How do you take care of a cat?

[chesty]

To make a long story short I got a cat at the animal shelter yesterday.

I've never had a pet before and need some help.
All I know is that he doesn't like wet food, and after some trail and error I figured out how to clean the cat box.

And because I know someone will ask, probably being Del.
He's a Tortoiseshell and I've named him turtle,
_{the people at the shelter had named him Damn cat.}
He's a little mean but he seems to like me better then anyone else, probably because I show him respect.

Any information would be of help.
Thank you.

[Falcom Director of Fanservice]

Roit. Make sure it knows about the litterbox. For serious.

If he can handle dry food, all the better. Did the shelter people give you any advice on what he likes? If not, try not to chance his diet from what it was too drastically; at least immediately.

Lessee... get used to cat litter being spread about the catbox, it'll just naturally get scattered.

Oh, is s/he declawed and spayed? The former cuts down on destructiveness quite a bit, and the latter just makes cats more managible in general.

After that, just keep an eye on it. Just about every pet has some destructive idiosynchrasy that has to be learned the hard way. If you have delecate valuables, be sure to keep them away from easy reach. Be fully ready for something you love to get shredded, knocked over, chewed on, or ect.

And of course, spend some time with it. Cats can bond funny, but be there and be loving, and there's a fair chance it won't end up a mean-spirited recluse.

[Musa-Revived]

Ooh, I love cats. Too bad I don't own one

Anyway, male cats may be more playful than females so I suggest you observe Turtle for a while. Since he's mean, you may expect a few scratches and bites every now and then. I've got a friend who has this really mean male cat, and every time I see him, he got scratch and bite marks all over his arms! So yeah, like what the Captain says, see if he's declawed or neutered... though I think it's a little horrible to "unman" the cat lol. My advice is just declaw him although neutering him will make him a lot quieter.

Cats also love warm places, so if you got no other places in the house, your cat may just make your computer/monitor his everyday couch. Since he's a shorthair, you shouldn't worry too much about grooming his hair, but still there will be some hair over the place.

Keep him busy, buy toys for him to chew on and get a scratch post if you don't want to declaw him else he will be scratching all over your couch.

And lastly, go read up on the tortoiseshell and learn more about it. Google is your best friend =P

[Del Stimpson]

Chesty!
For the love of god, please DO NOT feed him any of the things I said you can. I thought you were just making things up again, so really do not do that!.

[chesty]

What the hell is wrong with you woman! You thought I was making up that I bought a cat!? I understand you less and less when you're on your period.

[Del Stimpson]

Well I just thought that you wanted attention or something.
And I'm glad that you finally got your turtle, even if it's not an actual turtle.

[Arjak]

I have three cats. We started feeding them tuna as a treat now and then. BIG MISTAKE. Now my first cat is always bugging me at horrible times to beg for tuna. I've become his personal caiterer or something!

[Cyhirae]

If he isn't spayed- I strongly suggest you do so though if he's a full grown cat, it won't stop the spraying habit- it'll just remove the really pungent part of the scent. Male cats are more friendly than female but the balance comes in their habit of marking- particularly if you've EVER had an animal before, or there's been one in the residence prior. Prepare to invest in pet odor removers- hopefully you won't need them but it never hurts to be prepared.

next up- it's suggested you get a covered litter pan and scoopable litter. The gravel stuff is rough on their paws for extended use, plus tends to encourage the build up of horrid odors that can only be gotten rid of by steady scrubbing of the pan. Also, the covered pan will keep the litter-spray to one direction,and you can toss a cheap bathroom matt in front of it to catch the litter, plus any 'accidents' the cat may have if it decides the litter box is not up to its standard of cleanliness. A scoopable box is easier to keep clean without requiring heavy scrubbing every few days, and is more tolerable in the summer heat as it tends to control the ammonia scent better than gravel.

Above all- accept that no matter what you do- the litterpan smell will never entirely go away. So it's strongly recommended if you have a room away from the bathroom to keep it in that's also well away from any area where food is prepared or consumed. A room with a closeable door is recommended, particularly for training it to know WHERE the box is. Also, once the cat is comfortable with the location- you can leave the door cracked just enough for the cat to get in and out and thus cut down majorly on the escaping scents. Otherwise you'll always know when something disagreed with your kitty very quickly.

It is also recommended that where ever the litter pan is- their food and water be as well. Do NOT feed them in the kitchen or dining room, ever. If they come to associate that space with being where they are fed, even if they've never had table scraps: your food is fair game. Plus, it is not at all unusual for a cat to want to use the litterpan very shortly after eating and drinking - an easy stroll away from the food and water will cut down majorly on the number of accidents or the cat just deciding it's not worth walking all the way to the pan from wherever they are fed.

