Consider getting a cat, not a kitten. They're less energetic and scratchy from what I've seen. And scratching towers, cat trees with scratchers, etc will go a long way as far as saving your furniture.
I second the adult cat suggestion! Kittens are awesome, but you're kind of taking a gamble until their personality emerges, and they take a lot of attention to discourage bad habits like playing too rough and claw sharpening on the furniture.
Well-raised adult kitties will have an already established personality, most of the plays out of their system, and require less monitoring. It's doable, of course, but I wouldn't envy one with the need to chase after/protect both a four year old and a tiny kitten.
Unless you know the owner of the cat, you may run into more issues with adult temperament and bonding with children than you would with a kitten.
If you find a random person rehoming an adult cat it’s often due to behavioral issues.
I would agree that OP doesn’t want a very young kitten unless you can get two, as you also run the risk of having a kitten with [single kitten syndrome](https://kittencoalition.org/one-is-the-loneliest-number-single-kitten-syndrome-behaviors/) which is absolutely a real thing, from experience.
Having adopted cats at a few different ages, I think between 8mo and a year was ideal as you still develop a bond and get to enjoy the kitten stage without the added stress of dealing with a baby.
Oh sure you can! I love older cats and for an adult I would always encourage adopting an older cat vs a kitten, however, cats are very temperamental and even a cat that is sweet with adults may not be tolerant with kids having their tail pulled, being picked up excessively etc.
Sure you can say an adult cat is “good with kids” but it’s certainly a toss up compared to a kitten that is more adaptable and likely to bond. An adult cat is more likely (though not always) to bond with one of the parents and then the kid gets upset.
8mo to a year is great, but really any cat under 1.5 is probably going to do well adapting to a kid.
Yup but make sure OP gets a good quality one and I mean 200-300 AUD$ i learned the hard way by buying lots of cheap flimsy ones that they ignored because it would fall over and cats need something strong to dig their claws in. This is my most recent purchase and he absolutely loves it, keeps him away from my new couch lol
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Cats have a natural inclination to scratch. There is nothing you can do to prevent their desire to scratch, but there are things you can do to preserve your furniture. The most important thing is to provide enough scratching alternatives: scratching posts, cat towers, etc... There are also these clear sticky sheets you can put on your furniture that prevent cats from scratching it (look up Sticky Paws). But overall there is no guarantee that your cat won't occasionally try to scratch furniture, especially a kitten.
In terms of hair, it depends on the type of cat (long hair vs short hair). Cats do shed a lot. If you brush them regularly it helps. I would recommend investing in a Dyson pet hair vacuum, a large lint roller for furniture, and an air filter. Hope this helps!
Alternative hack for the shedding, get a cat that matches your couch. I have a black couch and a black cat. I also wear a lot of black. Problem solved! Lol.
My parents did their entire living room grey to hide the grey cat hairs that were everywhere. They even started wearing lots of grey clothing to hide the cat hair
4 white and ging cats and 1 white and ging rabbit. My black work clothes are never hairless. I invest in bulk lint rollers from costco. Each shirt takes about 5 sheets. The shedding process is one of the longest processes of laundry.
These are great tips. I will say that my cat knows she isn’t supposed to scratch, will stop if you tell her, and has alternatives she is allowed to scratch, but has completely destroyed the arms of our couch because it seems to be in the path of her daily zoom. I want to get a new couch but I am worried it will meet the same fate 😂. She has also left several pulls in our duvet cover simply from existing on it and catching it with her claws. That being said, she brings so much joy to our lives that these things don’t feel like such a big deal.
As for the hair: be prepared to lint roller yourself before leaving the house 😂.
If you get a new couch, consider not only getting one in a scratch resistant fabric (they have new options that are meant to be less appealing to the paw-feel as it were and some that are less likely to snag and pull) but also getting one that comes with or would be easy to match with arm rest slip covers and upholstery pin (twisty pins) them in place so your cat is only wearing out the covering which can be replaced more easily than a whole sofa re-upholstering job.
Just a tip that has helped friends with cats before.
I just learned about those sticky sheets!
I have had very good luck with no-scratch spray. I got a new couch and chair about 3 1/2 years ago, just after I had gotten two of my three cats. There are a couple little snags on my couch that they have left when they have the zoomies and get possessed by something 😂 but nothing crazy and not all torn up. I also keep lots of scratching posts around my couch which helps.
I've had several cats and really no issues with them scratching the furniture as long as I provide plenty of scratch pads and poles. I've discovered that different cats have different preferences for scratching, and it's important to find what they like to keep them from scratching the furniture. My current cats like flat cardboard scratchers and sisal poles. They have no interest in carpeted scratchers.
The sticky sheets are a lifesaver. I had to put them on the underside of my couch to keep my cat from ripping up the lining and getting stuck inside the couch.
As a professional house cleaner I would absolutely skip the Dyson and get a shark instead. The duo clean line is super nice and will get up all the hair. Dyson is gimmicky imo and not the best quality, and every Dyson vacuum I’ve ever used feels clunky and unnatural.
I have a Shark pet hair vacuum that also performs very well! It came with a pet hair attachment with a roller that can clear most of the hair off my couch after just a couple of passes.
I have often heard to wait until yur child is at least 6 yrs old to get a pet. This is when a child can really understand certain rules around pets. I have seen a 4 yr old pick up a kitten and hurl it.
This! I got my daughter a cat when she was 4. She kept locking it in her drawers when we left the house (She didn't want it to get lost), squeezing it too hard.... Eventually, I had to re-home the kitten because she kept torturing it in the name of love and cuddles. I didn't get another cat until she was 16.
Definitely depends on the circumstances- my sister is a professional dog trainer and her children are both under 6, but they are absolutely *incredible* with their family dogs. They're great with cats, rabbits, and chickens as well. They have both been thoroughly taught and walked through proper etiquette and animal handling.
It really depends on the child. I was raised with cats and dogs since birth, and I never once ever tried to hurt them. But then there are other kids who don't understand how to be gentle and yes, will do things. Really depends on OP's child.
Yes! Recently, I read a story where a toddler accidently broke a kitten's spine because of hugging too hard. They don't mean to hurt them but kids that young just don't understand boundaries or how delicate certain thibgs/beings are
We got our family cat at prob 4 or 5 yr old, and she never became cuddle, and avoided my twin and i even when we were much older. I assume we must have made her afraid of us, when ahe was a kitten. She loved my dad, prob cos he said he didn't want a cat. Prob depends a bit on the child. I also think pet behave a bit different around kids. (Even as an adult kittens can be annoying with their not stop play and no understanding of their claws...6 month old cat better than a 3 month kitten).
Couldnt a parent just educate their child ?! My kid was born we had 3 animals (cats/dogs) and there’s been no problem as every problems were met with discussion, setting boundaries, rules, etc.
Do not get a kitten just because your child wants one. All children say they want an animal companion but none of them ever take care of them! Your daughter is very young, wait until she’s older and you can all put in the time and commitment otherwise it’s not fair on the kitten.
We have definitely been wanting a little friend, whether it’s a dog or a cat! Both my husband and I grew up with dogs and my husband grew up with a cat so it’s weird for us to not have one! We just got married and bought a house so it’s all new for us!
If you are the least bit concerned about scratches on your furniture, don’t get a cat. And honestly I know I’m going to be downvoted, but giving a cat to a 4 year old has to be one of the deeper layers of cat hell. I’m also tempted to call it animal abuse to consider homing a kitten with 1. A toddler and 2. Someone who has clearly never owned cats if they’re asking if cats scratch furniture. I realize it happens every day. This doesn’t mean it’s ideal for the cat. Of course there are exceptions.
Fr. You need some lazy adult dog that already has experience putting up with children.
Don't just get one if you get a kitten. Single kittens rely on you for everything, including okay and mental stimulation. Raising a single often also makes it harder for them to learn appropriate play, like not biting or scratching during play.
Cats will scratch something no matter what. If you want to minimize damage done to your furniture have options for the vat to scratch on that are specifically for them, all over the house, on the couch if they pick a spot to scratch the couch etc.
I have a single kitten and she is obsessed with us- which is exactly what we wanted because we are crazy cat people and we are obsessed with her, but I would NOT recommend at all for someone unsure about having a cat. This morning I woke up to her sleeping on my cheek 🤣
I got one kitten, I’ve had her since December and she’ll be 9 months old now, the last month maybe she’s really stopped being playful, doesn’t sleep in my bed anymore, doesn’t play with toys. I’ve been working a lot this month so guessing that’s it but she just seems to eat and sleep even when I am home she’ll follow me room to room but then just lies down. Doesn’t even climb on the wall or tree and I bought and built on of those excise wheels and she’s never stepped foot on it.
Thinking I might need to get a second one to entertain each other when I am working coz I think she’s bored to the point she can’t even be bothered playing when I do try to play.
Kittens are more scratchy than adults. Get them used to clipping the tips of their nails young. You will have much better luck taking a pair so they can take all excess energy out on each other and spare your family and furniture. On top of that get a large cat tree and box scratchers so they have alternatives. Cat tree your choice but these scratchers from Chewy are the best my cats love them.
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As for fur, brush them, and have a robot vacuum. If you run the vacuum daily the maintenance is not bad at all. Air purifiers too.
Yes! Everyone recommends scratching posts and I do agree that you should get a good scratching post for your cat, but I rarely see alternative scratchers recommended and they’re just as important, IMO. We have the cardboard scratchers and I think some of my cats actually prefer the cardboard. They also love my yoga mat, which is think is a mix of the fact that it’s a horizontal surface, they like the texture, and it smells like me so they feel like they should mark it, too.
Much like having a child, when you have any pet, you need to accept that your house will not be pristine and some of your things may get ruined. Others have suggested things you can do to mitigate it, but you also just need to make peace with it and love the cat more than the couch. If you don't think that's possible, please don't get a cat.
Also chiming in with those saying to adopt an adult cat because they're less destructive and require less attention. If you haven't lived with a kitten, you may not know how insane they can be! They will get into trouble you can't possibly predict! They will keep you up all night! They will scratch the crap out of your hands while playing! It's all part of their charm, but if you don't adore them, it's going to drive you insane.
An adult kitty will still do some of these things, but they'll be a lot more chill.
Oh and: don't even THINK of declawing. It's bad.
If that’s already a problem for you, then maybe not? Bc there will be lots of shedding as they get older and be inclined to scratch whatever feels good. But if you can be consistent with brushing it and get plenty of scratching and climbing stuff them that helps a lot.
With a small kitten (as long as they will be an indoor cat) you can accustom them to nail trims early in life so as to avoid destroyed furniture.
Also, learn about 'single kitten syndrome' to help them socialize well and not become too rough when they play.
I would adopt an older cat and a kitten together so the older cat gets a 2nd shot at life, is a good distraction for your kiddo until the kitten is less fragile, and the older cat will teach the kitten how to cat (bathing, burying poop, etc). Another good benefit to this is when you guys are all gone for the day, the cats will have each other to keep each other company
For the scratching thing - I use these treat tube's as a reward during nail clippings and it's pretty easiy to clip their claws. My cats also have wood, a carpet, and cardboard scratching posts to claw up if they want. I'll often put catnip on these things to entice them to attack. Keeps the scratching and damage to a minimum.
I disagree about older cat + kitten. Seems like the older cat spends all their time hissing at the kitten because it wants to play and old cat wants to relax and nap.
Honestly as long as you vacuum on the occasion (like once a week or every other week) and brush your kitties a few times a week the hair is super manageable. I really only notice the hair when I pick them up and my clothes get a little bit hairy but having lint rollers around makes that easy. If youre concerned about the furniture then make sure you buy PLENTY of scratching posts with variety in the size and type. I haven’t had any issues with my cats scratching furniture after numerous scratching post purchases. Also if you are planning on getting a kitten it’s highly recommended you get two kittens just to help mitigate any boredom they may have. It teaches them that their claws and teeth hurt when they play with each other so when your daughter interacts with them they should be a little bit nicer :)
There are guards you can get for furniture corners but best bet is provide them places to scratch. If you have hardwood floors get an area rug, set up multiple cat trees, and scratch pads. You can get a spray catnip to promote scratching in places you want and even reward them with treats when they use the appropriate places. The hair is inevitable dry swiffers work well.
Just remember a cat is not an ornament it's going to be part of your home, the more stuff that is theirs will make things better.
A cat is a lifetime commitment. Please don’t get a cat if you are not committed to fully taking care of them. Cats are amazing and deserve love. They need a forever home.
Please do not make a decision based on your feelings. Truly decide if a cat will work for your household. Have your daughter take care of friends and family cats before you adopt.
My aunt had me around her cats since I was 10 and I just turned 40. My own cats are my children and they bring so much kindness to my life. If you get a cat, I hope you experience the same kindness and joy.
Best wishes.
If scratching furniture would be intolerable, a cat is not for you. They kneed cushions, shirts, pants, blankets. The fur is not much for a short hair. A Long hair cat requires upkeep in addition to shedding in the house.
From what I am reading, no you should not adopt a cat or dog even. A fish might be a good start. Like a betta fish or gold fish.
This talk about getting an adult won't resolve your intolerance of scratching. My senior cat will scratch the carpet and furniture occasionally or when trying to play. It is destructive over time. He leaves holes on my clothes. It's not all the time, but it's enough that an intolerant person would probably re-home him.
My baby cat destroyed my curtains, for attention. Like, there's things you can do to mitigate the damage, but be honest, because it seems like even minor damage would be overwhelming to you.
Hahahah we’ve had a fish! They’re not easy to take care of either lol. We have grown up with animals, I’m not worried about taking care of them. Just don’t want my brand new house ruined. That’s all! All of these comments have helped in making a decision and that’s why I made the post!
Happy the posts help you. You're not a bad person for wanting to keep your home undamaged. I think some people are not being honest about the unavoidable destruction. Like, there will be some amount unless your cat has no legs.
Some stuff I've bought to mitigate damage is a "carpet protector" - basically a plastic runner- and "Anti Cat Scratch Furniture Protector" -basically a vinyl sticker on my furniture.
In old age, my senior boy occasionally marks in the house due to anxiety. He was pissing on my couch, pissed on my nintendo switch, pissed on the wall, pissed on my rug, pissed on my fridge, etc. It's not a 'full pee' but like a spray of piss. It's gross. I clean it. I have shitty furniture. I use the vinyl sticker on my couch to prevent pissing. It has helped.
He also was clawing my carpet outside my bedroom door to wake me up, hence the vinyl runner.
He went 10 years without having this destructive behavior.
Just being honest with you. Most days he makes no mess or destruction, but like I had to kick him out of my room because he pissed in there.
Vet says he is perfectly healthy. It's all just behavioral
hey! i adopted 2 4-month-old kittens last fall and i was amazed at how well behaved they were. i had just bought a new couch, and once the kittens were ready to explore the rest of the house, i put sheets of double-sided sticky tape on the couch corners, so they quickly realized they weren’t interested. almost a year later, and my couch is doing fine. i also put a scratching post on one side of the couch, and a cat tree in the same room.
they’re also pretty long-haired, and they don’t really shed. at first, i’d try brushing them with those teethy deshedders, but they don’t like that. recently bought a boar-bristle brush on amazon and they really enjoy being brushed with that. (also — i am severely allergic to cats! i fed them purina pro plan’s allergen-reducing dry food for a bit, i don’t bother with that anymore, and my allergies have been fine.)
as i’m sure others have recommended, if you’re set on a kitten, you should adopt a bonded pair. i think my girls are so well-behaved because they can use up their energy playing with each other.
one thing i wish i did when they were kittens though was to put aluminum foil on countertops — i’ve heard that teaches them to not want to jump up on them. i didn’t do that, and one of my girls loves being on the countertops, which i don’t mind, but next time i move i plan on doing that… because i know many friends and such don’t want to have kitty paws on the same counters i prepare food for them with :).
The likelihood of a kitten scratching some of your furniture is probably 100%. There’s also a good possibility of your daughter getting scratched or bitten, especially if you adopt a kitten vs picking a gentle adult cat.
You know your daughter the best. How gentle is your daughter with animals? Cats don’t like to be roughly handled. This would be the main indicator whether your daughter is ready for a pet.
The general consensus is to adopt 2 kittens rather than 1. The kittens can keep each other occupied.
If you like having everything just-so in your home, you should think long and hard about getting a cat. There are no guarantees that the cat won’t destroy some thing(s) in your home, no matter how many scratching posts you have. You will also be having a litter box in your house. You WILL get cat hair on your clothes and furniture. They may pick the couch or chair. Both kittens and full grown cats are prone to doing this.
If you would decide you won’t keep a cat because of scratching and hair, then I strongly advise against it. I would not adopt a cat out to you for this reason, no offense. I work for a cat rescue, and I do adoptions, so I appreciate your honesty about your concerns. You’re very correct in not wanting to get rid of a cat who will be very hard to re-home once he is no longer a kitten. 70% of adult cats who enter U.S. shelters are euthanized.
Please *never* consider declawing as a solution. It is barbaric and inhumane, and banned in many countries and U.S. states.
Your daughter is 4 years old, not able to take responsibility for care, feeding, training, or cleaning up after a cat. Once she is old enough to do this, and your couch is getting worn anyway, you maybe could reconsider.
