Is my house suitable for the arrival of a cat? What are the inconveniences to adopt a cat? What to feed a cat? Do I have the resources? All these questions can cross our mind when we decide to adopt a pet. Now, cats have their peculiarities. It is better to be aware of their characteristics, going from food to cleaning and their frights among others. To understand her is also indispensable and can turn out to be an enriching experience.
Before the arrival of a cat
Before the arrival of your pet, you owe first of all, to collect information and to ask yourself important questions like:
1. Where am I going to adopt a cat from?
2. Will a cat be happy at my home?
3. What type of cat to choose?
4. What should I feed a cat?
5. How to take care of a cat?
6. Can I pay for the extra expenses?
7. Can I put up with a cat?
Where am I going to adopt a cat from?
For ordinary cats, you will find them everywhere. However, you should know that there are several associations or refuges which collect abandoned or found cats. Those wait for a home and it would be really chivalrous to adopt one. As for the purebred cats, you will find them in pet shops at full price.
Will a cat be happy at my home?
Your pet will be happy if you also are happy. Even if frightened at the beginning, she will quickly get used to your home. Nevertheless, make sure that nobody at home is allergic to animal hair and that everybody agrees and happy with her arrival. Furthermore, plan to spend a lot of time with her because she is very affective. Certainly, it will not be easy if you work a lot and nobody stays with her. It will be necessary, in that case, maybe to give up on this adoption or you can take in two cats of the same mother so that they are not alone.
What type of cat to choose?
If you want a kitten, you should never adopt one if the age is less than 3-month-old. If separated too early from her mother, she can become aggressive later and show some other behavior disorders. Besides, if you find this kitten and decide to take care of her, you will have to take care of her like her mother would. Take her to a veterinarian who will know how to advise you. So, you are going to need to bottle-feed her, to give her a lot of affection, to play with her and even to pamper her. You must be ready to clean her after every meal and to rub the buttocks to stimulate her system. If you chose yourself your kitten, observe the mother and her environment. If everything suits you, opt for the one who appears most in shape. If you adopt an old cat, it will maybe not please your children in search of a playfellow. Then, you have to choose between male and female and if you don’t want to have kittens, you must be ready to spend on neutering.
Take care of a cat
If you want to adopt a cat, you will of course need to think about other aspects like food, caring, expenses involved and your capacity to put up with a cat. True enough, taking care of a cat is no easy task.
What to feed a cat?
If the adopted kitten has no teeth, she will not be able to feed herself alone. So, make mixtures of egg yolks and milk, which you will put in a syringe without needle to help her swallowing it. If she has teeth, mix certain food in some milk, such as well chopped meat or croquettes for kitten so that it looks like porridge. It is recommended to feed her every two hours.
As for a grown-up cat, a well-balanced meal has always to be in the menu. So, being carnivore, give her some meat but take into account that she also needs proteins, lipids, carbohydrates which we find in cereal, vitamins and minerals. However, it is necessary to ban fat of vegetable origin and food rich in magnesium.
How to take care of a cat?
There is a range of things to prepare like the litter and bowls, where one will have to contain some water and, the other one, the food. Be aware not to put them near the litter. Then, you will have to brush your cat regularly because she loses her hairs. She licks herself and swallowing too big quantity can be harmful for the digestive system. Use a comb or a brush adapted and for the fleas, use some cotton on which you will vaporize a special liquid, do not apply directly.
It is also necessary to take her to the veterinarian for her vaccines, medicines and in case of disease. Have a box or a basket in which you will put her to go there or even when you will go for a walk. Also, think of leaving her a basket and toys so that she can have fun with because kittens are generally very playful. A scratcher is also on the agenda because you do not want her to sharp her claws on your furniture or walls. And if you go on holiday, it will be necessary to leave her with somebody competent to take care of her.
Can I pay for the extra expenses?
Taking care of a cat requires some expenses like the veterinarian, medicines for worming treatment, food, toys, litter and anti-fleas products among others. So you have to plan ahead for a monthly budget to be able to pull through.
Can I put up with a cat?
You will have to bear many things because cats can make a great deal of mess. As an example, they hang themselves on curtains and damage furniture with their claws. However, you can prevent this by making your cat understand what bad habits are and by training her with patience. A cat can live between 15 – 20 years, thus a harmony which settles down between you would definitively be better. Before adopting a cat, review your level of tolerance.
