Why do you have a pet cat?

Being more of a dog person I think, I just prefer dogs. But we used to have a couple of cats before Steph was born. We got them rehomed just before Steph was born, as they were a bit nuts and didn't want them jumping all over the baby. And I didn't want Steph tormenting the poor creatures!

Unfortunately I miss them and am half thinking of getting another one.... There is a free to good home notice down at the local supermarket (for four kittens- :doh:!) which I am a sucker for, even though I like to offer something. I'm not sure if (when) to get a boy or girl kitty, which is more docile? I like cats that aren't all over the furniture, our old cats even stayed out of the kitchen, and didn't sleep on the couch. (Strange cats, but I thought that was really good). I think I might like to get another tortiseshell, as an old-old cat of ours was that, and she had the best personality. She was very dog-like.

Sorry, I am babbling. What are the pros/cons to having cats with little kids, does the sex of the cat make a difference to their personality/behaviour (desexed either way of course), and can an ordinary-run-of-the-mill-non-breed-specific cat be a happy indoors kitty? Many thanks.

We don't have a cat at the moment, I am more of a dog person too but I don't mind cats. When I was still living with mum and dad i rescued a feral kitten from under our tank stand (mainly to stop our Jack russell going nutso at it!). We tamed it (somewhat) and he was an awesome cat, my border collie was terrified of him! He did eventually revert back to being a feral though, but at least we made sure he couldn't reproduce.

Umm anyway..lol.. DF said he wants to get a cat again so he can have something to stroke while he is working/watching telly..I think it's a comfort thing, cats just make you feel relaxed and comfortable, especially if they are cuddly cats.

I think most cats, if you got one from a young enough age, would be happy being indoors. You could invest in a large cage (a big bird aviary, or a specially designed cat run) for it to go outside, without being worried about it running away or catching wildlife. Could even take it outside on a lead if you wanted as I do think it is nice for them to get outdoors. i dont think we will be getting one for a while, we rent and whilst landlords seem to be ok with dogs, i think they would be less ok with a cat, especially an indoors one.

not sure about sex, but in general I would think males are more boisterous and outgoing, whereas females may be more 'loving' and smoochy...just a generalisation though! I've never had a female cat, only desexed males...

sorry for the long post..i must be bored this morning! Lol

we have a cat and a dog. Falkor the cat is a boy and he is about 6 now. We had him desexed when he was about 4 months old. He rocks!!!!! He acts like a dog and is really docile. We got him free when MIL cat had kittens.

I don't think sex makes a huge difference unless you don't desex them young. He never knew any difference. He is really codependant and loves his tummy rubbed (which most cats hate).

We are a little worried about him with the baby once it's born but after doing lots of reading and watching some interviews on TV from RSPCA and introducing pets to children we feel a bit better. We know that he can never go in the babies room and will have a spay bottle handy if he tries.

Cat person here for 3 reasons

1. Wasn't allowed one as a child
2. Easier to leave to go to work etc.
3. Don't have to pick up poo

I'm a big cat person... just look at my name :rolleyes:

But we have two cats and a dog. all girls, I just prefer them, boys I find do still spray even after desexing. DH feels a bit outnumbered in our house I think.

The cats are great company and seem to know when I feel down and come and give me cuddles (and they are great hotwater bottles). They are good to laugh at, they do very silly things at times (one keeps trying to get in the bath with me - weird huh?). They are very gentle with the baby and know their limits (taught by a swift swipe to their rump if they do something wrong) Kids learn how to be gentle with animals and other small things as they quickly learn the hard way if they are rough.

Does it sound like I am biased? probably am, but if you are getting kittens you can train them from the start to be good with kids. let us know how it goes :)

Funnily enough I have found male cats to be much more easy going than females. They are cheaper to desex, and as long as you do that before they reach sexual maturity (6-7 months) than they are easy as pie. We had a male cat and he rocked, he lounged around and was an indoor cat. He played with our dogs and was easy going.

Its much more responsible for the environment to have indoor cats and if you want get a cat run. We decided when we buy a house we will get a cat run out a bedroom window so the cat can wonder out and in as it wishes and we can close it at night in winter to keep the cold air out.

Our cat got dumped in our front yard when he was a kitten :(
We had no intensions of getting another animal after having a jackrussel that annoyed the kids no end, we actually got it to try and help DS2 not be so affraid of dogs.