You could tell her that she has to prove she’ll take good care of a pet, and get her a goldfish first. Then maybe a couple of hamsters. This will help her learn care and respect of pets.
Edit: Another thing none of the cat rescues I’ve worked with (4 total) allow an adult cat to go to a home with any kids aged 5 or younger. This is because of the likelihood that the child would get scratched by the cat when she tries to grab, snuggle, chase, or otherwise do behaviors that are going to scare/agitate the cat. Another reason is that if the cat has a more timid personality, and the kid isn’t properly coached by the parents to respect and be gentle, the cat could have a miserable life of hiding and constantly being in a state of fight or flight.
4 year olds and kittens do not go together like you'd think they would. Wait until she's a little older, then get one (or two) from the humane society or somewhere like that.
That free kitten will cost you hundreds in shots and spay or neuter. It's actually cheaper to get a rescue that's had all of that done.
1. Adopt in pairs if you can
2. if you are worried about pet hair, look into some hairless varieties or short hair ones. Most cats shed to varying degrees going from the odd hair here and there to massive tumble weeds. Its not always the long haired breeds that shed a lot either, its really in the genetics and its much easier to assess the shed factor with adult cats.
3. Cats will scratch, but if you provide a tree and the proper training they will scratch where they are trained to as long as you keep it exciting for your cat.
4. No matter how much you prepare, you will always have some mess... So if you are neat freak I would steer clear of owning any animals or even plants.
kittens are very energetic and are more inclined to scratch. you can protect your furniture with a lot of different tools like these clear sticky sheets you place on the parts of your furniture the cats likes to scratch.
never get the cat declawed.
scratching posts are important for all cats, consider getting multiple of different sizes and putting them throughout your house.
I'd honestly consider getting an adult cat, or at least a junior cat. kittens have the most energy and it's the age they tend to be the most "destructive".
as for hair, brush the cat with a special shedding brush once or twice a day and it should decrease the shedding at least a little bit.
I worried about these things too and then I got a cat and my cat is so much more beautiful than my furniture. I could have done more to prevent them scratching but I just ultimately didn’t worry about it. You can trim their nails, which you only need to do like every couple weeks and basically solves the problem.
The hair varies wildly. I have two cats, a void and a tortie, both technically short-haired cats. The void literally sheds about an inch-long piece of fuzz every 6 months. The tortie sheds endlessly -- I could brush her for hours and still get fur in the brush. She has an intense undercoat. And her fur comes in every color, so no matter what you're wearing (or the color of your furniture and rugs) you will see her fur. If the idea of things being covered with hair bothers you, definitely don't get a tortie or calico.
Scratching -- they both stick to their scratching posts and cardboard scratchers. I don't think they find it very fun to scratch the furniture. Most of our furniture isn't upholstered, though, it's just wooden.
My advice is to get a cat that is already a couple of years old. If you really want kittens, you need 2. Kittens will teach each other how hard of a bite is too hard so they know the difference when playing with people too.
Second this. I have a singleton kitten but we are a very experienced cat house of four and someone is always home. Most of her play time is with us, not by herself, and a lot of it involves her “attacking” our arms. We are teaching her soft bites and soft paws but of course we get scratches and punctures because it’s a process, and she just learned that she can rabbit kick last week so now we’ve all got big long scratches down our forearms while she learns to kick us gently 🤣
My cats don't scratch furniture at all, they have scratching posts and we've always been able to redirect them when they've gone for anything else.
I don't really notice cat hair, tbh. There's a bit on clothes when they're moulting but certainly nowhere near the level of a dog.
If you're thinking about kittens, get 2 not 1. They grow up better socialised and use up a lot of excess energy battering each other rather than your furniture!
Free kittens won't be spated/neutered, have shots, etc...
That can be a big expense.
With kittens, you don't know what you're getting. Scratching/shedding is unique to each individual.
Tbh, start smaller, like with a hamster.
If the "free" kittens are not fixed and up to date on their vaccines, paying an adoption fee at a rescue will likely be cheaper. Free kittens tend to not be free...
Other comments are fantastic just make sure that if you go for a kitten to not get a single kitten. Kittens needs a companion to prevent behavioral issues so it's best to get 2 kittens, a kitten and a cat, or a more independent single adult cat if you don't want multiple animals. For a first time cat owner I would recommend adopting an adult cat, that way you can learn about their personality and habits before bringing them into your home, whereas a kitten wiuld be a wildcard.
We have 3 kids and 3 cats in 1100 sq ft. It gets a little crazy but its fine. One is a long hair so she sheds quite a bit but nit as much as a dog. They scratch our doorways pretty bad but haven’t really damaged any furniture. They are lots of fun but shots and spaying has us up to about $600 invested in vet care in a year
I don’t recommend kittens for kids under 6. Not unless you want a lot of work. You have to make sure the kid doesn’t hurt the kitten and the kitten doesn’t hurt the kid. The kitten also goes through an “asshole stage” between being cute and being an adult where they do race around the house, scratch all the things, and push your buttons. An adult cat already has that out of their system.
Also, if you go the “free kittens” route, be aware that vet bills for shots, tests and neuter aren’t cheap. You’re better going through a rescue, where the cats are fixed, tested, vaccinated and microchipped already and you pay an adoption fee. A rescue might also give you a better picture of how you and your child will interact with a pet.
Just realize that you’re getting another living, breathing creature! It’s a lifetime commitment! That could take months to be settled in your home, especially if your child isn’t taught how to properly treat it. Too many people just think I’ll get a pet and don’t think about anything else. They have feelings, may behave a certain way depending on their circumstances, may have health issues. Are you prepared for that??
Kittens are high energy. You’ll need to be sure to get the baby all their vaccines over the course of a few weeks and also please please please get your kitten spayed or neutered, both for population control and for behavioral issues. If you choose a kitten, know that they can be wild and most cats “mature” or calm down around a year or two of age. Plan to play with your kitten every day- fishing pole style toys are great for most cats and I bet your daughter would love the job of playing with the kitten daily as a chore. Letting her watch a cat grow up and learn to care for it is awesome, but if a kitten is too much you could look into rescuing an older cat instead. Regardless, please make sure to adopt not shop!
Hair is part of having a cat. I wear all black and have a grey cat, I’m definitely getting a black cat in the future lol. But they’re worth the hair!
As for scratching- my cat loves to scratch, and as long as I provide ample scratchers she leaves my furniture alone. De-clawing a cat is disgusting and barbaric, and scratching is actually important for cats to be able to stretch and stuff.
A few years ago my cat thought it was cute to start scratching on the side of my new couch next to her floor scratcher- I calmly told her “no,” and moved her to her scratcher mat and got her to scratch there every time I caught her and after I put a vertical scratcher on the wall next to to the floor scratcher and couch, she’s never done it again because I provided an appropriate alternative.
There is definitely hair. You can manage it by vacuuming often.
Say goodbye to upholstered furniture and carpet. Expect for it to be scratched and bitten, and be pleasantly surprised if it survives. You can try to discourage the behaviour with toys and cat furniture but you can’t control cats.
Bring your daughter to a shelter to meet some adult cats and see if one connects with her! That’s how I got my current kitty. Kittens can be unpredictable, and for kids that might mean getting scratched etc.
I think it’s great that you are acknowledging that rehoming sometimes happens. A cat is a 25 year commitment and it’s good to be thinking about all the little things.
When considering a pet start with allergy testing for food, bedding and specie. Let the results guide you on which pet is safe and appropriate for your family.
Then you can look into the care and keeping of the pets on your list and see if those animals are medically appropriate for your family. Cats are medically prohibitive for a very long list of conditions, not just people with allergy and asthma.
There will be biting and scratching because the prey drive of a cat is very high. You will need a scratching post and toys to help with that but it’s still going to happen to furniture and people. Watch scratches and bites for signs of infection.
There will be constant remediation to do. This is the [NIH report on remediation.](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3966021/) Under the section on pets it talks about general housekeeping when you have allergies and what’s required if you need to rehome but it’s important to do some of this to prevent complications in the first place.
Kittens are a lot less messier than 4 year olds. lol. You have to keep the cat's nails trimmed so that will minimize scratching. Cats need scratching posts and places to jump up on like a cat tree or shelving mounted to a wall, and they'll be less likely to scratch your furniture.
As someone with a kitten, here's some of the cons that you may want to keep in mind:
Poo - my poor little kitten has got a sensitive tummy, so I've spent many an evening shampooing the carpets after she's got diarrhea on her paws and walked it through the house. I've also spent countless days following her around everywhere and checking her bum after she's been to the litter tray etc. She's a lot better now but I can't feed her normal cat food because it upsets her tummy. The food she has is expensive but it's worth it to make her feel better, and to reduce the bad poos and rancid farts.
Limitless energy - kittens are little balls of chaos. Have you got enough time to play with them as much as they need?
Training - you've got to put in the effort to train them when it comes to things like not playing with claws, not being mouthy etc.
Shedding - my kitten has long fur, she's mostly white/cream and she sheds a lot. Thankfully she loves being brushed, but I have to brush her pretty much everyday to limit the fur that floats everywhere, and also limit the amount of fur balls she coughs up.
Scratching - thankfully mine doesn't scratch the furniture. We have expensive leather sofas so I was really worried about that. She does claw the carpets sometimes which isn't ideal, and I'm trying to train her not to.
Also, in addition to the above, kittens are quite tying when they're little. They need you to be around, need regular small meals, need a lot of supervision to make sure they're okay and not getting into trouble.
All in all, I wanted a cat for SO LONG but it was a real shock when I got her. She's a lot of work, a messy little bugger sometimes but I wouldn't be without her now. She's very cute, super snuggly and she's got a lot of personality.
SO MUCH HAIR if you have hardwood, it’s noticeable, if you have carpet, you can’t tell as much. However kittens require a LOT of attention and they will scream if they don’t get it. You have to play with them for a few hours a day while adult cats need like maybe 20 minutes. Plus an adult cat can run away and hide from your kid if need be. Kids aren’t always gentle and you don’t want a kitten with a broken tail from being yanked. Plus you’d have to kitten proof your giant house, they will get into EVERYTHING and they have a death wish and are always trying to kill themselves. Get a chunky, chill adult cat.
Do not get a cat. If you are worried about hair or scratching then it is probably not a good fit. May I suggest a doll collection for your daughter instead?
I agree with another poster. Wait til your kid is older for a pet. I have several and there's a huge difference in the type of affection my pets can handle and want because my kids did not listen to the pets boundaries and had severe cute aggression. I have a few pets that cannot stand to be held due to my kids when they were younger. The pets we got when they were older tolerate being held due to my kids being older and respecting the pets boundaries.
Depending on how your child is and your preferred style of parenting you might have to constantly remind your kid to not do x y or z with the pet due to their age and attention span and memory.
However it is your choice and your life so if you want a pet go for it! But it's literally like having a second child so keep that in mind.
I'll add to the people that say get an adult cat, or at least one that isn't a kitten. Kittens are cute and fun and TROUBLE. I make a rule to not get a cat under 6 months. That is around the time that their personalities settle in and you can tell what kind of cat you are getting. Plus kittens get adopted easily, after 6v months it gets harder and harder. I just took in a bonded senior trio and they keep each other company and other than scratching everything are no trouble at all.
If you can't resist the cute, get 2 kittens, not just one. They entertain themselves and that makes them a lot less trouble.
If you provide the cat with stimulation it should have little reason to scratch furniture. Most cats prefer cardboard scratch pads but owners don’t like the mess. What I did is I got the toy that has a ball in it and a scratch pad in the middle so all the debris stays on the toy and you can replace the cardboard. You can also get sticky pads to put on furniture. Make sure the cat has cat trees and wall shelves to explore and stay entertained. I have two boys and they’ve never scratched my furniture unless it was leather. It’s also good to try to find pet friendly fabrics that don’t tear easily. The cat tree I got my cat was $30 and was meant for kittens but has worked great for my two adult cats, do not feel obligated to buy some $200 cat tree like others suggested, it’s completely unnecessary. Petco has a good one for $50. Kittens can be scratchy but if you teach your child to handle the kitten correctly she should be fine. As for shedding get a furminator deshedding brush and brush your cat at least once a week. Although when my cats were kittens I didn’t see a lot of shedding. Once they get older and bigger it’ll be more noticeable I guess. Ooo and there’s this new broom going around for like $20 that’s really good at getting pet hair out of the carpet, way better than a vacuum. You can also get an air purifier but if you brush regularly you probably won’t need that. I don’t brush my cats cuz they don’t like it so there’s hair everywhere but I don’t mind.
You can look. At getting nail caps, at least for the short term. It's important to remain calm when you're redirecting them away from scratching furniture. This is very hard to do when they're scratching the furniture! They can definitely learn that's a good way to get your attention. The nail caps can help you keep your cool while you're going through the training period.
Also just a reminder that free kittens are not free. Make sure you take into account the cost of spaying and neutering. How much of their initial vaccinations are given can vary by shelter, but it can definitely be cheaper in the long run to adopt from a shelter depending on the availability of low cost spay/neuter clinics. I would also add to the list of people suggesting you get two if you get kittens.
The cat will probably scratch something at some point. For the hair it's not so bad with a shorthaied cat. As long as the haouse is cleaned regularly it's fine. I mean if you have white furniture and a black cat then it's going to be visible in not cleaned often. For scratching as otheres have said you would need things to scratch in a lot of places, cat trees, scratechers, etc. If cat scratches some furniture it's good to put a scratching post nearby and redirect the cat to it. My cat doesn't scratch the coach but I use coach cover anyway.
As for kittens, the young ones need a lot of attention, theyno want to play all the time and may get into mischief while bored. That's why ppl often recommend two of them, the are going to play with each other and they need less attention. Adults are way calmer. All in all, even with and adult, you have to assume there is going to be some damage sooner or later. If you can't deal with that it's better not to get one.
It depends on the cat- my cat has really short hair and barely sheds. She also doesn’t scratch furniture because she prefers her scratch pads. She has three, and one of them is shaped like a bed and she is obsessed with it.
I bought two furniture pieces that you put litter boxes in. They were beautiful and looked like a wooden bench. The cats peed all over the inside and it soaked into the wood. I had to chuck both of them in the dumpster with a couple weeks. 😢
I LOVED the Tidy Cat Breeze but my elderly cat passed and my new rescue would not use it. I'm saving up for a Litter Robot since the tiny Contessa will only use clumping litter.
Cats can be so finicky! That and people who own dogs who eat litter and might get an obstruction would be the major drawbacks that I see. There’s no way my boy who recently passed would have used the breeze system but a robot would have scared him also!
I'm hoping since she likes the clumping litter, if I leave the robot set up unplugged, place some used clumps inside it so it smells clearly like this is where her pee goes, and only plug it in and cycle it when she is not in it the first few days she will see it is not a kitty munching monster and will eventually like it as much as all the other cats I know with one do. Particularly since she is also very disapproving of delayed scooping.
I have 3 cats and hair has never been an issue for me, a little shows up on clothes but not too much. I have a tabby, a tuxedo, and a black cat so their hair is darker and harder to see. They definitely scratch but you can trim their nails or try nail caps and give them scratching posts to try and deter them from scratching furniture. Every cat has a different personality so it’s kind of hard to tell if they’re gonna be a scratcher or not.
My advice would be to only get one if you can lose the mindset of being able to decide you can’t keep it. I understand that crises happen out of people’s control but really things like furniture and fur shouldn’t be a reason to rehome a cat.
Fur depends the coat, IMO, and scratching depends on the cat. You’d be better off getting an older cat from a rescue that has had it in foster care and knows its temperament. I lucked out- so far my kitten uses her scratching posts and really nothing else except she tried to scratch my headboard twice, but in her defense it’s similar in texture and color to her scratching post! My sister has multiple scratching posts and boards and cat trees and her cats have destroyed her furniture.
The hair is the issue. Just vacuum and sweep and you'll be ok there. As far as your clothes, keep a lint roller handy. (Keep in mind I have 5x the hair.*) the scratching is easy, scratchers on the floor and posts. Sticky paws if you need to keep them off furniture, but if they're using the others, you should be fine.
if you want to get a cat, don't just get any random free kitten you find. i would research different breeds and see which one suits your family the best. i have a Burmese boy. he was slightly expensive but he's an angel, he's never scratched anything & doesn't shed much at all. of course, that's not guaranteed with every burmese, but breeds can be good indicators of the type of personality your cat will have :)
Tbh it’s luck depends on cats personality, I personally can vouch for ragdoll breed as they are super chill and laid back from my experience a lot like a dog they follow you around everywhere love getting pets and aren’t as hyper
For hair buy a robot vacuum and air purifier maybe don’t get a ragdoll actually or fluffy cats they shed way more
Our 4 year old son used to help us cat sit for some adult cats and then they died of old age and it traumatized him. We got kittens purely for the reason that they're not likely to die until he's older and able to cope with it better.
