If you don’t live on a farm, you should think twice about getting a cat. Cats are among the most demanding pets. Although cat owners do not have to walk the cat every day as with a dog.
Nevertheless, you need a lot of time to devote to the velvet paw, to feed and care for the cat. Can you reconcile this with your professional life and leisure activities? Cats should not be left alone all day and only be petted for 15 minutes in the evening. Healthy cats reach an age of 12 to 15 years and often even more. Do you want to take responsibility for a living creature that depends on you for as long as you do?
This is what you need to clarify before buying a cat
Is keeping a cat in a rented apartment allowed at all and is it possible to install a cat protection net on the balcony if you decide to keep an apartment cat? Is the apartment big enough for two cats, because apartment cats should not be kept alone. If the cat is to be an outdoor cat, you must not live on a busy street. Is it ensured that someone will take care of the cat when you are on vacation or sick? Also clarify whether a family member is allergic to cats. Are you tolerant enough of cat hair spreading around the home and on your clothes, and can you respect cat idiosyncrasies like the famous five minutes, roaming around in the middle of the night, and working the scratching post to exhaustion? And do you like to find a dead prey animal behind the cat flap in the early morning that the cat has captured during the night? If you are open to such questions, then you can consider getting a cat.
How much time do I need for a cat?
For apartment-only or longhaired cats, you will need more time than you would for a free-roamer. The outdoor cat will mainly come home to sleep and eat. For apartment-only cats, there will be feeding, litter box cleaning, and daily activity to keep the cat from getting bored. Bored cats like to destroy the furniture of the house! The occupation starts already in the morning with the breakfast. To satisfy the hunting instinct of the cat, you can hide a few treats. Unter dem Tag beschäftigen Sie die Katze 15 bis 20 Minuten mit der Federangel. For mental exercise, you can buy an employment board, on which the cat must show motor skills. In the evening it is time for cat education with clicker training and cuddling.
Basic equipment for the cat
- Each cat needs its own food bowl and water bowl. Plastic can cause allergic reactions at the cat’s mouth. Better are bowls made of easy-to-clean stainless steel with a non-slip bottom.
- Each cat needs 1 to 2 dedicated litter boxes in the home that are easy to find and give the cat an undisturbed atmosphere to do its business.
- The cat tree is a must for all cat owners. On the one hand, the cat tree is a toy, retreat and expression for the cat. On the other hand, a good scratching post keeps cats from sharpening their claws on the furniture. You have the choice between a space-saving scratching board and a scratching tree with scratching and hiding places and sleeping caves.
- A sleeping place for a cat can be a cat basket, a cuddle cave or a cat bed. Semi-open cat caves can also be used as a place of retreat.
- A cat transport box should naturally fit into the environment cat. If the cat has time to get used to the transport box, then there is no drama if the cat once in the transport box must go to the vet.
- The cat toy is an important part of the cat’s life. It gives the cat the opportunity to occupy himself properly, to satisfy the innate hunting instinct and to play. The movement keeps the cat healthy.
What is the cost of keeping a cat?
Farm cats are often available for free. However, these are not vaccinated, chipped or dewormed. These costs are borne by the new owner. The purchase of a pedigree cat can cost up to 2000$. Cats from the animal shelter are not available for free. They are given for a protection fee of 100 to 250$. Depending on the selection, the first equipment of the cat costs between 150 to 500$. Because the initial equipment wears out over time, it must be renewed regularly. For this you can plan 100$ per year. The examinations and health checks at the vet amount to about 150$ per year. Through any diseases, the costs at the vet can skyrocket. Therefore it is recommended to take out a health insurance for cats. Depending on the scope of benefits can be 100 to 200$ a year for cat insurance Plan also the cost of castration of the cat in the amount of 150$, if you do not want any offspring. Cats give birth to two to seven kittens several times a year. For cat food and snacks you have to expect monthly costs of up to 60$ for a cat. The cost of cat litter is about 10$ per month.