Dry food is best for cats- moist food and table scraps can build up around the base of their teeth and rot them since cooked bones are rarely safe to give them to allow them clean their teeth on. Save the moist food for if you ever have to give him medicine or the like.

If you live in an area where it is moist most of the year, even if your cat is an indoor cat ONLY- get a flea collar, give him baths once every six weeks and even if he's a short hair: comb him at least once a week so he's not tempting to anything that thinks mammals are tasty and good places to live.

Declawing can spare your furniture- but if the cat goes outdoors or there's a chance he may get out: don't do this to them! You're removing what they defend themselves with and the neighborhood strays will have them for lunch, I kid you not. A well timed slap to the paws or across the nose when he starts scratching can teach him not to do it- buying him a toy like one of those rumble balls (a disc shaped toy with a ball in a track and a scratching area in the middle with catnip in it) can do even more for avoiding the untimely demise of furnishings and the like. I'm highly against declawing since the cat only has to get out once to be seriously hurt by other cats- and yes, they WILL hurt any unfamiliar cat in their territory.

Final note: candles- scented or otherwise- are your friend near the pan's location. They really do help keep the air fresh.

[Musa-Revived]

Hmm yeah, you just reminded me abt declawing. So I take back my words, it's horrible to declaw and spay cats. Declawing a cat is equivalent to chopping off someone's fingers.

[Rigaman]

De-clawing a cat is so inhumane. That is a horrible thing to do to a cat. You can trim there nails, or have them rounded a bit if they are indoor cats. Or just get them a scratching post. Using there nails and clawing something is almost a stress relief for cats. It also helps them stretch out there legs and body by being able to grab on to something. I know it sounds weird but its true. There are many web pages about cats, some go as deep as the psycology of them.

[Falcom Director of Fanservice]

A question: How many of you who talk about how inhumane these practices are have owned cats who have been spayed and declawed? Or have owned cats in general?

Spaying is absolutely necessary, overpopulation is a real problem; and Cyh's point about escaping rams that bit home. As for declawing, perhaps I am wrong, but I've only known the front claws to be removed, leaving the rear ones for defense; and if you ever seen cats fight for real, they use all those claws, and the teeth as well. So leaving them with the rear ones will do. Also, claws really aren't a stretching aid, cats just flex them out while stretching, the same way we flex our fingers while doing it. They stretch out just fine without claws.

To my knowledge, neither practice really hurts the animal, beyond having to convalesce. But, clipping the edge off the claws is not a bad cheap alternative to declawing, but it's much less effective n the long run. And, I'm pretty sure it's quite easy to clip off too much and hurt them rather badly, but I may be wrong.

[rocket]

This is funny seeing seldanes Ys forum being flooded with cat advertisments.

[Musa-Revived]

Nothing to do with the topic, but here's a link for all u cat lovers and owners.

www.infinitecat.com/

Called the infinite cat project, you can join the infinite chain of pics featuring cats staring at pictures of other cats staring at other cats' pictures on the monitor... and on and on.

[Falcom Director of Fanservice]

philipmorris said:

MODIFY: ...and yeah, of course, your own selfish needs. If you're not capable of cleaning up after your pet, including when it sprays, providing it with something ELSE to claw up (scratching posts and various toys), then really, don't even bother taking my advice. Or in my opinion, don't even bother getting a cat.

Yes, because it sure is terrible to prevent a problem before it happens, as opposed to dealing with inevitable angry and resentment toward it when it does something wrong. Also, on the not having children right now, thing, cats don't care about that. They mate whenever they are in heat and get a chance. Which is why spaying is so damned important, there are simply too many stray kittens in the world, and an overabundance of strays will have a negative impact on the area they are in, like an overabundance of anything. Spaying, if you don't intend on breeding the animal, is just plain being responsible.

[Falcom Director of Fanservice]

The problem with the same rights idea is that rights come with responsibility. Which cats simply do not have, because they (take your pick) do not comprehend the issue, or do not care. As such, the burden of the choice falls upon us as a species, who have dmoesticated them, and us as individuals, who have chosen to take a pet. Not declawing, I give, isn't very important in the grand scheme of things, until you cat attacks someone or someone else's property. At that point, part of the fault is the owner's, for not taking steps to prevent it. And yes, when you cat goes to breed kittens that are going to be left on the streets or tossed in the shelter, it is partially your fault for not taking steps to prevent it. And as Cyh pointed out, you really can't predict when your pet is going to escape.

