Should Men Living Alone Get a Cat?

[FlexGunship]

Flex, don't let the pressure get to you [some other text] and don't let the excitement pressure you.

Rhody...

I've had cats live with me for short periods of time and I think I'll be okay with the normal stuff, finding the right food, finding appropriate treats, and setting up the litter box.

I'm more worried about advanced behavioral stuff like scratching, sleep habits, and learning to high-five.

 

[rootX]

Personally, I see a pet about same level as a partner. I would go for a healthiest, sweet, and beautiful and well bred pet and favor some private place over animal shelters.

You should also look for other places beyond animal shelters too.

I hope you find an amazing cat!

 

[Evo]

Personally, I see a pet about same level as a partner. I would go for a healthiest, sweet, and beautiful and well bred pet and favor some private place over animal shelters.

You should also look for other places beyond animal shelters too.

I hope you find an amazing cat!

Some of the best pets can be found in shelters, and those most in need of a home. Flex is saving their lives.

 

[turbo]

Some of the best pets can be found in shelters, and those most in need of a home. Flex is saving their lives.

Some of those pets have problems, but many can be a perfect fit, even if they have identified problems that can be addressed. Go Flex! Save a good pet!

 

[rootX]

Some of the best pets can be found in shelters, and those most in need of a home. Flex is saving their lives.

I wouldn't use "who needs me most" in my criteria list. But then I am not willing to take a role of a savior. I would rather volunteer or contribute financially

 

[FlexGunship]

Personally, I see a pet about same level as a partner. I would go for a healthiest, sweet, and beautiful and well bred pet and favor some private place over animal shelters.

You should also look for other places beyond animal shelters too.

I hope you find an amazing cat!

Some of the best pets can be found in shelters, and those most in need of a home. Flex is saving their lives.

Some of those pets have problems, but many can be a perfect fit, even if they have identified problems that can be addressed. Go Flex! Save a good pet!

I wouldn't use "who needs me most" in my criteria list. But then I am not willing to take a role of a savior. I would rather volunteer or contribute financially

I'm perfectly fine with quirks and disabilities... I just want them to be known. Know what I mean? I bet a deaf cat would be an amazing pet. I've even heard of a blind cat being a wonderful pet. I just want to know, ahead of time, what I'm getting into. That's why I like the idea of older cats.

 

[turbo]

I'm perfectly fine with quirks and disabilities... I just want them to be known. Know what I mean? I bet a deaf cat would be an amazing pet. I've even heard of a blind cat being a wonderful pet. I just want to know, ahead of time, what I'm getting into. That's why I like the idea of older cats.

Midnight was a pretty amazing cat. She was deaf as a post, but she seemed to know whenever either of her owners let me in the house, and started weaving between my feet or other mannerisms to get my attention. I was not a cat-fan at the time, and my wife and I were set up so that I could chase construction jobs, so we could accumulate savings and get a place of our own - we didn't want to have to try to do that with pets in tow.

At the time, I was tutoring Dave to try to get him out of the root-chord mode as a beginning guitarist. I'd have to sit on the couch so I had room for my guitar, because Midnight *had* to be next to me. At least that way, she could climb on the back of the couch and rub her head against the side of mine, purring like crazy. She was the loudest-purring cat that I've ever been around, probably because she was deaf.

 

[FlexGunship]

New update!

So I heard back from one of the "socializers" at the shelter I'm visiting. She's an old woman who goes in three times a week to keep the cats exposed to humans. Apparently Tulip has developed a chip on her shoulder and no longer enjoys people very much.

She recommended little Kimmie for me: http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/21110700

According to her Kimmie is a very calm and relaxed kitten, even in her young age she had a mothering instinct for one of her brother cats. She's the last of her litter and was left behind because her brothers and sisters all had much "prettier" coats (which I think is highly subjective).

http://photocache.petfinder.com/fotos/NH69/NH69.21110700-1-pn.jpghttp://photocache.petfinder.com/fotos/NH69/NH69.21110700-2-pn.jpghttp://photocache.petfinder.com/fotos/NH69/NH69.21110700-3-pn.jpg

EDIT: She's young enough that I think I would change her name.

