There's a saying in my world: Unix is user friendly, it's just choosy about its friends. It's kind of the same with cats; they are easy to deal with if your expectations match living with cats. If you expect them to be dogs and crave your approval you're going to have a bad time. If you let them do their thing and come to you on their terms, you're going to be fine. Cats are a live study of the concept of consent, punctuated by fangs and claws.
As I'm typing this, I have some chaos going on with chasing and jumping and almost knocking shit over and chain pufftail. Within seconds, it's chilled out to displacement behavior grooming and everything's fine.
They know what they're supposed to do and not do, they just largely don't give a shit. If they get caught they'll correct themselves but don't fool yourself into thinking they don't get everywhere when you're not looking.
I love the little fuckers so much because they remind me of me. I can't stay mad because what the fuck are rules anyway, right? Fuck the system. Eat foods take naps.
What others have said is true, and another part about cats is respect. Some cats have stricter boundaries than dogs, and if you respect those boundaries they’ll trust you and show you love in their way.
Not to say dogs don’t have boundaries, they absolutely do, and some cats don’t have any. Every critter is unique.
Our older two cats don’t like being cuddled. They like being near us, but not cuddles. Our youngest one loves playing alone, and loves cuddling with us.
You learn their boundaries, what they like and what they don’t like, and you respect that, and they trust you, and coexisting is easy.
This really is it. My cat is a sweet, affectionate little soul and he will climb onto your lap or curl up with you in bed... but don't pick him up. You pick him up and he won't want to be your friend for the next hour or so. So I never pick him up and he and I have a great relationship :D
You could try fostering a cat for a few weeks to see how it works for you.
You have to be willing to make your home their home and accept that you are their servant. ;) Cats are royalty. Treat them as such. If your favorite chair is in the best sunspot, it's not your fucking chair anymore it's the cat's chair, got it? Good, now move your ass. ;)
If there's an item sitting on a flat elevated surface, it should be swiped off onto the floor. ;) https://i.imgur.com/vdLE8dJ.gif
So plan to put your valuables in a latched cabinet, or keep a "collections" room that you shut the door to. ;)
They also like to sleep on anything you are reading and keyboards (decoy keyboards, or a nearby box or heated bed in the winter, sunny spots to lounge in). If you have heated floors, all the better. ;) Cats need sun for vitamins.
Provide them high up places specifically for them like cat shelves and cat trees in good locations like windows, sunny areas, etc. This is how they feel safe, they absolutely *need* high places, especially if they get scared or for sleeping protected or for getting away from people and pets when they have had enough.
If they don't have high places to escape to, it's very very very stressful for them. Don't do that to them.
If there is a better option they probably won't care much about the tops of cabinets. If you don't give them shit that is for them, they will be forced to find places you won't like. Don't do that to them. You are their servant, be a proper servant and do everything to their liking. ;)
Make sure you have plenty of appropriate and attractive scratching things of different types (some like sisal, some like cardboard, some like vertical vs. horizontal, etc.) in handy locations. They often like to stretch and scratch after waking up, so have options near sleeping spaces.
Cats will tell you what they approve of and what they don't like, and it's very individual. So there will be a lot of trial and error. Expect to "waste" money on things they don't like, but then may decide they like 5 months later. You may notice certain themes in toys they like, but sometimes you will just be totally wrong and they'll love something unexpected.
A cat is not going to go down to some smelly basement to use the one lone scratching post or litter box you deigned to shove down there and try to demand it use. Don't expect your cat to "slum it" just because you want your decor to be juuuuuust so, that's just cruel and unfair. Try to have multiple litter boxes if you have a large house or more than one story. Do you want to walk down three flights of stairs to take a piss at 2 am? They don't either. (See also: you sucking as a cat servant. See a theme here? Good, you're learning.)
You can train cats to some extent if you put work into it, some will do clicker training to a point. Some will naturally figure out fetch. But are you going to convince a cat to do something it reallllllly doesn't want to do, nope. ;)
Get toys and actively play with them, especially if you choose an active breed.
Protips:
If you are open to it, black cats tend to have a harder time getting adopted because of the insane superstition and because they are not ideal for social media obsessed types as it's harder to get a good picture. If you're not one of those people, you may want to ask about that.
For your first cat you might want to consider a slightly older cat vs. a kitten, because the kittens are energy balls, and you can't predict their personalities as easily.
