Should I adopt a Cat instead?

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I have owned dogs all my life.
I have been wanting to get another dog since giving up my dog for adoption during a psychotic break.
I’m not quite ready to adopt another dog just yet, but getting closer every day.

Lately I have been thinking about adopting a young Cat or Kitten instead of getting a dog.

The thing is I’ve only owned a Cat once, when I was married and it was really my wife’s pet.

I forgot what it was like to own a Cat really.

There are so many Cat owners/lovers here, maybe you guys can help me.

Are Cats affectionate?
Are they “easier” to maintain than dogs?
Can they be trained not to jump on tables?

I’ll have to educate myself on Cat ownership and talk to my Sister in law ( She was a Cat owner for a long time) before I commit myself to owning a Cat.

Something for me to think about.

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I don’t own pets but from research cats are more independent than dogs and need less training etc.

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Yeah I know that much @anon80629714 but I guess I’m looking for specifics.
This might sound dumb but I don’t even know where they sleep?
Are there Cat beds?
I am so used to owning dogs.
Going to do a lot of research.

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An adult cat might be easier to work with than a kitten. Kittens have special diets and need to be litter-trained. They also might need to be taught how to clean themselves. An adult rescue cat would already know how to do all that.

And you can train a cat not to jump on the tables. We put pieces of paper all along the edges of the table and counters, so that every time they tried to climb up, they would just grab the paper and fall down. We did it for a couple weeks, and they learned. Cats are very fast learners.

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Cats vary in how affectionate they are. If you scratch them they are more likely to be more affectionate.

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Worst thing about cats is the litter box. If you don’t have a basement cat litter will go everywhere. I keep the mop in the bathroom where the litter box is. Another thing is cats don’t give you such a good excuse to go outside, you can’t really walk a cat.

Cats are great if you want a more independent pet. Bonding with a cat takes a much longer time than it does with a dog. They destroy things too like the bottom of a mattress foundation and leather. Actually you never know what your cat is going to destroy until they do it and then you have to adjust to it because nothing makes them stop. Cats are nocturnal too which can sometimes be a pain.

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Cats are awesome but more expensive than you might think. A vet trip (at least one a year), shots, worming tablets, flea treatments, boarding at a cattery if you go away, kibble and cat litter…
I have a cat Gus who I wouldn’t be without but he does take time and money to look after.
He is the first cat I have ever had, but I have been surprised how dog-like he is. He follows me around the house and when he comes back from his covert missions he squeeks at length and I feel like he is reporting back. I got him from a shelter, which is a bit tricky because you don’t really know what you are getting as they are so stressed there. But I was lucky that he has turned out to be really good natured.
I would say don’t rush into getting a cat. If you are going to get one from a shelter make a number of visits and get to know the cats there. And consider getting a short-haired cat as they are much easier to manage. Gus sheds like you wouldn’t believe, and I have to vacuum all the time. I decided to get a 2 year old because I’m not home during the day and it would have been cruel to have a kitten under those circumstances. I also decided against an older cat as I didn’t want to deal with health issues that could be expensive. I’m not a big fan of pedigree cats as they can have health issues and I think moggys tend to be healthier. But I think cats have a life-affirming and non-judgemental presence that I wouldn’t be without. T.

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Cats are so much easier.

I’m a dog person too, but I’ve had some cats.

I feel like they don’t really connect with you like dogs do, so they’re less taxing, emotionally.

Its a good step. Cats are good companions, yet independent.

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Unfortunately or Fortunately I think that I’m a dog person for life.
The unconditional love one receives from owning a dog is priceless.
I really don’t know what to do now.
Going to think about getting a Cat but my heart is telling me to adopt a small dog.
I will take my time.

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Yeah, I’ve heard many people say that cats are easier to take care of than dogs.

I guess one thing about dogs is that they have to be walked or taken outside EVERY day to relieve themselves while a litter box is all a cat needs. Except you will have to scoop out the litter box often and replace the litter once a week.

Dogs can be too needy compared to a cat. A good cat can be satisfied with just sitting alone contentedly by itself during the day while it seems most dogs want attention and to be petted often. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, but my sisters dog has to be near someone almost all day, sticking ger nose in your hand or you’re leg and it’s very annoying and distracting.

Cats are smaller than lots of dogs so they might be better than dogs in small living situations, i.e. studio or one bedroom apartments. I tell you, if you get a dog that barks at every little noise from outside that can be a big problem which you may have for years.

I had a cat for 5 years when I lived by myself. He was VERY affectionate. One thing that I do NOT want in a cat is a cat that is scared of people. My ex-brother-in-law had two cats and whenever anyone walked into a room, they would either bolt out of the room or dive under the couch. And they seldom allowed anyone to pet them. I never said it to my ex-brother-in-law but it seems that defeats the whole purpose of having a pet. My cat did not do that except to an occasional person. Most people he was perfectly comfortable in being near them, even most strangers. I will never have a cat that is afraid of me or other people.

