Disclaimer!
I will fully admit that I myself have never owned a cat. I
lived with my best friend in college for a year, and her cat Thomas O’Malley,
graciously allowed me to stay as well. He was/is a sweet (when he wanted to
be), chunky cat. My friend since then has gotten another cat Meeko, who she
rescued after he nearly got hit by a passing car. Madeline (my friend with the
cats) graciously agreed to answer my questions about owning a cat. She grew up
having in cats in the house, so I feel comfortable using her as my source of
cat owning information!
Money
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First, we are going to talk a little bit about
what it takes at the Emporia Animal Shelter to adopt a cat. It’s the exact same
as adopting a dog, except for the prices. To adopt a cat from the shelter,
there is a $20 adoption fee plus $55 spay/neuter deposit that you will get back
once you have provided proof that you have had them spayed/neutered. All cats
(and dogs) adopted from the Emporia Animal Shelter must be spayed or neutered,
this is Kansas law.
·
Madeline rescued both of her cats as kittens.
They were both strays that no one was taking care of, so she took them in off
the street. But she still got both her boys neutered so they wouldn’t start
spraying/marking all over the house. She was able to get them neutered around 8
weeks old.
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Food
o
There are
a wide variety of options to feed your cat. There are cheap food options as
well as the high dollar products. But
what has been recommended to me, is to look for the food that is right for your
cat. Just like humans, cats can react to different brands and types of food. So,
if you notice a significant weight gain on the same amount of food, change in
your cat’s litterbox habits, or amount of food they are eating, it might be
because the food is not right for them.
·
Vet Expenses
o
Cats need to be vaccinated once a year for
Rabies, Feline Leukemia, and FVRCP. The FVRCP vaccine helps prevent a few different common viral upper respitory
infections. The vet will also check them, listen to their heart and lungs,
check their teeth, and more than likely check him/her for parasites.
o
Cats can also have unexpected medical costs just
like us. If they eat something they aren’t supposed to or get in a fight with
another animal, those vet bills can get expensive.
·
Litter
o
You will need to buy litter and a litter box,
which admittedly are not that expensive. But the ‘expense’ will come when you
must take time to empty and clean your cats litter box. It will also depend on
what type of litter you use. If you use a clay litter, replacing it twice a
week and cleaning it every day is recommended. But if you use a self-clumping
litter you may only need to change the litter every two to three weeks.
·
Collars
o
A lot of people do not put collars on their
cats, and the decision on whether to put one on your cat is entirely up to you.
If you have an outdoor cat, it might be a good idea to put a collar on your
cat, so people know that it does belong to someone and that it is not a stray.
Madeline has collars on both of her cats because, “I know I would be a disaster
if one of my boys ever got out and the collar increases their chances that they
would be brought back to me.” She also feels more comfortable knowing that they
have identifiers and has attached bells to their collars, so she can hear if
they are getting into trouble.
·
Toys
o
Keeping your cat entertained so they don’t
become destructive will be important. Buying them catnip mice, cat wands, or
scratching posts, will probably be beneficial to their mental wellbeing. Or as
Madeline says, “All the toys.” From a professional stand point keeping your cat
active will help greatly to cut down on obesity and obesity related health
problems.
·
Grooming
o
This isn’t so much an issue with cats. Cats in
general will pretty much groom themselves. If you have a cat with long fur, you
will probably need to brush your cat more often to help keep the hairballs to a
minimum. Brushing your cat once a week for a short haired cat is recommended.
o
Claws will need to be trimmed regularly so that
they don’t get to long and become painful for your cat (or yourself). On this
note, I would like to take a second to talk about declawing your cat. The
Humane Society of the Flint Hills strongly recommends that you do not declaw
your cat. Studies have shown that cats who are declawed have more litter box
issues and can be more aggressive, not to mention the amount of pain they are
in after this surgery is done. Obviously, if a vet says that it is medically
necessary then please listen to your vet.
·
Fleas
o
This past year Madeline has struggled with
getting rid of fleas and keeping them gone. Her cats are strictly indoor cats,
they never go outside. But she still struggled with keeping the fleas away.
There are many things you can buy to get rid of fleas on your cat. There are
dusts, shampoos, sprays, and Spot-on treatments such as Frontline, Advantage,
and Stronghold/Revolution. Spot-on treatments tend to be a little safer than
the other traditional remedies. But there are also medications that your cat
can take such as Capstar and Comfortis, just to name a couple. Talk to your vet
about what would be best for your cat.
Madeline has started giving her cats Frontline once a month to ensure
that they won’t be getting fleas again anytime soon.
·
Companionship
o
We generally think of cats as solitary or
independent creatures. But each cat has its own personality, some cats may
prefer to be alone all day, while others need a little more companionship. While
dogs can be socialized at dog parks and taken on walks to meet new
people/animals, cats don’t generally have that option. “It’s definitely not
required to have more than one cat, but I know my boys are happier with each
other,” says Madeline. You are going to have to gage whether your cat will be accepting
of another cat in the house, as well as, if you can afford two cats.
Once again, just like with the similar post on dogs, I would
like to reiterate that I am in no way, shape, or form trying to discourage
anyone from adopting a cat. I just want to help you take everything into
consideration, before you bring your new furry companion home. You will need to
be prepared to budget for food, litter, vet visits, medications, and anything
else your pet could possibly need. If you have any questions about owning or
adopting a cat you can call the Humane Society office at 620-342-4477 or the
Shelter office at 620-340-6345.
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This is Meeko (above) and Thomas O'Malley (below).
These are the felines I reference in this post!
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