I've posted this to a couple groups, my apologies to anyone who's reading duplicates.
My daughter's best friend has a new litter of kittens and the family is looking for homes for two of them. We were at the house today for the Halloween party, and I find myself somewhat seriously considering bringing either or possibly both home.
One obstacle is my allergies. I'm definitely sensitive to these guys right now, as I came home sneezing and runny and puffy-eyed, and that was after taking Alavert (loratadine). I know there are allergy shots and prescription strength medicines available, it's just a matter of getting in to the doctor and getting something prescribed. And since I have so many environmental allergies as well, I probably should be doing this anyway.
I also need to talk to my landlord about what he needs/wants from me. I know he has no objections to cats, but I still should discuss it with him before bringing one home.
The biggest thing I'm looking for is advice from people who have been there done that. These are babies, unable to fully sheath their claws at the moment and (I think) still nursing. MooMoo is female, Fiazko male. The kids would love to take both, I'm not quite sure yet.What kind of expenses am I looking at? Are there social issues I should be aware of, and perhaps any that would steer me towards taking both siblings?
Everything and anything you guys and gals can share would be most greatly appreciated. I want to be as prepared as possible before making a decision so I don't end up making a big mistake.
I wouldn`t consider it at all if you are so allergic. Much kinder to find them homes elsewhere from the beginning than have to part with them later on if you can`t cope with their proximity without medication. It`s never good to take medication unless you really need it, after all.
Apart from the allergy problem, cats are no problem even if they don`t have access to outdoors - they`re usually litter tray trained by their mothers, and soon get used to wherever you put their own litter tray. (A good practice is to bring a small amount of litter from their old litter tray to put into the new one - they soon get the message from the familiar smell). Apart from veterinary expenses - injections etc., they don`t cost a fortune to feed.
Your main problem, in fact IS you allergies, which do sound pretty serious.
warning, I am not neutral on the subject of companion animals!
Kittens will need to be spay/neutered when about 6 months old unless you want the risks that go along with intact cats (including spraying, straying, cancer of the reproductive organs and more kittens which will put you in the boat your friend is in right now). If you choose to de-claw, that will add as well (please read all the literature! Kittens can be trained to a scratching post. It's not necessary to mutilate them.)
The rest of the initial costs: litter pans, litter, food, brushes, toys, are inconsequential (IMHO) compared to the costs of keeping them healthy. Those vet bills are NOT optional, nor are they cheap.
Having just done the "vet thing" yesterday with our two (9 years and 11 years approximately) yesterday, I can speak from a little experience.
$185 later (that was exam, shots for one, exam, blood tests for the other) . . . And that's at least annually.
Breaks out like this: exam for cat with shots: $24, Shot 1, $26.25 (annual), Shot 2 $12.25 (every other year). Total $63 This is cheap for this particular cat. It's her 4th vet visit this calendar year for "behavioral" issues (she over-grooms) and Urinary issues (infections, inappropriate peeing).
Exam for cat with blood tests: 32.50, 3 blood tests $88 (47.50/11.75/30).
Cat with blood tests is on "special" food (she has IBS) $15 for a 3 week supply. Cat with shots is on anti-depressants ($7 a month)
Cat without shots/with bloodwork still needs the shots (assuming the blood work comes back okay) so, another $63 there.
And that's when they aren't sick or injured.
You can get some allergy relief by washing them (bath) often (you'll want to get them used to it while they are babies) or using anti-allergen wipes (Most folks are allergic to the spit that they put on themselves while grooming, not to cat hair).
Two cats are better than one if you aren't home all the time, and even if you are, it's not a bad idea. Littermates often make wonderful companions (or so I've heard). We raised a pair (not littermates) together for 12 years from kittenhood and the survivor really grieved when her "sistercat" died. The two we have now were adopted together, but they are not siblings. They act as though each is an "only" (no companionship there).
Your landlord may refuse to allow you to bring them in. Or s/he may charge a hefty damage deposit. Biggest damage cats cause is inappropriate peeing (usually, but not always, from poor box hygiene or a UTI) and scratching (a cat can destroy furniture, woodwork, carpet with her claws).