DOUBLE EDIT: Anyone read The Cat Who Walks Through Walls?

 

[FlexGunship]

I've noticed that all cat products sold on Amazon have, like, 80 customer images and they all contain the cat, not just the product (sometimes the product doesn't appear at all).

EDIT: Can you train a kitten to take a shower? Or at least enjoy a shower? Or to not fight baths?

 

[rhody]

I've noticed that all cat products sold on Amazon have, like, 80 customer images and they all contain the cat, not just the product (sometimes the product doesn't appear at all).

EDIT: Can you train a kitten to take a shower? Or at least enjoy a shower? Or to not fight baths?

Take a bath, shower, I have bathed my cat once, why once you ask ? The first time I put only what I thought would protect me, heavy coat, gloves on to protect myself. You would have thought the cat was being stabbed once being exposed to the water. Claws ripping and shredding everywhere, loud protests, snarling, not funny, but hilarious to watch from afar. I was bleeding from more than a few places.

Plan B. Two heavy coats, two pairs of thick gloves, and safety glasses. After much consternation I was able to talk to her clamly, and stood her ankle deep in soapy water, kitty got clean, then, second stage trama, the freaking hair dryer, again, I used two coats and two pairs of gloves, safety glasses. She wouldn't hold still so I trapped her in a corner of the bathroom with the door closed and toweled her dry. She gave me the dirtiest looks for about a day after that before going back to normal. Now, the sound of the vacuum scares her to death. Lots of luck Flex, I have heard some cats like baths, however, mine is not one of them.

Rhody...

P.S. BTW, Flex, that kitten may be the sweetest thing on earth, however, she has the eye's of a little demon, at least from those pictures you posted.

 

[FlexGunship]

Take a bath, shower, I have bathed my cat once, why once you ask ? The first time I put only what I thought would protect me, heavy coat, gloves on to protect myself. You would have thought the cat was being stabbed once being exposed to the water. Claws ripping and shredding everywhere, loud protests, snarling, not funny, but hilarious to watch from afar. I was bleeding from more than a few places.

Plan B. Two heavy coats, two pairs of thick gloves, and safety glasses. After much consternation I was able to talk to her clamly, and stood her ankle deep in soapy water, kitty got clean, then, second stage trama, the freaking hair dryer, again, I used two coats and two pairs of gloves, safety glasses. She wouldn't hold still so I trapped her in a corner of the bathroom with the door closed and toweled her dry. She gave me the dirtiest looks for about a day after that before going back to normal. Now, the sound of the vacuum scares her to death. Lots of luck Flex, I have heard some cats like baths, however, mine is not one of them.

Rhody...

P.S. BTW, Flex, that kitten may be the sweetest thing on earth, however, she has the eye's of a little demon, at least from those pictures you posted.

I figured if I started young, and held her by the scruff of her neck, maybe I could associate a bath or shower with positive things like treats and lots of petting. I've heard lots of cats like the hair dryer.

Hmm... eyes of a demon? I thought cat eyes were relatively generic. How do you spot demonic eyes?

 

[Dembadon]

... Apparently Tulip has developed a chip on her shoulder and no longer enjoys people very much.
...

http://photocache.petfinder.com/fotos/NH69/NH69.21110700-1-pn.jpghttp://photocache.petfinder.com/fotos/NH69/NH69.21110700-2-pn.jpghttp://photocache.petfinder.com/fotos/NH69/NH69.21110700-3-pn.jpg

...

Flippin' adorable.

 

[Stephen Tashi]

A big problem with a cat kept in an average size apartment is that the cat may get overweight and develop heart problems. Watch out for that.

Savy cats will move away from people who are carrying things. Naive ones, won't and you can drop things and hurt them.

Cats are relatively neat and clean but you must get used to dealing with messes in life. They will occasionally throw up. If they get sick they can be a mess at both ends.

Pets of any kind are a responsibility. There can be big vet bills. They restrict your travel plans. I suppose some degree of responsiblity in life is desireable.

