Opinion How Bad Is This Idea?

[BDark]

Okay, this sounds incredibly immature (probably is; dunno), but hear me out.

I wanna get a cat but my father refuses, so on a scale of 0-100, how terrible of an idea is it that I get one (*cough*two*cough) while he's away?
I know it's a terrible idea, but I just wanna know how terrible it is.

 

[FewProudEmotional]

Depends. I brought home Teddy, the dog I currently have, while my brother was at work. I didn’t actually adopt the dog yet, but I brought him home for the night to see how he’d get along with my other dog, and of course for my brother to meet him. My brother was a little pissed at me for coming home to two dogs, but he melted for Teddy and long story short, I’ve got two dogs.

What are the reasons for not getting a cat? If he’s got legit reasons as to why you can’t get a cat, don’t get a cat. But if not, show your dad pictures of the cat and maybe bring him to meet it before bring the cat home.

 

[The_Omega_Effect]

It is very circumstantial and with you giving us no details, it is really hard to give you an answer. But if I was in your shoes I wouldn't be caught dead near that cat.

 

[Hige]

Considering you're still a minor it's a bad idea, and that you have college in your plans in the next few years an even worse idea. Cats like consistency in their lives, and you would be unable to move them with you to college, so you would be dumping two animals on a man who does not want cats.

I don't know your father, but in my experience that's how they get abandoned. I just adopted a kitten who had been thrown out in coyote country because she wasn't wanted anymore.

 

[KiddVT]

It's great

 

[BDark]

you would be unable to move them with you to college

http://regulationspolicies.usf.edu/...icy-6-033-animals-on-campus-posted-121112.pdf

About six or seven years ago I had a cat that my dad did most of the work of; c

 

[Autumn McJavabean]

It's his home, so it' terrible flat-out.

 

[Zinai]

A cat is a great house pet. It needs to be house-trained, but after that, you don't have to do anything honestly.

If you are moving out of the house soon, then Hige is right. Not a great idea to leave it with your Father, who would be taking care of it in your stead, when he initially rejected the idea of getting one.

 

[BDark]

If I do have to give the cat away, it'd be to my Great Uncle, who lives in a villa with a dozen cats and dogs; but I'd much rather take the animal to college.

 

[BDark]

It's his home, so it' terrible flat-out.

Yea. I was being unnaturally impulsive and irrational.

 

[Autumn McJavabean]

Yea. I was being unnaturally impulsive and irrational.

Maybe, but to be fair your father could be just as much in his decision. I always big people with "why?". They normally do not give a true reason because it's totalitarian in nature. Home is where people feel powerful.

 

[BDark]

I consulted him today. While he said he'd be against it, he also implied that he'd be fine with it as long as I do 100% of the work, including buying the supplies, and take good care of it.

 

[rae2nerdy]

Well I don't think you should get any animal on impulse. Like regardless other people's views on the matter you are still talking about a living animal that you will be responsible ( ideally ) for the rest of it's life

My mom has done this a few time; I mean no one had any problem with the pets but she has gotten dogs on impulse. And then she ends up stuck with animals with either medical or behavioral issues for a long period of time. Because once you have the animal you can't just decide you don't want it if it turns out to be too much work or more difficult than you originally thought.

Now I'm not saying you're going to just chuck the cat or anything if it turns out to be work. I am saying that getting it just on an impulse is probably not the best idea.

Especially if you are going to have a big move in your near future. Cats are definately creatures of habit and do not like when there are major changes in their environment. Our cat actually started spraying in the house when we got our most high strung dog. He ended up getting chucked outside for a few years which wasn't the fairest existence to him.

Now we've gotten all the animals to mostly tolerate each other but acting on impulse ( for my mom ) made things a lot more complicated and unfair to the animals than they had to be.

So if you are getting an animal I would plan carefully what you're going to do with them for college. If you want to keep it I would make sure you look into the colleges your going to attend and see if they allow pets on the premise. If they do what kind of pets, what additional accommodations you need to prepare to bring your pet, etc.