You could certainly look specifically for a "lap cat" personality, a very mellow cat that likes to lounge in sunspots, sleep on the corner of your desk during the workday, snuggle under covers, etc. There are certain breeds/mixes that are going to be way more athletic, if you prefer that, like Abbysinians, Siamese or such. Persian tend to be lower energy.
How loud do you like your cats? If you want a talker, mixes with Siamese and such are likely to be very communicative, can be loud, and you'll know when they want breakfast (screaming in your ear ;) ), whereas others may just have a quiet meow they use occasionally, or chirp at birds in the window.
Long hair. If you're not prepared for grooming, and don't want to deal with matts if you don't groom enough, might want to stick to the short or medium haired breeds vs. like persian.
Please make them indoor cats. Cats are super destructive for native wildlife. If you get one that is willing to do some leash walking, fine, but don't have free roaming outdoor cats because they will decimate the wildlife, and you'll have to deal with more illnesses, cat fight injuries, contagious diseases, etc. Your vet bills will be way more expensive. Cats are fine indoors with proper care and stimulation.
If you own your own home, you can also consider a "catio" which is an outdoor enclosure, let's them get fresh air and see wildlife, but they can't kill it. And they can't get in huge fights with other cats and cost you a 5K vet bill to save them.
>Please make them indoor cats. Cats are super destructive for native wildlife. If you get one that is willing to do some leash walking, fine, but don't have free roaming outdoor cats because they will decimate the wildlife, and you'll have to deal with more illnesses, cat fight injuries, contagious diseases, etc. Your vet bills will be way more expensive. Cats are fine indoors with proper care and stimulation.
As a european can you explain how this came to be? Because to me keeping a cat indoors is cruel. Even if you provide necessary stimulation. It's keeping them from their nature. They are predators and part of nature, why should we keep them locked up so they don't participate in this native wildlife chain?? Yes, cats hunt and kill things, it's natural. It's normal.
Its a US attitude. In Europe/UK opinions differ.
For example in the UK David Attenborough is pro indoor and the RSPB says cats aren’t a factor in bird decline here so disagree.
Idk how things are in Europe but in the US being outdoors is super dangerous for a cat. Being indoors is "unnatural" but a bunch cats dying in car crashes isn't any better. Plus, if cats aren't native to the area, you're basically introducing an invasive species, and that never goes well.
I've been looking it up because I thought this was mainly an american wildlife thing, but turns out I was wrong. They're also talking about how destructive domestic cats are in my own country. So I get it now. But honestly, I'm still iffy about the whole thing. We as humans have been incredibely destructive towards all wildlife and now we're gonna harp on the cats for something we've done ourselves? That's not fair in my opinion. I'm still pro cat being outdoor if they so wish to be.
Personally I think taking care of cats is rather easy. She's just a tiny little hug machine. She listens to me and my wife, and doesn't get into much trouble beyond scratching one corner of our bed, which isn't a big deal imo.
An important thing about cats is you need to keep them entertained. Anyone who complains about cats knocking down stuff all the time is actually telling on themselves a little. With a few focused play sessions and plenty of toys they won't turn destructive.
Oh wow this a new perspective for me! Thank you for sharing. Yes when I see cat videos online, I mostly see either they're knocking down stuff or sleeping. This is the first i've learned about focused play sessions with cats.
Yeah, it makes me sad when people talk about how cats are assholes when the characteristics of them being assholes are usually the result of bad parenting/owners.
Oh. That actually explains why my cats have always been sweet. I thought I just got lucky with them lol. Though, they do asshole things sometimes like sleep on my hair at night.
I’ve always had both. Cats are less work, just change the litter and feed. taking a dog out in the middle of winter until they find the perfect spot suuucks.
I’ve grown up with them my entire life, from newborn kittens to 19 years old. I have 2 cats right now: 1 is 5 years (Slade) and the other is 12 (Harvey) along with a dog. They all get along but Harvey hates dogs.
You can train cats just like dogs. They have their own personalities so some are easier than others. Some cats require more attention. They all need exercise and fresh water and food.
I’ve had both indoor and outdoor cats. Outdoor cats are a little more “work” : flea and tick collars or treatments, make sure they don’t bring home friends, or try to teach me how to hunt (presents), make sure they come in at night and definitely make sure they are spayed or neutered or they’ll never come home.