 

[FlexGunship]

A big problem with a cat kept in an average size apartment is [...]

I have an average sized condo, so I trust none of this will be a problem for me.

 

[drizzle]

http://photocache.petfinder.com/fotos/NH69/NH69.21110700-3-pn.jpg

:!) She's adorable :!)
You're right, Kimmie isn't that good. What are you going to name her?

P.S. Just a question, did you get the pet?

 

[FlexGunship]

:!) She's adorable :!)
You're right, Kimmie isn't that good. What are you going to name her?

P.S. Just a question, did you get the pet?

Little Miss Kimmie came home with me today. She is currently rearranging the items in her cat condo. We stopped at pet quarters to get the necessities.

She needs a new name and I'm leaning towards "RGB Pixel-Array Map," or "Pixel" for short because she has this beautiful white, gray, and orange coat and this one tiny burnt-out pixel on her nose.

I held her at the shelter and she curled up in my arms and almost broke her little body purring like crazy. Then When I held her out she reach for my shoulder and gave me a big hug with her face nuzzled up against mine.

I didn't stand a chance!

 

[lisab]

Little Miss Kimmie came home with me today. She is currently rearranging the items in her cat condo. We stopped at pet quarters to get the necessities.

She needs a new name and I'm leaning towards "RGB Pixel-Array Map," or "Pixel" for short because she has this beautiful white, gray, and orange coat and this one tiny burnt-out pixel on her nose.

I held her at the shelter and she curled up in my arms and almost broke her little body purring like crazy. Then When I held her out she reach for my shoulder and gave me a big hug with her face nuzzled up against mine.

I didn't stand a chance!

Flex, that totally made my day !

 

[turbo]

Yay, Flex! That little black spot on her nose is a "Stuck Pixel". Can that be her formal name and Pixel be her nickname?

 

[zoobyshoe]

Little Miss Kimmie came home with me today. She is currently rearranging the items in her cat condo. We stopped at pet quarters to get the necessities.

She needs a new name and I'm leaning towards "RGB Pixel-Array Map," or "Pixel" for short because she has this beautiful white, gray, and orange coat and this one tiny burnt-out pixel on her nose.

Great name!

I held her at the shelter and she curled up in my arms and almost broke her little body purring like crazy. Then When I held her out she reach for my shoulder and gave me a big hug with her face nuzzled up against mine.

I didn't stand a chance!

True love at first sight! I think it will be a happy marriage.

 

[drizzle]

Little Miss Kimmie came home with me today. She is currently rearranging the items in her cat condo. We stopped at pet quarters to get the necessities.

She needs a new name and I'm leaning towards "RGB Pixel-Array Map," or "Pixel" for short because she has this beautiful white, gray, and orange coat and this one tiny burnt-out pixel on her nose.

I held her at the shelter and she curled up in my arms and almost broke her little body purring like crazy. Then When I held her out she reach for my shoulder and gave me a big hug with her face nuzzled up against mine.

I didn't stand a chance!

I'm so happy for Pixel and for you, I'm sure she'll be good in your hands.
Give little miss Pixel a kiss for me. :)

 

[lisab]

Great name!


True love at first sight! I think it will be a happy marriage.

Definitely a great name. Miss Pixel has a nice ring to it, too.

 

[drizzle]

Definitely a great name. Miss Pixel has a nice ring to it, too.

Yeah, Flex and Pixel, great names of a great couple.

 

[FlexGunship]

Yay, Flex! That little black spot on her nose is a "Stuck Pixel". Can that be her formal name and Pixel be her nickname?

That's a much better justification! I'm not officially leaning toward "Stuck Pixel." Nothing official until her personality emerges.

EDIT: The GF is already calling her Pixie.

 

[AlephZero]

Can you train a kitten to take a shower? Or at least enjoy a shower? Or to not fight baths?

short because she has this beautiful white, gray, and orange coat and this one tiny burnt-out pixel on her nose.

Given that pixel, I wonder if she's one of her ancestors was a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_Van - in which case bathtime might not be a fight to the death. But cats don't need baths, if they are fit and healthy they keep themselves clean (unlike dogs!)

