Should Men Living Alone Get a Cat?

[turbo]

That's my plan. Just lonely coming home to an empty house everyday. I've had live-in girlfriends off and on over the last few years, and they're nice... but the cost of ownership goes up steadily (first it's a pair of boots for the snow, then it's a pair of matching shoes to wear after the boots come off, then it's a new sweater with matching Lexus).

A cat should be nice... it'll need attention (and I love to give attention), and maybe it'll watch movies with me, or listen to the music I write... or... conspire...

Sounds good, Flex. I always loved having a pet to come home to.

The ferret in my avatar was Turbo, and he was almost like a dog because he loved attention. We had Pergo flooring in the living-room (my office was on one end) and he loved to play "ferret-bowling". He'd come to me, playing keep-away until I caught him, then I'd scale him across that slippery floor. He'd work like hell trying to get his feet under him and scrub off speed, just so he could run back to me and play keep-away again. We'd do that for probably 15-20 minutes at a time, until he came back to me and put his front paws up on my leg, letting me know that he wanted to be held so he could take a nap. That was good for both of us.

 

[FlexGunship]

Sounds good, Flex. I always loved having a pet to come home to.

The ferret in my avatar was Turbo, and he was almost like a dog because he loved attention. We had Pergo flooring in the living-room (my office was on one end) and he loved to play "ferret-bowling". He'd come to me, playing keep-away until I caught him, then I'd scale him across that slippery floor. He'd work like hell trying to get his feet under him and scrub off speed, just so he could run back to me and play keep-away again. We'd do that for probably 15-20 minutes at a time, until he came back to me and put his front paws up on my leg, letting me know that he wanted to be held so he could take a nap. That was good for both of us.

Even I have to "awww" at that. I hadn't considered a ferret. They're cage pets, though, right?

 

[turbo]

Even I have to "awww" at that. I hadn't considered a ferret. They're cage pets, though, right?

No, none of my ferrets were ever caged. They are easily litterbox trained and had free run of the house. You have to ferret-proof your place, though, because they are the most inquisitive little critters you can imagine, and they have a great deal of dexterity in their "hands" so that latches and catches have to be installed on cupboard doors and anyplace else you don't want them to go.

 

[rhody]

but the cost of ownership goes up steadily (first it's a pair of boots for the snow, then it's a pair of matching shoes to wear after the boots come off, then it's a new sweater with matching Lexus).

Your "maintenance comment" cracks me up. On a practical note, try to find one that regardless the age, is not like a hair trigger ball of fire about to spook or pounce at a moments notice. You say you need a mellow cat, there are plenty of those. It will all fall into place, trust me grasshopper.

Rhody...

 

[Pythagorean]

There is no such thing as "men with cats". There are, however, "cats with men", and by all statistical definitions, yes, they are odd: they are among the 1% of cats that have male servants to take care of their survival needs while they strut around chasing tail and sleeping in precarious places. They will occasionally toss scraps to their servants (in the form of a dead bird or rat) without a care for the emotional integrity of the servant, but for the most part, they could hardly notice that you are there, bending to their every need, holding up the foundations they strut about.

 

[zoobyshoe]

You can at least back that up with some sources man...
http://articles.sfgate.com/2005-01-09/living/17355781_1_maine-coon-cat-cats-protection-single-women

Wow, by complete accident it turns out at least one woman agrees with what I said:

Women view a guy who has a good relationship with a cat as extremely desirable boyfriend/husband material.

It's long been said by women that cats are excellent guy-o-meters -- capable of spotting a bad one with a sniff. I always found the converse to be true: Men who were good to my cats -- and not in a manipulative, let's- impress-her-with-my-sensitivity kind of way -- were going to be good to me.

 

[DoggerDan]

...people who treat their cats like children are...

Let's just say even the most cat-wonderful cat owners I've met were able to maintain their grasp on reality.

My cats have all had very unique and different personalities, despite the fact I raised them all pretty much the same. Some were spastic. Other's were cool and calm. Others were princesses. The one thing I noticed over the years is that none of them became bitchy princesses, the cool and calm were never arrogant or demanding, and the spastic knew when to chill out. This is in contrast to other owners and their cats.

