Looking for advice for new cat owner

[Themerlin]

Hello!

I will be adopting a cat within the next few months. So naturally, I figured the best possible place for me to get some advice would be the mmochamp forums! (no, this isn't the only place I'm checking but figured some anonymous tidbits from actual every day cat owners could be of value)

Factors and history I am taking into account:

• I already have a dog, nearly 9 years old, black american field lab. He is mostly docile but has hip dysplasia in both hind legs. We did have 2 cats living with us a few years ago which he was fine with. (One he befriended and the other was an asshole to him but he just ignored that one)
• We'd be adopting a younger cat or kitten (I've heard it's easier to introduce a kitten to a home/dog than an older cat)
• I live in a 2/1 apartment as far as space is concerned.
• The cats I lived with before were already housebroken and were not a danger to any device cables etc behind my desk so I have no experience "cat proofing" these items.
• Same as above, but regarding furniture and claw/scratch marks.
• I do not have anyone who can stay home while I am at work at the beginning or any other phase, so the cat will be alone for 8-9 hours while I'm at work. I can take 1-2 days off work to extend a weekend, but no more than that.
• If the cat and dog cannot be friends then I cannot have a cat; so "meet and greet" will likely be a large factor in my adoption process.

What I am looking for is advice on the following, particularly from people who have or have had both dogs and cats at the same time, even better if the dog was there first:

• What were your most pressing issues when you first brought your cat home and how did you address them?
  
  I got a kitten, and really it was mostly having someone there with the kitten, to spend time with it, clean up its mess, etc. We are social animals that bond through grooming, touch...that is important. Potty training took a few weeks, but he eventually got it. 8 hour period being away is fine as long as you come back and make up the time.
• Do you find the expensive self cleaning litter box options to be a good investment? Such as the "Litter-Robot"?
  Na I did not bother with that. My goal was to either teach the cat to use the bathroom, or ask me whenever it wanted to go outside. He simply miaowed at me to open the door. Luckily I have a house with some land. If you have an appartment its up to you, having a seperate room like a closet that is away from everything works for a litter box place. Make sure you clean it often. If the robot does it for you, great. The poo is not bad its the clumps of pee that need to go, since they are pungent
• If you introduced a cat to a dog; how did you go about it? Did you have any issues? Do you leave the cat and dog alone together while at work or separate? If together, what factors contributed the most to making you comfortable enough to do so?
  Really the best experience I had was when I got a puppy and kitten at the same time. They grew up together, loved each other, slept together, groomed each other...what a wonderful experience, I get teary eyed. That cat knew how to handle dogs and was never outright scared of them, she was the boss, although my puppy loved dragging her across the carpet. I found when my ex moved in with me and brought her pug, it was all about being present and assesing the situation yourself. I would say if they are hissing at each other after more than two weeks, maybe its not a good idea to have them together. But animals tend to find their own social balance, and who is dominant.
• How did you either train your cat to not scratch furniture/chew cables or otherwise "cat proof" these items? (training is the preferred option and don't worry, declawing is not under consideration)
  Cats will always scratch surfaces especially if they have claws, think of it like you always need to cut your nails, ITS A NEED....make sure you are very strict on that, I mean immediate punishment. Make sure the cat has a cat scratch surface made for that, or like my latest cat, I made sure it had the outside to do it. My furniture was never touched, but I was strict in that manner. I made this high pitched hissing noise, and my cat would know right away to stop whatever it was doing.(ears back, eyes fully open and low to ground)
• Any ways to either prevent or otherwise better manage hairballs? The owner of the last cats I mentioned was pretty disgusting in this regard, I'm not cool with puke drying up under the bed.
  
  In that regard nothing can be done... cats groom each other and themselves. Hairballs are a part of life, get used to it. Once they are older though, they will always try to leave it somewhere hidden and away from normal areas, My cat left hairballs at one specific carpet ..always. Maybe someone else can give you tips on this, but I found it was hard to manage, and not really regular, since my cat was an outdoor cat as well.

Feel free to add any other factors or possible issues I might not be thinking about and thanks in advance!

I am sure your 9 year old black lab will be fine with the kitten. If he has blindness it might be an slight issue, but otherwise blind dogs lash out/bite if they experienced trauma early on. He will be dominant since he is older and most likely lazier. Just make sure he sniffs her and makes sure its supervised...but knowing my labs, they never had a problem with cats and were overly friendly, I mean they are Oxytocin factories.