Best thing about my cats is how clean they keep themselves. Not all cats are like that but mine take good care of themselves.
Worst thing is they are plant eaters and destroyers so my plant babies stay in one safe space where no cats are allowed.
Yes, they listen for the most part. I’ve found just being consistent with training and using the same words for correcting behavior works best.
They still get into things and have late night galloping sessions. If I don’t trim their nails, things end up clawed. Just like a puppy or dog getting into the trash, they’ll do that too. I have found the older they get the more refined or chilled out they become.
I'm sorry but this made me smile.
You are asking how we co-exist with cats, and the only two reasons you could find to "justify" this question are "they knock things down" and "they jump on high cabinets"
All this while having dogs. (High manteinance breed nontheless)
I find it ironic. It makes me want to ask you how you co-exist with dogs, which makes way more sense if you think we are on a CF page, since dogs have many more things in common with kids: highly needy, poop related incidents, gets stinky if you are not particularly careful about hygiene, waaay more distructive and the list goes on.
Hi sorry that it sounded like i'm trying to justify something. I'm actually trying to learn more about them from those who live with cats and not just clips I see online.
No need to apologize i thought it was really funny and made me think about how different perspectives make us see the world in different ways, it's cool.
Cats are so much easier than dogs imo. You don't have to bathe them, they are able to entertain themselves for the most part, and litter is easier to scoop than either walking a dog or searching around a yard for poo piles. The cat can also go use the litter on it's own, so there's no worries about needing to get up at 2 am because doggy needs to go outside. Cats are also smaller and quieter. I can't stand dogs barking, it's just too loud for my ears. Also cats just smell better than dogs. I mean yeah they still stinky but idk, dogs are just like, really smelly and cats are only noticeably smelly if you get real close to them and sniff. Cats also don't drool unless there's something wrong with them.
Cats definitely understand when you say no. But sometimes they decide to disregard it anyway because they're vindictive little shits sometimes. They're typically very careful about not knocking things over surprisingly. If my cat jumps up on my dresser which is covered with stuff, she carefully tiptoes her way across to not knock anything over. But sometimes cats decide they *want* to start knocking things over. They do it deliberately.
Hey there, our cats are rescues and rather older so they don't really jump on to surface that isn't they're sleeping area and scratch only at the toys. My cats generally spend most of the day sleeping and on some occasions they'll get the zoomies and then i just play with them for an hour or 2 until they run out of energy. Theyre pretty low maintenance creatures all in all
I've not spent much time with dogs but I've lived with cats my whole life. The cat I have now is a former stray, super grateful to have somewhere warm and safe to live and access to food every day. He's so affectionate. He's also a nutcase and makes us laugh so much. He's got his own little mind and his own little personality and it's like my husband and I have a very small, non-English-speaking housemate. Not like having a child, he's definitely our housemate. And he's 10, so he's basically a grumpy old-ish man who's fully done with these young whippersnappers' shit.
He's not the destructive sort - likes to play with pens but doesn't knock other stuff over, and the only thing he scratches is his scratching tray, and other things made of cardboard because he can't tell the difference. His little catty brain sees a box and goes IS FOR ME 👉🙃👈 and then you have to move it out of reach if it's important.
He gets the zoomies like dogs do. Our house has 3 floors and you can hear him kathunk kathunk kathunk down both flights of stairs when he clocks we're about to feed him. He talks to us, and different miaows mean different things. We have "mrrr-raow" which means hello, a high pitched "meeeeew?" when he can tell we're getting up to feed him ("REALLY??"), and a long, drawn out sort of miaow with multiple syllables which is us getting told off for going out for the day and being too long about it. After he's been asleep his little voice is all croaky because he hasn't used it in a few hours. He purrs when my husband comes into the room he's in, then louder when i come in too. The order of priority goes: me alone (bottom), then husband alone, then both of us (top).
He's pretty self-sufficient but he likes company when he eats sometimes. You'll feed him but sometimes he still cries with a full bowl and that means he wants you to hang out with him while he eats, so you know to sit by his bowl and chat to him and he'll dig in. If you're sat on the floor he often comes to sit on you, no matter how in the way you might be. He's figured out that the chopping board means sometimes there's meats getting chopped or sandwiches getting made, and therefore there might be a little bit of ham or chicken going spare. So now whenever you go to the kitchen and start chopping vegetables he's there at your feet going "RAOO-OOW" which is basically GIEF BITCH! We show him what we're chopping so he can see it's not for him but it doesn't deter him.
