Need advice on kitten purchase.

[stevo]

Are they up for a bit of babysitting when you go on holiday?

Not a chance, they're not very keen on cats ...  The neighbors on the other hand 

Will I get another?... dunno.   When I was looking round the rescue and I saw Chuckles and there was a poster on the cage door of a cat that looked like her so I just assumed it was, I wasn't 100% as the white colouring looked a little different, well as different as it can on a 90%+ black cat.  I just thought it was an old pic as it was a bit weathered.  The poster said it was a 6 year old cat that didn't get on well with other cats and would be better suited to be housed alone.  A bit older than I wanted but we seemed to hit it off so I went for it.  Was only when the member of staff came that I found out differently.  I never even thought about getting another at that point.

Think I'll see how I get on with this one for a bit first.  Get a bit of experience under the belt.

Not got this one yet !!   


I've plenty of questions to ask, the home check will be grilled, make no mistake !  - hope you lot are up for a grilling over the coming months too 

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Stevo,  use some time tonight to make a list of the things you`d like to ask or know about and then you can grill them at the home check.  They will no doubt be pleased you have questions to ask

[sheilarose]

You won't need the flap for a few weeks, as you'll want her to get the hang of her lovely new home first before she's allowed to explore further afield. Time enough to do your research on flap types.
 
Your Dad sounds great too, like your Mum. Are they up for a bit of babysitting when you go on holiday? 

So, do you think you'll stick with just the one, then? (No pressure  )

[stevo]

Didn't really get chance to ask them about anything,  I got the impression they were really busy       which to be fair, I think they were.

Kind of just got left too it - go have a look round the pens and let us know if you like the look of any.

Hope this home check goes well tomorrow 

I'm going to hold off on buying anything until I know she is definitely in the bag.

As for the door, I think I'll just buy a new backdoor as the one that's currently there is terrible, it needed replacing 8 years ago when I moved in.  I'll get my dad to fit the flap, he's great at diy 

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

heh heh heh - so pleased.  fingers crossed for the home visit 

[sheilarose]

Awww Chuckles, a proper Northern name.  Good luck with the homecheck, I do hope she's the one for you 

Did you ask their advice about catflaps etc for her? As Sue said earlier, I wouldn't worry too much about the state of your door as hacking a hole in it to make way for a flap is best done first time around on a "disposable" door, so unless you're really good at DIY it's less painful to get it wrong on a door you don't much care for.

Have you spotted the Purrs Shop yet? Click on the ad in the top right corner and have a wander through. If you get your order in tonight your cat toys/beds might arrive before she does 

God, now I'm broody, too. 

[LouiseJ]

 
I knew it! Didn't need me crystal ball after all!

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

  To Purrs .... it sounds like you've been found by your first furbabe 

Fingers crossed the home check goes well and Chuckles will be moving in soon 

[Kay and Penny]

looks like you've been 'found' by your next cat

Chuckles is a lovely name

[stevo]

Well, I went to the rescue, to "have a look".  Kept getting drawn back to this little black and white cat, we had a stroke and a quick play with a bit of a twig she was trying to get through the bars 

Turns out she's a 2 year old stray called Chuckles, apparently she's "a playful little thing".   

Got the home visit tomorrow morning.... 

[sheilarose]

Oooh yes, it's been ages since I went rescue surfing   

Good hunting Stevo - remember, you're only looking for TWO 

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Hope you emjoy your run out "for a look" today.

 

Can't help smiling - am also thinking of one of those electronic cat flap thingies (and a new door) but dont think it's absolutely necessary have to have a new door to get one fitted (in our case it;s just my OH has vapours at the thought of any DIY even though I was rightly proud of his initial efforts which meant we could fit a Staywell flap.  )

It's only because of a Big Burglar Cat that we want to change it, as come spring we'll be giving me laddo the key to the door full time.

Great idea about saving your hols to give you some time to settle your new kitties in when they come.  And the bonus is, you'll have a realy fun filled few days. 

[stevo]

Thanks for the words of encouragement

London's a bit of a distance away, I'm nearer Manchester, even that's 20 miles away.