My deduction is that some aspects of a cat's personality are learned, others are genetic. That's hardly news, though, is it? I have kids, too, and see much the same.

Oh god... this does NOT resolve the concern that a single man with a cat is of questionable sexuality.

Are you questioning my sexuality on the sole basis that I've been a single man with a cat? If you would, Sir, I'd be happy to address your concerns with four or five well-reasoned arguments...

Seriously, that's crap. Guys and gals are people. I prefer dogs, but as I was always coming and going, cats were just so much less maintenance.

 

[FlexGunship]

So, I found a shelter I like... mostly because that post biographies and videos of each cat. These are the finalists:

[STRIKE]Hubble - http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/21088276[/STRIKE]
Hunter - http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/20927676
Kit-Kat - http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/21038725
Tulip - http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/20989181

Each one has a video you can watch.

EDIT: A friend of mine convinced me I'm only interested in Hubble because of her name. That's probably true.

 

[Dembadon]

Tulip is my favorite.

 

[FlexGunship]

Tulip is my favorite.

She does seem sweet. I can't figure out why people give names like that to a cat.

Neutrino for a small quick cat.
Higgs for a big cat that likes to hide and is hard to find.
Tachyon (Tacky for short) for a cat that's just preposterous in general.

Instead... Tulip. A flower. Bah!

EDIT: I also thought of adopting a black cat because they're so rarely appreciated.

DOUBLE EDIT: Still pretty fond of Hunter.

 

[turbo]

Hunter is handsome. Tulip is small and probably won't eat much, plus she is FREE. Her adoption fee is covered. As for the names, you can change them easily. A cat won't care much what you call it, especially when you are opening a can of food.

 

[lisab]

Wow, it's very tough to say...I mean, they all deserve a chance at a good life! But that Hunter, he looks very sweet and affectionate.

 

[FlexGunship]

Hunter is handsome. Tulip is small and probably won't eat much, plus she is FREE. Her adoption fee is covered. As for the names, you can change them easily. A cat won't care much what you call it, especially when you are opening a can of food.

I saw that she was free. The adoption fee is only $90 there, so money is not a concern. In fact, I suspect that I will donate a bit to help them subsidize the cost of another cat's adoption; if I adopt a free cat, I'll just leave them a bit more.

Wow, it's very tough to say...I mean, they all deserve a chance at a good life! But that Hunter, he looks very sweet and affectionate.

I talked to them a bit more today, Hunter has one black mark on his permanent record. Someone reached into his cage and he nipped them... pretty hard, actually. They're not sure if the person scared him, or if he just hates being in the cage. There has been no repeat incident, and he is very social out in the open.

I have a housekeeper and friends that come over, not to mention my brother has Asperger's and he loves animals once he's used to them, but is unlikely to be able to read the cat's willingness to be held.

EDIT: I also considered Sam (14yo) and Sassy (7yo). They came from the same home and are friends. There is a problem though, Sam probably won't last as long as Sassy, and Sassy is not as personable as Sam. I don't want to have a favorite. All the drama...

Next time on All my Cats:"Meow?" "What?" "Meow meow!" "Fine! You're right! I wish it had been you on the vet's table! There, are you happy? I said it! I'm awful!"

 

[FlexGunship]

[STRIKE]Hubble - http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/21088276[/STRIKE]
Hunter - http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/20927676
[STRIKE]Kit-Kat - http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/21038725[/STRIKE]
Tulip - http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/20989181

An update. Kit-Kat is out, I think. I can't provide her a place to go outside. I have a patio and a small area of grass before the woods, but I hear fisher cats out there and some people let their dogs run around (the dogs are fine, and the owners are usually responsible about cleaning up). I don't think Kit-Kat would get a chance to play outside much at all.

 

[turbo]

I saw that she was free. The adoption fee is only $90 there, so money is not a concern. In fact, I suspect that I will donate a bit to help them subsidize the cost of another cat's adoption; if I adopt a free cat, I'll just leave them a bit more.