[Celista]

I am going to be immensely honest here and admit that if a cat, any cat, did something like this to me backhanding it across a room would definitely be a common thought at that moment. I wouldn't of course; but damn...that's ballsy.

Yeah there's a reason why he's not living in my house at the moment.

[Themerlin]

Make sure you get it declawed. Otherwise it's going to ruin everything.

Its like removing your fingers. I never thought this was a smart idea, even if I got regularly scratched from play-fighting.

A cat properly trained and one that has a cat scratch surface will not damage your furniture. Mine has not. I was very strict about that and getting on surfaces like tables and kitchen platforms.

[AcidicSyn]

Yeah it is kindof silly and I think some "cat people" are really ridiculous about cats and basically think that's what you SHOULD be doing and your wants/needs in your own living space don't matter.

That being said, cats can be picky but not all of them are. A lot of cats seem to like routine though so once you find something that works for a cat, it's a good idea to stick with it. Whether that's litter type, box type, or food brand/flavor/type.

I suppose that is a worry for me. The majority of my experience excepting those few years with the cats has always been with dogs. Even my current dog, it took awhile at first when he was a pup (got him from a rescue) but eventually he came to understand what aspects of life he was allowed to have a preference in. But it was always just him trying to figure out what I wanted; once he figured out what I wanted he'd gleefully follow the command without question. He hates being on a leash (and doesn't need it) but rules are rules and he accepts when I leash him without complaint.

Treatment of a cat in my home would be no different really. But within reason as with my dog. I don't force him to eat food he doesn't like nor would I do that to a cat. A litterbox however, to me, isn't the cats choice. I'll try different variations of a specific kind of style to try and make my pet happy of course, I'd love my pet otherwise I wouldn't have one. But like for example; when i had the other cats their owner used a simple tray litterbox. However these cats would dig in ways that put my dog to shame resulting in litter all over the freakin place. If a new cat I brought home had this habit; it would need to learn to deal with an enclosed litterbox.

The one you linked though looks pretty good; might go that route.

Someone said to declaw and, yeah fuck that. Just no. For obvious reasons. Though if i'm looking around a shelter and see a cat that's already been declawed that wouldn't stop me from adopting them, but actually putting a cat through that myself? Never. Not after a million couches.

I heard about these weird little nail cover things though that look interesting, like little soft thin rubbery sleeves that go over the nails. Any experience with those?

[Themerlin]

I suppose that is a worry for me. The majority of my experience excepting those few years with the cats has always been with dogs. Even my current dog, it took awhile at first when he was a pup (got him from a rescue) but eventually he came to understand what aspects of life he was allowed to have a preference in. But it was always just him trying to figure out what I wanted; once he figured out what I wanted he'd gleefully follow the command without question. He hates being on a leash (and doesn't need it) but rules are rules and he accepts when I leash him without complaint.

Treatment of a cat in my home would be no different really. But within reason as with my dog. I don't force him to eat food he doesn't like nor would I do that to a cat. A litterbox however, to me, isn't the cats choice. I'll try different variations of a specific kind of style to try and make my pet happy of course, I'd love my pet otherwise I wouldn't have one. But like for example; when i had the other cats their owner used a simple tray litterbox. However these cats would dig in ways that put my dog to shame resulting in litter all over the freakin place. If a new cat I brought home had this habit; it would need to learn to deal with an enclosed litterbox.

The one you linked though looks pretty good; might go that route.

Someone said to declaw and, yeah fuck. Just no. For obvious reasons. Though if i'm looking around a shelter and see a cat that's already been declawed that woiuldn't stop me from adopting them, but actually putting a cat through that myself? Never. Not after a million couches.

I heard about these weird little nail cover things though that look interesting, like little soft thin rubbery sleeves that go over the nails. Any experience with those?

No... dont bother.... Its like wearing 3 layers of gloves on your hands, you wouldn't like it, neither will your cat. Their nails are like fingers to us, sensitive to pressure, heat, etc... I would never do it. There is a reason cats are made like that, let them be cats.

Really what it takes is discipline, make the cat aware of your intentions in whatever means possible. You might scare the living crap out of it, but it will still love ya. Its like a child, strict discipline is needed.

And yes enclosed litter boxes are a must, although the litter willl still get everywhere no matter what, have some plastic covering underneath it that is easy to clean, and an isolated spot away from everything like a closet in an office, or unused bedroom.

[A Young Munch]

I actually just adopted two cats two months ago from my girlfriend's dad. He already had two cats and the introduction of these two was not popular with the oldest cat, so I took them in. I grew up around nothing but dogs and cats were completely alien to me, but having adopted these two, I've fallen in love with the little shits.