I've had a bit of a think the last few days and I'm leaning more towards two kitties with one of them electronic cat flap jobbies - got a feeling that I'm definitely going to be needing a new door at some point for this.

Carried 4.5 days holiday over from work last year so they will need to be taken before the end of March, be ideal to befriend some new kitties 

Like I said I'll have a look up to Bleakholt tomorrow.  I'll let you know how I get on!!

[Alcatraz]

Hi Steve (from one of the other 3 blokes on here)

Our two furballs are house kittens in a two bed maisonette and they're fine!  We have a balcony that I've cat proofed (big net) so they get a bit of outdoor space when the weather permits but otherwise they're happy to lounge inside.

With our lifestyle, having two to keep ach other company made the most sense and I'm sure it's helped keep them sane whilst we are at work.  The first week we got them we stayed home to help the aclimatise (play with them because they were adorable).

I don't know where you live but there are good services in London that will cat-sit for you.  They come to your house, feed, water and change their litter trays and collect your post, turn on/off lights, etc.  They even send texts and picture messages!  I know it can be a little strange giving a stranger a set of keys but they're a tried and tested firm and often CRB checked.

Our boys are loving and playful (not at all nasty) and the castration wasn't really an issue (they went to the vet in the morning, came home in the evening and acted like nothing had happened) but see who you fall for and go from there.

Good luck with whatever you choose!

[sheilarose]

Most of the rescue websites request you e-mail them before turning up, so you know there will be someone there to show you around when you go.
Don't be put off by this, Stevo, it's just pressure on resources that demands a more structured approach.

[LouiseJ]

It's not a sign. Don't worry. They just aren't always staffed 24/7 or my local ones aren't anyway.
Go have a good look, the staff will tell you how they home as they are all slightly different and prepare for your life to change 

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

No - it's not a sign Stevo.    Most of the rescues are uber busy at this time of year and it will take them time to get back to you - days, sometimes.  If you're able to go to a rescue and look you may have better luck, although some are "appointment only."

Dont give up - tis just the first step.   

[stevo]

Not off to a good start, tried calling three different places numerous times this afternoon and no one would answer the phone 

Hope its not a sign....

Going to have a drive up to Bleakholt tomorrow lunch, can have a mooch round if nothing else.

[JackSpratt]

Welcome to the world of impending cat slavery, stevo....

As an aside, did you know that neutering a male cat actually protects them from potentially life threatening illnesses? See, it's not just about whipping off their chestnuts. (Trust me, I've had many a discussion with blokes about this. OH used to cringe at the topic, but when you see how many cats are needing homes you kind of come round.....and the poor lad is bombarded with cats needing homes information. )

Looking forward to meeting your new family on here when you've felt a connection.

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

You're spot on Stevo when you say looks are one thing but personality and character quite another.   

I've had both male and female cats, and to be honest, both can be aloof, and both can be real cuddlebums - just depends on their nature, and how you interact with them.

There are two curled up on our sofa right now - one is ours, a 12lb gentle giant of just turned 10 months old who loves a cuddle, and a flighty, skinny little 8 month old who isn't ours, and doesnt like being held, picked up or cuddled, but who loves spending time with us nontheless. 

Making enquiries of your local rescues, and going along to have a look and see what their set up is, is a great place to begin your search.   

[sheilarose]

Stevo, you've got some other blokes on Purrs too (honest, they just haven't spotted you yet) and bikers both male and female, so we do get it, honest 

Be sure to call ahead if you want to go visiting, Saturday tends to be mucking out day for some rescues so they may not open for viewings until the afternoon.

I'd also strongly suggest getting a homecheck done before you fall in love with any particular cat - nothing more heartbreaking  if you get where I'm going here.... and as you're willing to wait for the best possible candidate, there's a lot to be said for knowing where you stand and what the different rescues will and won't accept. 

[stevo]

Did you like anything at Paws Inn, perchance???? 

Yeah, I did have a look but like I said, its personality over looks.  Need to meet the kitties in person, you can't tell much from a pic.