But 'Shrek' as he is known in this house is part of the family now.

with the 2 youngest he sat under their bassinet's on guard...even letting me know when they were upset. He is extremly gentle and loving. DS2 has autism and we have found him sleeping with him some nights when DS2 has had 'bad' days. He's been a real calming mechanisim in the house.

Once in a while while im in the shower I get this little black and white face stick his head in to check out what im doing, and i cant go to the toilet with out either him or the kids following me :rolleye: I kid you not.

If we go away for a weekend and its not hot (summer) we put him in Jed's shed with blankets, food, water and kitty little box and he's quite happy in there. We leave a radio on for him.

Having a cat is so comforting and relaxing. Their carefree and loving. I just get upset when cat's come here and attack him in our yard :(, being desexed he doesnt go far, I think the furthest ive seen him is across the road, dusting himself on the neighbours nature strip lol

We have both male and female cat and i have found that the males are more like dogs IYKWIM? Nelson follows you around and is very lively and fun whereas Keeley is more standoffish (except to Christy LOL) Our cats are great with DS and tolerate a lot of "love" from him especially when he was smaller and have never hurt him at all (even when he deserved it)
Both our cats are moggies who have been rescued which makes me feel good too. Look up cat rescue places they always seem to have kittens as well and usually come with desexing and needles which makes them much cheaper in the long run that getting a "free" kitten.

Oooh, thanks for all the quick replies! Most appreciated. I think I probably want one to be the master of calm in the house. Currently its anything but. :(

The narrow side of our house is all covered in with trellis, so that would make a huge enclosure. I would just have to make an end with a door in it.

Steph loves cats (all creatures really), and I think maybe if she had a cat her that she would be less excited about catching one and squeezing it.

One of our old cats was white and deaf. Occasionally he would escape outside, and we'd see him asleep on the roof, or worse still, sitting in the middle of the road. There is nothing worse than a deaf animal looking the opposite way as you're trying to call it off the road and there's a car coming!

Moggies! That's the term I was trying to remember. Thanks Mrs Mac.

I think I may need to wait a while until the kids are bigger and not pick through the litter tray. Yuk!

Well, I went with a friend to the animal shelter to pick up her dog and I fell in love with this itsy bitsy kitten who had been there for a couple weeks and we like connected straight away and I had to have her. A year on and im still madly in love with her. She is my first cat never really liked them but yeah...

:doh: I knew I shouldn't have looked! I just looked at the Cat Protection Society site, and I like the first cat on the list! HE is a real cutie, but would have to look into the breed (an oriental?). Lol, what a sucker I am!

I have a cat and two dogs (and chooks and fish!)

Pat is the handsome Siamese... He is very very regal - he meows like a wild banshee - Siamese have a terrible meow... But we love him and he loves us. He was a runt because he has bookies eyes (one each way!)... Noone wanted him - so I got him!
He sleeps everywhere and is very good with my kids - except DD5. He doesn't like her much and won't let her near him...

For me a house is not a home without a cat. A cat to stroke on the couch when you're sitting down with a cuppa... They are gorgeous little creatures...

Pat is obviously a male - he doesn't spray and I too have found in 42 years of owning cats that males are easier... But maybe it was just the males I had...

I say go the cat!

I have a cat cos he was born under my bed and just too good lookin to give away.

I have a little tortie girl, she is such a sweet and empathic little creature, how could you NOT want a cat? :) Nothing's more calming than the purr of a contented cat. Ours is very well behaved, we had her from a small kitten and always set boundaries and she's been sweet and gentle with both of my girls when they were little.

Can't say I own a cat. Although we do have three cats living in our house who own some humans ;)

We have two boys (an Australian Mist and a moggy) and a girl (a bengal). The boys are generally more affectionate and more likely to become lap cats if that's what you're hoping for. Girls are usually a bit crazier (playful), but I think they're a bit more empathetic. My female cats have always been more in tune with my feelings.

The girl cat that I have now (the bengal) knew that I was pregnant before I did!! And now she's almost like a second mum to Alyssa. Keeps an eye on her and can be quite protective. Other than that, they both love to play with the same things, and have been known to fight over stuff that they both want! Alyssa also pulls her tail ALL THE TIME, and the worst she does is meow LOUDLY and look to DH and myself for help!