Usually making a choice between a dog and a cat is a personal preference. By the way, I do not know if this is true or not but I heard that cats sleep more than any other mammal. So that might be a “plus” depending how you look at it.

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Cats will sleep anywhere, but you can get them beds. A lot of cats like to sleep in confined spaces or on plastic or paper bags. Or newspaper. Or basically wherever you don’t want them to sleep.

Cats are great, I would consider getting an older cat if you’re looking for something that is already trained, or a kitten if you’re looking to bond with it and build a solid relationship. My Tiggy is great company but he also likes his alone time.

Cats can be affectionate, but they can also be aloof.

Hey, good on you for getting to the stage where you’re considering adopting another animal @Wave! You must be on the improve!

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Thanks @anon84763962! :slight_smile:
@77nick77 My last Cat was afraid of people coming into the House.
But from what I remember she was very affectionate with me and my ex wife.

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Most cats tend to sleep wherever they want to it seems although you can shut the door if you want to keep them out of a specific room. Cats are not like a dog where you can train them to sleep in a specific spot or in a dog crate. You can train cats to stay off of certain furniture such as the kitchen table or kitchen counters.

Make sure you and whoever you live with doesn’t have cat allergies since cat allergies are more common than dog allergies.

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Oh ok thanks @Moonbeam :slight_smile:

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I think Wave another dog is just what you need. Cats are cool. Dogs are loving. If cats are unhappy with you they have a million ways to tell you so. You should go with what you know and somehow I think you already know what you want. But rescue cats can be great however you can train a cat but really it is them who train you.

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Cats differ in personality depending on their breeds just like dogs, so depending on what you are looking for in a cat, I’d research that.

Siamese cats are the most affectionate, if you give them a few extra minutes of petting each day, they will be your most loyal friend for life. They love to cuddle up under the covers if you let them.

All cats can be trained just like dogs, mine run up to me, greet me when I walk in the front door and when I first wake up too.

A squirt gun with plain water makes the best “trainer” to keep them off counters, tables, out of rooms or what ever you need them to stay off of or out of.

Mine sleep in those cardboard boxes you get from the “big box warehouse” type stores that always have thousands every day. They’re free, the cats love them, and after a few days> week, you toss them out and get them a ‘new’ bed. They love boxes, shoe boxes, wicker baskets/boxes, newspaper inside, an old washable towel (you can toss the towel or wash it after a week or so) they like their sleeping box clean.

I’ve never had to litter box train any of my kittens, they instinctively know to go in the box.

I’ve trained mine to come to on command, and if they do slip outside accidentally, I can make them ‘stop’ on command and they will run back into the house- watch that show, “the dog whisperer” with Cesar Milan, what works with dogs goes same for cats.

The biggest plus for me with cats is you can be gone for most of the day, and as long as you leave out some fresh water (or the toilet bowl lid up) and some dry food out, they’re fine. No need to be home to let them out to go potty.

We feed our cats dry food and plain tap water (never give kittens cow milk or you’re find a very poopy kitty) and will give some table scraps if they’ve been good, and some treats once in a while- we use that “special” stuff for pampered cats it’s just dry food, but we use it for treats, it’s much cheaper than regular treats and they love it.

Canned food (wet food) makes cats StiNkY in the litter box, and dry food ‘only’ has never hurt our 19 year old cat, so don’t believe it if people tell you they require expensive brands of food.

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I have a cat who is exceptional. She is as affectionate as a dog; Loves to be around people. When someone comes to the door she runs to greet them…no fear what so ever. She plays fetch and her favorite game is the laser light…these are like tiny flashlights with a pin point of light and the cats will run all over the place chasing it. SHe did have to have surgery once and that was terribly expensive, but we couldn’t let her die…she was only 6 at the time…fortunately, due to a tax refund, we were able to do it.

I woiuld advise using the pine litter mixed with clay litter…It doesn’t smell at ALL…and we have ours in the kitchen!
a Squirt gun is the best way to train them not to scratch the furniture (make sure you buy a scratching post for them) and also to keep them off the table.

Our cat keeps me company on long days alone. I dread the day something happens to her. Especially for my husband’s sake…He is in love with this cat.
I also suggest you buy a young cat…not one just weaned but maybe a month or so old. They will bond with you so much better than an adult cat will.

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sorry . I accidentally replied to 77nick77.

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Oh, yes, do get a cat! They are so much more carefree than a dog. Dogs are noisy, they bark all of the time and disturb you and the neighbors. Cats are so much quieter. You have to walk dogs on a regular basis. So inconvenient. You have to be home at regular hours to let a dog outside to potty. You don’t have to do that with a cat. If you go on vacation, you have to put a dog up in a kennel. So expensive. You can leave a cat alone at home for up to 4- 5 days, so you can go on a short vacation with a cat. It’s possible to get a grain based litter, that clumps, that is flushable down the toilet. You just scoop and flush. So much easier than picking up the yard after a dogs mess. And cats are every bit as loveable as a dog. I just gave you a few things to think about.

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in my neighborhood, there’s a dog that always barks at me. sometimes I can tiptoe by though.

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