Yep, I know Bleakholt.  Drive past it all the time   that will be my first port of call.  Blackburn/Darwin is no problem, have car, will travel.  Could even perch one on the back of my motorbike, cats do like sports bikes don't they?  (joke)   

If I get chance I'll have a drive over to one on Saturday and meet some of the potentials.

I got no problem getting an already neutered male, just the doing it myself (not a rusty knife job, you know what I mean).  I couldn't look the poor butter in the face again.

I'm not sure if I've been put off male cats as me and my mate used to let Taz from next door in on a Friday night while we were having a few beers.  He was always ok for about an hour then he would start getting abit aggressive and we would have to evict him - he is 20 year old though.  The ex girlfriends male cat was a bit handy with his claws too (only if you accidently touched his belly though) but for the most part he was a total softy.

The girls though, they were awesome! 

I'll keep you posted

[Sootyca]

Yeah, I found some local rescue centers on the tinternet, there are not as many as I was expecting (lol, I'm not sure how many I was expecting... they are not Tesco's).   I'll have a look over to one at the weekend, maybe the weekend after.  See where I stand.  I live in Rossendale, so theres some in Bolton, Bury & Accrington.  I'm sure I'll find what I'm looking for.

Bleakholt may be nearest for you. If you can travel a little further to Blackburn/Darwen there is also Moggies Cat Rescue (in Darwen, no website) and Blackburn Cat rescue (not to be confused with Cat protection).   Both are home run rescues and like most are usually full of cats needing homes.

My boy Robbie is from Moggies.

[Jiji]

 

Just to add a couple of things, don't be put off if some rescues won't rehome as indoor only cats.  Also don't assume that cats from the same litter will always get along together. Would you be adverse to taking on an already neutered male? as two males or a male and female can often get along better. Afraid I don't get the 'man' thing regarding neutering male cats, all I need to know is they are not contributing to the growing numbers of unwanted cats and they are happier and healthier without their 'nads - remember it's theirs, not yours that are going and in no way does it reflect on the masculinity of their owner 

[sheilarose]

I'll have a look over to one at the weekend, maybe the weekend after.  See where I stand.  I live in Rossendale, so theres some in Bolton, Bury & Accrington.  I'm sure I'll find what I'm looking for.

This may prove to be very interesting, do stay tuned, folks. Stevo, you are in "cat rescue central" where you are 

Did you like anything at Paws Inn, perchance???? 

[jezebel]

After ringing round I ended up having to do a 40 mile round trip to a bird hospital (vets said they would just kill it!!).  Half a days holiday, 40 mile in petrol and £20 donation to the bird hospital

You're a saint!

I have two indoor cats - they potter around the garden when we're at home but they never go any further. They love being outside watching everything and chasing  butterflies but they're happy being indoors when it's dark or the weatheri is bad. If you are going to keep your cats indoors, I recommend getting cats which are already used to this rather than trying to make an outdoor cat an indoor one.

I can also recommend getting older cats - they need a lot less attention than kittens (especially if there's two of them) and they have wonderful characters. Kittens are fun but me and my partner work full time so we thought we couldn't really give them all the attention they would need, hence we got our girls who were ten years old - and believe me, can still play like kittens!

Welcome to Purrs, I look forward to hearing what you decide to do. Happy New Year!

[stevo]

LoL, working in IT and being a member on various forums for various different things over the years I am well versed in loosing forum posts.  I pre type them all in notepad now - unless I know the forum wont delete them 

Oh I forgot to add, the Starling pulled through!  Unbeliveable to be honest as I thought it was a gonner for sure.

Yeah, I found some local rescue centers on the tinternet, there are not as many as I was expecting (lol, I'm not sure how many I was expecting... they are not Tesco's).   I'll have a look over to one at the weekend, maybe the weekend after.  See where I stand.  I live in Rossendale, so theres some in Bolton, Bury & Accrington.  I'm sure I'll find what I'm looking for.