Kittens do not stay cute and cuddly. They grow up into cats. Do you like cats? (Not a stupid question). This animal could be with you for 20 years or more.
I got a kitten for my daughter one Christmas. I ended up allergic several years later. I went to my doctor. He said, "Get rid of the cat. It is far too hard on the body."
I took his advice, eventually.
If you are already allergic, it will only get worse and manifest itself in many ways, including possible autoimmune problems. You DON'T want to go there.
Since you're away at work all day, TWO cats would keep each other company, i.e., no coming home to shredded stuff from a bored only cat amusing himself.
For two cats, you can serve 1 can of wet food, or 1/2 can + crunch, per day. So figure your food expense at $2-3 a week. Kitty litter comes in all price ranges. You may get lucky and your kids will use the cheap stuff; or they may be spoiled and insist on only the crystal litter, which is 4x as expensive. Figure another $2 a week for litter.
Since you do not want to find *your*self trying to offload a litter of kittens, probably $50 each to get them fixed.
If you're keeping them entirely as indoor cats, they will need fewer shots than if they're allowed outdoors to associate with potentially contagious cats.
You MUST have toys ... it's the expense that's optional. My girls like to hide in cardboard boxes and paper bags. Emmie will knock herself out chasing a ball made of used tinfoil. I've had cats who went nuts over metal bottle caps, Kleenex, pencils......
The Lady Katharine, Intrepid Huntress, isn't much on toys; they're simply not dignified. She only plays with furry mousies. The kind made with real fur, and preferably the grey ones that look like real mice. OK, they cost a couple bucks each, but she loves them to death, so it's a good investment. And Grandmeow sends her a couple every Christmas, so it doesn't cost *me* anything.
First; for you and your allergies, as well as for the health and longevity of the kitties, make sure the cats are indoor only cats. Cats that come in and out bring in pollen, etc., and run the risk of cars and wild animals.
Second; have cats seen by a vet for kitty shots, worming and discussion of how soon they should be spayed/neutered. Spaying female kitties tends to stop "female" problems later in their life, and neutering males tends to cut down on spraying/territory marking inside the house.
Third; food bowls, water bowls, litter box(es). I have three indoor cats and they all use the same cat box, using clumping cat litter, and combed/emptied frequently of clumps. (However, if one were to get sick and the vet needed a stool sample, that could pose a problem.) Everyone has their own food bowls and water bowl; they occasionally switch between bowls, but at least they do so peacefully.
Fourth: toys, toys, toys. Small soft balls they can sink their feet into and toss around, ones with rattles inside, fake mice, furry dice, etc. A cardboard box to jump in and out of, and hide from sibling to attack, and later sleep in(great if you don't want to buy beds yet). A "kitty condo" that they can climb and jump on is another option, as well (can you tell my cats are spoiled?). Old standby: the red ring-top from the milk container. Every cat I've ever known has loved that.
I had two sister cats for about ten years; lost one at 10; had to have her spayed at about 8-yo, due to female health issues, the second one lived to be 17, spayed at 9-yo, female health reasons again. (Those spays should have been done when they were younger, to keep expenses down and cats healthier.)
To keep the remaining girl company, we got a kitten, who is now 14, non-spayed, and having tumor issues. I do so wish I had had her fixed as a young cat, so she might have avoided the health problems now. When we moved here 5 years ago, about a year after the 17-yo passed away, we found a male Burmese hiding under my house. He is now neutered and inside, as well as a golden/yellow long-haired male we brought in last year(his mother and father belonged to the neighbors, and his mama wanted him to be mine).
Even with the age differences, the two boys get along well, occasional spats like any two boys. Queenie(aka Miss Hiss) tries to keep herself uninvolved from the foolishness of Fonzie and Little Bit. My personal feeling is that a young kitten needs company, since they're not used to being by themselves. Two cats keep each other company while you are out at work, etc., and two from the same litter already know each other; no long, drawn-out introductions between strangers who have different personality traits.