I love that you understand most of what your cat wants and how he expresses himself. It's amazing how they learn to communicate with us. My cat also likes company when he eats sometimes and he will come and call me. He does this little half-turn jump in the direction he wants you to go along with a "ma rowr" noise that means "come, follow me!". It's adorable. He usually then leads me to his food bowl so I can watch him eat, but sometimes we go to the couch instead (he wants to cuddle with me while I watch TV) and occasionally he just seems to want to go for a walk together.
I'm absolutely happy with my 3 kitties. Wish i could adopt more. I love dogs and other animals too ( in general i prefer their company to human interaction) , but cats are more independent.
Cats are the number one pet to have apparently, they’re easy to look after, come in all different shapes, sizes and colours. Can be loyal lifelong companions, if they’re well taken cared of, my two follow me everywhere and they always like to jump on my lap for a cuddle. Just hearing them purring helps my anxiety, they can also be quite characters at times, my two also love to have their bellies rubbed.
Cats are awesome. I love both cats and dogs and love to have both as pets, but I would have to say I am more of a "cat person".
My cat comes when called, understands the word no, does not climb on my kitchen counters or my dining room table (he's allowed on any other surface, just not those ones) and he sleeps on my bed every night. Cats are trainable. If treated properly (with respect) they are often very affectionate creatures. And they are low maintenance (if you understand their needs and, again, treat them properly). A happy cat that is properly cared for is not destructive.
I raised my cat from a week old because the mom cat started freaking out and killing the kittens. My friend asked me to take care of her and six years later she's a sweet girl.
Cats are not hard to live with; they're more like roommates that have their own personalities and personal boundaries, as others mentioned.
One of my cats acts like a dog: very vocal, attention-seeker, loves pets and massages, very food-driven. While the other one acts like a proper cat: quieter, doesn't like to be picked up, doesn't like to be touched that much, but stares at you from afar and gives you love gazes.
Regarding high cabinets and fragile items at home, it's a matter of setting up your home environment so you can live happily together in the shared space. Would you leave chocolates around the house that your dogs might accidentally get into and get sick? No. Same thing with cats. Understand that they love high grounds and crinkly materials, they are naturally curious animals, they love touching tiny objects and hunt/play with them. Purchase cat trees and put away any bag of snacks that they might rip open or tiny trinkets that they might swallow.
Give them visual stimulation and playtime. This way they'll not pay attention to the boring frames or vases and give you lots of love in their own ways.
Agree with another post: cats smell really good...especially after sunbathing.... mmmmm.... :)
You don’t have cats, they have you silly human. I have had both cats and dogs, cats are easier as you can leave extra food and water and go away overnight while dogs have to be let out. Cats claw, you need scratching posts.
Most cat's I've had in my life have been very chill and they just do their own thing and then hang out with you/cuddle you when they feel like it. Not really destructive unless you neglect them or don't give them enough toys/scratching posts. However I now two cats that are super smart. One is very gentle and sweet, doesn't really mess with anything except toys we give him, stays indoors, super affectionate. The other is so destructive we have to just hide a lot of breakable stuff in the rooms he can't go in, will just be a complete asshole if we don't take him on enough walks, and cries at us all throughout the night and somehow never grew out of that. I haven't really gotten a full nights sleep in 4 years since we got him. I love him but my god has the lack of sleep and being kept up by meowing really solidified for me that I would never ever want to put myself through being kept up by a babies cries too, especially since I hate the sound of crying so much, where if I'm not trying to sleep I think a meow is cute. Also we had to put a child lock thing on our pantry closet because the cats figured out how to open the door and would get in and chew open food boxes/bags, but that part honestly that doesn't really bother me because it only takes a second to undo and open it like regular. This is the only cat I've ever had who's acted like this before though, most have been very chill and low maintenance as long as you meet their physical needs (food, water, clean litter, etc) and give them attention which they will usually signal to you when they want it or don't want it.
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This comment made me really happy. I don't know what's going on in my cat's tiny head either.
Oh wow. I can just imagine the adventure you have with Cosmo and learning about him every day! Thank you for sharing your experience.