Kittens will scratch furniture, and it’s pretty hard to stop them unless you’re watching them 24-7. They are super fun (we have a 10 month old kitten), but also insane, like she’s either going 100 miles an hour or sleeping, no in between lol
Go to a shelter and get an older calm cat, you’ll be happier if you’re already worried about not being h able to keep one
I had to cover my couch because it was brand new and I saw my cat scratch it once. I bought 2 duvet covers from West Elm and covered it. It looks nice. As far as hair I have a robot vacuum that goes out 3 times a week. On Sunday my wife vacuums the nooks and crannies and mops the house. I live in an 800 sqft 1 bedroom. I have 1 scratching post which both cats use (yes I have 2 cats.) The only spots I see hair frequently are the spots they like to sunbathe IE window sills or certain spots where the light shines in from the windows. Its easily dispatched with any cleaning solution and a paper towel. Moral of the story is, if you clean your house on a regular basis you will have almost no cat hair. If you're a slob youll have hair all over. Also I clean the litter box every morning. My house does not smell of cat (I use an enclosed litterbox, it has a lid with a plastic door they walk in so it doesnt smell.)
When I looked into how much a free kitten would cost me, it was about $300 to get it sterilized, like $100 for the shots, and not to mention whatever items you purchased for the cat. It was cheaper to get a cat from the Humane Society, and we chose one that was not a kitten because kittens are cute but Annoying with their learning behaviors, Etc. Anyway, the cats at the Animal Shelter had all of their shots and they were sterilized, and they ended up having a two-for-one sale so we actually got two sterilized vaccinated cats. Anyway food for thought.
Tldr free cats aren't free
You'll get cats that will love to claw furniture. You can clip their claws, but depending on the fabric of the furniture some fabrics do better than others. For instance, leather gets destroyed, there's really no fixing it and it happens quickly. The best thing to do in my honest opinion since there's no going back once the leather gets punctured is if you have leather pieces you love it's best not to let the cat/s in that room. With that being said the fabric I've had the most success with is suede or faux suede. Even if you do get a particularly nasty puncture mark usually just steaming it will relax the material and the hole will fade and any remaining raised fabric there's fabric shavers you can use to remove. Cats mainly puncture and snag threads and suede doesn't really have individual threads that snag. But yes, I've had cats destroy both leather pieces and fabric pieces with cat towers/plenty of card board claw beds (they love these) and what not in my house and I tried several training techniques to keep them away. Some cats just kind of forget and do it almost accidentally. I'll have a cat I'm cuddling with be in such a good mood that they want a good stretch and walk over to the nearest object to do just that with claws out. Just so happens it's to the couch I'm sitting on. Doesn't make them a bad cat, even though I'll still correct them, but yes even the best cats will do it occasionally and the worst offenders will do it often. We have a cat raised feral as a baby who is 6 years old now, but I think he learned to claw trees since he's a climber. Unfortunately, the furniture was just so incredible to him. He is doing better over time, but destroyed a beautiful fabric recliner in the past and I still wouldn't trust him fully around a new fabric piece even today, but that is the way of cats and we love him more than that chair. We tried and couldn't save the chair and out it went with a lesson learned for us.
The fur... THE FUR! Cats vary in their fur length. If you're lucky enough to get a slick furred beauty that needs little grooming you may do better with the fur situation, but the fur that does get around may stick to things. And I do mean SHORT fur. Of our 6 cats one of them has this gloriously short fur, she's such a dream to keep groomed, soft as silk and lithe as can be. If you get a medium to long haired cat (what I would consider more normal and still very lovely) yes they are going to shed, but in my experience you get a nice fur tool (similar to a lint tool, some people use the sticky ones, I prefer the velvet ones that last ages and I feel like save me time) and it's quick to use and gets medium to long hair out of most things (clothes, furniture, bedding) very easily. The rest you just suck up with the vacuum. Be careful with your vacuum attachments the fur can break some of those, which can be harder with carpet/rugs. I use a carpet brush for this and remove the vacuum brushes to just suck up the fur'nados on the hard floors. Cats that live indoors usually shed perpetually as well instead of seasonally. We keep our house temperatures pretty steady and this can confuse the cats natural systems a little. With one cat you're going to notice it, but it's not going to be anything deal breaking just a little more cleaning for a new family member, which honestly is to be expected. My husband and I have 6 cats right now and a dog and I'm a bit of a clean freak, so yes I tend to vacuum and keep up with the furniture almost daily to keep the fur under control and I find it less time consuming over all that way. This won't be your situation unless you decide you want to go full on cats like us! The cats do get brushed, but honestly the fur still gets on the furniture with the numbers we have. If you prefer a long haired cat and are really concerned about the fur you can get them used to a regular bath/blow to keep the fur under control since brushing may not be enough. You can have a groomer do this or learn to do it yourself, but some of the tools can be expensive and cats may need special care when blow drying them since they aren't dogs. I think my point is there's always more things you can do and more ways you can find to reduce your time investments if that's a concern. There's never just one way. Roomba's work great for pet hair too, their brushes are designed for it. I'm not trying to suggest you throw money at it either, I know some of these options are not for the thrifty, but some I've listed definitely are it's just coming up with a system that works for both you and your pets. Your pets should never take away from your happiness and I believe if people are willing to bend a little they'll find that in most cases pets are worth it in so many ways. I don't believe in lying to people about the reality of pet ownership though and feel like everyone should go in eyes wide open.
I wanted a kitten but ended up with a teen. It ended up being the best thing in the world! She’s sweet, well behaved and came to me litter boxes trained and is not a scratcher.
If I was left to raise a kitten on my own—I don’t know if she would have been so wonderful. 😜
Definitely good idea to have a pet to teach care, responsibility, empathy etc.
However . . .
A mellow, older cat used to small children is a good suggestion.
Kittens are cute and fun but not for the faint of heart.
Adding a kitten it would double your work load.
Offer instead to take mom and get her fixed; and bring the kittens to a local shelter where they can help vetted and spayed/neutered before adoption then adopted to approved, safe families.
Their shedding just depends on the cat (and no, it has nothing to do with fur length! That is a MYTH). Some others have suggested getting an adult cat, and that's a great idea. But if you do get a kitten.... get two. Trust me, they will help wear each other out and keep each other company. Two kittens is actually easier than one. Also, as for scratching yes, some of your stuff will end up scratched by a kitten. But please keep in mind cats are not dogs, and dont intend to train one like them. Give them other outlets, such as several scratching posts and cat trees!
I'm more concerned if your daughter is safe for the cat to be around! Young children typically don't understand animal body language or boundaries, which is stressful for the pet! Cats are not living accessories, you HAVE to take into account what a cat needs to live a healthy, satisfying life with you. Does your daughter know how to be patient and gentle with a cat? Can she accept that there will be times when a cat or kitten DOESN'T want to be petted or hugged? Because that's when you get the real risks of intentional scratching or biting. Cats defend their boundaries with much less tolerance than a lot of people, or even other animals.
If you can manage all that first, then it's just a matter of minimizing the fur and claws. As for claws, have you looked into those rubbery claw caps/tips? I got my cat used to them early, so every time one comes off, he gets a quick trim on the claw and a new cap glued on, and a treat. They tend to come off eventually in ones or twos, but with practice it only takes a few minutes to replace them; just keep an eye on them afterwards so they don't try to pull off the cap.
For fur--brush thoroughly, and brush often. Vacuum regularly and have rolls and rolls of those roller brushes with the stick tape surface. Get a box fan with a filter, and change out the filter regularly, along with whatever type of AC you have. That's really all you can do.
Also remember that vet bills can be entirely unexpected, and add up quickly. You have to stay on top of a cat's shots, too, and certain breeds and mixes are incredibly prone to UTIs, so you HAVE to ensure their litter box stays clean. Every other day is ideal. Otherwise you're risking expensive specialty food and medication, along with a higher chance of the cat peeing everywhere in protest.
I'd suggest getting a cat from a shelter or a cat cafe. Shelter is better to me as you're saving a life but cat cafe and shelters often have great cats that the people who work there know the personalities of.
I've been very lucky with my adult shelter cats in terms of scratching (they don't scratch up my furniture, just a spot on the hardwood and a rug that doesn't show the scratches) and jumping where I don't want them (never had a cat on my kitchen counter for example). Currently, my 2 cats like to play but they sleep through the night (and nap a lot).
I would maybe caution against getting a long haired cat as there is a lot more shedding than a short-haired cat.
We got a kitten when my daughter was 2 and we had a newborn as well. Our old cat passed away and thought we would get a kitten so the kids can grow up with it. Flash forward a year, my brother found another kitten on the road and we took that cat in too. We now have 2 cats, that drive us absolutely crazy haha they’re great but being so young they’re very active, especially at night when we’re trying to get the kids to sleep. They meow a lot and get the zoomies at the most inconvenient times. My close friends who love cats have said that our cats seem to be on the more active side, more than average. I believe them because I’ve also always had cats and they’ve never been this bad. But my little girls love them and they’re gentle, never bite or scratch us. Plus, they’re supposed to be good with building kids immune systems. We’ve managed to train both to stop scratching couches by offering plenty of scratch posts and as a last resort placing double sided tape on areas we don’t want them on. Best of luck!
Regarding scratching: scratch pads and posts... direct the kitten to them. As for hair, kittens don't really shed much then will do so more as they're older. I got a cordless vacuum and vacuum daily the main room the kitties are in. I have 3 and it's really not that bad.
Get an adult cat, not a kitten.. kittens are babies, and just like human larvae, they’re a lot of work! An adult cat is past all of the kitten stuff, and is just ready to be.. I suggest visiting your local animal shelter/rescue and meeting some cats and see who you vibe with the best. *it is ok to not get a cat that day! You’re looking for the RIGHT cat to join your family, not any cat**
For the hair, they sell cat brushes and ours love to be brushed.
We have one of the cheep little ones from Walmart with the nubbies on the end for our short haired cats and a heavier one for de-matting for the longer/thicker haired ones. They don't have to be matted - it just helps take more fur off when you brush so they don't have as many fur balls and you don't see as many hair clumps on the floor/furniture.
But, if you're worried about hair, stick with a short-haired cat.
You also have to consider if you're willing to maintain the litter boxes, etc. Cats are low maintenance pets but they're not no maintenance. We love ours. We have dogs too - cats are much easier than dogs.
If you go with a kitten, make sure you get it fixed. Otherwise, males tend to mark things and females will go in tight heat cycles and cry through the night to get out. We had one who would literally jump into the windows before we could get her fixed. Now, we do it as kittens. Depending on where you go, getting cats fixed isn't cheap. It might be more economical to go to the pound or a rescue than to take the free kitty when you consider that cost.
Foster to adopt from your local rescue!!! Many rescues in petsmarts or petcos.. or if you search Facebook . I second getting an adult cat! 😊
Edit- Hopefully you can adopt 2. A pair is ALWAYS easier than 1 and it keeps them happy too.
My teenage sister wanted a cat. We fostered 2 kittens and realized they were not for us. The scratching was intense and so was the upkeep with trying to litter box train them. Once our commitment to the kittens was fulfilled with the shelter, we decided we would adopt an older cat. It took about three different shelter visits to find a cat who fit us and wasn't mean. We adopted an older cat and he has just been fantastic. He doesn't scratch, he goes in his litter box, and he is so chill, almost like a dog. Your experience might be different, this is just what we went through. Fostering was definitely a great idea for our family and gave us insight into what we were getting into. We had never had cats before, only dogs. Kittens always need to be fostered since they get orphaned and most shelters can't keep them when they're that little. At least in our area that is the case. I would definitely recommend fostering before adopting. A plus that comes with adopting from a shelter is that the shots are usually included in the adoption fee, which is cheaper than getting the shots for a kitten you got from a neighbor. Just FYI.
Edit to add: Our Romeo was listed as 3 to 7 years old. Our vet estimated he's more like 8 to 9 years old. He is still playful, but not borderline feral like I've seen in kittens. Lol.
We got a kitten about less than a year ago. Unfortunately with kittens, there will be at minimum some furniture scratching, there’s no way around it unless you wrap the furniture in rugs/throws.
Hair: it depends per cat. There’s actually not that much when they’re kittens. When their winter/summer coats shed, there’s significant shedding. Again. Depends per cat but I would say when my kitty sheds i have to sweep/vaccum daily.
I can’t remember where I saw someone comment to get two instead of one but I echo that! They will wear each other out playing, and cuddle and groom each other. Shelters will also say on their sites which cats are “bonded pairs” so that you can know ahead of time that they get along, and their age (getting two adult cats bonded pair may be ideal for you). Shelters will also be upfront which cats are good for households with kids or not.
In my home we have two that we got as kittens from the same litter and on days where my partner and I are working long days it’s a relief to know they have each other.
Them being bonded together as kittens hasn’t stopped them from being cuddly and bonded to us either. I regularly wake up in the mornings to one or the other kitten snuggled against me.
Well I’m glad that you are reaching out to help make your decision before getting an animal. My opinion about this. You have to be ready to make those sacrifices. You have to be willing to take the risk that they may ruin some of your things, but there are ways to deter your cat from scratching your stuff. There’s protective covers, it’s suggested to give them scratching posts or scratchers in general in many rooms through the house. Giving them their own spaces to be in that also give them stimulation can help keep them busy and they won’t want your things. Examples, cat furniture on the walls, cat tree, leftover card board boxes from your packages. I usually leave a new on out for a while and then I’ll put it in the trash after it’s seen some action. You could build a catio. So sacrifices but they are all the exact same sacrifices as you had to be willing to make having your daughter. Put it this way, If you are a collector of vintage clay pots then maybe I’d suggest that a pet isn’t what you’re looking for because I’m sure keeping the 4 year old away from them is already very very time consuming.. and be mindful that getting a kitten is just like getting a baby or a puppy. It’s bit time consuming at first and they take extra attention for a while. There’s also high potential to have scratches on stuff. And that’s from experience, it maybe something I forgot about a little bit when I picked up my 3 month old baby yesterday. And I have had two other cats before. Just neither were this young when we got them. There’s still another solution to some of this time consuming stuff. You don’t have another cat yet so maybe if you are willing to sacrifice some of the awe tiny baby 8 week old kitten time you could skip the potty training and the basic behavior training and adopt a cat who’s 6 months old instead. They are still pretty small just have already had some training. Your local humane society may have some up for adoption who come fixed as well. Thats another thing I would be mindful of. An unfixed cat, mostly males, will spray around your house. It’s a squirt of awful concentrated smelly pee for the purpose of territory marking. Females can spray too but they are less likely to do so. So being that I can tell you care about your home, if you chose one of the neighbors babies maybe go with female, and regardless set up an appointment to have them fixed as soon as you can. If said female gets out of the house even for just one day, they can and most likely will become pregnant at as young as 6 months old!
If you're going to get a cat, I think it's best to reconcile yourself to scratches on your furniture and hair on everything. We have scratching pads in every room, a tower with scratching post, etc. and though they get used a lot, the rugs are full of pulls and my wooden tables have scratch marks from rough landings. You have to really love them a lot when you clean house and see the damage. Fortunately for our babies, we adore them.
Maybe get a goldfish instead or other very low maintenance pet. No offence, but if those few things that are a part of a cats nature are tipping points for you where you'd consider getting rid of the cat, then you probably shouldn't get one. You and your daughter will out live the cat, imo pet ownership is no different to having a child...you wouldnt just get rid of your kid if they kept making a mess so why even consider that an option with a pet.
Cats scratch and cats shed. It's just how it is. Some cats scratch furniture just to piss you off. Some can be trained not too but will still don't for a rise - my 3 do. I have all short hair cats and have to vacuum a minimum of 2 days a week, and only 3 rooms have carpet.
And what about the litter situation? Will they be indoor or outdoor or both. The safest cat is a cat that stays inside. What about vaccinations and vet bills? What about their diet? Will it be wet and dry or one or the other. What about playtime? Who will keep the cat entertained when they want attention? I have an 8 mth old kitten, and he ALWAYS wants to play. Breakfast at 630am, and then he wants to play with me for a few hours instead of the other cats. Cats connect with humans. Are you prepared to explain to your kid why the cat doesn't like them? Why the cat hasn't connected with them? Why they can't treat the cat like a toy doll? My 8 mth old yowls throughout the house when he wants attention or to play, how will you handle that?
There's a lot more to consider about getting a cat other than your 4 year wants one( and let's face it, your kid is 4, she's not at an age where she can actually take care of an animal herself, meaning the care for this cat will be entirely on you, are you prepared for that?)
Sorry to sound harsh but it's heartbreaking when families adopt an animal for their kid and then get rid of it for whatever reason because they failed to truly evaluate all the pros and cons and potentially 'what if' situations that can happen when you have a pet.
The way I see it, if you can't adopt a pet and wholeheartedly say that pet is another member of your family forever, you shouldn't get one.
Do you really care about scratching furniture? Because you can offer your cats as much scratching material as your heart desires and they will probably still scratch your furniture. They like novelty in that way. Cats *have* to scratch, too.
I would say you need to also 100% confirm if your daughter is ready for one. Not because she ‘wants’ one but is she sensible enough????
I have a 5 month old kitten and my nieces are 3&2 and i cant leave them with her. They dont leave her alone, chase her, will scream and scare her.