If you're going to give them to your Great Uncle I would make sure they're okay with it. See if their pets get along with your future cat, etc.

I mean you have several years if you get a cat to figure it out but I would definitely put some careful thought into it and make sure you're really at the point who can take care of the animal as your father requested.

 

[Hige]

I consulted him today. While he said he'd be against it, he also implied that he'd be fine with it as long as I do 100% of the work, including buying the supplies, and take good care of it.

Look, I don't know you, but if you are going to go to college, I reccomend not doing it. You said you wanted to go to a US College right? Well most of them require you to live on campus the first year (unless you live in a house nearby, but that varies) and they will not allow cats.

You have a long life ahead of you, just wait until you can live off campus to get a cat, because they do not like to be moved around. For the US, you generally go home for the big breaks, unless you stay in your dorm and cook for yourself. But you'd have to move at the end of the summer regardless. Cats do not like to move. It was one of the contributing factors to how my previous cat died, we moved, and she got very stressed out and just never recovered.

Cats aren't just "you feed them, clean their litterbox" type of pets. They need maitence, such as grooming, nail trimming, REGULAR VET CHECKUPS, and play time. You'll be busy at college, even more so if you work. I know you really want a pet, most of us do, but think about the health of the animal first. Anything less than what I mentioned above is neglect.

Cats thrive better with accomodations, such as cat trees, scratchers, lots of toys, shelves, windows, and sunlight to soak up in. Even better if you can get them a companion, but not everyone can do that.

 

[BDark]

You said cats don't like being moved around a lot, but what if I keep him around for, say, two years then I give him to my GU until I finish college?

 

[Hige]

You said cats don't like being moved around a lot, but what if I keep him around for, say, two years then I give him to my GU until I finish college?

My cat Sassy lived in the same apartment for 9 years and then we moved, and she became nervous, hid in the closet and stopped eating, and eventually had to be enthuanized because she was starving and in constant pain.

Cats. Do not. Like. To. Be. Moved.

Why don't you join a club and take care of campus cats? The outdoor ones?

 

[BDark]

I once moved a cat to my great uncle's place tho. He died, but that was because he got bit by a snake---

Wait. That's just as bad.

But that's actually a brilliant idea! I love stray cats; the other day one rested on my lap and started licking my shirt.

 

[rae2nerdy]

You can also volunteer at your local shelter. Maybe even foster if you really want to try to look after an animal. I mean presumably by two years you would have adopted the foster out.

I mean fostering is subject to the shelter's policies. But most shelters LOVE volunteers so I would definitely check that out.

Also if the campus does allow animals you might want to see if there is some kind of club or such where you can look after other people's animals OR as Iron man suggested see if there is something to take care of campus cats.

 

[Hige]

Here's a general breakdown of a good home for a cat:

Space (dorm has none)
Ready supply of food, water, wetfood, and probably some treats
Cat scratcher (multiple)
litterbox (with proper litter)
Cat tree
shelves
cat toys
Regular vet checkups, dental, ect. Don't be suprised if you kitty eventually has kidney problems.

One-time pet expenses

• Spaying or Neutering: Dog: $200 / Cat: $145
• Initial Medical Exam: Dog: $70 / Cat: $130
• Collar or Leash: Dog: $30 / Cat: $10
• Litter Box: Cat: $25
• Scratching Post: Cat: $30
• Crate: Dog: $95 depending on size
• Carrying Crate: Dog: $60 / Cat: $40
• Training: Dog: $110
• Total One-time Costs: Dog: $565 / Cat: $365

Annual pet expenses

• Food: Dog: $120/ Cat: $145
• Annual Medical Exams: Dog: $235 / Cat: $130
• Litter: Cat: $200
• Toys and Treats: Dog: $55 / Cat: $25
• License: Dog: $15
• Pet Health Insurance: Dog: $225 / Cat: $175
• Miscellaneous: Dog: $45 / Cat: $30
• Total Annual Costs: Dog: $695 / Cat: $705

According to this report, the total first-year cost of owning a dog is $1,270 and for a cat it’s $1,070.