[sheilarose]

This all sound great, Stevo.
No, photos don't appear on preview here, and on occasion if the pic is too big in Mbs, the machine will reject your entire post and DELETE the whole thing beyond retrieval  I tend to copy the whole thing before posting as I, like you, tend towards lengthy posts  which makes it infuriating 

What a shame you couldn't keep one of the sisters, they are gorgeous. 

Did you find some local Rescues locally from the CatChat page? We have Purrs people all over the UK and some in Europe and the USA too, so wherever you are we may have someone who can provide some local knowledge if required. 

Great to have you on board, you sound like ideal (cat) Slave material  and I like the sound of your Mum too 

[LouiseJ]

 

All I would add to the wise words below is that I had a house cat for 18 years and it certainly did her no harm at all. She went out for a wander as soon as we had a garden but was never that interested particularly when it was cold or wet. I've always worked long hours but she always had plenty to play with and keep her amused.

We got Luna and Cleo from a rescue and whilst we originally wanted kittens, our girls were six months old when they landed on us and would certainly recommend a couple of older kittens.  As they've shown no real interest in going out, I'm keeping them in for the time being.   

[stevo]

Thanks for the responses

At the moment my house is in need of decorating, my settee in the front room is my grandma & grandads old one and probably around 20 years old.  I recently got rid of my tropical marine aquarium and that has already basically ruined my carpet.  Because the fish tank was a 120 gallon open top the moisture that it gave off has done the wallpaper no favors either.

As it stands I dont mind things getting scratched up abit.  I can hold off on the redecorating and new suite until things have settled down.  Cat flap - not a problem, may even be an excuse to get a new backdoor while I'm at it! (my mum would be soooo pleased)  although I'm still not overly sure I would want him / her / them wandering the estate.  That being said, Taz next door (to the left) has been doing it for the last 12 years or so and he's ok, just the other side hasn't had much luck, mind you she has two other youngish girl cats that are doing fine (one of them is a right little sweetie, the other won't go anywhere near me). 

The other reason I don't really want them outside is the catching of birds etc, I found Pebbles nextdoor one morning with a starling in her mouth, the poor bird was squalking and screaming, basically not having the best morning of its life.  I wrestled the bird off her and put it in a box with some toilet roll bedding and went to work, the poor thing was litterally scared stiff.  Worried about the bird I ended up taking half a days holiday to go home and check on it, fully expecting it to be dead to be honest, I was suprised to see it sat up and awake in the box.  After ringing round I ended up having to do a 40 mile round trip to a bird hospital (vets said they would just kill it!!).  Half a days holiday, 40 mile in petrol and £20 donation to the bird hospital - this I don't need every other day.  Though since she put a bell on Pebbles collar she hasn't managed to catch any more.

I see what your saying about going for an older cat / young adult over a kitten with me not being there alot.  While kittens would be lovely, it would also be nice to help out a poor soul thats not had much luck in life.

Female cats need neutering too    I assume you're ok about that?!

Yep, just the lads I got a problem with, not with why it needs doing, just a man thing I think.

Think I might have a look round for a local rescue centre at the weekend and go and have a chat with them for some more information etc - this isn't something I want to "rush" into.  I'm not overly fussed about a particular breed, just want something to sit with and stroke while I'm watching tele and terrorise with one of them mouse on a stick things. I'm not overly keen on long haired cats though or them bald ones.  I do like the look of them silver and black ones, but at the end of the day its personality over looks.

I'll keep you's updated!

ps. I've attached a pic of those I'm missing   

Spice (in my lap), Cinnamon (on my belly) - my babies, me and Cinny got on like a house on fire.  If you look closely you can just see Maj in the background.  She was a bit of a slow burner but she came round in the end.

Hmmm, the preview does not seem to want to show the picture...  If you can't see it when its posted you may just have to use your imagination, that or I'll try to sort it out

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

 

I think Sheila, Liz and Sue have answered most of your questions.  I have 2 housecats in a one bed flat so I think your house sounds plenty big enough.  Do you have a garden you could think about cat proofing?

As far as rescue v pedigree goes I'd go to a rescue centre unless you really want a particular breed.  I'd also go for older kittens/young cats which should help cut out some of the destructive kitten behaviour and allow you a better assessment of their temperaments and their suitability to be indoor cats.