We have not had any problems with the cats and our baby (apart from all of them being a bit jealous when she first came home, but two weeks later they just all wanted to cuddle with her). Having said that, we don't allow them into her bedroom.

we have a cat, he was given to DD when she was three by a well meaning neighbour... This cat is the funniest thing out. It has been hit by a car not once but twice, has metal plates in its head, half an ear and a reconstructed face but oh it is so sweet. I call it an it as well its a he but we told DD for ages it was a she as she wouldnt have a boy cat....he is desexed and I love him to bits.

He follows me everywhere , like you Maz that includes the toilet. The kids all adore him and Lachlan loves meowing at him and hugging him...

I had never owned a cat in my life and thought I hated them until DH said we should get one to deter mice. So we bought one. I am now converted, I'd never be without a cat, our cat is just gorgeous.

Oh, I lovelovelove my cats and would never be without one! We refer to our house as the 'zoo' because we have three cats, a Jack Russell, a toddler, a baby, a teenager...
Our cats are all moggies - two boys and a girl. They are AMAZING with the kids. All three are desexed (although we'd been putting our little girl Paris off for a while because it's more expensive than for boys, and she ended up getting herself in the family way first), and while I can't speak for the big ginger (Buddy), as he was DH's parents' cat and was about three or four when we inherited him, it doesn't appear to have had any negative effects on our cats. Our big boy (Mr Boo-Boo) was desexed early on (when he started trying to DTD with Paris), and the only difference I've noticed is that it's made him a bit more shy and reserved. As a kitten he would waltz up to anybody and ask for a cuddle, now he runs and hides when he hears visitors coming through the gate, but if he feels relaxed he is still just as affectionate with his family (DH, the kids and I) as he ever was.
Paris's entire personality has changed after having a litter and being desexed, she's gone from being the aloof type who was more than happy with her own company but would seek attention when it suited her, to constantly being under our feet, sleeping in our bed and jumping up onto our laps all the time - it's lovely. I think it was having kittens rather than being fixed that changed her though, so unfortunately I can't recommend that!!

We had Paris and Boo-Boo before we had the kids, and to be honest I never gave a moment's thought to worrying about how they would go with babies. Turns out it would have been a wasted effort anyway - we brought baby home from hospital and the cats were so terrified of the squalling newborn they were never spotted within 5 metres of her! We tried to introduce them the way the experts told us to, but they had no interest in the baby and kept well away until she started crawling. Then the new worry was that they might scratch or hurt her if she grabbed them - and again, no reason for stress - the cats would just go floppy if she grabbed them, they tolerated her pulling their tails and ears and being rough, and would squirm away and get out of the room as soon as they could. Never once have they intentionally scratched DD1, even though there are plenty of times I would have let them get away with it to teach her a lesson about being rough with them! By the time DD2 arrived, they knew what a baby was and they would peer into the bassinette to watch her sleep or snuggle up next to her if she was quiet, but again they mostly keep to themselves. They let her grab at their fur and tug their ears (she's exploring at the moment and loves their soft coats), and when they've had enough they just get up and go find somewhere else to sleep.

Until this time last year, they were strictly kept indoors as we lived in units where pets weren't allowed, and I was so scared of them being hit by a car or something. It never appeared to bother them - they were raised indoors since they were kittens and just didn't know any different. Now they come and go as they please and I've never once found them catching anything other than a little skink lizard here and there.


Lol sorry for the essay... I just love my cats soooo much! My life would be a lot sadder without them in it :)
From my experience, moggies can be just as happy with being indoors cats as any purebred cat. Girls are a bit more 'bimbo'ish in nature (at least until they drop a litter), and boys are a bit more reserved, but just as affectionate as each other. All cats are different and have wonderful unique personalities, so if you want another one, go check out a litter or go to the pound/shelter and spend some time there - the one who will suit your requirements will make itself known to you, and you'll take the right one home! Good luck :) Cats and kids are a great mix if you get a cat with the right personality. And they really do enrich your lives and add a whole new dimension to the family dynamic - I love having them around and wouldn't have it any other way!

More replies! I will probably end up getting a moggy, but I will go to the protection society to get one, unless one 'falls into my lap'. I don't want one that is a total lap cat. Hopefully when the time is right, the right kitty will choose me.