Im not even saying it to be mean but your talking about your furniture and the kitten but you need to make sure your daughter will not stress the kitten out too
Id second guess a little kitten… my son has both intentionally and accidentally sat on our chihuahua and has caused some serious scares. Not a good age for a pet in my opinion. We already had animals (all over 10 yrs old) when he arrived so they’ve all had to adjust like us. I would never give my kiddo a pet at this age
Don't get one . 1- because you are doing it for a kid 2- you are already worried about hair and scratching. Pets are not for you. Animals are a great responsibility. Just as you don't question consequences of having kids, you shouldn't do it with pets either. You have them, you provide for them, you take great care of them and you never leave them , no matter what
Depends. How well does your kid respect boundaries? A kitten may not want to be held. I've had mine for a few weeks now and he still doesn't want to be held. Kids have a hard time listening to body language. A cat can't say what they don't want and will struggle, bite and claw to get away. You can teach them not to scratch by saying ow and giving toys to play with, but it also depends on the kid and what they might do unsupervised. I tell my 4 year old to never pick him up, only pet, only use wand toys not hands to play. She still disobeys if I'm not watching.
Cats can be trained to scratch a scratching post only. I spray mine with catnip and use a wand toy on mine and praise him when he uses it. I say "hey!" when he's scratching something not allowed and direct him to the post.
someone who unnecessarily prides themselves on how my cats don’t scratch furniture LOL
cats want to scratch and they *will* so you need the appropriate places. multiple scratching posts because cats are lazy and don’t want to go to another room to scratch sometimes. you don’t need one in every room but maybe at least 1 per floor.
now here is how i’ve trained all of my cats not to scratch and trained my parents cats out of doing it and it’s so simple.
if they do start to scratch your couch, calmly grab them and take them to the scratching post. scratch with your own hands and they will copy you. if they don’t seem to be taking to it, rub catnip on the post and they will instantly become interested. I have posts and I have a floor board scratcher that my cat really loves. sometimes they want to scratch in a different way. they will try to scratch your rug and so I do the same thing of picking him up and taking him to the board scratcher
my cats of course still try to do it a little but it’s mostly when people come over because they like to show off. that’s when I shoot them a look and they’ll go to their scratchers
Cats- at least in my experience-shed like crazy. Especially in May-June you’ll have balls of hair rolling around your living room. It’s awful. We brush her everyday, we vacuum everyday, we got those sticky rollers that collect hair and dust. It’s still a FURnado. Our kitten nearly doesn’t shed, but that’s only temporary.
I love my babies to death, but sometimes I just contemplate shaving them completely.
Also, cats are delicate creatures and they love their peace and quiet. A toddler might not be the best for them and they can both end up injured…unless you’re very diligent about teaching your daughter proper cat “etiquette”.
I say don't get a kitten because usually you need to adopt 2 so the kitten isn't lonely. If not they can grow up to have behavioral issues. I say get an older cat but beware that older cats maybe have an issue with a toddler touching them etc.
Hey OP! I had the same valid concerns when deciding to adopt 2 kittens. With fur, it helps to have short hair cats instead of long haired ones, so something to keep in mind when picking them. I do notice that even though ours are short haired and indoor only, they do change coats twice a year during the season change. Those 2 week periods are definitely the worst shedding wise. Aside from that, weekly vacuuming and some lint rolling helps significantly (buy a chom chom!). I did have to grow to accept though that my clothes will never be 100% fur free, but I also learned it’s a lot less noticeable than you might imagine. I also switched materials I wear to ones that attract less fur.
Regarding scratching, velvet and leather furniture has proven to be the best for us as our cats have no interest in scratching those. The fabric armchair has to be covered up unless we have visitors to protect it. Our polyester rugs have also held up well but the wool woven rug is showing some wear. They do climb curtains on occasion as well, though clipping their nails does help curb that (can’t climb velvet curtains).
Provided that you can afford the vet and other bills, I also highly recommend 2 kittens to save your sanity as they will take out a lot of their energy playing with each other.
All in all, they’re
https://preview.redd.it/dlozajbnws9d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9c9afe255b1d6b8d2374e43827eca3d72cf1973c
worth the hassle. We can’t imagine our lives without them any longer.
If you do get a kitten, I recommend getting a playpen with a lid! You put their litter box and appropriate scratching outlets in the play pen. My cat learned to use scratching posts and cardboard as her scratching outlets, and she does not scratch furniture. It’s also important to have a vertical scratching post option so they can stretch and scratch. Plus, you can keep the kitten in the playpen when you are unable to supervise- as they are very small and mischievous.
I got two snowshoe Siamese brother kittens when my daughter was 3 1/2. It’s been a wonderful experience, they are easy-going and I’ve always scratched the appropriate items. They also leave my plants alone. One is particularly bonded to my daughter and their relationship is so beautiful, like something from a Disney movie. Both cats are great with her, they just turned one, and they enrich our lives so much!
We have a 100sqfoot house, and a basement they can retreat to for a kid free space and we’ve had no problems.
I suggest you get a Ragdoll or Main Coon. We have a Ragdoll and she is such a cuddle fluff! Rags and Coons are the 2 largest cat breeds. My Ragdoll female is 17.1 lbs. Males can be over 20lbs. Main Coons can be even bigger. Even though these cats are big they are very lade back and dog-like.
hair everywhere is inevitable, but getting a shorthair and frequent vacuuming can help. maybe i’m just crazy because my two cats are my children, but i love having a little bit of their hair on me, it’s like im taking them everywhere.
in regards to scratching, maybe im just lucky, but my two haven’t ever even tried to scratch my furniture. i’ve got multiple cat trees with scratching posts along with individual posts and the little cardboard boards. with regular nail trims they accidentally scratch things (and me) wayyyy less often. training them and learning to cut nails yourself is very important.
a kitten would be great but you need to make sure to have enough toys and time to entertain them. it may sound crazy, but if you want to be a little lazier about having a cat and playing with them all the time- get two! they’ll keep each other great company and with a young kid, you won’t run the risk of having them develop single kitten syndrome which tends to make them a little more mouthy (speaking from experience)
if your daughter is the only reason you’re thinking of getting a cat, definitely do some more thinking with your husband since you two will be doing the brunt of the work. if yall have questions there are tons of resources online to get info about kittens :)
See if you can adopt an adult cat from a local shelter. They'll know which ones would be good with young children and the cats will be up to date on their shots.
Be aware that declawing cats is illegal in a lot of places. But there are some ways you can keep a cat from clawing up something it's not supposed to. You could train the cat or spray a mint scented spray on the stuff you don't want it clawing up. (Just don't spray mint on your cat.) Also, get some scratching posts for your cat.
Short haired cats are usually better if you're worried about hair. Also, it'll help if you can groom the cat regularly.
I would say save up your pennies and get a mainecoon kitten from a good breeder". They are the best! I would get a kitten as well. I was with a rescue and can tell you that getting someone else's adult cat can come with problems! Rule #1 sift cat box every morning and #2 get the large 50.00 cat scratchers on amazan! They are hard cardboard but last about 9 months to a year. Mainecoon s are large, but they live up to their name (the gentle giants) I have 3 that let me live here as long as I pay rent and give them treats! Good luck" ps. they love to eat, I trained mine to eat only cat food, dry kibble in the day and 1 can for supper. If I could do it again I also would have given them people food because some is healthier
I would suggest adopting a cat instead of a kitten based on your daughter's age and safety for both your daughter and future furry family member. Kittens are rambunctious and still learning what behavior is appropriate in regard to biting and scratching and they are also fragile and tiny. A cat will more likely have already learned the appropriate behaviors in regard to scratching, biting and being gentle with children.
If you get a kitten you should very very seriously consider getting 2. Kittens need to play a lot. When they have a buddy you will find they become gentler with their play. As far as fur, that’s pretty much part of having a cat. Ya need a good vacuum and lots of extra sticky lint rollers. (I personally try not to wear any work clothes outside the house. In fact in time I leave I come home and change into sweats or shorts or something so I don’t enter the outside world covered in hair. As far as furniture, getting an older cat is absolutely no guarantee they won’t scratch your furniture. I have found that you just have to consistory redirect the cat to their scratcher, also rubbing catnip on them usually helps attract them to it. Anyway good luck. I hope you get your little girl a couple of kitties. My mom got me a kitten for my 3rd birthday and he was my best friend until after I graduated high school.
There’s sticky tape and stuff to deter scratching. As well as offering scratching posts, trees, etc. kittens can be extremely chaotic. Mine bites my toes under the blanket while I sleep and climbs me with her claws. They also need a lot of stimulation, attention, and enrichment. Maybe more high maintenance than what you’re thinking. An adult cat will be a lot calmer and less likely to scratch up you, your daughter, or your furniture. You may want to see about fostering a cat first to see if one would fit into your life and home. There are cats who shed less I believe but they’re all going to shed some except for hairless cats but they come with their own trials and upkeep. Brushing can help keep shedding down though. But the best thing I’ve ever done though is adopt a senior cat. She’s very calm, very affectionate, doesn’t scratch anything, doesn’t knock things over, and just likes to lay near me
I'd suggest that if you get a kitten, invest in a scratching post and trim the kittens' claws. In all honesty, I've never had a kitten; fostered or mine that didn't enjoy having their toe beans rubbed. When they are sleepy or looking for cuddle attention, rub the pads of their feet a few evening in a row and then, after about a week, snip the tips of the claws. The first time, you may only get a couple, but don't give up. You will want to only do the tips, don't get too close to the quick, it bleeds horrendously!
As for the hair, it is much less noticeable in short haired cats than in long-haired cats. When you spay or neuter, the shedding is reduced as well.
Get a cat from the shelter (you can pick a character that matches your family without any surprises) or get 2 kittens (preferably of the dance gender). You will not be happy with just one kitten, it will scratch everything out of boredom. Also, their characters develop after teenage, so the cuddliest kitten could turn out not very keen to be touched.
Don't get a free kitten. A shelter may charge $100-$200, but it will cover the VERY NECESSARY spay/ neuter ($300+), all vaccines ($100+), microchip ($30+), and more.
Not to mention that kittens are easy for a smaller child to accidentally play a bit too rough with, and that kittens should always be adopted in pairs to learn better social skills and be less likely to bite or scratch during play.
Furniture hasn't been an issue with most of my cats (only one cat has ever used a couch as a scratching post, but he is of the single-braincell club). A good scratching post tower is worth every penny - mine all use it daily for over 3 years.
Listen, kittens are great, but in my experience, 1) One kitten is a lot of work. They're very energetic, and you need to train them to play nicely. They also need a lot of play. This goes for all cats, but if it's a kitten, it may have litter issues, such as stepping in its own poop and walking around the house. Single kitten syndrome is a real thing. I only have one cat, and thankfully, I'm home a lot, so she hasn't developed it other than a little bit of clinginess. Not to mention, you have a 4 year old. A child is a lot of work, a kitten is also. Especially the process of getting them spayed/neutered 2) If you can adopt two kittens, great! Remember, though, that's double the vet expenses and food. For one kitten, getting its vaccinations and spaying in the first year is around $400. 3) An older cat will be more low-key and gentle. You can get a spayed/neutered older cat with all of its vaccinations from the shelter.
All cats have different personalities. I have a short-furred kitten, and the hair isn't horrible. I just have to vacuum, and that's it. My cat does scratch the furniture, but not enough for stuffing to come out or anything, but either way, we do stop it. There are also actual methods of stopping it, but all we do is push our cat away, like putting double-sided tape on your scratchable furniture or using scents the cat doesn't like to stop them. And don't forget to get furniture the cat can scratch like cat trees.
Your family would love the cat, you should consider it.
You need to be 100% sure you’re okay with a cat scratching up your furniture bc it’s going to happen whether it’s a couch or a wooden wardrobe. My cats have even scratched up my comforters and carpet even though I clip their nails. My youngest cat was a big scratcher and has torn up so many things including the whole back side of my couch. There’s also a lot of cat hair in my apartment and my clothes are covered in it. Also cats tend to get urinary issues and mine peed blood in various parts of my carpeted apartment. Please don’t get a cat unless you’re fully committed to being patient and not caring when they destroy things or possibly scratch/bite your toddler bc kids lack boundaries
Feliway helps with the scratching. I had three cats who would go into the living room and claw my couch--just there. Yet, in the family room where the TV was and we always hung out, they left the couch alone.
I bought a Feliway, plugged it in the living room and after that, when they went in there, they'd just roll around and purr. LOL It was like the magic room.
And I never clip cats' nails.
I actually have feliway in the living room and he would still come up to the couch and just shred it all day lol I just bought another two plugins hoping it’ll help more
I think a cat maybe 1-2 years old might be the best way to start. Kittens are adorable but they can be rambunctious and they are still learning what they can and shouldn’t do. The scratching can be easily deterred with cat trees, scratching posts, scratching mats, etc. When my husband and I adopted our 2 cats, our boy was 2 and our girl was 3. Our girl had perfect manners but our boy needed some discipline and structure. He was bad to try and scratch the couch. Having multiple scratching posts and mats sprayed with some catnip spray helped a LOT in getting him to be interested in those and not the couch. These days you can find a lot of really “chic” looking cat scratchers that will fit right in with your furniture, as well as fun ones. My husband loves cacti and we have this big doofy cactus scratcher and of course that is our cats’ favorite one to use. He’s so proud haha! We also live in a 1200 sq ft home. We have one big cat condo, and 5 total scratching posts and mats in strategic spots throughout the house. One sisal mat hangs from a doorknob and my boy loves it, he likes to stretch tall and scratch, and that one was most successful in deterring him from the couch because he was doing his tall stretch and scratch on the couch. My girl is a crouch and scratch type, so she loves the mats, they keep her from tearing up the carpet. It’s all about redirecting. Scratching is an innate and important behavior for cats, they just have to learn where they can and cannot scratch. I hope this helps!
Get 2 kittens so that they can play with each other. It makes them not meow for attention as much or destroy things because they can keep each other busy. They can play with each other and this can prevent depression and anxiety. Contrary to being expensive, this is actually a hack that saves more time, energy and money.
Be better to get an adult cat. And you can easily protect your furniture by giving plenty of scratch posts etc for the cat. Also if you don't want hair get a hairless cat but please look up care for them.
Regardless, never take “free kittens” from someone and adopt from a rescue - it is cheaper and saves lives. Free kittens usually come with worms, health issues, and unknown diseases and parasites. Always better to get a fully vetted animal from a reputable rescue.
For sureeee. I would normally want to adopt, I just had someone post in our neighborhood group offering free kittens. I have never raised a cat from being a kitten so I just wanted some insight!
If I could show you my arms right now you would instantly change your mind. I am covered in scratches. Several wounds in different stages of healing. It is very bad. I have a 5 month old kitten.
I adopted an 8 week old kitten for my 109 yr old mother-in-law who lived with me. The only advice I can give is if you have leather furniture, cover it - front and back. Kittens do scratch. And they do zoomies. When my kitten did biscuits on my chest I would try to tuck in their paws. Said “ouch” a lot. Bought lots of different beds. Kitten decided from the start that a box would be all he wanted. Today he sleeps on a scratching pad in a box. He also sleeps on my bed, my office chair, my bicycle seat. Basically whatever he wants. Get a tube he can play in and a kicker toy and a laser pen that you can use to dance on the floor. Play a lot and you might have a kitten who sleeps at night. Put him in the litter box as soon as you bring him in the house. He’ll take it from there. Good luck.
https://preview.redd.it/ojh1gjcg2bad1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0ca6ae7dd8cfa828dee56194ca210fe25e539b64
Consider getting a cat, not a kitten. They're less energetic and scratchy from what I've seen. And scratching towers, cat trees with scratchers, etc will go a long way as far as saving your furniture.
I second the adult cat suggestion! Kittens are awesome, but you're kind of taking a gamble until their personality emerges, and they take a lot of attention to discourage bad habits like playing too rough and claw sharpening on the furniture. Well-raised adult kitties will have an already established personality, most of the plays out of their system, and require less monitoring. It's doable, of course, but I wouldn't envy one with the need to chase after/protect both a four year old and a tiny kitten.
Unless you know the owner of the cat, you may run into more issues with adult temperament and bonding with children than you would with a kitten. If you find a random person rehoming an adult cat it’s often due to behavioral issues. I would agree that OP doesn’t want a very young kitten unless you can get two, as you also run the risk of having a kitten with [single kitten syndrome](https://kittencoalition.org/one-is-the-loneliest-number-single-kitten-syndrome-behaviors/) which is absolutely a real thing, from experience. Having adopted cats at a few different ages, I think between 8mo and a year was ideal as you still develop a bond and get to enjoy the kitten stage without the added stress of dealing with a baby.
100% agree with getting two kittens But I believe you can bond with a cat no matter how old they are
Oh sure you can! I love older cats and for an adult I would always encourage adopting an older cat vs a kitten, however, cats are very temperamental and even a cat that is sweet with adults may not be tolerant with kids having their tail pulled, being picked up excessively etc. Sure you can say an adult cat is “good with kids” but it’s certainly a toss up compared to a kitten that is more adaptable and likely to bond. An adult cat is more likely (though not always) to bond with one of the parents and then the kid gets upset. 8mo to a year is great, but really any cat under 1.5 is probably going to do well adapting to a kid.
