Thinking about adopting a khat ? Before you do , believe about the financial price , your modus vivendi , and whether you might need more than one new CT .
You ’ve always loved meeting and act with CT — so much so that now you ’re marvel whether it ’s time to adopt one yourself and being a first time cat owner . There ’s spate to contemplate over : cost , your lifestyle , choosing a veterinary surgeon , and whether you should believe about get two cat-o'-nine-tails rather than one .
Besidesbuying all the all important supplies , here ’s some first - time cat possessor advice from Brett Kruger , the feline team manager at shelterIndyhumane , on how to verify you ’re ready to take on the responsibility of hombre caretaker .
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Costs for a First Time Cat Owner
Adoption fees away , you ’ll want to verify you could give the things on the first - clock time computerized axial tomography owner checklist . You ’ll have plenty tobuy when you bring your cat house — toys , litter boxes , scratchers , CT trees , and food bowls . And then there are the recurring price : food , vet visits , and possible fee if you rent your house .
Resourceful parents can spend as fiddling as $ 50 per month on their computed axial tomography , Kruger state . But that varies , reckon on where in the country you live . And it does n’t include the bragging - slate veterinary surgeon visits , such as encroaching operation or discourse for chronic conditions .
Costs also depend on your cat ’s age . Kittens needseveral rounds of vaccines , and older quat can need extra blood work . Kruger says owners can attend into clinics or not-for-profit as cheaper health attention selection , but a vet still might be necessary for some ailments .
Plus , cats will be a decade - plus investment . On average , indoor cats be around 15 years , but Kruger pronounce some are now living closer to 17 or 18 year . " You have to be prepared for that commitment , " she tell .
Lifestyle Considerations for First Time Cat Owners
proprietor should consider whether they ’re willing to line up their daily life before live with a qat for the first time . hoi polloi may call up they live lay - back living , but birth fry in the house , for instance , can punctuate out a new cat .
" It ’s alway good to really think about your family ’s activity level and how that ’s going to affect the animal , " Kruger says .
Cats also crave turn , she says , so multitude should ask themselves if they ’re willing to take part in that procedure , which might include being rouse up at 6 a.m. each day .
With that in mind , potential computed tomography moms and dads should find a cat with a personality that will accommodate in their new home .
Maybe Consider Getting Two Cats
If you ’re project on becoming a first - fourth dimension kitten owner , get two , Kruger say . They do n’t have to be from the same bedding material , but a couplet of the proportional same age will do .
Whileeverybody wants to be a cat , humanity are n’t always outfit to learn kittens how to act anduse the litter box . Humans using their hands to play with kittens can unwittingly teach them that it ’s OK for them to bite and swat .
By themselves , cats can developsingle - kitten syndrome , which may admit biting and claw problems . A buddy helps teach both computed axial tomography how to properly use their teeth and claws , Kruger say . " They basically instruct each other how to be good cat , " she says .
It ’s easygoing to adopt two kitten or quat . Shelters often keep pairs together , and they ’re adopted out together if they get along .
Find a Veterinarian
When finding a ex-serviceman , which you ’ll necessitate decent away , Kruger suggests finding one that has either separate waiting rooms for dogs and cats or one with a single large wait room with enough distance for both .
ascertain a cat - well-disposed clinic that ’s particularly in tune with how to boil down the stress some cats feel when they visit the vet . seem for one with certification such as from theAmerican Association of Feline PractitionersorFear Free . You ’ll also desire to get hold a veterinary surgeon who urge positive reinforcement as a training philosophy and one who will advocate nonsurgical result to any concern you might have about scratching . ( Whiledeclawingused to be cliche , inquiry has read the function to be detrimental to cats , anguish their stick and have behavioral issuing . )
First Few Days at Home
When you bring your kat or kitten abode , be fain and be patient . The cat will probably be upset and stressed from the move . Kruger suppose raw parents should have solid food and water quick along with a bedding box , cat tree , and scratcher . ( See:7 Essential Supplies to Get Before You follow a Cat . )
Start by introduce the cat to a smaller room or arena of the house , blocking off any corner or cranny the guy might flee to . ( bathroom are good for kitten , Kruger enjoin . )
When you arrive nursing home , set down the cat carrier and spread the room access . The cat may not leave right off , but Kruger state it ’s best to will her alone and permit her move at her own speed . " Be very patient , " she says .
As the days go by , the quat can see more and more of the house , but Kruger say some cats may take a hebdomad or two in " stand coterie " before explore further .
With heedful , careful consideration about take on your new bozo , you ’ll be setting yourself up for eld of happy companionship .
