feed them, litter to use, etc., it'd be greatly appreciated!
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I think the best bet is simply a kitten that will be raised with your kids from the time it was old enough to leave it's mom...and the best place to find that is in the want ads or from a shelter. We have a gorgeous orange tabby that we got from the shelter when he was 6 weeks old. He had been found abandoned by a dumpster. He is now almost 2 years old..and he takes the kids in stride because they have always been there, as far as he is concerned! They love on him, carry him around, even push him in the stroller...and if he doesn't want to be messed with, he simply "goes away"!!
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I agree completely. We have two cats--boy and girl--and they have been with my kids since they were 8 weeks old. They are growing up together . One thing I'm always VERY strict about is that the cats are never allowed on the kitchen counter or dining table...when they first started jumping up there we just make a loud noise (clap or say NO) and they jump down, then conditioning takes over and they don't do it anymore.
Also, make sure you spay or neuter! (Especially important with indoor boy cats).
Cats really are fun and enjoyable. They are also clean and don't need to be taken for walks (unless you want to).
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Unlike dogs, there is no particular "cat type or breed" that is better w/ kids than others. Each cat is an individual that way. Some are more tolerant than others. First, go to a shelter for a cat - rescue someone. Do consider a cat that is older - even those who are just one year old are much harder to adopt out than kittens. The folks at the shelter can clue you into the personality of the cats, if one seems very tolerant towards kids. If you go with a kitten, be sure to let the kids interact w/ the kitten & see how the kitten is with them. If you get a kitten, it's best to get two. That way, when the house is empty, they have someone to play with instead of destroying your furniture or knocking things off of tables.
Different cats have different litter preferences. If you get a very small kitten, do not use clumping litter until they are older. Get one more litter box than you have cats. So, one cat needs 2 boxes, etc. Also, cats prefer UNCOVERED boxes. If you have a cat who misses the box & it drops out or hits the wall, get a covered box & cut the top off of it, so it just has walls.
We use science diet food for all our cats & they like it. It's balanced & they have different varieties if the cat has problems w/ hairballs, sensitive stomach, etc. Oh! And long hair vs. short hair makes no difference. Our short-hair cat sheds WAY more than our long hair one ever did.
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I too would adopt a older cat. remember some cats live in to their 20s. there are so many homeless cats that need great homes.
Older cats you already know there tempterment. Find one that is already good with kids and you might want to think one that is good around dogs just in case you decide to get another dog down the road.
We got a kitten 9 years ago and he was raised with us and kids and to tell you the truth if I would of gotten him as an adult cat I would never of gotten him. Now don't get me wrong I love my little boy and would never get rid of him. But he has an anger problem.
Do you have a program in your area that fosters the animals out. They no more about the cats then the shelter.
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I'm so sorry about your dog. I know how difficult that is.
Cats aren't really like dogs in that some breeds of dogs are good w/kids and some aren't. Cats aren't really high strung by breed - it goes by actual cat.
That said, know that Siamese cats can be a challenge. They are highly intelligent, but very finicky. They tend to have a favorite person and can be downright nasty if they decide they don't like you.
I, personally, am partial to Persians if you want to spend the money. They are sweet, docile, let the kids manipulate them, are playful and intelligent. But they are high maintenance. They have to be combed and brushed at least every other day, otherwise it is very painful when they get mats. They do shed. Constantly.
You should not let a cat go outside - too many dangers, and once allowed to roam, they always wanted to. Our persians were always inside, but allowed into our back yard when we were there to protect them from hawks, etc. (we back up to a desert hillside), so they never had the opportunity to roam. Cats need their claws trimmed - easy to do w/a trimmer from a pet store - just trim the sharp tips, no need to go down far. Fresh food and water and a daily scooped box and they are fine. They can be very affectionate and are wonderful, low maintenance pets. Two can keep each other company, but unless nobody's around the house much, one will be fine alone. A good, well trained cat is not destructive, but do leave them a good scratching post and toys - train them to use the post. A kitten shouldn't be taken from their mother until they are 8 wks old, and it's the mommy's job to litter train them - you shouldn't have to do anything in that way except show them where their box is. Empty and clean the box every two weeks - cats are pretty sensitive.
They can reward you with years of love and companionship.
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I'm so sorry about your dog. Its hard to let go of our animals since they are part of the family. I have many suggestions for you.
First, older cats can be good sometimes. Look at your needs. A kitten will be like having another kid at times, but if he/she gets used to being manhandled by kids at a young age it will not mind it as much. If you get an older cat make sure its been around kids most of its life, and understand you will have less time with it.
Second, get a female. They tend to be better with kids, they do not mark their territory, and they tend to want to stay close to home (less cat fights, less time that they do not come home for the night.)
Third, go to the pound and rescue a cat. This has 2 benefits. First you feel good that you saved it, and if your lucky the cat will recognize that. Second, pet store animals tend to have a bit of an attitude problem.
Third, I would let your children pick out the cat. Get them involved. They will love it.
And finally, I would look at a shorthaired. Long hair gets everywhere, and its a constant battle to keep the hair groomed and knots at bay.
I hope this helps. Cats tend to be different than dogs. They each have a personality. Doesn't matter much of their breed.
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i am the cat queen lol. you want a cat that is between the ages of 4-6 weeks, and you want to cuddle it alot. that is the prime time for socialization, you also want the kid to handle it quite a bit as well. in my experience it is best to go with a male cat and get it fixed at 6 months of age so it doesn't spray. go for a short haired cat, they are much easier to maintain. cats also will show a preference for one or two people in the household. our cat loves me and my ds but has next to nothing to do with my dd or my dh. as for the older cat idea, not so good, once a cat ahs its habits they are very difficult if not impossible to break. if you were just a single adult living alone and wanted a cat then an older one would be great, but with kids a kitten is best. we clean out litter box weekly, and we free feed our cat which is just setting out a dish of food once a day for them to eat whenever they choose, but our cat is also an outside farm cat so for an indoor cat i wouldn't reccomend free feeding, they tend to get overweight, feed the recommended amount on the bag of cat food. you also want to make sure that the food you are feeding them doesn't contain alot of ash as this can cause urinary tract infections. a cats temperament depends alot on what type of home it has and how it is raised. the most important thing to give it lots of love and attention as a kitten and it will grow up to be cuddly and loving cat, and let the kids play with it gently.
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I realize that older cats ARE harder to adopt out...and we have adopted an older one more than once. However, with small children at home, I really do stick with thinking that a kitten is best. They are NOT more work, other than they climb some, have more of an instinct to "grab" with their claws when scared, etc, and are a tad more delicate being small (not too much so, as we had a friend's 2 year old THROW our kitten one time...we had to make an emergency vet run because I thought the cat was paralyzed. Turned out he was stunned. If he can live through that, they can live through most anything kids can toss out!). With an older cat, you run the risk of getting one that doesn't do well with children, that has NOT been loved on while little, thus not wanting the kids to love on it now, and also could run into a spraying problem (both male and female do this, and regardless of neutering/spaying, they don't always stop, believe me).
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We adopted our first cat when he was about a year old and he's fabulous. Our second, we got as a kitten and she's wonderful too but I think it depends on the cat's personality. It's not like you're bound to get a 'dud' just because it's a little older. My has a cat that is the oddest cat EVER. L.OL. She's had him since he was tiny and he's just really really REALLY strange. It just depends on the individual animal. You can tell a lot about a cat's personality when you meet it at the rescue or wherever you get it. Our vet has a little bulletin board where clients post about animals needing good homes, that might also be a good place to start.