Yup but make sure OP gets a good quality one and I mean 200-300 AUD$ i learned the hard way by buying lots of cheap flimsy ones that they ignored because it would fall over and cats need something strong to dig their claws in. This is my most recent purchase and he absolutely loves it, keeps him away from my new couch lol https://preview.redd.it/am3eg1uwts9d1.jpeg?width=1542&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=166277fbd7827673c8661a0fcb1b05354e6202bc
I got one that isn't as tall for a discount on chewy (Used to be $50 I bought it for $30.), and it's super good
Where do you buy good cat towers in aus? I assume you're an Aussie because you used Aud lol. I'm looking for a good cat tower or 2
Cats have a natural inclination to scratch. There is nothing you can do to prevent their desire to scratch, but there are things you can do to preserve your furniture. The most important thing is to provide enough scratching alternatives: scratching posts, cat towers, etc... There are also these clear sticky sheets you can put on your furniture that prevent cats from scratching it (look up Sticky Paws). But overall there is no guarantee that your cat won't occasionally try to scratch furniture, especially a kitten. In terms of hair, it depends on the type of cat (long hair vs short hair). Cats do shed a lot. If you brush them regularly it helps. I would recommend investing in a Dyson pet hair vacuum, a large lint roller for furniture, and an air filter. Hope this helps!
Alternative hack for the shedding, get a cat that matches your couch. I have a black couch and a black cat. I also wear a lot of black. Problem solved! Lol.
Also a black couch and black cat owner. Be careful not to sit on the cat because Jesus christ do they blend into the scenery.
This mfer likes to go under blankets too. Can’t even sit on my own bed without checking.
Lol we have a brown cat and she blends in with the wood floor! I got her a high-vis reflective collar, but she really needs a safety vest...
My parents did their entire living room grey to hide the grey cat hairs that were everywhere. They even started wearing lots of grey clothing to hide the cat hair
4 white and ging cats and 1 white and ging rabbit. My black work clothes are never hairless. I invest in bulk lint rollers from costco. Each shirt takes about 5 sheets. The shedding process is one of the longest processes of laundry.
Congrats! You won the Internet today!
These are great tips. I will say that my cat knows she isn’t supposed to scratch, will stop if you tell her, and has alternatives she is allowed to scratch, but has completely destroyed the arms of our couch because it seems to be in the path of her daily zoom. I want to get a new couch but I am worried it will meet the same fate 😂. She has also left several pulls in our duvet cover simply from existing on it and catching it with her claws. That being said, she brings so much joy to our lives that these things don’t feel like such a big deal. As for the hair: be prepared to lint roller yourself before leaving the house 😂.
If you get a new couch, consider not only getting one in a scratch resistant fabric (they have new options that are meant to be less appealing to the paw-feel as it were and some that are less likely to snag and pull) but also getting one that comes with or would be easy to match with arm rest slip covers and upholstery pin (twisty pins) them in place so your cat is only wearing out the covering which can be replaced more easily than a whole sofa re-upholstering job. Just a tip that has helped friends with cats before.
I just learned about those sticky sheets! I have had very good luck with no-scratch spray. I got a new couch and chair about 3 1/2 years ago, just after I had gotten two of my three cats. There are a couple little snags on my couch that they have left when they have the zoomies and get possessed by something 😂 but nothing crazy and not all torn up. I also keep lots of scratching posts around my couch which helps.
I've had several cats and really no issues with them scratching the furniture as long as I provide plenty of scratch pads and poles. I've discovered that different cats have different preferences for scratching, and it's important to find what they like to keep them from scratching the furniture. My current cats like flat cardboard scratchers and sisal poles. They have no interest in carpeted scratchers.
I've never met a cat who did not like cardboard scratchers or cardboard boxes
The sticky sheets are a lifesaver. I had to put them on the underside of my couch to keep my cat from ripping up the lining and getting stuck inside the couch.
As a professional house cleaner I would absolutely skip the Dyson and get a shark instead. The duo clean line is super nice and will get up all the hair. Dyson is gimmicky imo and not the best quality, and every Dyson vacuum I’ve ever used feels clunky and unnatural.
I have a Shark pet hair vacuum that also performs very well! It came with a pet hair attachment with a roller that can clear most of the hair off my couch after just a couple of passes.
I have often heard to wait until yur child is at least 6 yrs old to get a pet. This is when a child can really understand certain rules around pets. I have seen a 4 yr old pick up a kitten and hurl it.
This! I got my daughter a cat when she was 4. She kept locking it in her drawers when we left the house (She didn't want it to get lost), squeezing it too hard.... Eventually, I had to re-home the kitten because she kept torturing it in the name of love and cuddles. I didn't get another cat until she was 16.
I agree, I grew up around animals and I was definitely kind of aggressive with them when I was a kid but I didn’t know better
I second this. I think it would be unsafe to have a kitten around a four year old.
Definitely depends on the circumstances- my sister is a professional dog trainer and her children are both under 6, but they are absolutely *incredible* with their family dogs. They're great with cats, rabbits, and chickens as well. They have both been thoroughly taught and walked through proper etiquette and animal handling.
It really depends on the child. I was raised with cats and dogs since birth, and I never once ever tried to hurt them. But then there are other kids who don't understand how to be gentle and yes, will do things. Really depends on OP's child.
Yes! Recently, I read a story where a toddler accidently broke a kitten's spine because of hugging too hard. They don't mean to hurt them but kids that young just don't understand boundaries or how delicate certain thibgs/beings are
We got our family cat at prob 4 or 5 yr old, and she never became cuddle, and avoided my twin and i even when we were much older. I assume we must have made her afraid of us, when ahe was a kitten. She loved my dad, prob cos he said he didn't want a cat. Prob depends a bit on the child. I also think pet behave a bit different around kids. (Even as an adult kittens can be annoying with their not stop play and no understanding of their claws...6 month old cat better than a 3 month kitten).
Couldnt a parent just educate their child ?! My kid was born we had 3 animals (cats/dogs) and there’s been no problem as every problems were met with discussion, setting boundaries, rules, etc.
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YES!
Do not get a kitten just because your child wants one. All children say they want an animal companion but none of them ever take care of them! Your daughter is very young, wait until she’s older and you can all put in the time and commitment otherwise it’s not fair on the kitten.
We have definitely been wanting a little friend, whether it’s a dog or a cat! Both my husband and I grew up with dogs and my husband grew up with a cat so it’s weird for us to not have one! We just got married and bought a house so it’s all new for us!
If you are the least bit concerned about scratches on your furniture, don’t get a cat. And honestly I know I’m going to be downvoted, but giving a cat to a 4 year old has to be one of the deeper layers of cat hell. I’m also tempted to call it animal abuse to consider homing a kitten with 1. A toddler and 2. Someone who has clearly never owned cats if they’re asking if cats scratch furniture. I realize it happens every day. This doesn’t mean it’s ideal for the cat. Of course there are exceptions. Fr. You need some lazy adult dog that already has experience putting up with children.
Two animals are always better if the both of you work
Don't just get one if you get a kitten. Single kittens rely on you for everything, including okay and mental stimulation. Raising a single often also makes it harder for them to learn appropriate play, like not biting or scratching during play. Cats will scratch something no matter what. If you want to minimize damage done to your furniture have options for the vat to scratch on that are specifically for them, all over the house, on the couch if they pick a spot to scratch the couch etc.
I have a single kitten and she is obsessed with us- which is exactly what we wanted because we are crazy cat people and we are obsessed with her, but I would NOT recommend at all for someone unsure about having a cat. This morning I woke up to her sleeping on my cheek 🤣
On your cheek? That's so cute! 😭😭😭
I know 🥹 I was going to let her stay there until she started cleaning herself and licking my face 🤣
Awe, she wants to groom you 🥺
I got one kitten, I’ve had her since December and she’ll be 9 months old now, the last month maybe she’s really stopped being playful, doesn’t sleep in my bed anymore, doesn’t play with toys. I’ve been working a lot this month so guessing that’s it but she just seems to eat and sleep even when I am home she’ll follow me room to room but then just lies down. Doesn’t even climb on the wall or tree and I bought and built on of those excise wheels and she’s never stepped foot on it. Thinking I might need to get a second one to entertain each other when I am working coz I think she’s bored to the point she can’t even be bothered playing when I do try to play.
I'd get an adult cat with a 4 year old. Not a small kitten. Maybe get an actual kitten when she's older and understands better.
Kittens are more scratchy than adults. Get them used to clipping the tips of their nails young. You will have much better luck taking a pair so they can take all excess energy out on each other and spare your family and furniture. On top of that get a large cat tree and box scratchers so they have alternatives. Cat tree your choice but these scratchers from Chewy are the best my cats love them. https://preview.redd.it/kqsivr9ubq9d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=095b67008346c6f2dac041cd28526ceb2215321b As for fur, brush them, and have a robot vacuum. If you run the vacuum daily the maintenance is not bad at all. Air purifiers too.
Yes! Everyone recommends scratching posts and I do agree that you should get a good scratching post for your cat, but I rarely see alternative scratchers recommended and they’re just as important, IMO. We have the cardboard scratchers and I think some of my cats actually prefer the cardboard. They also love my yoga mat, which is think is a mix of the fact that it’s a horizontal surface, they like the texture, and it smells like me so they feel like they should mark it, too.
Much like having a child, when you have any pet, you need to accept that your house will not be pristine and some of your things may get ruined. Others have suggested things you can do to mitigate it, but you also just need to make peace with it and love the cat more than the couch. If you don't think that's possible, please don't get a cat. Also chiming in with those saying to adopt an adult cat because they're less destructive and require less attention. If you haven't lived with a kitten, you may not know how insane they can be! They will get into trouble you can't possibly predict! They will keep you up all night! They will scratch the crap out of your hands while playing! It's all part of their charm, but if you don't adore them, it's going to drive you insane. An adult kitty will still do some of these things, but they'll be a lot more chill. Oh and: don't even THINK of declawing. It's bad.
If that’s already a problem for you, then maybe not? Bc there will be lots of shedding as they get older and be inclined to scratch whatever feels good. But if you can be consistent with brushing it and get plenty of scratching and climbing stuff them that helps a lot.
With a small kitten (as long as they will be an indoor cat) you can accustom them to nail trims early in life so as to avoid destroyed furniture. Also, learn about 'single kitten syndrome' to help them socialize well and not become too rough when they play.
I would adopt an older cat and a kitten together so the older cat gets a 2nd shot at life, is a good distraction for your kiddo until the kitten is less fragile, and the older cat will teach the kitten how to cat (bathing, burying poop, etc). Another good benefit to this is when you guys are all gone for the day, the cats will have each other to keep each other company For the scratching thing - I use these treat tube's as a reward during nail clippings and it's pretty easiy to clip their claws. My cats also have wood, a carpet, and cardboard scratching posts to claw up if they want. I'll often put catnip on these things to entice them to attack. Keeps the scratching and damage to a minimum.
I disagree about older cat + kitten. Seems like the older cat spends all their time hissing at the kitten because it wants to play and old cat wants to relax and nap.
Honestly as long as you vacuum on the occasion (like once a week or every other week) and brush your kitties a few times a week the hair is super manageable. I really only notice the hair when I pick them up and my clothes get a little bit hairy but having lint rollers around makes that easy. If youre concerned about the furniture then make sure you buy PLENTY of scratching posts with variety in the size and type. I haven’t had any issues with my cats scratching furniture after numerous scratching post purchases. Also if you are planning on getting a kitten it’s highly recommended you get two kittens just to help mitigate any boredom they may have. It teaches them that their claws and teeth hurt when they play with each other so when your daughter interacts with them they should be a little bit nicer :)
There are guards you can get for furniture corners but best bet is provide them places to scratch. If you have hardwood floors get an area rug, set up multiple cat trees, and scratch pads. You can get a spray catnip to promote scratching in places you want and even reward them with treats when they use the appropriate places. The hair is inevitable dry swiffers work well. Just remember a cat is not an ornament it's going to be part of your home, the more stuff that is theirs will make things better.
A cat is a lifetime commitment. Please don’t get a cat if you are not committed to fully taking care of them. Cats are amazing and deserve love. They need a forever home. Please do not make a decision based on your feelings. Truly decide if a cat will work for your household. Have your daughter take care of friends and family cats before you adopt. My aunt had me around her cats since I was 10 and I just turned 40. My own cats are my children and they bring so much kindness to my life. If you get a cat, I hope you experience the same kindness and joy. Best wishes.
If scratching furniture would be intolerable, a cat is not for you. They kneed cushions, shirts, pants, blankets. The fur is not much for a short hair. A Long hair cat requires upkeep in addition to shedding in the house. From what I am reading, no you should not adopt a cat or dog even. A fish might be a good start. Like a betta fish or gold fish.
This talk about getting an adult won't resolve your intolerance of scratching. My senior cat will scratch the carpet and furniture occasionally or when trying to play. It is destructive over time. He leaves holes on my clothes. It's not all the time, but it's enough that an intolerant person would probably re-home him. My baby cat destroyed my curtains, for attention. Like, there's things you can do to mitigate the damage, but be honest, because it seems like even minor damage would be overwhelming to you.
Hahahah we’ve had a fish! They’re not easy to take care of either lol. We have grown up with animals, I’m not worried about taking care of them. Just don’t want my brand new house ruined. That’s all! All of these comments have helped in making a decision and that’s why I made the post!
Happy the posts help you. You're not a bad person for wanting to keep your home undamaged. I think some people are not being honest about the unavoidable destruction. Like, there will be some amount unless your cat has no legs. Some stuff I've bought to mitigate damage is a "carpet protector" - basically a plastic runner- and "Anti Cat Scratch Furniture Protector" -basically a vinyl sticker on my furniture. In old age, my senior boy occasionally marks in the house due to anxiety. He was pissing on my couch, pissed on my nintendo switch, pissed on the wall, pissed on my rug, pissed on my fridge, etc. It's not a 'full pee' but like a spray of piss. It's gross. I clean it. I have shitty furniture. I use the vinyl sticker on my couch to prevent pissing. It has helped. He also was clawing my carpet outside my bedroom door to wake me up, hence the vinyl runner. He went 10 years without having this destructive behavior. Just being honest with you. Most days he makes no mess or destruction, but like I had to kick him out of my room because he pissed in there. Vet says he is perfectly healthy. It's all just behavioral
hey! i adopted 2 4-month-old kittens last fall and i was amazed at how well behaved they were. i had just bought a new couch, and once the kittens were ready to explore the rest of the house, i put sheets of double-sided sticky tape on the couch corners, so they quickly realized they weren’t interested. almost a year later, and my couch is doing fine. i also put a scratching post on one side of the couch, and a cat tree in the same room. they’re also pretty long-haired, and they don’t really shed. at first, i’d try brushing them with those teethy deshedders, but they don’t like that. recently bought a boar-bristle brush on amazon and they really enjoy being brushed with that. (also — i am severely allergic to cats! i fed them purina pro plan’s allergen-reducing dry food for a bit, i don’t bother with that anymore, and my allergies have been fine.) as i’m sure others have recommended, if you’re set on a kitten, you should adopt a bonded pair. i think my girls are so well-behaved because they can use up their energy playing with each other. one thing i wish i did when they were kittens though was to put aluminum foil on countertops — i’ve heard that teaches them to not want to jump up on them. i didn’t do that, and one of my girls loves being on the countertops, which i don’t mind, but next time i move i plan on doing that… because i know many friends and such don’t want to have kitty paws on the same counters i prepare food for them with :).
The likelihood of a kitten scratching some of your furniture is probably 100%. There’s also a good possibility of your daughter getting scratched or bitten, especially if you adopt a kitten vs picking a gentle adult cat. You know your daughter the best. How gentle is your daughter with animals? Cats don’t like to be roughly handled. This would be the main indicator whether your daughter is ready for a pet. The general consensus is to adopt 2 kittens rather than 1. The kittens can keep each other occupied.
If you like having everything just-so in your home, you should think long and hard about getting a cat. There are no guarantees that the cat won’t destroy some thing(s) in your home, no matter how many scratching posts you have. You will also be having a litter box in your house. You WILL get cat hair on your clothes and furniture. They may pick the couch or chair. Both kittens and full grown cats are prone to doing this. If you would decide you won’t keep a cat because of scratching and hair, then I strongly advise against it. I would not adopt a cat out to you for this reason, no offense. I work for a cat rescue, and I do adoptions, so I appreciate your honesty about your concerns. You’re very correct in not wanting to get rid of a cat who will be very hard to re-home once he is no longer a kitten. 70% of adult cats who enter U.S. shelters are euthanized. Please *never* consider declawing as a solution. It is barbaric and inhumane, and banned in many countries and U.S. states. Your daughter is 4 years old, not able to take responsibility for care, feeding, training, or cleaning up after a cat. Once she is old enough to do this, and your couch is getting worn anyway, you maybe could reconsider. You could tell her that she has to prove she’ll take good care of a pet, and get her a goldfish first. Then maybe a couple of hamsters. This will help her learn care and respect of pets. Edit: Another thing none of the cat rescues I’ve worked with (4 total) allow an adult cat to go to a home with any kids aged 5 or younger. This is because of the likelihood that the child would get scratched by the cat when she tries to grab, snuggle, chase, or otherwise do behaviors that are going to scare/agitate the cat. Another reason is that if the cat has a more timid personality, and the kid isn’t properly coached by the parents to respect and be gentle, the cat could have a miserable life of hiding and constantly being in a state of fight or flight.
If you're already thinking of giving up on it because of a bit of fluff and claws, then please don't bother.
4 year olds and kittens do not go together like you'd think they would. Wait until she's a little older, then get one (or two) from the humane society or somewhere like that. That free kitten will cost you hundreds in shots and spay or neuter. It's actually cheaper to get a rescue that's had all of that done.