That's nice. We paid $150 to adopt Duke, but we had been donating food, cleaning supplies, treats 'way before we adopted him, as well as after. My wife hits a lot of "bargain" stores on weekends, so when she sees deals on huge packs of paper towels, detergents, cleaning supplies, she often thinks of the shelter. It's better than giving them money, because they don't have to waste employee time shopping and pay retail. We have several large stores (and a couple of regional chains) in the area that buy overstocks, manufacturers' overruns, salvage from insurance claims, bank-owned inventory from defaults and bankruptcies, etc. Some of the deals are pretty amazing.

If you have any stores like this in your area, you might want to call the shelter and ask if they have any important recurring needs, and then go shopping with list in hand. If you can get a deal on a case of Lysol or similar, jumbo jugs of laundry detergent, a case or two of paper towels, or some other supplies, they would probably be thrilled with your donation. The ASPCA shelter here tends to get lots of food and treats when the discount stores feature them, but cleaning supplies/disinfectants are also really important and can be expensive.

Whichever cat you choose, good luck. It's nice of you to be concerned with your brother (in Hunter's case) though cats tend to be drawn to people who don't look directly at them. They take it as an invitation to get closer. Who knows? Hunter might adopt your brother.

 

[FlexGunship]

Oh my science! Did any of you folks know that you can basically buy a clubhouse for cats?! It's like a tree-house with platforms and little rooms and it's all carpeted!

I was thinking I would have to build something since cats seem to like to be high up and I wanted to avoid TV and speaker climbing... but they make products like this that look freakin' awesome!

Look at this thing: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003BYQ150/?tag=pfamazon01-20

It has a hammock! A feline-hammock. A feemmock! Just got to replace the carpeting with something black.

 

[rhody]

The suspense is killing us Flex, when are you going to announce your selection ?

Rhody...

 

[FlexGunship]

The suspense is killing us Flex, when are you going to announce your selection ?

Rhody...

Well, I have to actually get to the shelter which is X miles away. I will travel at an average speed to Y miles per hour. Now factor Z hours for meeting each cat, making a selection, and finishing any and all paper work.

I must find (^2X/_Y)+Z hours between 11AM and 4PM on any day except for Wednesday (when the shelter is closed).

 

[rhody]

Well, I have to actually get to the shelter which is X miles away. I will travel at an average speed to Y miles per hour. Now factor Z hours for meeting each cat, making a selection, and finishing any and all paper work.

I must find (^2X/_Y)+Z hours between 11AM and 4PM on any day except for Wednesday (when the shelter is closed).

ACK ! I feel like am dealing with Pengy now (take that as a complement please).

And the winner is: Hunter, Tulip, Hunter, Tulip... Let's see... I am going with Hunter... do I win a prize if I am right ?

Rhody...

 

[FlexGunship]

ACK ! I feel like am dealing with Pengy now (take that as a complement please).

And the winner is: Hunter, Tulip, Hunter, Tulip... Let's see... I am going with Hunter... do I win a prize if I am right ?

Rhody...

X = 56 miles
Y < 60mph
Z = ?

Sorry, no prize planned... but I'll let you know. I'm going to adopt whomever can sit in my arms the longest without running away or clawing my ugly mug.

 

[rhody]

Sorry, no prize planned... but I'll let you know. I'm going to adopt whomever can sit in my arms the longest without running away or clawing my ugly mug.

Good Luck. I know you will make a wise decision.

Rhody...

 

[Dembadon]

Oh my science! Did any of you folks know that you can basically buy a clubhouse for cats?! It's like a tree-house with platforms and little rooms and it's all carpeted!

I was thinking I would have to build something since cats seem to like to be high up and I wanted to avoid TV and speaker climbing... but they make products like this that look freakin' awesome!

Look at this thing: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003BYQ150/?tag=pfamazon01-20

...

It has a hammock! A feline-hammock. A feemmock! Just got to replace the carpeting with something black.

$100?!

You could probably build one for half that price with very little effort. I do agree that it's pretty cool. It can also serve as a scratching post.

 

[FlexGunship]

$100?!

You could probably build one for half that price with very little effort. I do agree that it's pretty cool. It can also serve as a scratching post.