The first year vets bills seem to run higher per cat than most other years, due to kitten shots and spay/neutering, but they are certainly worth it in loving personalities, entertainment, and occasional pest control. While I had my two sister cats, I never heard of or saw a mouse(mice must have known there were cats in the house, or else there were none where I lived), and they always alerted me to flies or spiders. Where we live now, we have an occasional mouse, usually in the fall, (part of our kitchen doesn't have a real foundation, and I have a dirt floor basement, as well), and the 5-yo takes care of that quite promptly. (The trick is to get him to stop growling and give up his "prize" ; it's the only time he's not a real sweetheart.)
On top of all this, I also have allergies. Since the cats don't go out, after a short period of time I seem to have gotten accustomed to each cat. I just have to be careful when I brush the long-haired boy, because he has cotton-fiber type hair and that can get into my eyes.
Just my observations; hope they help you decide. Meows and kitty kisses, Carey in MA
Jenn L had some very interesting things to say about OT: Advice requested regarding possible furbaby adoption:
They definitely need to stay with their furry mom for at least 8 weeks, 12 preferred, so she can teach them to be cats. Based on your description, they're too young to leave her yet.
A lot of people with busy schedules find that two cats can keep each other occupied and causing less trouble (OTOH, I know a lady with two Burmese littermates who team up to find new ways to wreak havoc (grin)). With expenses, you're looking at spay/neuter (trust me, living with a cat in heat is NOT pleasant for any party, including the cat) and shots, at least for routine care (can't really predict the non-routine medical stuff ), but nearly all communities have low-cost programs for both.
Then there's food, litter, anti-flea stuff (all of which have a WIDE range of price options), and toys. If they're anything like a lot of cats I've known, they'll find stuff to play with around the house and be more enthusiastic about that than about toys you buy for them. :-)
Hope the allergy thing works out so you can take a kitten or two, if that's what you really want. Having kittens around the house is loads of fun (just be VERY careful of needles, floss, beads, etc., none of which are good for a kitten to ingest), and pets are great at unconditional love when you're having a tough day.
Jenn, I can't tell you anything about the cost of owning a cat since I'm a dog person. I do, however, know of two cat owners who are allergic to cats. Both get allergy shots. They also have to bathe their cats twice a week and brush and vacuum them daily. Two of the cats come running when they hear the vacuum cleaner because they loved to get vacuumed with the upholstery brush. A vacuum with a good HEPA filter helps so the allergens don't just get sucked off the cats and spewed to kingdom come.
That's the big issue, to my mind. It's actually a salivary protein that you're allergic to, and there are a couple of them. It's possible to be allergic to a cat with one salivary protein, and not to a cat with a different one. Folks also sometimes find that they become de-sensitized after living with a cat for awhile. Others find things get worse.
In my experience, the standard MD response to anyone with any allergies is "get rid of the cat"... I heard it 40 years ago, and I still hear it today, and I've never tested positive for cat allergies (dust mites yes, cats, no). Additional steps to take would include a daily wipedown of the cat's fur with warm water and/or a weekly bath, which is not a big deal if you start them young. I take mine in the shower with me, as they don't care to have to stand in water, but a hand shower is fine with them. Though they still tell me that cats breathe through their toes and might drown.
Remember that cats are much longer lived with good care than they used to be...12-15 years is pretty common, 25 is not unknown, but rare, so you're talking a long term commitment.
You'll need to consider several one-time costs as well as ongoing maintenace. Around here, an office exam is $30-40, plus meds; a first exam with shots (usually a series of three, so twice more), plus worming and defleaing will probably be $80; I'd figure $50-60 for the two followup for rest of the shots. Figure another $100-200 for neutering or spaying, which, imo, is essential. After that, I budget about $100.00/yr per cat for vet bills up until they're about
12 or so, when things can start getting expensive. Indoor cats tend to be less expensive than outdoor cats because you'll probably have fewer vet trips.
I'd add to that $25/yr for flea control if you use an IGR (insect growth regulator) like Nylar or Methoprene (buy it by itself, it's much cheaper; dilute with water and spray the baseboards and carpets; very low toxicity, very low allergenicity).