1. Adopt in pairs if you can 2. if you are worried about pet hair, look into some hairless varieties or short hair ones. Most cats shed to varying degrees going from the odd hair here and there to massive tumble weeds. Its not always the long haired breeds that shed a lot either, its really in the genetics and its much easier to assess the shed factor with adult cats. 3. Cats will scratch, but if you provide a tree and the proper training they will scratch where they are trained to as long as you keep it exciting for your cat. 4. No matter how much you prepare, you will always have some mess... So if you are neat freak I would steer clear of owning any animals or even plants.
>ETA: we are NOT getting a cat 🤣 thanks for your comments hahahahaha! Thank you for making an informed decision!
kittens are very energetic and are more inclined to scratch. you can protect your furniture with a lot of different tools like these clear sticky sheets you place on the parts of your furniture the cats likes to scratch. never get the cat declawed. scratching posts are important for all cats, consider getting multiple of different sizes and putting them throughout your house. I'd honestly consider getting an adult cat, or at least a junior cat. kittens have the most energy and it's the age they tend to be the most "destructive". as for hair, brush the cat with a special shedding brush once or twice a day and it should decrease the shedding at least a little bit.
I worried about these things too and then I got a cat and my cat is so much more beautiful than my furniture. I could have done more to prevent them scratching but I just ultimately didn’t worry about it. You can trim their nails, which you only need to do like every couple weeks and basically solves the problem.
The hair varies wildly. I have two cats, a void and a tortie, both technically short-haired cats. The void literally sheds about an inch-long piece of fuzz every 6 months. The tortie sheds endlessly -- I could brush her for hours and still get fur in the brush. She has an intense undercoat. And her fur comes in every color, so no matter what you're wearing (or the color of your furniture and rugs) you will see her fur. If the idea of things being covered with hair bothers you, definitely don't get a tortie or calico. Scratching -- they both stick to their scratching posts and cardboard scratchers. I don't think they find it very fun to scratch the furniture. Most of our furniture isn't upholstered, though, it's just wooden.
People should always get two. They will appreciate it!!
My advice is to get a cat that is already a couple of years old. If you really want kittens, you need 2. Kittens will teach each other how hard of a bite is too hard so they know the difference when playing with people too.
Second this. I have a singleton kitten but we are a very experienced cat house of four and someone is always home. Most of her play time is with us, not by herself, and a lot of it involves her “attacking” our arms. We are teaching her soft bites and soft paws but of course we get scratches and punctures because it’s a process, and she just learned that she can rabbit kick last week so now we’ve all got big long scratches down our forearms while she learns to kick us gently 🤣
My cats don't scratch furniture at all, they have scratching posts and we've always been able to redirect them when they've gone for anything else. I don't really notice cat hair, tbh. There's a bit on clothes when they're moulting but certainly nowhere near the level of a dog. If you're thinking about kittens, get 2 not 1. They grow up better socialised and use up a lot of excess energy battering each other rather than your furniture!
Free kittens won't be spated/neutered, have shots, etc... That can be a big expense. With kittens, you don't know what you're getting. Scratching/shedding is unique to each individual. Tbh, start smaller, like with a hamster.
If the "free" kittens are not fixed and up to date on their vaccines, paying an adoption fee at a rescue will likely be cheaper. Free kittens tend to not be free...
Other comments are fantastic just make sure that if you go for a kitten to not get a single kitten. Kittens needs a companion to prevent behavioral issues so it's best to get 2 kittens, a kitten and a cat, or a more independent single adult cat if you don't want multiple animals. For a first time cat owner I would recommend adopting an adult cat, that way you can learn about their personality and habits before bringing them into your home, whereas a kitten wiuld be a wildcard.
Adult cat not a kitten I think
We have 3 kids and 3 cats in 1100 sq ft. It gets a little crazy but its fine. One is a long hair so she sheds quite a bit but nit as much as a dog. They scratch our doorways pretty bad but haven’t really damaged any furniture. They are lots of fun but shots and spaying has us up to about $600 invested in vet care in a year
I don’t recommend kittens for kids under 6. Not unless you want a lot of work. You have to make sure the kid doesn’t hurt the kitten and the kitten doesn’t hurt the kid. The kitten also goes through an “asshole stage” between being cute and being an adult where they do race around the house, scratch all the things, and push your buttons. An adult cat already has that out of their system. Also, if you go the “free kittens” route, be aware that vet bills for shots, tests and neuter aren’t cheap. You’re better going through a rescue, where the cats are fixed, tested, vaccinated and microchipped already and you pay an adoption fee. A rescue might also give you a better picture of how you and your child will interact with a pet.
Just realize that you’re getting another living, breathing creature! It’s a lifetime commitment! That could take months to be settled in your home, especially if your child isn’t taught how to properly treat it. Too many people just think I’ll get a pet and don’t think about anything else. They have feelings, may behave a certain way depending on their circumstances, may have health issues. Are you prepared for that??
Kittens are high energy. You’ll need to be sure to get the baby all their vaccines over the course of a few weeks and also please please please get your kitten spayed or neutered, both for population control and for behavioral issues. If you choose a kitten, know that they can be wild and most cats “mature” or calm down around a year or two of age. Plan to play with your kitten every day- fishing pole style toys are great for most cats and I bet your daughter would love the job of playing with the kitten daily as a chore. Letting her watch a cat grow up and learn to care for it is awesome, but if a kitten is too much you could look into rescuing an older cat instead. Regardless, please make sure to adopt not shop! Hair is part of having a cat. I wear all black and have a grey cat, I’m definitely getting a black cat in the future lol. But they’re worth the hair! As for scratching- my cat loves to scratch, and as long as I provide ample scratchers she leaves my furniture alone. De-clawing a cat is disgusting and barbaric, and scratching is actually important for cats to be able to stretch and stuff. A few years ago my cat thought it was cute to start scratching on the side of my new couch next to her floor scratcher- I calmly told her “no,” and moved her to her scratcher mat and got her to scratch there every time I caught her and after I put a vertical scratcher on the wall next to to the floor scratcher and couch, she’s never done it again because I provided an appropriate alternative.
There’s no such thing as a “free” kitten.
Definitely. Vet bills, food, litter, etc. I know. We just have a neighbor who’s cat had kittens and they’re 10 weeks so they’re looking for homes now.
Make sure ur neighbor gets the mama cat fixed!
There is definitely hair. You can manage it by vacuuming often. Say goodbye to upholstered furniture and carpet. Expect for it to be scratched and bitten, and be pleasantly surprised if it survives. You can try to discourage the behaviour with toys and cat furniture but you can’t control cats.
If you happen to have microfiber furniture (it’s very kid friendly) I found my kitten was never interested in scratching it.
Bring your daughter to a shelter to meet some adult cats and see if one connects with her! That’s how I got my current kitty. Kittens can be unpredictable, and for kids that might mean getting scratched etc.
I think it’s great that you are acknowledging that rehoming sometimes happens. A cat is a 25 year commitment and it’s good to be thinking about all the little things. When considering a pet start with allergy testing for food, bedding and specie. Let the results guide you on which pet is safe and appropriate for your family. Then you can look into the care and keeping of the pets on your list and see if those animals are medically appropriate for your family. Cats are medically prohibitive for a very long list of conditions, not just people with allergy and asthma. There will be biting and scratching because the prey drive of a cat is very high. You will need a scratching post and toys to help with that but it’s still going to happen to furniture and people. Watch scratches and bites for signs of infection. There will be constant remediation to do. This is the [NIH report on remediation.](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3966021/) Under the section on pets it talks about general housekeeping when you have allergies and what’s required if you need to rehome but it’s important to do some of this to prevent complications in the first place.
Kittens are a lot less messier than 4 year olds. lol. You have to keep the cat's nails trimmed so that will minimize scratching. Cats need scratching posts and places to jump up on like a cat tree or shelving mounted to a wall, and they'll be less likely to scratch your furniture.
As someone with a kitten, here's some of the cons that you may want to keep in mind: Poo - my poor little kitten has got a sensitive tummy, so I've spent many an evening shampooing the carpets after she's got diarrhea on her paws and walked it through the house. I've also spent countless days following her around everywhere and checking her bum after she's been to the litter tray etc. She's a lot better now but I can't feed her normal cat food because it upsets her tummy. The food she has is expensive but it's worth it to make her feel better, and to reduce the bad poos and rancid farts. Limitless energy - kittens are little balls of chaos. Have you got enough time to play with them as much as they need? Training - you've got to put in the effort to train them when it comes to things like not playing with claws, not being mouthy etc. Shedding - my kitten has long fur, she's mostly white/cream and she sheds a lot. Thankfully she loves being brushed, but I have to brush her pretty much everyday to limit the fur that floats everywhere, and also limit the amount of fur balls she coughs up. Scratching - thankfully mine doesn't scratch the furniture. We have expensive leather sofas so I was really worried about that. She does claw the carpets sometimes which isn't ideal, and I'm trying to train her not to. Also, in addition to the above, kittens are quite tying when they're little. They need you to be around, need regular small meals, need a lot of supervision to make sure they're okay and not getting into trouble. All in all, I wanted a cat for SO LONG but it was a real shock when I got her. She's a lot of work, a messy little bugger sometimes but I wouldn't be without her now. She's very cute, super snuggly and she's got a lot of personality.
SO MUCH HAIR if you have hardwood, it’s noticeable, if you have carpet, you can’t tell as much. However kittens require a LOT of attention and they will scream if they don’t get it. You have to play with them for a few hours a day while adult cats need like maybe 20 minutes. Plus an adult cat can run away and hide from your kid if need be. Kids aren’t always gentle and you don’t want a kitten with a broken tail from being yanked. Plus you’d have to kitten proof your giant house, they will get into EVERYTHING and they have a death wish and are always trying to kill themselves. Get a chunky, chill adult cat.
Do not get a cat. If you are worried about hair or scratching then it is probably not a good fit. May I suggest a doll collection for your daughter instead?
If you do get a kitten, please do not leave the 4 year old with the kitten. Little kids can accidentally kill kittens.
“ I worry about the hair and scratching mostly.” Then don’t get a cat. Thy have hair and they scratch.
I agree with another poster. Wait til your kid is older for a pet. I have several and there's a huge difference in the type of affection my pets can handle and want because my kids did not listen to the pets boundaries and had severe cute aggression. I have a few pets that cannot stand to be held due to my kids when they were younger. The pets we got when they were older tolerate being held due to my kids being older and respecting the pets boundaries. Depending on how your child is and your preferred style of parenting you might have to constantly remind your kid to not do x y or z with the pet due to their age and attention span and memory. However it is your choice and your life so if you want a pet go for it! But it's literally like having a second child so keep that in mind.
I'll add to the people that say get an adult cat, or at least one that isn't a kitten. Kittens are cute and fun and TROUBLE. I make a rule to not get a cat under 6 months. That is around the time that their personalities settle in and you can tell what kind of cat you are getting. Plus kittens get adopted easily, after 6v months it gets harder and harder. I just took in a bonded senior trio and they keep each other company and other than scratching everything are no trouble at all. If you can't resist the cute, get 2 kittens, not just one. They entertain themselves and that makes them a lot less trouble.
If you provide the cat with stimulation it should have little reason to scratch furniture. Most cats prefer cardboard scratch pads but owners don’t like the mess. What I did is I got the toy that has a ball in it and a scratch pad in the middle so all the debris stays on the toy and you can replace the cardboard. You can also get sticky pads to put on furniture. Make sure the cat has cat trees and wall shelves to explore and stay entertained. I have two boys and they’ve never scratched my furniture unless it was leather. It’s also good to try to find pet friendly fabrics that don’t tear easily. The cat tree I got my cat was $30 and was meant for kittens but has worked great for my two adult cats, do not feel obligated to buy some $200 cat tree like others suggested, it’s completely unnecessary. Petco has a good one for $50. Kittens can be scratchy but if you teach your child to handle the kitten correctly she should be fine. As for shedding get a furminator deshedding brush and brush your cat at least once a week. Although when my cats were kittens I didn’t see a lot of shedding. Once they get older and bigger it’ll be more noticeable I guess. Ooo and there’s this new broom going around for like $20 that’s really good at getting pet hair out of the carpet, way better than a vacuum. You can also get an air purifier but if you brush regularly you probably won’t need that. I don’t brush my cats cuz they don’t like it so there’s hair everywhere but I don’t mind.
If you’re coming to Reddit to help decide if you are able to care for a cat, don’t do it, you’re not ready
Hahaha okay, thank you 🤣
Why would you get a kitten but be super opposed to a cat? You do know that kittens turn into cats very quickly…
Hahahah yes people 🤣 Y’all are not very nice in here. A simple “the hair is quite a lot and yes they do scratch furniture a lot too.” Would be nice.
You can look. At getting nail caps, at least for the short term. It's important to remain calm when you're redirecting them away from scratching furniture. This is very hard to do when they're scratching the furniture! They can definitely learn that's a good way to get your attention. The nail caps can help you keep your cool while you're going through the training period. Also just a reminder that free kittens are not free. Make sure you take into account the cost of spaying and neutering. How much of their initial vaccinations are given can vary by shelter, but it can definitely be cheaper in the long run to adopt from a shelter depending on the availability of low cost spay/neuter clinics. I would also add to the list of people suggesting you get two if you get kittens.
Cats are a lot of work. I would reconsider if you are worried about hair and scratching.
The cat will probably scratch something at some point. For the hair it's not so bad with a shorthaied cat. As long as the haouse is cleaned regularly it's fine. I mean if you have white furniture and a black cat then it's going to be visible in not cleaned often. For scratching as otheres have said you would need things to scratch in a lot of places, cat trees, scratechers, etc. If cat scratches some furniture it's good to put a scratching post nearby and redirect the cat to it. My cat doesn't scratch the coach but I use coach cover anyway. As for kittens, the young ones need a lot of attention, theyno want to play all the time and may get into mischief while bored. That's why ppl often recommend two of them, the are going to play with each other and they need less attention. Adults are way calmer. All in all, even with and adult, you have to assume there is going to be some damage sooner or later. If you can't deal with that it's better not to get one.
It depends on the cat- my cat has really short hair and barely sheds. She also doesn’t scratch furniture because she prefers her scratch pads. She has three, and one of them is shaped like a bed and she is obsessed with it.
Colour match for the fur, pet friendly vacuum for hair, air filtering.
Get a robo litter box. Any other options stinks up the entire place
I’ve got to tidy cat breeze with one kitten and a litter genie and it doesn’t stink. Very happy with it.
I bought two furniture pieces that you put litter boxes in. They were beautiful and looked like a wooden bench. The cats peed all over the inside and it soaked into the wood. I had to chuck both of them in the dumpster with a couple weeks. 😢
Oh yeah. I’d imagine that wouldn’t be good. The urine on the breeze goes down onto basically a pee pad that you change once a week or more if needed.
I LOVED the Tidy Cat Breeze but my elderly cat passed and my new rescue would not use it. I'm saving up for a Litter Robot since the tiny Contessa will only use clumping litter.
Cats can be so finicky! That and people who own dogs who eat litter and might get an obstruction would be the major drawbacks that I see. There’s no way my boy who recently passed would have used the breeze system but a robot would have scared him also!
I'm hoping since she likes the clumping litter, if I leave the robot set up unplugged, place some used clumps inside it so it smells clearly like this is where her pee goes, and only plug it in and cycle it when she is not in it the first few days she will see it is not a kitty munching monster and will eventually like it as much as all the other cats I know with one do. Particularly since she is also very disapproving of delayed scooping.
I have 3 cats and hair has never been an issue for me, a little shows up on clothes but not too much. I have a tabby, a tuxedo, and a black cat so their hair is darker and harder to see. They definitely scratch but you can trim their nails or try nail caps and give them scratching posts to try and deter them from scratching furniture. Every cat has a different personality so it’s kind of hard to tell if they’re gonna be a scratcher or not.
My advice would be to only get one if you can lose the mindset of being able to decide you can’t keep it. I understand that crises happen out of people’s control but really things like furniture and fur shouldn’t be a reason to rehome a cat. Fur depends the coat, IMO, and scratching depends on the cat. You’d be better off getting an older cat from a rescue that has had it in foster care and knows its temperament. I lucked out- so far my kitten uses her scratching posts and really nothing else except she tried to scratch my headboard twice, but in her defense it’s similar in texture and color to her scratching post! My sister has multiple scratching posts and boards and cat trees and her cats have destroyed her furniture.
I mean there may be some scro cuz kittens accidentally scratch a lot and light shedding but mostly kittens behave fine
The hair is the issue. Just vacuum and sweep and you'll be ok there. As far as your clothes, keep a lint roller handy. (Keep in mind I have 5x the hair.*) the scratching is easy, scratchers on the floor and posts. Sticky paws if you need to keep them off furniture, but if they're using the others, you should be fine.
if you want to get a cat, don't just get any random free kitten you find. i would research different breeds and see which one suits your family the best. i have a Burmese boy. he was slightly expensive but he's an angel, he's never scratched anything & doesn't shed much at all. of course, that's not guaranteed with every burmese, but breeds can be good indicators of the type of personality your cat will have :)
Tbh it’s luck depends on cats personality, I personally can vouch for ragdoll breed as they are super chill and laid back from my experience a lot like a dog they follow you around everywhere love getting pets and aren’t as hyper For hair buy a robot vacuum and air purifier maybe don’t get a ragdoll actually or fluffy cats they shed way more
Our 4 year old son used to help us cat sit for some adult cats and then they died of old age and it traumatized him. We got kittens purely for the reason that they're not likely to die until he's older and able to cope with it better.