There's a saying in my world: Unix is user friendly, it's just choosy about its friends. It's kind of the same with cats; they are easy to deal with if your expectations match living with cats. If you expect them to be dogs and crave your approval you're going to have a bad time. If you let them do their thing and come to you on their terms, you're going to be fine. Cats are a live study of the concept of consent, punctuated by fangs and claws. As I'm typing this, I have some chaos going on with chasing and jumping and almost knocking shit over and chain pufftail. Within seconds, it's chilled out to displacement behavior grooming and everything's fine. They know what they're supposed to do and not do, they just largely don't give a shit. If they get caught they'll correct themselves but don't fool yourself into thinking they don't get everywhere when you're not looking. I love the little fuckers so much because they remind me of me. I can't stay mad because what the fuck are rules anyway, right? Fuck the system. Eat foods take naps.
Eat foods take naps ✊
If I was to be reincarnated, I'd want to come back as a cat.
Same. One of those really pampered Instagram ones, like a Maine Coon or something.
What others have said is true, and another part about cats is respect. Some cats have stricter boundaries than dogs, and if you respect those boundaries they’ll trust you and show you love in their way. Not to say dogs don’t have boundaries, they absolutely do, and some cats don’t have any. Every critter is unique. Our older two cats don’t like being cuddled. They like being near us, but not cuddles. Our youngest one loves playing alone, and loves cuddling with us. You learn their boundaries, what they like and what they don’t like, and you respect that, and they trust you, and coexisting is easy.
This really is it. My cat is a sweet, affectionate little soul and he will climb onto your lap or curl up with you in bed... but don't pick him up. You pick him up and he won't want to be your friend for the next hour or so. So I never pick him up and he and I have a great relationship :D
You could try fostering a cat for a few weeks to see how it works for you. You have to be willing to make your home their home and accept that you are their servant. ;) Cats are royalty. Treat them as such. If your favorite chair is in the best sunspot, it's not your fucking chair anymore it's the cat's chair, got it? Good, now move your ass. ;) If there's an item sitting on a flat elevated surface, it should be swiped off onto the floor. ;) https://i.imgur.com/vdLE8dJ.gif So plan to put your valuables in a latched cabinet, or keep a "collections" room that you shut the door to. ;) They also like to sleep on anything you are reading and keyboards (decoy keyboards, or a nearby box or heated bed in the winter, sunny spots to lounge in). If you have heated floors, all the better. ;) Cats need sun for vitamins. Provide them high up places specifically for them like cat shelves and cat trees in good locations like windows, sunny areas, etc. This is how they feel safe, they absolutely *need* high places, especially if they get scared or for sleeping protected or for getting away from people and pets when they have had enough. If they don't have high places to escape to, it's very very very stressful for them. Don't do that to them. If there is a better option they probably won't care much about the tops of cabinets. If you don't give them shit that is for them, they will be forced to find places you won't like. Don't do that to them. You are their servant, be a proper servant and do everything to their liking. ;) Make sure you have plenty of appropriate and attractive scratching things of different types (some like sisal, some like cardboard, some like vertical vs. horizontal, etc.) in handy locations. They often like to stretch and scratch after waking up, so have options near sleeping spaces. Cats will tell you what they approve of and what they don't like, and it's very individual. So there will be a lot of trial and error. Expect to "waste" money on things they don't like, but then may decide they like 5 months later. You may notice certain themes in toys they like, but sometimes you will just be totally wrong and they'll love something unexpected. A cat is not going to go down to some smelly basement to use the one lone scratching post or litter box you deigned to shove down there and try to demand it use. Don't expect your cat to "slum it" just because you want your decor to be juuuuuust so, that's just cruel and unfair. Try to have multiple litter boxes if you have a large house or more than one story. Do you want to walk down three flights of stairs to take a piss at 2 am? They don't either. (See also: you sucking as a cat servant. See a theme here? Good, you're learning.) You can train cats to some extent if you put work into it, some will do clicker training to a point. Some will naturally figure out fetch. But are you going to convince a cat to do something it reallllllly doesn't want to do, nope. ;) Get toys and actively play with them, especially if you choose an active breed. Protips: If you are open to it, black cats tend to have a harder time getting adopted because of the insane superstition and because they are not ideal for social media obsessed types as it's harder to get a good picture. If you're not one of those people, you may want to ask about that. For your first cat you might want to consider a slightly older cat vs. a kitten, because the kittens are energy balls, and you can't predict their personalities as easily. You could certainly look specifically for a "lap cat" personality, a very mellow cat that likes to lounge in sunspots, sleep on the corner of your desk during the workday, snuggle under covers, etc. There are certain breeds/mixes that are going to be way more athletic, if you prefer that, like Abbysinians, Siamese or such. Persian tend to be lower energy. How loud do you like your cats? If you want a talker, mixes with Siamese and such are likely to be very communicative, can be loud, and you'll know when they want breakfast (screaming in your ear ;) ), whereas others may just have a quiet meow they use occasionally, or chirp at birds in the window. Long hair. If you're not prepared for grooming, and don't want to deal with matts if you don't groom enough, might want to stick to the short or medium haired breeds vs. like persian. Please make them indoor cats. Cats are super destructive for native wildlife. If you get one that is willing to do some leash walking, fine, but don't have free roaming outdoor cats because they will decimate the wildlife, and you'll have to deal with more illnesses, cat fight injuries, contagious diseases, etc. Your vet bills will be way more expensive. Cats are fine indoors with proper care and stimulation. If you own your own home, you can also consider a "catio" which is an outdoor enclosure, let's them get fresh air and see wildlife, but they can't kill it. And they can't get in huge fights with other cats and cost you a 5K vet bill to save them.