Female cats need neutering too    I assume you're ok about that?!

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Welcome to Purrs, Stevo.   

Fully understand where you're coming from.  Oddly enough, a few of us on here never started out life as "cat lovers" but having been targeted by the little blighters became unwitting converts.    

Once you've lived with cats, living without cats is so much less rewarding, as you've discovered.

There are already some very sage words from Sheila, and advice from Liz about how various options can work for you, and I think if you explain your position to a good rescue they'll do their utmost to match you to a good fit.  You sound like you've really thought this through well, and you've anticipated potential problems as well as all the great bits.

We've been fortunate enough in the past to have my Mother who used to pet sit for us stupendously well.  When Mum died, we tried a kennel for our dog and cattery for the cat, and whilst the cat we had at the time was perfectly happy in his cattery on his hols, our dog fretted herself silly, so we opted for the pet sitter route, like Liz.  There are some very good ones out there, and not all of them are as expensive as you might suppose, in the absence of a willing buddy or family member.

Frankly, I find most of our holidays these days are spent thinking about our cat or texting our pet sitter on the pretext of telling her what a wonderful time we're having whilst giving ourselves away by asking so many questions about Ross that she knows exactly what I'm up to.  She's an absolute gem though, so she understands us perfectly, and laughs with us about  it 

With regard to scratching the furniture, you can (in spite of popular belief) gently discourage cats from destructive behaviour, largely with replacement behaviour - ie offering them scratching posts and showing them how to use them, then if you see them sratching inappropriately saying "No" and removing their paws from the offending item.   Admittedly this is easier with younger cats than older cats, but still achievable.   I don't know if we've been "lucky" or just "organised" that none of the cats we've had have ever used our furniture to scratch (although one used to climb the woodchip wallpaper with varying degrees of success!)

We used to have one cat who, as a kitten liked to swing from our net curtains, and often bringing them down so we'd arrived home to find a drunken window dressing to greet us, but it didn't persist beyond the stage of early kittenhood. 

You can also check out the brilliant information on www.wayofcats.com and look up Jackson Galaxy (Cat Daddy) for information on how to preserve your sanity and the bond between you and your cat/s if you encounter a behavioural problem.   There is usually a way to overcome those kinds of difficulties with patience and love and respect, and you sound like a man who is, at the very least, willing to try.

I think I can safely say we all hope you will very soon have a couple of cats to share your life with on a permanent basis, and we'll look forward to hearing all about them.

Take on board what Sheila's already said about differing rescues having different criteria (some of which are indeed a little off-putting!) and dont be discouraged if some of them you speak to are less than encouraging.  There will be cats out there just desperate for the sort of home you can give them, and if you can't find any initially, the Purrs members will move heven and earth to help you in your search.   

[Liz]

  to Purrs and yes those adorable furry kids get right under the skin and you will be a slave forever

Your house sounds fine for 2 little furbabies and I would go the rescue route they have assessed and looked after the cats and kittens and know the personalities well

I have house cats about 20 of them due to health issues and bits missing - legs and the majority are ferals that would be dead by now, they are kept busy with an array of toys and the laser pens and other laser toys we have that can run for up to 4 hours at a time and aren't to bad on batteries

I have indoor/outdoor kids and outdoor only at their choice and also have 3 Adult Border Collies Sky, Sunny and Mistral and worked full time and mine were on their own from 7am to 6pm 5 days a week when I was working full time and none have suffered

I would use a cattery if you have worries about leaving keys it means that the cats annual boosters need to be kept up to date so they can go to the cattery

I have a wonderful pet sitter for the majority of the cats but my 2 Hyper thyroids, my oldie diabetic and my fighter and the 3 dogs all go to the same kennels are well looked after so I can go and visit my husband in Baku where he now lives

These 2 are gorgeous and Kellyjoy is a member on here and is approachable so take a wee peek

http://www.animallifelineuk.org/forum/showthread.php?33375-Zebedee-and-Yogi-two-kittens-in-need-of-loving-home-together-Oxfordshire

[sheilarose]

Hi Stevo and  to Purrs, sorry to hear you have a huge cat shaped hole in your life... I hope we can help. 