From (x). I pay more in litter, and pet insurance is waaay more expensive now. Also, since you probably can't get a house, if you get into an apartment you'll have a pet deposit, and possibly an added monthly fee.

Please look at this too.

I'm not trying to discourage you from ever getting a pet, but I'm trying to make sure that when you do, you can adequately care for them. They are only alive for a fraction of yours, but you're pretty much their whole life. Make it a good one.

 

[rae2nerdy]

I mean I will say I did see there are campuses around the US that are starting to allow pets. Like small dogs and cats. So presumably in that case some accommodations are provided for the animals to live on campus.

Schools Allowing Pets on Campus
The 20 Most Pet-Friendly College Campuses - College Rank
25 Most Pet-Friendly Colleges - LendEDU
20 Pet-Friendly College Campuses - College Raptor Blog

But yeah that is something you have to actually look into when picking a college. And Iron is right there is a lot that is needed to keep a cat happy.

Although I will say not all cats will necessarily need / want
- wet food ( our cat turns their nose up at it and would rather starve than eat it )
- cat trees ( he's not much for those kind of toys or climbing stuff. he's more of a couch kitty )
- shelves? ( i actually don't know what those are but presumably like cat trees not all cats are going to be that athletic. )

Toys can be hit or miss. Not all cats like the same kind of toys so you might have to try a few and see what your cat likes.

Now the rest is pretty spot on for ALL cats. And I would try even the wet food / cat trees at least once to see how they act towards it. If they don't like it you don't necessarily have to buy more.

 

[Hige]

rae2nerdy In my experience a little wet food is good for them, for their kidneys, not neccesarily because they may or may not like it. We ended up buying Sassy a lot of wet food to help with her kidneys. (especially for older cats)

Cat trees & shelves are to help provide an enriching space. Shelves are just what it is, shelves. You can use them to build up to a high platform. If a cat is territorially insecure, you kinda need these. It helps raise their confidence, and if they are timid by guests or other animals, so they can escape somewhere safe. But this isn't "required" like you said, but it's something I think should be bought if possible.

 

[rae2nerdy]

rae2nerdy In my experience a little wet food is good for them, for their kidneys, not neccesarily because they may or may not like it. We ended up buying Sassy a lot of wet food to help with her kidneys. (especially for older cats)

Cat trees & shelves are to help provide an enriching space. Shelves are just what it is, shelves. You can use them to build up to a high platform. If a cat is territorially insecure, you kinda need these. It helps raise their confidence, and if they are timid by guests or other animals, so they can escape somewhere safe. But this isn't "required" like you said, but it's something I think should be bought if possible.

Yes but in my experience our cat will quite literally not eat it. I mean unless you physically shove it down his throat he will not willingly eat any brand of wet food. Closest he'll get is drinking the juice from a tuna can.

Now this isn't necessarily true of all cats. But just trying to indicate that not all cats are going to like wet food. Heck it could just as easily be dry food. He won't eat anything other than a specific brand of food.

Will quite literally not eat rather than eat anything outside of his specific brand.

Not saying all cats are like that. Just saying that you might get a cat that is more finicky. And what is ideal isn't necessarily what is needed.

Our cat has eaten one brand of cat food for all the years we've had him , never had a single cat tree, and he's perfectly happy and healthy without them.

I mean obviously you can try different things as each cat is different. What works for one cat won't necessarily work for others.

But if we're looking at things like - what do you absolutely need versus what would be nice to have.

I don't think like needing to have a shelving / cat tree is necessarily correct. Especially since I imagine they would be somewhat expensive. Especially on top of other purchases.


For me NEEDs are
Litter Box / Litter
One Time Pet Expenses
Food ( wet / dry - whichever the cat is used to eating )
Some kind of grooming tool ( nail clipper / brush depending on cat )
Cat Scratchers


Now optional additions depending on you're specific cat's needs
Toys
Trees
Shelves
Treats

So for instance if your cat is active than yes toys and trees will help
If they are insecure or easily frightened than places where they can get up and away from activity are great
If they're more mellow and want to spend time with you than maybe just a cat bed or a place for them to hang out with you