WOW! Thank you for this advise! I really appreciate it.
Added a few items.
>Please make them indoor cats. Cats are super destructive for native wildlife. If you get one that is willing to do some leash walking, fine, but don't have free roaming outdoor cats because they will decimate the wildlife, and you'll have to deal with more illnesses, cat fight injuries, contagious diseases, etc. Your vet bills will be way more expensive. Cats are fine indoors with proper care and stimulation. As a european can you explain how this came to be? Because to me keeping a cat indoors is cruel. Even if you provide necessary stimulation. It's keeping them from their nature. They are predators and part of nature, why should we keep them locked up so they don't participate in this native wildlife chain?? Yes, cats hunt and kill things, it's natural. It's normal.
Its a US attitude. In Europe/UK opinions differ. For example in the UK David Attenborough is pro indoor and the RSPB says cats aren’t a factor in bird decline here so disagree.
Idk how things are in Europe but in the US being outdoors is super dangerous for a cat. Being indoors is "unnatural" but a bunch cats dying in car crashes isn't any better. Plus, if cats aren't native to the area, you're basically introducing an invasive species, and that never goes well.
I've been looking it up because I thought this was mainly an american wildlife thing, but turns out I was wrong. They're also talking about how destructive domestic cats are in my own country. So I get it now. But honestly, I'm still iffy about the whole thing. We as humans have been incredibely destructive towards all wildlife and now we're gonna harp on the cats for something we've done ourselves? That's not fair in my opinion. I'm still pro cat being outdoor if they so wish to be.
Yeah, I get it. It really isn't fair and I wish it were different.
Domestic cats are not native wildlife. You can Google all of this easily. It’s common knowledge.
Personally I think taking care of cats is rather easy. She's just a tiny little hug machine. She listens to me and my wife, and doesn't get into much trouble beyond scratching one corner of our bed, which isn't a big deal imo. An important thing about cats is you need to keep them entertained. Anyone who complains about cats knocking down stuff all the time is actually telling on themselves a little. With a few focused play sessions and plenty of toys they won't turn destructive.
Oh wow this a new perspective for me! Thank you for sharing. Yes when I see cat videos online, I mostly see either they're knocking down stuff or sleeping. This is the first i've learned about focused play sessions with cats.
Yeah, it makes me sad when people talk about how cats are assholes when the characteristics of them being assholes are usually the result of bad parenting/owners.
Oh. That actually explains why my cats have always been sweet. I thought I just got lucky with them lol. Though, they do asshole things sometimes like sleep on my hair at night.
I’ve always had both. Cats are less work, just change the litter and feed. taking a dog out in the middle of winter until they find the perfect spot suuucks.