The thing about moral responsibility is that you have to have morals, which is something we've kinda got the monopoly on.

I'm also amused you point out Asian countries' troubles (remember: People are Asian, objects are Oriental), but not our own overpopulation woes. The difference, though? We can make a choice not to do such. Cats really do not. Which is why spaying is very important.

[Musa-Revived]

Sometimes I wonder about our rights over every other living thing on this planet. We are just mammals in the eco-chain yet we have managed to dominate the whole planet with our unparalleled intelligence. Because of that, it automatically allows us to exert our rights over the other "lesser" animals who are also as much a part of nature as we are. From the animals' point of view (assuming they understand the concept), we are the oppressors taking over their living spaces for our own selfish needs. Yet this way of thinking cannot be considered as hypocritical because as a species, there is no superior entity for us to answer to. And it gets a lot more complicated when humans are the only species to have the ability to understand abstract, intangible concepts and ideas. So here we are arguing amongst ourselves about "moral" controversies and enjoying our sip of coffee, while cats are being silently exposed to whatever indirect consequences caused by our actions.

Seriously, humans are selfish and no one really gives a damn abt it because this is what we are. One of the two things I really believe in is that the Earth is dying and we are the cause of it. I also believe that I will carry on sipping my coffee and playing my Falcom games for as long as I can.

Actually I also believe in another thing: that what I said is pretty much bullshit, so go spay your cat or whatever basing on whatever "humane" reasons you decide to go with.

Oh, and I'm an Asian living somewhere in Asia and I don't really care whether you refer to us as Orients or not, since to us, you guys are mainly referred to as "Westerners" or "Americans" or "Europeans". We are living on opposite sides of the planet so we're bound to be pretty much ignorant of whatever that's happening on the other side of the world.

[Falcom Director of Fanservice]

Fair enough on the Orients thing. I've always been taught it's a mild slur, and have known a few Asians who never cared for it.

I would argue, though, the very act of taking a pet is asserting that you have the right to determine how another creature will live its life. Granted, you are probably able to provide very well for it, in both terms of love and sustinance, but still. Having a pet is essentially bending another creature to your will by some degree. Given we do this as a species, and we have transplanted animals all over the globe into places that never had them simply to keep them as pets, proves that we need to be responsible about how we keep them, lest our actions cause (more) damage through them.

[rocket]

captain said:

Fair enough on the Orients thing. I've always been taught it's a mild slur, and have known a few Asians who never cared for it.

I would argue, though, the very act of taking a pet is asserting that you have the right to determine how another creature will live its life. Granted, you are probably able to provide very well for it, in both terms of love and sustinance, but still. Having a pet is essentially bending another creature to your will by some degree. Given we do this as a species, and we have transplanted animals all over the globe into places that never had them simply to keep them as pets, proves that we need to be responsible about how we keep them, lest our actions cause (more) damage through them.

Well put.

remember the kittys Life's Good, all it has to do is eat and restroom...

[Falcom Director of Fanservice]

In part. I would argue that being insanely unlucky had a part in it. It's the difference between your cat escaping and breeding versus your cat backing up with gas and exploding violently. The odds are low enough for the latter that you usually wouldn't plan for it. Then again, I find things like stingrays terrifying as hell, so I'd always be wary around them. This is why Steve Irwin was much braver than I am.

[SkyeWelse]

I have three cats. We started feeding them tuna as a treat now and then. BIG MISTAKE. Now my first cat is always bugging me at horrible times to beg for tuna. I've become his personal caiterer or something!

This is excellent advice by the way. I have two cats, both rescues and the more I give them tuna (low sodium if you give it to them, under 50mgs if you can find it) the more they'd rather eat tuna in place of their own food. Now it seems that whenever I go to the kitchen, even to make a sandwich, the cats are always there... watching my every move, and if the refridgerator opens... it's all over and the meows start... Just uh, make sure you give them in extreme moderation since tuna in particular is something that cats go bonkers for.

And what Rigannon said about declawing them is pretty accurate, especially if you have more than one cat or if you are planning on letting them go outside. Some people prefer to declaw a cat to save their furnature, but at the same time psychologically it messes with them since they now no longer have claws to defend themselves in a situation that may call for it so they end up being extra worried all the time. In relations with other cats, the ones that don't have claws will feel inferior to the ones who do have claws, so there is kind of is a class societal structure to it as well.

The one advice I can give you is to clean up your video game controllers when you are done using them and invest into getting wireless controllers. My cats alone have probably cost me over $150 in videogame/controller replacements over the years. And now they absolutely love the Wii controller...

Wii Kitty Image

-SkyeWelse