I have been wanting my own pet for years, since I moved away from my parents house.
I had to leave our sweetheart there because my student apartment wouldn't allow pets and Naku was really happy at my parents grand house and having a yard to play.
When I was kid, I was asking almost weekly from my dad if we could get a horse. Now I understand that you just don't get a horse, just like that. I still want it someday, when the time is right. I have always loved all kinds of animals, I used to have stick insect, birds, a rat and a dog. Oh and we had a cat when I was really small, but my parents decided to give it a new life at my grandma's farm.
all photos / The Itty Bitty Kitty Committee
Anyway, I have been thinking about taking a cat. Seriously.
We have been talking about it, I have asked questions from friends who has cats, and visiting pet stores to look at the things. Now I need to know all plus and minus sides of having a cat. Some people says that it stinks to have the littery box, some says it doesn't if you clean it. How is it really? Can you have non stinky box?
This little one couldn't have direct access outside, as we don't have garden. And we live in a center of the city.
Is 38square meters too small for a kitty? Am I worrying too much? I don't want to make too many mistakes, what if the kitten will be a freaky one like our Naku when she was puppy, she shred the papers from the wall, ate a hole in mum's nice carpet, peed everywhere to protest, when under coffee table to scratch it.. endless list of the weird things she got in her head. And she turned out to be the greatest dog ever! So smart and lovely. She even did know how to sneeze when we told her to.
I was thinking about little female cat, is there much difference with the genders?
And is it bad for the cat not to have company of other cats?
I really need help and advices.
Looking at these cuties, my heart says yes already.
Oh Sini. I don not know much about cats either. But I'd like to believe that they are almost the same as dogs. THey need attention and love :) I'll ask my friend who is a kitty expert. I think the kitty should have a playground and a toy...I remember having small mice as my friends' cat toys. Also she/he/it needs a place where it can scratch :)
ReplyDeleteI don't know anything about cats so I can't give you any advise, but I can tell you that having a pet (my dog) here with me in my new home has been wonderful. He's been hard work raising him from a puppy but he also keeps me company and I'm very happy to have him. So I vote yes!
ReplyDeletetytär halusi koiraa ihan pienestä. ja itse asiassa kai minäkin. mutta meidän mummu ei tahtonut elukoita kotiinsa.
ReplyDeletekun sitten saimme vähän isomman asunnon ja maaseudulta, hellyin ja menimme SPA:han ja valitsimme sen ainoan keskikokoisen koiran. joka hyppi hirveästi aitauksessaan, jotta olisimme huomanneet sen. siellä oli muuten uskomaton määrä isoja koiria, kauniita labradoreja ja muita, mutta minusta ne olivat liian suuria asuntoomme. Nina myös pissasi muutaman kerran sisään ja söi kaiken, mitä tapasi. meidän piti laittaa kaikki kenkämme laatikoihin, jotta niistä jäisi jotain päällepantavaksi. nyt se vaan kuljettaa irtokengän sänkyynsä lohdukkeeksi, muttei enää syö niitä (se turvallinen tuoksu...)
pari vuotta myöhemmin tytär palasi Suomeen opiskelemaan. arvaa kenelle jäi koira.
mutta sinähän olet fiksu ja tiedät, että eläin on aina harmi, kun on töissä tai matkustaa tai muuta. jos teillä on hoitajia ympärillä ja tiedät, mitä kissa kaipaa, niin miksei. kissan voi tietysti jättää yksin kotiin pidemmäksi aikaa ja se voi matkustaa lentokoneen matkustajatilassa, toisin kuin koira. ja on olemassa tuoksut tappavaa kissanhiekkaa tai mitä lie, katso eläinkaupoista tai jardinerieistä.
I grew up with cats, here's some answers:
ReplyDeleteThe littery box will always stink a bit but depending on the stuff you fill it with you might be able to avoid the worst smells - except occasionally. Cats also take care of "hiding the evidence" underneath tha cat "sand" and if you clean the box regularly it should be quite ok...
Cats don't necessary need the company of other cats but they do need to play (kittens especially!!!) and be cuddled - both these things apply especially to the ones that can't go outside.
In my opinion 38 square meters isn't too bad if you keep company to the cat and offer him/her things to play with and a little climbing tree thingy. You know, those things with string around them...
And why not teach the cat to wear valjaat/kaulapanta (what's that in english...?) and take him/her out with you for a walk in the park? Although it's usually more like hangin out then walking with cats... ;) They sniff things and advance very slowly.
Remember not to teach the cat to play with your hands, and say very firmly and loudly "NO!" when the cat does something wrong. You can also make a loud "SSSHHH!"-sound, since it's cats' way to show that something isn't ok.
You have to always have a bowl of clean water for a cat and I woud advice you to feed him/her with both dry food and canned food.
Female cats are difficult while they are in heat (I can't remember how often, check it on the web) and they miaow all night sounding like they would be tortured cows (really!), male cats on the other hand mark their territory with their bad smelling pee and can be a bit wilder.
I would recommend either a male cat who you take to the vet to be sterilised or a female cat if you don't mind the very occasional operas... Female cats can also be sterilised but it's a much more complicated operation.
With a female cat you can also one day have kittens, if you find a father candidate... ;)
And like Airelle said, for travelling people animals are always a bit complicated, so think it through and ask if people around you could take care of the cat while you are in Finland or elsewhere. Planes are not for cats, me thinks...
Greetings from Lyon, where I happily live with three flatmates: a man, a woman and their cat who understands Finnish and therefore obeys me perfectly. :)
Mia, Yes definetly toys and scrathy thing so it wont try the nails in our furnitures (what propably will happend few times anyway..)
ReplyDeleteSara Louise, that's the thing, company. I spend quite much time alone while R is working. Even I would eventually find work, i would love to have this furry friend waiting at home :)
Airelle, Totta joka sana. Jos on eläimiä niin on hankala matkustella, aina pitää löytää hoitopaikka. Tosin me matkustellaan se max.5 viikkoa vuodesta, joten enemmän kotona sen kissan kanssa ollaan :) hoitopaikka kyllä löytyy, jos ei kaverit niin kissahoitola.
Mademoiselle Fromage, Thank you so much for the tips! So many good points what I have been thinking, but it's good to have reminder how much it really takes.
Yes definetly training of the cat is important, even people says that cats are so independant that you can't teach a thing.. but I belive that you can teach any animal different things with operant conditioning.You can teach from pigs to horses, even cats.
Thank you all so much!
I think I've made my mind, just need to wait for the right moment now :)
Hey Sini - I think you should get a cat :) Cat's are wonderful and if you have one cat, you'll need to clean the litter box and add baking soda to it to observe the smells about once a week.
ReplyDeleteHaving a pet comes with responsibility, but I think you'll be surprised at how easy it all seems especially in comparison to the amount of joy you will get from one.
I have a cat that I can't wait to bring to France to join me. She is such a doll and I will never regret the day I decided to adopt her. I would advice you to wait until you find the perfect cat for you rather than just picking up any kitten. Maiden was four months old and I found out she was deaf. At the fear she'd be adopted by someone who wouldn't adapt to her needs, I snatched her up and she is overflowing with a unique and wonderful personality. :) You'll find the same cat for you, I'm sure.