We've had cats for the past 3 years and both grew up with cats. I think each cat is like a person...very individual. True there are some breeds that have particular temproments, but they are gereralisations.
Same with the gender of the cat, In my life I've had 2 very dominering male cats, they settled a bit after they were desexed but they were still very strong personalities. But our current male cat is plassid and loves cuddles. I've had 2 female cats too. Both were quite shy around strangers, but one of them was always very shy, the other one would want cuddles a lot...she was a very jealous cat though and ran away from home 6 weeks after DD was born because she suddenly wasn't the "baby" anymore coz we had DD.

I think it's important to spend time with a cat before you decide to bring it home with you. I think 30min to an hour would be a good amount of time to get to know the cat and know if it's got the personality you're looking for.

we always had cats when i was growing up....five infact, boy and girls, de sexed and 'not' one had kittens then had the op. we kept some of her babies, Some were crazy as a bag of snakes, most scratched the carpet and sofa thread bear, they would hide in the cupboards in my bed room when i was a toddler and my mum would find me snuggled up with a cat in the morning, i dressed them up as babies when i was a kid. and my tortouise shell kitty, who was mine since i was 4, died only last year at the age of 22! i think she thought she was a dog. they all do i think. one has dimentia. one gigivitus, one only has one eye!!!
I went on a total tangent then....what im trying to say is i think cats are great with kids, ours were all out doors cats, the one with dimentia actually lived in the out side cupboard for a year! crazy cat.but i think in the uk its alot more normal/acceptable to have outside cats. ours were all rescued cats...which could explain why they are all a bit cray!
I loved my cats so much, just as much a part of the family as dogs,...although dog people would proably argue that! cant wait to live somwhere where we can get more!!

we have two cats (and a dawg).

our first cat turned up heavily pg on our doorstep and very hungry. she never left!

then we got Cassius, who was a crazy, beautiful creature that we 'inherited' when we moved into our place when living in Fiji. he came back to Oz with us.

our third cat turned up as a youngish kitten on our doorstep in the middle of a thunderstorm and was part feral. he is probably now, one of the most gentle giants!

Our female cat is gorgeous, but she is def more one on one. i have found in my experience that male cats are a bit more social savvy. they are more willing to engage with groups and demand pats etc etc. Also, we found that our boy cats were far less traumatised by babies...but maybe for our female cat it just brought back newborn nightmares ROFL!

Although we didnt choose our cats (we always assumed we were dog ppl and nothing else). i am surprised by teh richness of life that they have shown us. Baby (our female cat) is so tender and caring. she follows you everywhere when you feel a bit ill and will check in on me all the time. Cassius was just MAGIC. when he died from luekemia a year after arriving back in Oz i sent out an email to close friends here and back in Fiji just letting them know. the next day when i checked my inbox it was FULL. ppl from all over the world had written to farewell him. he was indescribable and even now, almost 6 years later it brings tears to my eyes to know i'll never see him again.
Ciccio, like i mentioned is our gentle giant. he is always up for a cuddle, doesnt mind being manhandled by the toddler ('cause there might be food at the end ;)) and overall is very easy and laidback.

cant recommend them highly enough! cats are also a little easier to look after than dogs in teh sense that they dont need to be walked twice a day, and are cheaper to have at catteries if you do go away. but this is the small stuff i guess.

We have a cat, always have really. They are independant animals, and do not require 'alot' of attention like a dog.
Our lil man "Thomas" is very good with both girls. He is the first boy we have had, and he is amazing.

i bought home a stray from my old work, the mum was feral who had 5 kittens, we re homed them around teh staff.

he was a bit crazy for a week while he settled in, he was prob only 5 weeks old when we bought him home.

he is now more dog like than anything and teh most affectionate patient cat i have ever owned. he lets tay sit on him, pull his tail try adn brush him.

he is well house trained, talks to us and will sit with us, sleeps where he wants especially with the kids in their bed DS loves it lol.

he plays games with teh kids and even goes on the trampoline with them, i swear he thinks he is human, has to eat dinner at the same time as us.

he was desexed early as soon as his little boy bits dropped.

everyone comments on how affectionate he is.

we have two cats. our male is the most docile cat. he's good with out DS - 10months. DH has bitten his tale (pre-teeth) and he didnt flinch he's also smacked his paw whilest alseep, and didnt react other then wake up and just look at DS like "huh?" DH has had our male since he was around 3wks old as a stray female "dumped" the little he was from on the back step.