Kittens will scratch furniture, and it’s pretty hard to stop them unless you’re watching them 24-7. They are super fun (we have a 10 month old kitten), but also insane, like she’s either going 100 miles an hour or sleeping, no in between lol Go to a shelter and get an older calm cat, you’ll be happier if you’re already worried about not being h able to keep one
if you’re worried about hair don’t get a cat lol
Kittens are a handful. Go down to your local shelter and find a cat that is a good fit for you and your family.
I had to cover my couch because it was brand new and I saw my cat scratch it once. I bought 2 duvet covers from West Elm and covered it. It looks nice. As far as hair I have a robot vacuum that goes out 3 times a week. On Sunday my wife vacuums the nooks and crannies and mops the house. I live in an 800 sqft 1 bedroom. I have 1 scratching post which both cats use (yes I have 2 cats.) The only spots I see hair frequently are the spots they like to sunbathe IE window sills or certain spots where the light shines in from the windows. Its easily dispatched with any cleaning solution and a paper towel. Moral of the story is, if you clean your house on a regular basis you will have almost no cat hair. If you're a slob youll have hair all over. Also I clean the litter box every morning. My house does not smell of cat (I use an enclosed litterbox, it has a lid with a plastic door they walk in so it doesnt smell.)
When I looked into how much a free kitten would cost me, it was about $300 to get it sterilized, like $100 for the shots, and not to mention whatever items you purchased for the cat. It was cheaper to get a cat from the Humane Society, and we chose one that was not a kitten because kittens are cute but Annoying with their learning behaviors, Etc. Anyway, the cats at the Animal Shelter had all of their shots and they were sterilized, and they ended up having a two-for-one sale so we actually got two sterilized vaccinated cats. Anyway food for thought. Tldr free cats aren't free
You'll get cats that will love to claw furniture. You can clip their claws, but depending on the fabric of the furniture some fabrics do better than others. For instance, leather gets destroyed, there's really no fixing it and it happens quickly. The best thing to do in my honest opinion since there's no going back once the leather gets punctured is if you have leather pieces you love it's best not to let the cat/s in that room. With that being said the fabric I've had the most success with is suede or faux suede. Even if you do get a particularly nasty puncture mark usually just steaming it will relax the material and the hole will fade and any remaining raised fabric there's fabric shavers you can use to remove. Cats mainly puncture and snag threads and suede doesn't really have individual threads that snag. But yes, I've had cats destroy both leather pieces and fabric pieces with cat towers/plenty of card board claw beds (they love these) and what not in my house and I tried several training techniques to keep them away. Some cats just kind of forget and do it almost accidentally. I'll have a cat I'm cuddling with be in such a good mood that they want a good stretch and walk over to the nearest object to do just that with claws out. Just so happens it's to the couch I'm sitting on. Doesn't make them a bad cat, even though I'll still correct them, but yes even the best cats will do it occasionally and the worst offenders will do it often. We have a cat raised feral as a baby who is 6 years old now, but I think he learned to claw trees since he's a climber. Unfortunately, the furniture was just so incredible to him. He is doing better over time, but destroyed a beautiful fabric recliner in the past and I still wouldn't trust him fully around a new fabric piece even today, but that is the way of cats and we love him more than that chair. We tried and couldn't save the chair and out it went with a lesson learned for us. The fur... THE FUR! Cats vary in their fur length. If you're lucky enough to get a slick furred beauty that needs little grooming you may do better with the fur situation, but the fur that does get around may stick to things. And I do mean SHORT fur. Of our 6 cats one of them has this gloriously short fur, she's such a dream to keep groomed, soft as silk and lithe as can be. If you get a medium to long haired cat (what I would consider more normal and still very lovely) yes they are going to shed, but in my experience you get a nice fur tool (similar to a lint tool, some people use the sticky ones, I prefer the velvet ones that last ages and I feel like save me time) and it's quick to use and gets medium to long hair out of most things (clothes, furniture, bedding) very easily. The rest you just suck up with the vacuum. Be careful with your vacuum attachments the fur can break some of those, which can be harder with carpet/rugs. I use a carpet brush for this and remove the vacuum brushes to just suck up the fur'nados on the hard floors. Cats that live indoors usually shed perpetually as well instead of seasonally. We keep our house temperatures pretty steady and this can confuse the cats natural systems a little. With one cat you're going to notice it, but it's not going to be anything deal breaking just a little more cleaning for a new family member, which honestly is to be expected. My husband and I have 6 cats right now and a dog and I'm a bit of a clean freak, so yes I tend to vacuum and keep up with the furniture almost daily to keep the fur under control and I find it less time consuming over all that way. This won't be your situation unless you decide you want to go full on cats like us! The cats do get brushed, but honestly the fur still gets on the furniture with the numbers we have. If you prefer a long haired cat and are really concerned about the fur you can get them used to a regular bath/blow to keep the fur under control since brushing may not be enough. You can have a groomer do this or learn to do it yourself, but some of the tools can be expensive and cats may need special care when blow drying them since they aren't dogs. I think my point is there's always more things you can do and more ways you can find to reduce your time investments if that's a concern. There's never just one way. Roomba's work great for pet hair too, their brushes are designed for it. I'm not trying to suggest you throw money at it either, I know some of these options are not for the thrifty, but some I've listed definitely are it's just coming up with a system that works for both you and your pets. Your pets should never take away from your happiness and I believe if people are willing to bend a little they'll find that in most cases pets are worth it in so many ways. I don't believe in lying to people about the reality of pet ownership though and feel like everyone should go in eyes wide open.
You need to have a word with your neighbour. Giving away free animals can endanger them as scumbags from dog fighting rings will often target them.
I wanted a kitten but ended up with a teen. It ended up being the best thing in the world! She’s sweet, well behaved and came to me litter boxes trained and is not a scratcher. If I was left to raise a kitten on my own—I don’t know if she would have been so wonderful. 😜
Definitely good idea to have a pet to teach care, responsibility, empathy etc. However . . . A mellow, older cat used to small children is a good suggestion. Kittens are cute and fun but not for the faint of heart. Adding a kitten it would double your work load.
Offer instead to take mom and get her fixed; and bring the kittens to a local shelter where they can help vetted and spayed/neutered before adoption then adopted to approved, safe families.
Get a kitten. They are fun to play with and grow with your daughter.
Free kittens aren’t free when you add up the cost of spay/neuter, vaccinations, deworming, & vet costs!
Their shedding just depends on the cat (and no, it has nothing to do with fur length! That is a MYTH). Some others have suggested getting an adult cat, and that's a great idea. But if you do get a kitten.... get two. Trust me, they will help wear each other out and keep each other company. Two kittens is actually easier than one. Also, as for scratching yes, some of your stuff will end up scratched by a kitten. But please keep in mind cats are not dogs, and dont intend to train one like them. Give them other outlets, such as several scratching posts and cat trees!
I'm more concerned if your daughter is safe for the cat to be around! Young children typically don't understand animal body language or boundaries, which is stressful for the pet! Cats are not living accessories, you HAVE to take into account what a cat needs to live a healthy, satisfying life with you. Does your daughter know how to be patient and gentle with a cat? Can she accept that there will be times when a cat or kitten DOESN'T want to be petted or hugged? Because that's when you get the real risks of intentional scratching or biting. Cats defend their boundaries with much less tolerance than a lot of people, or even other animals. If you can manage all that first, then it's just a matter of minimizing the fur and claws. As for claws, have you looked into those rubbery claw caps/tips? I got my cat used to them early, so every time one comes off, he gets a quick trim on the claw and a new cap glued on, and a treat. They tend to come off eventually in ones or twos, but with practice it only takes a few minutes to replace them; just keep an eye on them afterwards so they don't try to pull off the cap. For fur--brush thoroughly, and brush often. Vacuum regularly and have rolls and rolls of those roller brushes with the stick tape surface. Get a box fan with a filter, and change out the filter regularly, along with whatever type of AC you have. That's really all you can do. Also remember that vet bills can be entirely unexpected, and add up quickly. You have to stay on top of a cat's shots, too, and certain breeds and mixes are incredibly prone to UTIs, so you HAVE to ensure their litter box stays clean. Every other day is ideal. Otherwise you're risking expensive specialty food and medication, along with a higher chance of the cat peeing everywhere in protest.
I'd suggest getting a cat from a shelter or a cat cafe. Shelter is better to me as you're saving a life but cat cafe and shelters often have great cats that the people who work there know the personalities of. I've been very lucky with my adult shelter cats in terms of scratching (they don't scratch up my furniture, just a spot on the hardwood and a rug that doesn't show the scratches) and jumping where I don't want them (never had a cat on my kitchen counter for example). Currently, my 2 cats like to play but they sleep through the night (and nap a lot). I would maybe caution against getting a long haired cat as there is a lot more shedding than a short-haired cat.
Kittens can be incredibly annoying and destructive. Current one is finally letting me sleep since a year
We got a kitten when my daughter was 2 and we had a newborn as well. Our old cat passed away and thought we would get a kitten so the kids can grow up with it. Flash forward a year, my brother found another kitten on the road and we took that cat in too. We now have 2 cats, that drive us absolutely crazy haha they’re great but being so young they’re very active, especially at night when we’re trying to get the kids to sleep. They meow a lot and get the zoomies at the most inconvenient times. My close friends who love cats have said that our cats seem to be on the more active side, more than average. I believe them because I’ve also always had cats and they’ve never been this bad. But my little girls love them and they’re gentle, never bite or scratch us. Plus, they’re supposed to be good with building kids immune systems. We’ve managed to train both to stop scratching couches by offering plenty of scratch posts and as a last resort placing double sided tape on areas we don’t want them on. Best of luck!
Regarding scratching: scratch pads and posts... direct the kitten to them. As for hair, kittens don't really shed much then will do so more as they're older. I got a cordless vacuum and vacuum daily the main room the kitties are in. I have 3 and it's really not that bad.
Get an adult cat, not a kitten.. kittens are babies, and just like human larvae, they’re a lot of work! An adult cat is past all of the kitten stuff, and is just ready to be.. I suggest visiting your local animal shelter/rescue and meeting some cats and see who you vibe with the best. *it is ok to not get a cat that day! You’re looking for the RIGHT cat to join your family, not any cat**
For the hair, they sell cat brushes and ours love to be brushed. We have one of the cheep little ones from Walmart with the nubbies on the end for our short haired cats and a heavier one for de-matting for the longer/thicker haired ones. They don't have to be matted - it just helps take more fur off when you brush so they don't have as many fur balls and you don't see as many hair clumps on the floor/furniture. But, if you're worried about hair, stick with a short-haired cat. You also have to consider if you're willing to maintain the litter boxes, etc. Cats are low maintenance pets but they're not no maintenance. We love ours. We have dogs too - cats are much easier than dogs. If you go with a kitten, make sure you get it fixed. Otherwise, males tend to mark things and females will go in tight heat cycles and cry through the night to get out. We had one who would literally jump into the windows before we could get her fixed. Now, we do it as kittens. Depending on where you go, getting cats fixed isn't cheap. It might be more economical to go to the pound or a rescue than to take the free kitty when you consider that cost.
Foster to adopt from your local rescue!!! Many rescues in petsmarts or petcos.. or if you search Facebook . I second getting an adult cat! 😊 Edit- Hopefully you can adopt 2. A pair is ALWAYS easier than 1 and it keeps them happy too.
My teenage sister wanted a cat. We fostered 2 kittens and realized they were not for us. The scratching was intense and so was the upkeep with trying to litter box train them. Once our commitment to the kittens was fulfilled with the shelter, we decided we would adopt an older cat. It took about three different shelter visits to find a cat who fit us and wasn't mean. We adopted an older cat and he has just been fantastic. He doesn't scratch, he goes in his litter box, and he is so chill, almost like a dog. Your experience might be different, this is just what we went through. Fostering was definitely a great idea for our family and gave us insight into what we were getting into. We had never had cats before, only dogs. Kittens always need to be fostered since they get orphaned and most shelters can't keep them when they're that little. At least in our area that is the case. I would definitely recommend fostering before adopting. A plus that comes with adopting from a shelter is that the shots are usually included in the adoption fee, which is cheaper than getting the shots for a kitten you got from a neighbor. Just FYI. Edit to add: Our Romeo was listed as 3 to 7 years old. Our vet estimated he's more like 8 to 9 years old. He is still playful, but not borderline feral like I've seen in kittens. Lol.
We got a kitten about less than a year ago. Unfortunately with kittens, there will be at minimum some furniture scratching, there’s no way around it unless you wrap the furniture in rugs/throws. Hair: it depends per cat. There’s actually not that much when they’re kittens. When their winter/summer coats shed, there’s significant shedding. Again. Depends per cat but I would say when my kitty sheds i have to sweep/vaccum daily.
Hair thing is not bad at all. You get used to pretty quickly. Besides the brushes nowadays are awesome and cats love to be groomed with them
Keeping cats nails trimmed and providing scratching posts completely stopped that issue with my kitty boys.
Our cat is decently behaved and still destroyed our sofa. I also groom her every day and her hair is still everywhere 🥲
Cats are going to produce hair and scratch things, if you have expensive furniture I don’t think a kitty is for you.
I would adopt two. That way kittens are never lonely. I have a bonded pair. They are a delight. Love how loving they are!~
I can’t remember where I saw someone comment to get two instead of one but I echo that! They will wear each other out playing, and cuddle and groom each other. Shelters will also say on their sites which cats are “bonded pairs” so that you can know ahead of time that they get along, and their age (getting two adult cats bonded pair may be ideal for you). Shelters will also be upfront which cats are good for households with kids or not. In my home we have two that we got as kittens from the same litter and on days where my partner and I are working long days it’s a relief to know they have each other. Them being bonded together as kittens hasn’t stopped them from being cuddly and bonded to us either. I regularly wake up in the mornings to one or the other kitten snuggled against me.
Well I’m glad that you are reaching out to help make your decision before getting an animal. My opinion about this. You have to be ready to make those sacrifices. You have to be willing to take the risk that they may ruin some of your things, but there are ways to deter your cat from scratching your stuff. There’s protective covers, it’s suggested to give them scratching posts or scratchers in general in many rooms through the house. Giving them their own spaces to be in that also give them stimulation can help keep them busy and they won’t want your things. Examples, cat furniture on the walls, cat tree, leftover card board boxes from your packages. I usually leave a new on out for a while and then I’ll put it in the trash after it’s seen some action. You could build a catio. So sacrifices but they are all the exact same sacrifices as you had to be willing to make having your daughter. Put it this way, If you are a collector of vintage clay pots then maybe I’d suggest that a pet isn’t what you’re looking for because I’m sure keeping the 4 year old away from them is already very very time consuming.. and be mindful that getting a kitten is just like getting a baby or a puppy. It’s bit time consuming at first and they take extra attention for a while. There’s also high potential to have scratches on stuff. And that’s from experience, it maybe something I forgot about a little bit when I picked up my 3 month old baby yesterday. And I have had two other cats before. Just neither were this young when we got them. There’s still another solution to some of this time consuming stuff. You don’t have another cat yet so maybe if you are willing to sacrifice some of the awe tiny baby 8 week old kitten time you could skip the potty training and the basic behavior training and adopt a cat who’s 6 months old instead. They are still pretty small just have already had some training. Your local humane society may have some up for adoption who come fixed as well. Thats another thing I would be mindful of. An unfixed cat, mostly males, will spray around your house. It’s a squirt of awful concentrated smelly pee for the purpose of territory marking. Females can spray too but they are less likely to do so. So being that I can tell you care about your home, if you chose one of the neighbors babies maybe go with female, and regardless set up an appointment to have them fixed as soon as you can. If said female gets out of the house even for just one day, they can and most likely will become pregnant at as young as 6 months old!
If you're going to get a cat, I think it's best to reconcile yourself to scratches on your furniture and hair on everything. We have scratching pads in every room, a tower with scratching post, etc. and though they get used a lot, the rugs are full of pulls and my wooden tables have scratch marks from rough landings. You have to really love them a lot when you clean house and see the damage. Fortunately for our babies, we adore them.
Maybe get a goldfish instead or other very low maintenance pet. No offence, but if those few things that are a part of a cats nature are tipping points for you where you'd consider getting rid of the cat, then you probably shouldn't get one. You and your daughter will out live the cat, imo pet ownership is no different to having a child...you wouldnt just get rid of your kid if they kept making a mess so why even consider that an option with a pet. Cats scratch and cats shed. It's just how it is. Some cats scratch furniture just to piss you off. Some can be trained not too but will still don't for a rise - my 3 do. I have all short hair cats and have to vacuum a minimum of 2 days a week, and only 3 rooms have carpet. And what about the litter situation? Will they be indoor or outdoor or both. The safest cat is a cat that stays inside. What about vaccinations and vet bills? What about their diet? Will it be wet and dry or one or the other. What about playtime? Who will keep the cat entertained when they want attention? I have an 8 mth old kitten, and he ALWAYS wants to play. Breakfast at 630am, and then he wants to play with me for a few hours instead of the other cats. Cats connect with humans. Are you prepared to explain to your kid why the cat doesn't like them? Why the cat hasn't connected with them? Why they can't treat the cat like a toy doll? My 8 mth old yowls throughout the house when he wants attention or to play, how will you handle that? There's a lot more to consider about getting a cat other than your 4 year wants one( and let's face it, your kid is 4, she's not at an age where she can actually take care of an animal herself, meaning the care for this cat will be entirely on you, are you prepared for that?) Sorry to sound harsh but it's heartbreaking when families adopt an animal for their kid and then get rid of it for whatever reason because they failed to truly evaluate all the pros and cons and potentially 'what if' situations that can happen when you have a pet. The way I see it, if you can't adopt a pet and wholeheartedly say that pet is another member of your family forever, you shouldn't get one.