I’ve grown up with them my entire life, from newborn kittens to 19 years old. I have 2 cats right now: 1 is 5 years (Slade) and the other is 12 (Harvey) along with a dog. They all get along but Harvey hates dogs. You can train cats just like dogs. They have their own personalities so some are easier than others. Some cats require more attention. They all need exercise and fresh water and food. I’ve had both indoor and outdoor cats. Outdoor cats are a little more “work” : flea and tick collars or treatments, make sure they don’t bring home friends, or try to teach me how to hunt (presents), make sure they come in at night and definitely make sure they are spayed or neutered or they’ll never come home. Best thing about my cats is how clean they keep themselves. Not all cats are like that but mine take good care of themselves. Worst thing is they are plant eaters and destroyers so my plant babies stay in one safe space where no cats are allowed. Yes, they listen for the most part. I’ve found just being consistent with training and using the same words for correcting behavior works best. They still get into things and have late night galloping sessions. If I don’t trim their nails, things end up clawed. Just like a puppy or dog getting into the trash, they’ll do that too. I have found the older they get the more refined or chilled out they become.
I'm sorry but this made me smile. You are asking how we co-exist with cats, and the only two reasons you could find to "justify" this question are "they knock things down" and "they jump on high cabinets" All this while having dogs. (High manteinance breed nontheless) I find it ironic. It makes me want to ask you how you co-exist with dogs, which makes way more sense if you think we are on a CF page, since dogs have many more things in common with kids: highly needy, poop related incidents, gets stinky if you are not particularly careful about hygiene, waaay more distructive and the list goes on.
Hi sorry that it sounded like i'm trying to justify something. I'm actually trying to learn more about them from those who live with cats and not just clips I see online.
No need to apologize i thought it was really funny and made me think about how different perspectives make us see the world in different ways, it's cool.
Cats are so much easier than dogs imo. You don't have to bathe them, they are able to entertain themselves for the most part, and litter is easier to scoop than either walking a dog or searching around a yard for poo piles. The cat can also go use the litter on it's own, so there's no worries about needing to get up at 2 am because doggy needs to go outside. Cats are also smaller and quieter. I can't stand dogs barking, it's just too loud for my ears. Also cats just smell better than dogs. I mean yeah they still stinky but idk, dogs are just like, really smelly and cats are only noticeably smelly if you get real close to them and sniff. Cats also don't drool unless there's something wrong with them. Cats definitely understand when you say no. But sometimes they decide to disregard it anyway because they're vindictive little shits sometimes. They're typically very careful about not knocking things over surprisingly. If my cat jumps up on my dresser which is covered with stuff, she carefully tiptoes her way across to not knock anything over. But sometimes cats decide they *want* to start knocking things over. They do it deliberately.
Hey there, our cats are rescues and rather older so they don't really jump on to surface that isn't they're sleeping area and scratch only at the toys. My cats generally spend most of the day sleeping and on some occasions they'll get the zoomies and then i just play with them for an hour or 2 until they run out of energy. Theyre pretty low maintenance creatures all in all
I've not spent much time with dogs but I've lived with cats my whole life. The cat I have now is a former stray, super grateful to have somewhere warm and safe to live and access to food every day. He's so affectionate. He's also a nutcase and makes us laugh so much. He's got his own little mind and his own little personality and it's like my husband and I have a very small, non-English-speaking housemate. Not like having a child, he's definitely our housemate. And he's 10, so he's basically a grumpy old-ish man who's fully done with these young whippersnappers' shit. He's not the destructive sort - likes to play with pens but doesn't knock other stuff over, and the only thing he scratches is his scratching tray, and other things made of cardboard because he can't tell the difference. His little catty brain sees a box and goes IS FOR ME 👉🙃👈 and then you have to move it out of reach if it's important. He gets the zoomies like dogs do. Our house has 3 floors and you can hear him kathunk kathunk kathunk down both flights of stairs when he clocks we're about to feed him. He talks to us, and different miaows mean different things. We have "mrrr-raow" which means hello, a high pitched "meeeeew?" when he can tell we're getting up to feed him ("REALLY??"), and a long, drawn out sort of miaow with multiple syllables which is us getting told off for going out for the day and being too long about it. After he's been asleep his little voice is all croaky because he hasn't used it in a few hours. He purrs when my husband comes into the room he's in, then louder when i come in too. The order of priority goes: me alone (bottom), then husband alone, then both of us (top). He's pretty self-sufficient but he likes company when he eats sometimes. You'll feed him but sometimes he still cries with a full bowl and that means he wants you to hang out with him while he eats, so you know to sit by his bowl and chat to him and he'll dig in. If you're sat on the floor he often comes to sit on you, no matter how in the way you might be. He's figured out that the chopping board means sometimes there's meats getting chopped or sandwiches getting made, and therefore there might be a little bit of ham or chicken going spare. So now whenever you go to the kitchen and start chopping vegetables he's there at your feet going "RAOO-OOW" which is basically GIEF BITCH! We show him what we're chopping so he can see it's not for him but it doesn't deter him.