I held her at the shelter and she curled up in my arms and almost broke her little body purring like crazy. Then When I held her out she reach for my shoulder and gave me a big hug with her face nuzzled up against mine.

Yup, that's a good strategy for choosing a cat: just let the cat choose you.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Definitely a great name. Miss Pixel has a nice ring to it, too.

Yeah "Miss Pixel" is perfect for that cat.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Yeah, Flex and Pixel, great names of a great couple.

Flexel and Pixel. Flex and Pix.

 

[rhody]

I didn't stand a chance!

Reminds me of the line in the movie Jerry Maguire... 00:38 "You had me at hello..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpWAlvWNZj0&feature=related"



Nice job flex... how about some curled up snoozing pictures/videos when things settle down ?

Rhody...

 

[turbo]

That's a much better justification! I'm not officially leaning toward "Stuck Pixel." Nothing official until her personality emerges.

I'd rather tag her as a stuck pixel than a dead one. She's pretty, and if she becomes "stuck" on you, the name will have some relevance. Still, good choice on your pet selection. She's a cutie.

 

[FlexGunship]

I'd rather tag her as a stuck pixel than a dead one. She's pretty, and if she becomes "stuck" on you, the name will have some relevance. Still, good choice on your pet selection. She's a cutie.

Yes, there will be no "Dead pixel" jokes on PF from now on. Clear?

 

[turbo]

Yes, there will be no "Dead pixel" jokes on PF from now on. Clear?

Well, she would have 8 more, but I'd prefer not to take #1 of the 9. She is a pretty cat, and I hope she makes you a great companion for many years.

 

[rhody]

Sorry Flex, I have to push the envelope...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KWTAq3GkfA"



Rhody...

 

[mege]

EDIT: Can you train a kitten to take a shower? Or at least enjoy a shower? Or to not fight baths?

The younger you start the better, of course.

One thing I found with my cats, and I don't bathe them unless neccessary, is that they are fine right up until they get their ears wet. So, I've learned to basically just clean their body - which they are very OK with (even with a shower). They even find the towel-dry-down to be fun I think :p

Another thing on cat 'training' - redirection is key. If kitty is chewing on a cord that she shouldn't be - give her one of her toys instead. Just saying no and moving her away just makes it feel like a game and could make it worse.

The same with clawing/scratching - if you have a scratching pad (cardboard/twine, etc) whenever they start scratching/clawing then move them to the pad. It will only take a few times to start before they get used to it, and a once in a while 'reminder' plop next to the scratch pad. I also found that I had to get an extra scratching pad for my office (the other is in the living room) - it seems that since the cats go where I go when awake, it was best to have a scratch pad whenever I spent a good amount of time.

BTW - one of my cats, when a kittien, would perch on my chest/shoulder, similar to how she is in your picture, when I was at the PC. That has persisted as a 'wanted' position even though she's much bigger and we strain to make it work.

Good luck and nice name!

 

[FlexGunship]

So, I figured I would write a little something about Pixel's first night at home (girls seem to call her "Pixie" when I tell them her name):

Well, after settling in a bit, she decided her two favorite places are my lap/chest/face and the spot under an end table.

The end table I have is a "mission-style" end table, meaning it has bars similar to a jail-cell or cage. It's occurred to me that she's spent her entire life either starving or in a cage, so I let her hang out there without disrupting her too much. I put her cat condo right next to the table and against the sliding glass door. I also relocated her food there for the time being.

I'm pretty sure she doesn't think she's allowed to seek out attention. If I approach her, she will start purring before I even touch her, but she won't come to me. So I put on some sweat pants, grabbed dinner and a beer, and sat down with her on the couch for some TV bonding time. I put on a couple episodes of Dirty Jobs and decided that her eyeball focus was up 4,000% whenever there were animals involved in the job Mike Rowe was doing... so we focused on animal episodes.

