Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I had to laugh at this. Most of our cats over the years have loved to cuddle with their other cat buddies. But I can think of two who clearly wished they were our only cat.
Yep, I have one of those too. Totally bonded to me, but doesn't like the other 2 cats, and would be perfectly happy if they disappeared permanently. Doesn't like me sharing my affection with them either.
But that dislike she has for them is offset by the fun she has pushing their buttons, and sometimes it takes all my *cat-management skills to keep the peace.
Gosh, I've only had two pairs of cats that cuddled with each other: our original male and female, who bonded for their whole lives after initially trying to kill each other; and my current somewhat deformed cat and a previous very anti-social tortie cat. That tortie spent all of her time in a different room until I got the little deformed one; then the two of them would spoon on my old divan until the tortie got too sick from cancer. It was like two grumpy old ladies being "best buds".
Most of us work and have to leave our little buddies alone all day, it is just a fact of life. I leave at 8:30 every day and return home at 5:30, and our 3 get along just fine without me there. They have each other, lots of water, lots of toys, and they love to nap a lot.
I like the suggestion some people made about an adult cat vs a kitten (or two). They are more settled and are harder to adopt out, so you are possibly saving a life or two that otherwise might be lost. My one son adopted a 3 year old cat and she has been wonderful. He also adopted a kitten we found, and the two are best buddies.
Keep us posted on how it is going, and thank you for wanting to give a little cat a loving home. It will be returned to you in spades, believe me. And, of course, we want lots and lots of pictures of the new family.
Well it'll be a while, so you'll be waiting but you should find my on the pets page eventually.
I'm now trying to figure out a way around the declawing rule. I really don't like being scratched but I hate declawing even more, so that's all I'm trying to figure out now.
All of ours have claws and never scratch us, even in playing. Daisy does sit on the kitchen counter and grab my sleeve with her paw so that I will give her a treat, but that is it. My computer monitor does have a few scratches on it from Chewy pawing at the screen to chase my cursor or my typed words, but I just let him have his fun.
Also, a lifesaver for our furniture has been the Ultimate Scratching Post. They totally leave our furniture alone since buying one. It is tall, about 3 feet and you can get them on Amazon for about $40 delivered.(If you put something with it to get up to $49.) Take my advice, it is the best thing you will buy and they can stretch out when using it.
I am on my 3rd one in 4 or 5 years, because they get torn up after a while, but I will never use anything else.
Cats are actually right behind furniture when it comes to being well-adapted to being home alone for hours on end. They need food, water, and litter, along with some toys to throw around. some sisal/cardboard things to claw and scratch, some soft woolly things to curl up and sleep in or on, and some windows to look out of onto the busy world around them. We have bird feeders on the other side of a French door. We call it the home entertainment center for kitties. There are five cats aged 3-12 and they all spend serious parts of the day looking out and longing to eat the birds, squirrels, and chipmunks that happen by. Sometimes they chatter at them, as cats are wont to do. The sixth cat is 18. She doesn't partake so much anymore. She has a personal heating pad that she favors reclining on instead. All of the cats (of course) have their claws, and we actually get clawed all the time. I'm on blood thinners, so it's particularly gory when I'm the victim. It's almost always from running. If a cat is on your lap or next to you on the couch when the doorbell rings, a truck backfires, or the first clap from an afternoon thunderstorm sounds, there will be bleeding involved as they blindly bolt to go hide under the couch or bed. I keep a bottle of alcohol on the counter to disinfect the damage when it occurs. A bad scratch is like getting a splinter -- it can hurt for a few days. But it (and kitty litter changing) are a small price to pay for the endless hours of fascination that result from living with half a dozen oddly demented goofballs. There's just nothing quite like it!
My one son went away Thursday on a trip and is returning today, he asked me to check on his two fur buddies, so I went down yesterday and spent some time with them. They were fine, had a ton of food and water, all I had to do was change the litter. When I got there they were napping on his bed.
Point is, cats are by nature very independent, and get along just fine without us holding their paw every day.
Point is, cats are by nature very independent, and get along just fine without us holding their paw every day.
I guess it all depends on what kind of relationship you want to have with your cat. If you (general you) ignore your cat and leave him for long periods, dump kibble in a bowl now and then, he will become "independent", "lazy" "destructive" and all those other negative things people claim cats are.
It is a fallacy that cats are "independent by nature". Cats are social animals. Generally speaking they like to be around their humans, and any other animals in the household. They form deep loving bonds with people, other cats, dogs, rabbits....and so on.
Spend time with the cat, interacting with play routines and grooming sessions and meal times (feeding species appropriate food, no dry) and cuddling on a daily basis, your cat's personality will develop delightfully and you will have a real sentient interactive companion in your home.
A bonded adult pair sounds like a great idea for you. They'll have each other when they want companionship during the day. And there is nothing like watching two cats interact. It cracks me up to watch my cats play, fight and snuggle with each other.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisTK
I'm now trying to figure out a way around the declawing rule. I really don't like being scratched but I hate declawing even more, so that's all I'm trying to figure out now.
Give them plenty of places to scratch. I have three or four scratch mats scattered throughout the house, plus several posts. There is one piece of furniture that attracts them, so I keep a slipcover on it when I'm not expecting company, which is enough of a deterrent.
Also, to keep them from scratching you, teach them that your hand is not a toy.
I guess it all depends on what kind of relationship you want to have with your cat. If you (general you) ignore your cat and leave him for long periods, dump kibble in a bowl now and then, he will become "independent", "lazy" "destructive" and all those other negative things people claim cats are.
It is a fallacy that cats are "independent by nature". Cats are social animals. Generally speaking they like to be around their humans, and any other animals in the household. They form deep loving bonds with people, other cats, dogs, rabbits....and so on.
Spend time with the cat, interacting with play routines and grooming sessions and meal times (feeding species appropriate food, no dry) and cuddling on a daily basis, your cat's personality will develop delightfully and you will have a real sentient interactive companion in your home.
You must have a degree in cat behaviorism, right ? Don't paint every cat owner with the same brush. Some of us have lives outside of our home (work and social times) and do not want or need to baby sit our little roommates 24/7. We have a routine and so do they.........doesn't mean we don't love them every bit as much as you do, it just means we lead a different lifestyle.
For example, I just got home from work and all 3 have been fed and fussed over. Chewy is in his usual spot on my computer table, and Daisy is chasing Lucky around the house. Cats adapt to the lives of their humans, just like we adapt to their life.
If you have the luxury of staying right by their side all day, great. Me, I have gotten used to eating every day, so I work.............and that work gives our 3 cats the finances for all the food and medical care they need. I think they prefer that to starving......at least that is what they tell me.
Don
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
And, of course, we want lots and lots of pictures of the new family.