I've found them easy to maintain and they don't cause too much trouble (though the male cat I adopted purrs in my face when I'm trying to sleep.) Based on what I've heard from other cat owners, I lucked out with them and their good behavior, but it isn't always as easy as it is for me.

I can't really speak to your concerns since I haven't experienced those problems yet. My cats were already de-clawed, but even if you're concerned about scratching, I would advise against it since it's akin to removing their fingers. My cats still try to scratch, though, so I got them a scratching tree and they try to scratch that exclusively now, which is good.

[Celista]

I heard about these weird little nail cover things though that look interesting, like little soft thin rubbery sleeves that go over the nails. Any experience with those?

Yeah, they work great, I got those for the first cat when I was gone on vacation and I kept him in for a week with a pet sitter. If your cat is indoor/outdoor then they aren't safe as they remove their only real defense mechanism. They don't last as long as advertised though and cats can and will chew them off, you have to hold them in place for a bit at a time. I held each one in place with the glue for three minutes at a time (with breaks between claws) and at least 3 or 4 were gone after I came back from vacation, and I only did his front paws. Don't get the cheap ones.

Keeping their nails trimmed will help quite a bit, give them treats/pets/praise while you do it and make sure to not cut into the quick and they won't squirm so much when it's time to give them a trim. I did weekly trims.

[AcidicSyn]

No... dont bother.... Its like wearing 3 layers of gloves on your hands, you wouldn't like it, neither will your cat. Their nails are like fingers to us, sensitive to pressure, heat, etc... I would never do it. There is a reason cats are made like that, let them be cats.

Really what it takes is discipline, make the cat aware of your intentions in whatever means possible. You might scare the living crap out of it, but it will still love ya. Its like a child, strict discipline is needed.

Fair enough, I'm a creature of routine and habit myself and definitely have no issues with being strict. What would you say to some of the other odd "remedies" people have cooked up? I've heard some pretty odd sounding advice for the last few weeks ranging from spraying diluted Tabasco on cables (seems like a really bad idea for both the cables and the cat) to vinegar. Most of these seem a bit far fetched to me though, and keeping them in a room until they learn not to claw stuff up seems like the better approach for me personally anyway.

On another note- catnip. Yay or nay?

[draynay]

Don't mutilate your cat or torture it with weird nail things, just get it stuff to scratch, if its scratching where you don't want it to, try covering the spot, some people get a special spray to dissuade them but it isn't terribly effective in my experience.

[AcidicSyn]

I actually just adopted two cats two months ago from my girlfriend's dad. He already had two cats and the introduction of these two was not popular with the oldest cat, so I took them in. I grew up around nothing but dogs and cats were completely alien to me, but having adopted these two, I've fallen in love with the little shits.

I've found them easy to maintain and they don't cause too much trouble (though the male cat I adopted purrs in my face when I'm trying to sleep.) Based on what I've heard from other cat owners, I lucked out with them and their good behavior, but it isn't always as easy as it is for me.

I can't really speak to your concerns since I haven't experienced those problems yet. My cats were already de-clawed, but even if you're concerned about scratching, I would advise against it since it's akin to removing their fingers. My cats still try to scratch, though, so I got them a scratching tree and they try to scratch that exclusively now, which is good.

I'd say if I could create a scenario where the bolded is the most difficult issue I have with introducing a cat to my little family I would be pretty happy. Though my dog sleeps next to me and he tends to end up with his head on mine by morning; so cat might have to bribe the bouncer to get to my face.

[Themerlin]

I actually just adopted two cats two months ago from my girlfriend's dad. He already had two cats and the introduction of these two was not popular with the oldest cat, so I took them in. I grew up around nothing but dogs and cats were completely alien to me, but having adopted these two, I've fallen in love with the little shits.

I've found them easy to maintain and they don't cause too much trouble (though the male cat I adopted purrs in my face when I'm trying to sleep.) Based on what I've heard from other cat owners, I lucked out with them and their good behavior, but it isn't always as easy as it is for me.

I can't really speak to your concerns since I haven't experienced those problems yet. My cats were already de-clawed, but even if you're concerned about scratching, I would advise against it since it's akin to removing their fingers. My cats still try to scratch, though, so I got them a scratching tree and they try to scratch that exclusively now, which is good.

Arent cats the greatest!!!!