Well, that's the thing. I could definitely build one for less, but covering it in carpet and wrapping the posts in rope is costly and time consuming.

Besides, I don't have a garage to work in, and it's cold out now. I'll pay someone $100 for something that would cost me $50 and take up 4 or 5 hours in the cold (probably longer, honestly).

 

[Dembadon]

Well, that's the thing. I could definitely build one for less, but covering it in carpet and wrapping the posts in rope is costly and time consuming.

Besides, I don't have a garage to work in, and it's cold out now. I'll pay someone $100 for something that would cost me $50 and take up 4 or 5 hours in the cold (probably longer, honestly).

Good point.

I don't think the carpet would be too bad; just a staple gun and a utility knife, but I agree, your time is certainly valuable enough to pay someone else.

 

[turbo]

Home-made is good IF you have the time and some space to work in. When I had a parrot, I went out back in the woods and cut down a dead, barkless tree, brought it home and leveled and fastened it to a plywood base. It had lots of branches that I trimmed to fit the room, and I installed dowels as a spiral staircase so that she could climb the tree to the branches so that she could get to the perch where I had installed a food-dish. She LOVED dried chili peppers!

When we had ferrets, I made playgrounds for them, too. One of our ferrets was a rescue, and the owner demanded that I pay $50 for the large multi-level cage. I paid the jerk and turned that huge cage into a playground for all our ferrets. One of their favorites was a ferret tube-hammock that I made out of a cut-off pant-leg from old jeans. At times there were two ferrets crammed in there snoozing together. Another favorite was a slide from one level to another, made out of some slippery flexible plastic scavenged from another project.

Ferrets are not destructive with their claws and don't need scratching-posts, but some of my additions included carpet.

 

[Evo]

Well, that's the thing. I could definitely build one for less, but covering it in carpet and wrapping the posts in rope is costly and time consuming.

Besides, I don't have a garage to work in, and it's cold out now. I'll pay someone $100 for something that would cost me $50 and take up 4 or 5 hours in the cold (probably longer, honestly).

It's awesome, get it! I've seen that unit at the store for $150+, so that's a good price.

 

[drizzle]

Do you really think getting that thing would prevent the kitten from investigating and running around her/his new place? P.S. Did you get the cat?

 

[FlexGunship]

Do you really think getting that thing would prevent the kitten from investigating and running around her/his new place?

P.S. Did you get the cat?

I'm not getting a kitten. Both cats are at least 2 years old. I hope he or she DOES explore. Cats are awesome like that. But when it gets down to it, he or she will want to be atop the highest perch in the room. In my living room the two highest objects are my expensive speakers and my HDTV. Sooo... no thank you; we won't be climbing those.

Rather than deprive the adventurous fellow/gal, I'll get him/her a piece of furniture to call his/her own. I'll leave it near the sliding glass door for entertainment and sunlight.

I'm trying to go tomorrow to look. They have awful hours and they're over an hour away. He or she will need plenty of time to get used to the place, so I've cut out pieces of cardboard to cover my speakers and TV for the first day that I'm away.

I was going to go this Caturday, but there's just so much purr-pressure.

 

[Evo]

I'm not getting a kitten. Both cats are at least 2 years old. I hope he or she DOES explore. Cats are awesome like that. But when it gets down to it, he or she will want to be atop the highest perch in the room. In my living room the two highest objects are my expensive speakers and my HDTV. Sooo... no thank you; we won't be climbing those.

Rather than deprive the adventurous fellow/gal, I'll get him/her a piece of furniture to call his/her own. I'll leave it near the sliding glass door for entertainment and sunlight.

I'm trying to go tomorrow to look. They have awful hours and they're over an hour away. He or she will need plenty of time to get used to the place, so I've cut out pieces of cardboard to cover my speakers and TV for the first day that I'm away.

I was going to go this Caturday, but there's just so much purr-pressure.

Cats LOVE shredding cardboard. I used to put a large piece on the floor in the utility room for my cat, it seemed to satisy his need for sharpening his claws. Made a mess though, but that one one happy cat.

You sound like an excellent cat daddy!

 

[drizzle]

I knew it!

Well, no pressure, you don't have to get a cat if you don't want to.