As you may have gathered from wandering around here, Purrs is predominantly a cat rescue site, so of course all the advice you'll get here will be focused upon the welfare of any animal you may decide to adopt as your own, and will ensure that if you ultimately decide to take a cat or cats on at this stage of your life that they will give you what you need for the rest of their lives and never end up back in rescue.

You have obviously given this such a huge amount of thought, and it's to be applauded that you've taken so much time to digest and analyse the potential problems your cats may encounter in fitting in with your lifestyle, and you also seem to realise that there are simply no guarantees with animals: kittens or untested adults may wreak havoc in your home (one of the many risks associated with buying animals from pre-loved sites or the notorious "Bumtree" as we like to call it), your furniture could be trashed, your carpets and wallpaper ruined, but in my experience these things tend only to happen when a pet is mismatched with it's owner's lifestyle.

As you've lived with kittens before you will know how much energy and attention they require from their slaves, and if they are to become successful house cats they will need more stimulation in their early years than you may be able to offer with your job taking you away for half of their tiny lives, so maybe an older cat or pair of young adults would suit you better?

This is where your friendly neighbourhood Cat Rescue should come to the rescue (no pun intended). 

These cats will have been properly raised by their natural mothers and further assessed by the Rescue and so will have cat manners - i.e. will know that it really hurts to bite, that there is a pecking order, that human hands and feet are generally not toys etc... Most importantly, you know what you're getting before you take it/them home and have a built in support network if things don't go immediately to plan.

The Rescue will assess you, your home, your lifestyle and responsibilities (and yes, to a certain extent your financial position as they need to be sure you can afford general upkeep as well as any unexpected vet bills and/or insurance for the animal). They will also assess your home for dangers and will advise whether you should consider keeping the cat/s indoors permanently (if you live by a busy road for example) or if you have a garden and willing to have a cat flap installed and therefore could accommodate a more independent animal.  The "Homecheck" assessment is not a judgement of your character, please understand this, and it's important to know that different Rescues have their own policies, some more strict (and frankly occasionally bizarre) than others. So just because one organisation (I'm thinking the larger National organisation here, naming no names...) turns you down does not mean the right cat isn't out there somewhere for you, and an independent rescue would probably be more relaxed about any such "policy" that may not fit your profile, OK?

On the question of neutering (I think you referred to it as having their knackers cut off) all cats should be neutered, and this is not an "option" with rescue cats, but is essential. It will be a prerequisite that if you take un-neutered kittens from a Rescue that you promise to have the neutered when they are old enough (usually around 5-6 months) and supply proof that you have done so.
The crisis in the UK with overpopulation of stray cats is purely the neglect by careless owners and unscrupulous breeders who have allowed cats to breed (and this includes boy cats, Stevo) until the situation has got out of control.
Seriously, if all the Tom (male) cats were neutered it would immediately stop ALL the problems you currently see on your Estate - the fighting stops, they don't wander looking for new mates or territory so they don't spread disease or continue to fertilise local stray females. So now you can see what I'm talking about?

You'll also quickly discover that "Pedigree" cats may not always deliver best value for you, don't be fooled by the ads on Bumtree and think an untested £450 "pedigree" kitten will behave any better than a fully vaccinated, neutered, microchipped Rescue cat available for a modest donation.
Different breeds have different traits, so for example if you like your cats to be talkative and boisterous, you can't go wrong with a Bengal, although many Bengals like to be lone cats later in life so may fall out with their siblings once fully grown. Persians maybe too placid for you and need more grooming that you can devote to their wellbeing, Siamese may prefer the lofty heights of your curtain pole to your lap. Etc etc...
Conversely you might also choose a cat because of it's breed traits only to find him to be an oddball and completely off-character. Again, your Rescue can help to choose a specific cat to suit you rather than generalising what breed may or may not suit, and highlights the risk you face as a new owner of what can go wrong if you choose unwisely.