Little oxytocin factories

- - - Updated - - -

Fair enough, I'm a creature of routine and habit myself and definitely have no issues with being strict. What would you say to some of the other odd "remedies" people have cooked up? I've heard some pretty odd sounding advice for the last few weeks ranging from spraying diluted Tabasco on cables (seems like a really bad idea for both the cables and the cat) to vinegar. Most of these seem a bit far fetched to me though, and keeping them in a room until they learn not to claw stuff up seems like the better approach for me personally anyway.

On another note- catnip. Yay or nay?

I never had problems with cables, if your kitten is doing that, then just provide it with other more suitable distractions, remove any dangling parts near or on cables keep it clean,etc

Catnip is fun....

Although ..(I get teary just thinking about it), when my last cat was older about 15 years of age, I gave it some catnip and he got sick afterwards from a heart condition, and died a few weeks later. I was blaming myself...

Catnip is fun when they are younger, but I would keep it off when they get older, or have that common cat infection that enlarges the heart, otherwise it grows naturally wherever cats exist in nature, and its really not a big problem.

Edit: like Celista mentioned trimming nails regularly is a good thing especially if your cat will be an indoor cat. My cat was outdoor/indoor and I rarely did it.

- - - Updated - - -

I'd say if I could create a scenario where the bolded is the most difficult issue I have with introducing a cat to my little family I would be pretty happy. Though my dog sleeps next to me and he tends to end up with his head on mine by morning; so cat might have to bribe the bouncer to get to my face.

Trust me the cat will find a nook to sleep in. Either your neck, between your legs, or at armpits.


- another fact... I always needed 1 other person with me, when I gave baths to my cats. They are different than dogs in that manner, depending on the breed most of them will consider it torture and will do anything to get out. I always had another person with me when I hgave the bath. I fins that was most likely the hardest part.

That and stitching their ears back to normal after another cat or dog tore them apart. I needed another person to hold the cat down while I sowed them up.

[cozzri]

First cat? Make sure you get a MALE cat since you are new to living with cats. Most of the first time cat owners that I know who got female cats had a difficult time because they don't know how to work with females. Females tend to be more temperamental and will lash out more, often times random while they are chilling on your lap petting them being cute.

Ideally, you want a few cats around, especially an alpha that will bully the other cats; takes some of the responsibility of doing it off yourself.

Make sure you are the alpha, pick them up, clean the goop out of their eyes, clean their butt, raise you voice when they are doing something bad to give them a scare. You are in charge. Make sure you feed them and they know it's you, auto feeder is okay, but make sure you feed canned food and know you, and treats and stuff of course.

Be aware that tops of dressers and cabinets might become a resting place, don't waste your time picking fights with your cat because you don't want them on the couch or she'll, it just causes more stress and drama for both of you. Make the necessary changes, relocate valuables, secure your dressers to walls if they are rickety and of poor quality.

[yetgdhfgh]

Ive owned many cats over the years so here is my advice.

1. Try to keep it indoors because outdoor cats are much likely to get attacked by wildlife, Angry neighbours, cars etc

2. For the love of god get it neutered or Spayed. Trust me there is nothing worse than a horny cat!

3. Keep a clean litter tray in a place where its easily accessible

4. Dry cat food is fine as long as you leave out plenty of water for it to drink

5. get a cat scratcher tree and get some toys for it to play around.

6. Most cats prefer a nice quiet place for them to sleep so create a space where the cat can feel safe such as a closet or anything that is enclosed. The cat tree should suffice if it has a place for it to sleep.

[lonely zergling]

As a cat owner its very important to upload funny videos of your cat.

[kail]

Make sure you get it declawed. Otherwise it's going to ruin everything.

Don't do this OP.

[Cradyz]

So I have a dog and 4 cats, though my dog has lived with 6 in total. I first had a cat, an older one (I think 2 years) that I got from a shelter. Then got my dog as a puppy and 5 more cats afterwards, 4 of them are still with us. 2 of them were introduced to my dog when she was a puppy.

So the part relevant to you would be when my dog was an adult and I introduced 3 cats to her. My dog was pretty indifferent towards cats at home at that point. Outside she loves to bark and chase after them, but she pretty much treats them as equals at home. The cats grew up with her as kittens and grew accustomed to her in some time. During their adjustment period my dog pretty much left them alone, pretty much walking on eggshells for a few days or risk getting hissed at. My other cats were way bigger dicks to them. They all got used to each other in time. Developing their own normal based on their personalities. All perfectly cordial, sometimes they even play with each other in some way.