Buy a good grade of cat food; dry is cheaper than canned, and my crew prefer it. 6 cats go through about 20 lbs of dry catfood a month, about $25 worth. Buy good stuff (Iams or better) and you'll probably have fewer medical issues with the cats, too. I also figure 4x the weight of cat litter as cat food coming into the house.
I, personally, like cats in groups -- the interactions are much more interesting than with a single cat. I'd try to leave a kitten with the mother until 12 weeks if at all possible -- I'm dealing now with a little one that was taken from his feral mother too soon, so he's attempting to nurse from any skin he finds, including the lab's ears, human fingers and toes, necks, other cats (they are NOT amused), etc. Kittens also learn a lot of rules of how to behave with another cat in those few extra weeks with mom, which cuts down on the teenage mutant ninja kitten behavior later if they understand "ow!" and face-pushes.
These can be improvised free or nearly so. As we speak, I am eating a Betty Crocker Warm Delights, which comes in a fairly sturdy microwavable bowl, which I could imagine using for a cat dish: one for water, one for wet food, one for crunch. You might be able to convert a TV dinner plate for that purpose, put the wet food in the small sections and the dry food in the bigger one.
We picked up a china plate from a yard sale for a dime, which the proper young lady cats dine from. Since we have Tupperware out the yin-yang, one cereal bowl was designated for their crunchies. I did splurge on a water dish that will refill itself from a 2-liter Coke bottle (not included) so that I didn't have to constantly check that. The weight of the full 2L bottle also keeps the water dish from being used for soccer practice (which was *why* I was having to constantly check the dish). For a while, I had the water dish stuck to the floor with Quake Wax (in areas where that's not a standard household necessity, substitute Silly Putty) so I wouldn't find a trail of water the length of the kitchen and someone meowing "Goooooooaaallll!" at 3 AM.
One of the huge popcorn tins was converted to dry food storage. The popcorn was a Christmas gift, so this, too, cost nothing. An old tuna can functions as a scoop in there, again, free.
Laughing so hard at last statement. Training a cat to use a scratching post exclusively? Maybe you can, but Jenn works full time, will not be home to pull the kitten off EVERYTHING to remind it constantly to scratch only on a scratching post.
I'm pretty sick of people saying that declawing is mutilation. All my cats have been declawed. Yes, it's obvious the first day they are home that their feet are tender, but it's literally one day of discomfort for them. They don't miss the claws, and the furniture, banister posts, walls, etc don't end up shredded.
Anybody who's ever been here can tell my cats are not suffering in any way, that they pretty much rule the house.
BTW, one warning to Jenn about male cats, some of them need higher end food, just because of urinary tract problems.
Everyone has given you some good advice on the potential adoption and I agree with most of it. YOU are the only one who can decide if you will be able to deal with your allergies. Just remember that it is NOT kind to take in the kittens for a few months and then decide you can't handle the whole allergy thing. If you do decide to adopt the babies (take BOTH of them)I think you would be wise to have someone to take the kittens in if you find that you are totally unable to manage your allergies after a few months. DO NOT take the babies until they are at least 8 weeks old -- 12 weeks would be even better. If necessary, offer to give the current owners a bit of extra $$ if needed to convince them to keep the kitties until they are 12 weeks old. ALL cats and dogs should be altered ASAP and if you have to collect $$$ on the street corner to pay for it then that's what you should do! Can you tell I am adamant about this :-)?? As someone mentioned, most areas offer a low-cost spay & neuter clinic at least once a year. Ask at PetSmart for info as they would know. A **healthy** cat needs minimal vet visits. Once a year for shots is OK but do not put it off. Blood tests, etc. are *ONLY* necessary if the cat is ill or is older. My vet likes to do baseline tests when my kitties get to be about 8. I usually wait until the baby is 10 since my kitties live to be 15 years old at minimum. My cat babies are fed regular old dry Purina Cat Chow (Kitten Chow when young and Senior Chow when they are older) and they are all healthy and long-lived. A new Vet usually tries to talk me into some special, expensive food but once they find out how healthy my babies are they back off. The standard shots aren't all that expensive (maybe $60 a year per cat for exam and shots) but the blood work runs about $100. Remember that pets are members of the family and need to be cared for properly just the same as your human kids. De-clawing is a VERY controversial