She came from the shelter after finishing treatment for an upper respiratory infection and during our first trip to the vet, she gave me some antibiotics to give to Pixel for the next few days. It dawned on me at about 7PM that she was not going to go grab a glass of water and take the pill herself... sooooo... I helped her. She loves being held upside down with her head on my arm, so I put her in that position and worked open her mouth by applying pressure to the back of her lips... the purring stopped... the pill went in and I held her mouth shut and massaged her throat. I could feel her swallow and I checked that she didn't spit it out. I resumed her belly rub and she resumed her purring. Mission accomplished.

She finally got up the courage to explore a bit, so I let her walk around for a bit. She makes an excellent Swiffer. If there was any place my housekeeper left dust, Pixel would certainly let me know.

I realized that for her entire life, dark as been synonymous with scary, alone, cage time. So when bedtime came and I shut off all of the lights, I took her into the bedroom for a minute and set her on the bed. The idea was to let her know that she was still free to move about or stick with me. She cuddled for a bit, then set up camp near my feet. Five minutes later she was off exploring again.

Midnight came and I woke up and I could hear her moving around a bit. A fallen DVD case and little scampering sounds. So that made me feel good. I woke up again at 3:30ish and I heard the heat click on and then I heard her scamper and a little "mew!" I got worried that she had hurt herself in her fright so I went to go find her.

I kid you not, I searched from 3:30 until 4:30 in the morning with no sign of her still thinking that she might have fallen behind the refrigerator or between the bookcase and the wall. After the first ten minutes (I only have a 1000 square foot condo) my mind was running wild and I was searching behind closed doors in closets and the bathroom. I even turned on the patio light and looked outside to see if she had unlocked the slider and gone outside only to close and lock it again. I was seriously thinking that I had a cat that could walk through drywall (she's young, she doesn't know any better). There was a point at which I had to stop, think, and make sure I even had a cat.

As you can imagine, which each third and fourth check of the same place, I got more and more worried. Finally, in a desperate attempt to find her, I started tipping over furniture. I found her tucked all the way up under my oversized Lay-z-Boy glider-rocker. I don't mean "under the chair" I mean "permanently installed in the mechanics of the chair."

I grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and she went limp. I pulled her out and set her in her cat condo while I put the chair back. I realized that the chair was the place she felt safest when something scary happened but I couldn't let her stay under there or she'd squished. After a minute or two in her cat condo, I took her back to bed with me. This time she was a cuddlesaurus rex (one of the most dangerous cuddlesaurs that ever lived!).

She curled up next to me and I rubbed her belly until she fell asleep. She woke up once and shifted position to wrap her paws around my arm and then fell back asleep. When my alarm went off, instead of running away, she nuzzled in deeper with me. I got up to do my thing and she followed me for a bit before wandering off. I took a shower, got ready for work, and came down to do the medicine dance again.

Guess what... missing cat again.

This time I knew where to look. I flipped over the chair and she sulked away to her cat condo. Smart? Maybe! I got her medicine ready and snatched her up. Same procedure as last time. She was fine with it. I grabbed the t-shirt I was wearing in bed with her and tossed it in the cat condo and set her back in there.

And that's where she was when I left for work today.

 

[Dembadon]

Thanks for the update, and I'm glad to hear things are going well so far, Flex.

 

[lisab]

This story really makes me smile. She sounds so sweet and a bit mischievous!

 

[Evo]

Great story Flex! I thought you were getting two, or did I misread that?

 

[sandy.bridge]

So... here's the deal. I live alone and I'd love to have some company. Girls make the best pets (oh, god, don't flame me... just let me have my joke), but I'm looking for something less likely to judge me for where I leave my dirty socks.

I live in a small condo and I often travel for a few days at a time for work.

I kind of think a dog is out even though I love dogs. There are lots of people that have dogs in my condo community, but the place is small, and I don't have much of a yard. Not to mention it would be hard to board him/her every time I travel for a couple of days.

So... I was thinking of getting a cat.

I like cats... a lot actually. They're pretty neat and clean. They don't need to go outside constantly, and can survive for a day or two without you. I've taken care of two strays before (both went back to homes) and I like having an animal around. Anyway, I have two principle concerns:

1. I have nice things and I don't really want to have them broken or clawed at by a cat, and
2. Do men who live alone with a cat look as ridiculous as I suspect?