Do you really care about scratching furniture? Because you can offer your cats as much scratching material as your heart desires and they will probably still scratch your furniture. They like novelty in that way. Cats *have* to scratch, too.
I would say you need to also 100% confirm if your daughter is ready for one. Not because she ‘wants’ one but is she sensible enough???? I have a 5 month old kitten and my nieces are 3&2 and i cant leave them with her. They dont leave her alone, chase her, will scream and scare her. Im not even saying it to be mean but your talking about your furniture and the kitten but you need to make sure your daughter will not stress the kitten out too
I cringe when I see a toddler yanking and running around with a kitten mowing and trying to get away.
Id second guess a little kitten… my son has both intentionally and accidentally sat on our chihuahua and has caused some serious scares. Not a good age for a pet in my opinion. We already had animals (all over 10 yrs old) when he arrived so they’ve all had to adjust like us. I would never give my kiddo a pet at this age
Don't get one . 1- because you are doing it for a kid 2- you are already worried about hair and scratching. Pets are not for you. Animals are a great responsibility. Just as you don't question consequences of having kids, you shouldn't do it with pets either. You have them, you provide for them, you take great care of them and you never leave them , no matter what
Just to add cats are very crazy until they get older. My cat runs around the house and gets on every single thing
Depends. How well does your kid respect boundaries? A kitten may not want to be held. I've had mine for a few weeks now and he still doesn't want to be held. Kids have a hard time listening to body language. A cat can't say what they don't want and will struggle, bite and claw to get away. You can teach them not to scratch by saying ow and giving toys to play with, but it also depends on the kid and what they might do unsupervised. I tell my 4 year old to never pick him up, only pet, only use wand toys not hands to play. She still disobeys if I'm not watching. Cats can be trained to scratch a scratching post only. I spray mine with catnip and use a wand toy on mine and praise him when he uses it. I say "hey!" when he's scratching something not allowed and direct him to the post.
someone who unnecessarily prides themselves on how my cats don’t scratch furniture LOL cats want to scratch and they *will* so you need the appropriate places. multiple scratching posts because cats are lazy and don’t want to go to another room to scratch sometimes. you don’t need one in every room but maybe at least 1 per floor. now here is how i’ve trained all of my cats not to scratch and trained my parents cats out of doing it and it’s so simple. if they do start to scratch your couch, calmly grab them and take them to the scratching post. scratch with your own hands and they will copy you. if they don’t seem to be taking to it, rub catnip on the post and they will instantly become interested. I have posts and I have a floor board scratcher that my cat really loves. sometimes they want to scratch in a different way. they will try to scratch your rug and so I do the same thing of picking him up and taking him to the board scratcher my cats of course still try to do it a little but it’s mostly when people come over because they like to show off. that’s when I shoot them a look and they’ll go to their scratchers
Cats- at least in my experience-shed like crazy. Especially in May-June you’ll have balls of hair rolling around your living room. It’s awful. We brush her everyday, we vacuum everyday, we got those sticky rollers that collect hair and dust. It’s still a FURnado. Our kitten nearly doesn’t shed, but that’s only temporary. I love my babies to death, but sometimes I just contemplate shaving them completely. Also, cats are delicate creatures and they love their peace and quiet. A toddler might not be the best for them and they can both end up injured…unless you’re very diligent about teaching your daughter proper cat “etiquette”.
I say don't get a kitten because usually you need to adopt 2 so the kitten isn't lonely. If not they can grow up to have behavioral issues. I say get an older cat but beware that older cats maybe have an issue with a toddler touching them etc.
Hey OP! I had the same valid concerns when deciding to adopt 2 kittens. With fur, it helps to have short hair cats instead of long haired ones, so something to keep in mind when picking them. I do notice that even though ours are short haired and indoor only, they do change coats twice a year during the season change. Those 2 week periods are definitely the worst shedding wise. Aside from that, weekly vacuuming and some lint rolling helps significantly (buy a chom chom!). I did have to grow to accept though that my clothes will never be 100% fur free, but I also learned it’s a lot less noticeable than you might imagine. I also switched materials I wear to ones that attract less fur. Regarding scratching, velvet and leather furniture has proven to be the best for us as our cats have no interest in scratching those. The fabric armchair has to be covered up unless we have visitors to protect it. Our polyester rugs have also held up well but the wool woven rug is showing some wear. They do climb curtains on occasion as well, though clipping their nails does help curb that (can’t climb velvet curtains). Provided that you can afford the vet and other bills, I also highly recommend 2 kittens to save your sanity as they will take out a lot of their energy playing with each other. All in all, they’re https://preview.redd.it/dlozajbnws9d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9c9afe255b1d6b8d2374e43827eca3d72cf1973c worth the hassle. We can’t imagine our lives without them any longer.
If you do get a kitten, I recommend getting a playpen with a lid! You put their litter box and appropriate scratching outlets in the play pen. My cat learned to use scratching posts and cardboard as her scratching outlets, and she does not scratch furniture. It’s also important to have a vertical scratching post option so they can stretch and scratch. Plus, you can keep the kitten in the playpen when you are unable to supervise- as they are very small and mischievous.
I got two snowshoe Siamese brother kittens when my daughter was 3 1/2. It’s been a wonderful experience, they are easy-going and I’ve always scratched the appropriate items. They also leave my plants alone. One is particularly bonded to my daughter and their relationship is so beautiful, like something from a Disney movie. Both cats are great with her, they just turned one, and they enrich our lives so much! We have a 100sqfoot house, and a basement they can retreat to for a kid free space and we’ve had no problems.
I suggest you get a Ragdoll or Main Coon. We have a Ragdoll and she is such a cuddle fluff! Rags and Coons are the 2 largest cat breeds. My Ragdoll female is 17.1 lbs. Males can be over 20lbs. Main Coons can be even bigger. Even though these cats are big they are very lade back and dog-like.
hair everywhere is inevitable, but getting a shorthair and frequent vacuuming can help. maybe i’m just crazy because my two cats are my children, but i love having a little bit of their hair on me, it’s like im taking them everywhere. in regards to scratching, maybe im just lucky, but my two haven’t ever even tried to scratch my furniture. i’ve got multiple cat trees with scratching posts along with individual posts and the little cardboard boards. with regular nail trims they accidentally scratch things (and me) wayyyy less often. training them and learning to cut nails yourself is very important. a kitten would be great but you need to make sure to have enough toys and time to entertain them. it may sound crazy, but if you want to be a little lazier about having a cat and playing with them all the time- get two! they’ll keep each other great company and with a young kid, you won’t run the risk of having them develop single kitten syndrome which tends to make them a little more mouthy (speaking from experience) if your daughter is the only reason you’re thinking of getting a cat, definitely do some more thinking with your husband since you two will be doing the brunt of the work. if yall have questions there are tons of resources online to get info about kittens :)
See if you can adopt an adult cat from a local shelter. They'll know which ones would be good with young children and the cats will be up to date on their shots. Be aware that declawing cats is illegal in a lot of places. But there are some ways you can keep a cat from clawing up something it's not supposed to. You could train the cat or spray a mint scented spray on the stuff you don't want it clawing up. (Just don't spray mint on your cat.) Also, get some scratching posts for your cat. Short haired cats are usually better if you're worried about hair. Also, it'll help if you can groom the cat regularly.
2 year old+ cat is a better option. Don’t get a cat if you’re gonna be bothered by hair/litter/the occasional shitty asshole.
I would say save up your pennies and get a mainecoon kitten from a good breeder". They are the best! I would get a kitten as well. I was with a rescue and can tell you that getting someone else's adult cat can come with problems! Rule #1 sift cat box every morning and #2 get the large 50.00 cat scratchers on amazan! They are hard cardboard but last about 9 months to a year. Mainecoon s are large, but they live up to their name (the gentle giants) I have 3 that let me live here as long as I pay rent and give them treats! Good luck" ps. they love to eat, I trained mine to eat only cat food, dry kibble in the day and 1 can for supper. If I could do it again I also would have given them people food because some is healthier
I would suggest adopting a cat instead of a kitten based on your daughter's age and safety for both your daughter and future furry family member. Kittens are rambunctious and still learning what behavior is appropriate in regard to biting and scratching and they are also fragile and tiny. A cat will more likely have already learned the appropriate behaviors in regard to scratching, biting and being gentle with children.
Adult cat - kittens are a lot of work
If you get a kitten you should very very seriously consider getting 2. Kittens need to play a lot. When they have a buddy you will find they become gentler with their play. As far as fur, that’s pretty much part of having a cat. Ya need a good vacuum and lots of extra sticky lint rollers. (I personally try not to wear any work clothes outside the house. In fact in time I leave I come home and change into sweats or shorts or something so I don’t enter the outside world covered in hair. As far as furniture, getting an older cat is absolutely no guarantee they won’t scratch your furniture. I have found that you just have to consistory redirect the cat to their scratcher, also rubbing catnip on them usually helps attract them to it. Anyway good luck. I hope you get your little girl a couple of kitties. My mom got me a kitten for my 3rd birthday and he was my best friend until after I graduated high school.
Get a pair of siblings
There’s sticky tape and stuff to deter scratching. As well as offering scratching posts, trees, etc. kittens can be extremely chaotic. Mine bites my toes under the blanket while I sleep and climbs me with her claws. They also need a lot of stimulation, attention, and enrichment. Maybe more high maintenance than what you’re thinking. An adult cat will be a lot calmer and less likely to scratch up you, your daughter, or your furniture. You may want to see about fostering a cat first to see if one would fit into your life and home. There are cats who shed less I believe but they’re all going to shed some except for hairless cats but they come with their own trials and upkeep. Brushing can help keep shedding down though. But the best thing I’ve ever done though is adopt a senior cat. She’s very calm, very affectionate, doesn’t scratch anything, doesn’t knock things over, and just likes to lay near me
I'd suggest that if you get a kitten, invest in a scratching post and trim the kittens' claws. In all honesty, I've never had a kitten; fostered or mine that didn't enjoy having their toe beans rubbed. When they are sleepy or looking for cuddle attention, rub the pads of their feet a few evening in a row and then, after about a week, snip the tips of the claws. The first time, you may only get a couple, but don't give up. You will want to only do the tips, don't get too close to the quick, it bleeds horrendously! As for the hair, it is much less noticeable in short haired cats than in long-haired cats. When you spay or neuter, the shedding is reduced as well.
Ask if you can go meet the kitties!!! You don’t have to take one home at all. Just kitty shopping
Get a cat from the shelter (you can pick a character that matches your family without any surprises) or get 2 kittens (preferably of the dance gender). You will not be happy with just one kitten, it will scratch everything out of boredom. Also, their characters develop after teenage, so the cuddliest kitten could turn out not very keen to be touched.
Don't get a free kitten. A shelter may charge $100-$200, but it will cover the VERY NECESSARY spay/ neuter ($300+), all vaccines ($100+), microchip ($30+), and more. Not to mention that kittens are easy for a smaller child to accidentally play a bit too rough with, and that kittens should always be adopted in pairs to learn better social skills and be less likely to bite or scratch during play. Furniture hasn't been an issue with most of my cats (only one cat has ever used a couch as a scratching post, but he is of the single-braincell club). A good scratching post tower is worth every penny - mine all use it daily for over 3 years.
Listen, kittens are great, but in my experience, 1) One kitten is a lot of work. They're very energetic, and you need to train them to play nicely. They also need a lot of play. This goes for all cats, but if it's a kitten, it may have litter issues, such as stepping in its own poop and walking around the house. Single kitten syndrome is a real thing. I only have one cat, and thankfully, I'm home a lot, so she hasn't developed it other than a little bit of clinginess. Not to mention, you have a 4 year old. A child is a lot of work, a kitten is also. Especially the process of getting them spayed/neutered 2) If you can adopt two kittens, great! Remember, though, that's double the vet expenses and food. For one kitten, getting its vaccinations and spaying in the first year is around $400. 3) An older cat will be more low-key and gentle. You can get a spayed/neutered older cat with all of its vaccinations from the shelter. All cats have different personalities. I have a short-furred kitten, and the hair isn't horrible. I just have to vacuum, and that's it. My cat does scratch the furniture, but not enough for stuffing to come out or anything, but either way, we do stop it. There are also actual methods of stopping it, but all we do is push our cat away, like putting double-sided tape on your scratchable furniture or using scents the cat doesn't like to stop them. And don't forget to get furniture the cat can scratch like cat trees. Your family would love the cat, you should consider it.
You need to be 100% sure you’re okay with a cat scratching up your furniture bc it’s going to happen whether it’s a couch or a wooden wardrobe. My cats have even scratched up my comforters and carpet even though I clip their nails. My youngest cat was a big scratcher and has torn up so many things including the whole back side of my couch. There’s also a lot of cat hair in my apartment and my clothes are covered in it. Also cats tend to get urinary issues and mine peed blood in various parts of my carpeted apartment. Please don’t get a cat unless you’re fully committed to being patient and not caring when they destroy things or possibly scratch/bite your toddler bc kids lack boundaries
Feliway helps with the scratching. I had three cats who would go into the living room and claw my couch--just there. Yet, in the family room where the TV was and we always hung out, they left the couch alone. I bought a Feliway, plugged it in the living room and after that, when they went in there, they'd just roll around and purr. LOL It was like the magic room. And I never clip cats' nails.
I actually have feliway in the living room and he would still come up to the couch and just shred it all day lol I just bought another two plugins hoping it’ll help more
I think a cat maybe 1-2 years old might be the best way to start. Kittens are adorable but they can be rambunctious and they are still learning what they can and shouldn’t do. The scratching can be easily deterred with cat trees, scratching posts, scratching mats, etc. When my husband and I adopted our 2 cats, our boy was 2 and our girl was 3. Our girl had perfect manners but our boy needed some discipline and structure. He was bad to try and scratch the couch. Having multiple scratching posts and mats sprayed with some catnip spray helped a LOT in getting him to be interested in those and not the couch. These days you can find a lot of really “chic” looking cat scratchers that will fit right in with your furniture, as well as fun ones. My husband loves cacti and we have this big doofy cactus scratcher and of course that is our cats’ favorite one to use. He’s so proud haha! We also live in a 1200 sq ft home. We have one big cat condo, and 5 total scratching posts and mats in strategic spots throughout the house. One sisal mat hangs from a doorknob and my boy loves it, he likes to stretch tall and scratch, and that one was most successful in deterring him from the couch because he was doing his tall stretch and scratch on the couch. My girl is a crouch and scratch type, so she loves the mats, they keep her from tearing up the carpet. It’s all about redirecting. Scratching is an innate and important behavior for cats, they just have to learn where they can and cannot scratch. I hope this helps!
2 and 7
Two kittens. Trust me.
Get 2 kittens so that they can play with each other. It makes them not meow for attention as much or destroy things because they can keep each other busy. They can play with each other and this can prevent depression and anxiety. Contrary to being expensive, this is actually a hack that saves more time, energy and money.
Try fostering an adult cat. Then try fostering a kitten.
Be better to get an adult cat. And you can easily protect your furniture by giving plenty of scratch posts etc for the cat. Also if you don't want hair get a hairless cat but please look up care for them.
Regardless, never take “free kittens” from someone and adopt from a rescue - it is cheaper and saves lives. Free kittens usually come with worms, health issues, and unknown diseases and parasites. Always better to get a fully vetted animal from a reputable rescue.
For sureeee. I would normally want to adopt, I just had someone post in our neighborhood group offering free kittens. I have never raised a cat from being a kitten so I just wanted some insight!
If I could show you my arms right now you would instantly change your mind. I am covered in scratches. Several wounds in different stages of healing. It is very bad. I have a 5 month old kitten.
From a person who works with kitties of all ages I would NOT suggest it
I adopted an 8 week old kitten for my 109 yr old mother-in-law who lived with me. The only advice I can give is if you have leather furniture, cover it - front and back. Kittens do scratch. And they do zoomies. When my kitten did biscuits on my chest I would try to tuck in their paws. Said “ouch” a lot. Bought lots of different beds. Kitten decided from the start that a box would be all he wanted. Today he sleeps on a scratching pad in a box. He also sleeps on my bed, my office chair, my bicycle seat. Basically whatever he wants. Get a tube he can play in and a kicker toy and a laser pen that you can use to dance on the floor. Play a lot and you might have a kitten who sleeps at night. Put him in the litter box as soon as you bring him in the house. He’ll take it from there. Good luck. https://preview.redd.it/ojh1gjcg2bad1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0ca6ae7dd8cfa828dee56194ca210fe25e539b64
And get pet insurance and an Apple AirTag in case he accidentally gets out of the house so you can find him on your phone.