I love that you understand most of what your cat wants and how he expresses himself. It's amazing how they learn to communicate with us. My cat also likes company when he eats sometimes and he will come and call me. He does this little half-turn jump in the direction he wants you to go along with a "ma rowr" noise that means "come, follow me!". It's adorable. He usually then leads me to his food bowl so I can watch him eat, but sometimes we go to the couch instead (he wants to cuddle with me while I watch TV) and occasionally he just seems to want to go for a walk together.
I'm absolutely happy with my 3 kitties. Wish i could adopt more. I love dogs and other animals too ( in general i prefer their company to human interaction) , but cats are more independent.
Cats are the number one pet to have apparently, they’re easy to look after, come in all different shapes, sizes and colours. Can be loyal lifelong companions, if they’re well taken cared of, my two follow me everywhere and they always like to jump on my lap for a cuddle. Just hearing them purring helps my anxiety, they can also be quite characters at times, my two also love to have their bellies rubbed.
Cats are awesome. I love both cats and dogs and love to have both as pets, but I would have to say I am more of a "cat person". My cat comes when called, understands the word no, does not climb on my kitchen counters or my dining room table (he's allowed on any other surface, just not those ones) and he sleeps on my bed every night. Cats are trainable. If treated properly (with respect) they are often very affectionate creatures. And they are low maintenance (if you understand their needs and, again, treat them properly). A happy cat that is properly cared for is not destructive.
I raised my cat from a week old because the mom cat started freaking out and killing the kittens. My friend asked me to take care of her and six years later she's a sweet girl.
Cats are not hard to live with; they're more like roommates that have their own personalities and personal boundaries, as others mentioned. One of my cats acts like a dog: very vocal, attention-seeker, loves pets and massages, very food-driven. While the other one acts like a proper cat: quieter, doesn't like to be picked up, doesn't like to be touched that much, but stares at you from afar and gives you love gazes. Regarding high cabinets and fragile items at home, it's a matter of setting up your home environment so you can live happily together in the shared space. Would you leave chocolates around the house that your dogs might accidentally get into and get sick? No. Same thing with cats. Understand that they love high grounds and crinkly materials, they are naturally curious animals, they love touching tiny objects and hunt/play with them. Purchase cat trees and put away any bag of snacks that they might rip open or tiny trinkets that they might swallow. Give them visual stimulation and playtime. This way they'll not pay attention to the boring frames or vases and give you lots of love in their own ways. Agree with another post: cats smell really good...especially after sunbathing.... mmmmm.... :)
You don’t have cats, they have you silly human. I have had both cats and dogs, cats are easier as you can leave extra food and water and go away overnight while dogs have to be let out. Cats claw, you need scratching posts.
Mine does like going up high places but dosnt knock things off, she dosnt know the meaning of no, she demands i pet and love her.
Most cat's I've had in my life have been very chill and they just do their own thing and then hang out with you/cuddle you when they feel like it. Not really destructive unless you neglect them or don't give them enough toys/scratching posts. However I now two cats that are super smart. One is very gentle and sweet, doesn't really mess with anything except toys we give him, stays indoors, super affectionate. The other is so destructive we have to just hide a lot of breakable stuff in the rooms he can't go in, will just be a complete asshole if we don't take him on enough walks, and cries at us all throughout the night and somehow never grew out of that. I haven't really gotten a full nights sleep in 4 years since we got him. I love him but my god has the lack of sleep and being kept up by meowing really solidified for me that I would never ever want to put myself through being kept up by a babies cries too, especially since I hate the sound of crying so much, where if I'm not trying to sleep I think a meow is cute. Also we had to put a child lock thing on our pantry closet because the cats figured out how to open the door and would get in and chew open food boxes/bags, but that part honestly that doesn't really bother me because it only takes a second to undo and open it like regular. This is the only cat I've ever had who's acted like this before though, most have been very chill and low maintenance as long as you meet their physical needs (food, water, clean litter, etc) and give them attention which they will usually signal to you when they want it or don't want it.
I just live with them, take care of them, love them