EDIT: I would probably adopt a slightly older cat from a shelter or from someone on Craigslist. Probably wouldn't get a kitten.

I sure hope not, considering I have a cat who I adopted from the SPCA.

 

[FlexGunship]

Thanks for the update, and I'm glad to hear things are going well so far, Flex.

Thanks. I just realized how creepy it is that I provided a diary of something so mundane.

This story really makes me smile. She sounds so sweet and a bit mischievous!

Her mischievous side hasn't shown through much, yet. I think she was curious and scared... a combination that leads to clumsy mistakes.

Great story Flex! I thought you were getting two, or did I misread that?

I may have mentioned it at one point, but one cat is enough. The thought crossed my mind a few times, but I couldn't be too serious about it. I'll ruin one cat at a time, thank you.

 

[rhody]

Funny how when she got spooked she hid, my cat did the same for the first week, always hard to find, but then she scouted her territory and was fine. You are off to a fine start, putting your shirt in her clubhouse is a good idea too.

Rhody...

 

[FlexGunship]

Funny how when she got spooked she hid, my cat did the same for the first week, always hard to find, but then she scouted her territory and was fine. You are off to a fine start, putting your shirt in her clubhouse is a good idea too.

Rhody...

I went home for lunch and she was still in there. She didn't eat or do anything while I was gone! I pulled her out (purring) and we had lunch together. I microwaved meatloaf for me and put her food dish next to me on the couch. After staring at me eating for a while, she ate some of her own food. It was the first food she's eaten since I got her.

Then she sneezed all over me.

Adorable.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Congrats on the new kitty, Flex. Men with cats are bad-***. Vikings had cats. Ernest Hemingway had cats. It is very manly to have a toody tat.

 

[FlexGunship]

Congrats on the new kitty, Flex. Men with cats are bad-***. Vikings had cats. Ernest Hemingway had cats. It is very manly to have a toody tat.

Us having lunch together.

And, the post-lunch snuggle. Yes, she's got a ton of "'tude." Very bad-***.

An awful picture of me, but it's a pretty good picture of her.

EDIT: I think she was doing her impression of the Firefox logo.

 

[Dembadon]

I went home for lunch and she was still in there. She didn't eat or do anything while I was gone! I pulled her out (purring) and we had lunch together. I microwaved meatloaf for me and put her food dish next to me on the couch. After staring at me eating for a while, she ate some of her own food. It was the first food she's eaten since I got her.

Then she sneezed all over me.

Adorable.

You're making me want to get a cat. But since my wife is allergic, I will live vicariously through you if that's alright.

 

[FlexGunship]

You're making me want to get a cat. But since my wife is allergic, I will live vicariously through you if that's alright.

Sure, does that give me a semi-socially-acceptable excuse to keep talking... about... my...


oh my god

 

[Dembadon]

Sure, does that give me a semi-socially-acceptable excuse to keep talking... about... my...


oh my god

Absolutely. My last cat was killed by coyotes. I really miss him.

 

[Nikitin]

isn't it a bit heartless to keep a cat inside all the time?

 

[turbo]

isn't it a bit heartless to keep a cat inside all the time?

Not at all. An inside cat is a cat that is protected from run-ins with larger predators, and is more likely to live a long and healthy life. Also, some cats kill just because they can. This behavior wreaks havoc on ground-nesting birds, rabbits, etc. At our last house, there were no wrens or ruffed grouse, even though our dead-end street backed onto a dense forest. Too many "outdoor" cats.

 

[Nikitin]

Yeah, sure it lives in a golden cage, but if ones cat is running amok in the house, the cat is probably stressed and unhappy..

 

[Math Is Hard]

EDIT: I think she was doing her impression of the Firefox logo.

She does look like the Firefox!

 

[TylerH]

Yeah, sure it lives in a golden cage, but if ones cat is running amok in the house, the cat is probably stressed and unhappy..

I'd say it depends on the cat. I've had cats that love the outside, and would run out the door at every chance. But, I've also had a cat that wouldn't stay outside if you threw him out.