So, I know this hasn't answered all of your questions, but as you're obviously a deep thinker, I'd like to point out some of the cats currently lookin for homes here in our Purrs Registered Rescues, to give you a flavour of what may bring you your ideal pairing...

I'm starting with this pair of girls who were born in rescue and so have always been indoor cats, one of whom has very slight special needs...

http://www.pawsinncatrescue.co.uk/index.php?route=shelter/cat&path=46&cat_id=343

Or how about a pair of gorgeous ginger ninjas... actually just have a ride through this thread and read up what these cats have to offer...

http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,41837.0.html

you may be miles away from this specific Rescue, but you may get some ideas as to what sort of cat would suit you, how much time and effort you can spare them and if an older, more mature and settled animal would suit you better than a pair of rambunctious young cats. 

This is our sister site, CatChat, and this is where you'll identify your local cat rescue, just click on the map in your region and wait a second or two, and a list will appear.
Bear in mind all our rescues are full to bursting so not every cat available will be posted on the websites, but you'll be able to identify your local shelters and their contact details from here

http://www.catchat.org/adoption/index.html

Good luck with your search, do keep up this thread and let us know how you get on and what you decide. Feel free to bring back any and all questions you have, you'll get as many opinions as answers on here because there are often many solutions, and the vast wealth of experience, I've found since joining Purrs, is unbelievably helpful. 

[stevo]

Hey

I split with a girl I was seeing about seven months ago and she had six cats, she bought three of them as kittens while I was seeing her and I spent 10 months watching them grow up.  To cut a very long story short I'm missing these kittens like, well, you can possibly imagine.  A 37 year old bloke getting tears in his eyes thinking about some Bloomin cats...  Was never a cat lover until this brief period of my life - I'm appalled at myself at how attached I got to them kittens.  Now my sisters bought her kids a kitten for Christmas and he's just gorgeous.  I'm weighing up getting myself one, maybe two.  Been thinking about it for the last year or so - here's the deal.

I don't know if its the right thing to do

I live alone, leave for work about 7:30 am and get home around 6:30 - 7pm Monday and Wednesday, Tuesdays and Thursdays I've got things on and get home around 10:30pm.  Friday I get home around around 5pm and then I'm around all weekend.

Hence why I'm considering getting two cats so they will have some company when I'm not there.  Even so, I am out most of the day.  One would be easier, but I wouldn't want it to be unhappy.  Mind you watching them kittens playing together was just comical - two wouldn't be the end of the world.

I wouldn't want these cats going outside either as the estate where I live is just crawling in cats and I can hear them fighting most mornings.  Next door has had one cat poisoned and two just disappear in the last 3 years, I dont think the poisoning was intentional but the cat died never the less

Even so, I'm not sure if I'm happy keeping them inside all the time.

Which leads me on to my next problem, I live in a 2 bed semi, its not massive.  About average size I recon, not sure if it would be big enough.  Also I don't have a porch area, the front door opens straight into the house, I wouldn't want my kittens/cats bolting out the front door and doing a runner - are they prone to doing this? hard question I know as everyone's different.

Also I am struggling to have them looked after if I go on holiday etc, which to be honest is pretty rare. My mum and dad have said point blank they would not look after them while I was away and my sis lives too far away, could ask the neighbours but I'm not sure I feel comfortable leaving my house keys with them - no reason for this though to be honest.  mmmmm, would probably be ok - I've no problems paying to have them housed somewhere either - as long as its a decent place.

One main concern - I don't want my house trashing, i.e. furniture scratching to bits.  If I get some decent scratching posts will they leave my settee alone ?  The one I have at the moment is wrecked already so I am planning on buying a new one next year at some point.

So what do you think, should I pull the trigger?  I've got some serious overtime money coming to me as I've worked over christmas so I could afford to spend a few quid getting a couple of pedigree ones.  That being said, I may go the rescue center route though.  Ideally I would want one / two litter mate girls.  I want girls as I couldn't look at myself in the mirror knowing I'd had the boys knackers cut off - sorry, I dont care what anyone says.

Do I do this? 

I don't want to make a mistake here as its quite a commitment.

Thanks