issue and should ONLY be done on cats who live inside the home and should ONLY be done to the front paws. I have indoor only cats WITH their claws and they almost always use their scratching posts. I had to train the Himalayan to use hers and it only took me one weekend as I was working when we got her and that's all the time I had. It can be done and it's not that difficult. DD always has her kitties de-clawed and the procedure is much safer and more refined now that it was in the past. Personally, I object to having a cat de-clawed. Regardless of what some think, it IS mutilation and is similar to a human having the last joint of each finger removed. IF DONE PROPERLY (you need to have a VERY good Vet to do it properly) it is much less painful for the kitty. DD had a friend who had to send her baby to the Rainbow Bridge because the Vet basically butchered the kitty's little paws and the poor thing never healed properly and was in constant pain. So don't just assume that indoor only kitties must be de-clawed -- see if they can be trained to use a scratching post first. I feel that people who have cats and dogs as family pets need to treat them as family members. Your children will treat them as such and you need to realize this. Family pets need love and attention if they are going to be well behaved and properly trained. My cat babies are trained to come when I call them -- not as quickly as a dog would but they come. They are well behaved and always use their litter boxes -- remember that cats prefer to bury their "elimination" results. When left alone for too many days, Reno (Black Cat) will leave a poop present for me on the rug in the formal dining room but that is the ONLY time this happens. IF you have no pets at this time and you feel the kitties would cause you too many allergy problem, get a dog or some other animal as a family pet. I think kids who are raised with pets are much better off. Birds can be great pets as well and often love their families as much as cats and dogs do. Fish are better than nothing but you can't really pet a fishy :-). Hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, ferrets, etc. CAN make good pets but require some very different handling than your standard cat or dog. Keep us posted and let us know how things go, OK? CiaoMeow >^;;^<
Yes, Karen, those microwavable bowls *do* come in handy. Right now I have a few that I use for the neighbor's outdoor cats (they know where to get kibble in the morning and at night). Another good thing about them is that their sides are usually low enough to allow a kitten to eat comfortably. I realized this as I watched a kitten trying to eat out of a plastic pudding container that was as tall as he was at the shoulder. I felt so badly that I had put food down for him that he was having trouble actually eating; really didn't mean to tease him. I now use those pudding bowls for water, filled to the top, or as scoops to bring the kibble out. Of course, my cats indoors are currently eating their kibble out of small china bowls that have a gentle slope, so that the cat with the extremely long fangs can get his kibble more easily. Custard dishes hold the water, and Big Lots provided the heavier bowls for their moist food. The cats seem happy, so.....
It`s not exactly a NORMAL life for the poor cat though, is it? To me, that would be the most important consideration.
One thing I learned through breeding Siamese is that many people who are normally allergic to cats are OK with Siamese - their hair has a different makeup.
Anyone who is allergic to something and deliberately exposes themselves is, in my opinion, simply asking for trouble. Allergies, once triggered, can lead to more allergies. And allergies can get frightfully worse. It can also lead to autoimmune problems. Allergies get worse with time, not better.
While I can understand someone having pains about losing a beloved animal because the caretaker is now allergic, and thus taking whatever steps might be necessary (I don't agree, but I can understand), to go
*into* a situation knowing you are allergic makes absolutely no sense to me.
I'd say that depends on what you are allergic to. If you are allergic to man-made air pollutants, it is rather hard to completely avoid them. There is also the issue of keeping your children happy to balance into the equation. If a family can afford to have a pet, then it is a wonderful learning opportunity for the children as well as an emotional companion for the whole family. Obviously if feeding a pet means the humans have to go without food (or something like that), then I can't recommend it. A person with allergies can always try to talk the kids into choosing a different pet, but sometimes that just doesn't work and you end up with WWIII. There are times when the trade-off is worth the annoyance.
Of course it is even more challeng> Anyone who is allergic to something and deliberately exposes themselves
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