I suppose it really depends on what your pets are like, but a kitten will get used to everything way way more easily (better for the cat as well).

When introducing cat and dog to each other just keep a close eye on them. Let them sniff and such, move about on their own accord, do NOT force them to interact a certain way. The cat is in an entirely new environment and has a lot to take in and the dog needs to adjust to this newcomer in the territory. For me it was always harder for the cat, probably because my dog is used to cats at home. If the cat stays hidden for hours, so be it, it'll come out eventually, that stuff takes time.

My dog stays indoors when I'm gone, my cats are indoor/outdoor cats so they go as they please. I do keep them locked inside in the evening/night though and there are no issues with the dog. Can't be of much help for your specific situation here I think. My cat just left the house when my dog was a puppy and when grown up she was used to cats. Just keep a watchful eye at first. Your dog shouldn't tear your cat apart or something if it isn't obvious from the start this won't go well. First night best keep them apart, second night same room. Give the cat time to adjust. With my kittens it mostly went: first night alone living room, dog in seperate room; second night both in the living room; third night acces to upstairs if it has been introduced yet.(gonna depend on the cat how long it takes)

I have 2 litter boxes, just hold your breath and clean them.

I have many scratching poles that work with varying degrees of success. You can't really train them, but you can instill preferred behaviour. Discipline is key, make sure to put the kitten on the pole when it starts scratching so it becomes a habbit to do it there. Use a water spray and loud noise to keep it from doing things you don't want, like getting on the kitchen counter or your bed. Just set boundaries and keep them.

So hairballs and puking is gonna depend on your cat. Some species get more hairballs, some don't. I've got 4 of them so there is some kind of puke somewhere every week pretty much. Invest in wooden floors. Hairballs aren't that hard too clean up, regular puke can be a bitch. One of my cats eats too much too fast and pukes often because of it, kinda annoying but that's just something you've got to deal with. (like getting scratched)

Last thing, get your cat and dog their own spaces. Even if it's just in the same room. I've got this pillow basket thing and a specific corner of the couch for the dog and various pillow/basket type things spread throughout the house for the cats. A high place is always a good thing, somewhere warm too. My cats love this basket made of cardboard, sleeping in it and clawing/chewing it.

[Eace]

If you're adopting a kitten, make sure it's at least 12 weeks old. 14-16 weeks would be even better. A lot of behavioral problems stem from the fact that the cat was taken from their mother too early.

Make sure there's a place for the cat that they can go spend their me-time. Preferably somewhere high and, if possible, have several of them.

Also, clean the cat's litter box everyday, and use a higher quality sand. The better the sand, the less it will smell, and the more the cat will like it.

Overall, a happy cat, whose basic needs are met and who has some activity even when they're alone, is a lot more well behaved.

[Stormspark]

• What were your most pressing issues when you first brought your cat home and how did you address them?
• Do you find the expensive self cleaning litter box options to be a good investment? Such as the "Litter-Robot"?
• If you introduced a cat to a dog; how did you go about it? Did you have any issues? Do you leave the cat and dog alone together while at work or separate? If together, what factors contributed the most to making you comfortable enough to do so?
• How did you either train your cat to not scratch furniture/chew cables or otherwise "cat proof" these items? (training is the preferred option and don't worry, declawing is not under consideration)
• Any ways to either prevent or otherwise better manage hairballs? The owner of the last cats I mentioned was pretty disgusting in this regard, I'm not cool with puke drying up under the bed.

No pressing issues. Make sure they know where the litterbox and food are and just leave them alone until they acclimate.

Self cleaning litterboxes are a waste of money and at best, don't work (at worst they just make a smelly mess). My cats have always hated clumping litter too. I just use non-clumping and fully clean out the box with vinegar and soapy water once a week.

Don't have a dog, can't speak to that.

Put scratching posts everywhere. Just get a couple large ones, and then put smaller cardboard scratchers all over the place.

Hairballs...brush your cats every once in awhile (most of them will like it). That helps a lot.

[Snuffleupagus]

Make sure you get it declawed. Otherwise it's going to ruin everything.

Don't do this.

How would you like it if I cut the tips of your fingers off?

- - - Updated - - -

@OP

https://store.petsafe.net/scoopfree-...ing-litter-box

I have one of these, can recommend.

[-Gr-]

Make sure you get it declawed. Otherwise it's going to ruin everything.

DO NOT DECLAW YOUR CAT.

This is the worst thing you could do to your cat. It causes plenty of health problems and if you have that much of an issue with cats and their claws then don't get one. Period.