Our female we adopted from the local RSPCA and she's a wonderful cat too. she's alot more shy but she's also wonderful with our DS. another bub from my MG grabbed the side of her (she has a pot belly) and she didnt hiss or anything just stood there and waited for the babys hand to be taken away, she then walked off and plonked down to watch the baby and our DS play.

I have to admit that after the birth of DS i never pushed the cats away and allowed them to be around DS as much as they wanted - they never once got into his bed, but when DS was co-sleeping they also slept on the bed with us, so they know DS is part of the 'pack'.
Ohh plus DH wont let me get a dog :rofl: just yet!

I'm amazed and thrilled that so many 'dog' people have found that life wouldn't be the same without a cat. I grew up with a dog and a cat at all times, and at any time in my life when I have not had one or the other I feel there is something missing. They are both wonderful creatures and bring something special in to any home (and I'm not talking about the skink tail!! :rofl:)

We have also always had rescued animals - either from a shelter or dumped, or a kitten from the feral school cat. I do recommend the shelters though, because they come desexed and with needles and this really does keep the cost down. In fact I have found it to be the equivalent or cheaper than getting a free animal and having to take it to the vet myself.

We currently have a Tortoiseshell - and although she is a sweet thing, torties are known for their attitude. I didn't know this when I got mine!! But she was what I was looking for at the time, I lived on the same street as the Cat Protection Society and I went there everyday looking for a sweet cat, that wouldn't be afraid of the dog I had at the time. Not that my dog would be mean, but she was big and gruff (she was brindle coloured - so I said they were both my matching luggage!!). And this little kitten was just that, kept persisting with my dog even though she growled and turned away from her until eventually the dog took on the mother role and just cleaned and cleaned and cleaned her, and my cat loved it. She still tries to get my new dog to lick her, but he just doesn't get it!! :rolleyes: She still has her attitude but they still get along just great as this dog is more playful and they chase each other (yes the cat chases the dog!!) around the house and backyard. She is not and never has been a lap cat. Will come for a few minutes and have a quick cuddle and pat and then she goes and finds somewhere by herself. When Jett was a newborn she wouldn't go near him, and now she doesn't mind him giving her a pat, but doesn't like her tail being pulled, but she mostly just runs away if he starts getting too rough. She's swiped him a couple of times, but Jett doesn't even seem to mind - no tears at all, and then he leaves her alone.

I had a girl cat a while back that was the kitten of the feral school cat - she was just so gorgeous. Loved a cuddle, but didn't need me all the time. And I really loved when I drove in the driveway how she would run up the driveway to greet me - just like a dog. But again, that was what I needed at the time.

The right cat does seem to find its way to you, so don't be afraid of just spending a bit of time at a shelter and letting the right cat choose you. They know......

after reading all the posts, I was wondering if we should start up a BB cat fanciers club! We had one at my old work, where like minded cat lovers would email each other with the funny stories about our cats that the 'non-fanciers' wouldn't get. It was also really handy when one of the cats got sick and the owner got so many emails from our cats to her cats wishing it well :)

We have 3 cats, two Ragdolls and a Bengal.

They are honestly my "furkids" (as you can tell from my signature, feel free to visit their photoalbum link there)

I couldn't be without them, they are so comforting and in tune with my mood. The Raggies are perfect for children, they are so docile and will handle any kind of handling, our biggest boy Caesar who weighs in at a whopping 7 kilos is happily carried around and dragged and brushed and tormented by our friends little ones and never ever complains, he has never scratched or even shown signs of aggression around children, neither has Merlin - our other Raggie, but he does tend to hide when the kids get too much. I honestly cannot recommend the ragdoll breed enough for children.

Our Bengal on the other hand is not a kid cat, she's her own person with a very independant nature, typical bengal - she's a hybrid cat but we just love her pieces.

Our cats rule the roost, I love having them around, all three always come wake me in the morning when DH lets them out of their bedroom and I'm never ever unhappy to see their purring faces. They are the light of my life, I know that sounds corny - but I can't imagine life without them. Even my parents and in laws call them "grandcats" lol