77 Things to Know Before Getting a Cat. Susan Ewing M.
began between 10 and 12 thousand years ago in the Fertile Crescent as humans started to settle rather than lead nomadic lives. Instead of depending on wild sources of food, people began growing, harvesting, and storing grains. These stores of food drew rodents, and the rodents drew the cats, who were happy to find a concentrated food source that required less energy to catch than prey in the wild.
The farmers were more than happy to have the cats around to help protect their grain. Because humans offered no threat to the cats, the cats gradually moved closer and closer to human settlements, taking up residence near the grain stores and eventually becoming domesticated.
Through the years, what started out as a tabby wild cat has evolved, with man’s help, into a species that ranges in size from 4 to more than 20 pounds (1.8–9.1 kg), has a seemingly endless number of colors and color combination, and has a variety of coat types or no coat at all. Cats are still appreciated for their rodent-killing skills but they are mainly loved for their grace, beauty, and companion-pet qualities that offer gentle affection as well as entertainment.
Today’s African wildcat, Felis silvestris lybica.
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Indoors or Outdoors?
Cats are hunters by nature, and they love roaming the great outdoors. The problem is that the great outdoors doesn’t always love your cat. An outdoor cat runs the risk of being hit by a car; being chased, hurt, or killed by a dog; and ingesting pesticides, rodent poison, or other harmful substances. There’s also the risk of a fight with another cat, which can lead to serious bite and scratch wounds or catching a disease. Your cat can pick up external parasites, such as fleas and ticks, and internal parasites (various types of worms) from another cat. Because cats like to hunt at night, they’re more likely to encounter wild animals that may have rabies or that may cause deadly injuries to your cat. Humans can pose a threat as well. If your cat is using your neighbor’s garden for a toilet, the neighbor may retaliate in some way.
Whether you allow your cat outdoors will depend on where you live, and many cats enjoy a combination of indoor and outdoor living, but owners must keep the risks in mind. If you choose to let your cat roam outdoors, be sure to use a flea and tick preventive and keep your cat up to date on all vaccinations. Never let a declawed cat go outdoors. He will be totally defenseless.
If you’ve decided that your cat will be an indoors-only cat, you need to do more than just supply cat food and a litter box. Cats need attention, exercise, and something to do. If you’ve got a screened-in porch or a sunroom, you can turn it into your cat’s play area. Make a small obstacle course for your cat with boxes and boards to create tunnels, jumps, and walkways. Use a wand toy to entice your cat to play. Hide tasty treats around the home; your cat will enjoy the hunt, and trying to find those treats will give your cat some exercise. You could even hide your cat’s food bowl in a different place each day, giving the cat something to hunt.
Another great way to encourage your cat to use his mind is by giving him food puzzles. A food puzzle is a type of toy that dispenses bits of food as your cat turns and twists it.
There are some risks involved with allowing your cat to roam outdoors.
A snuffle mat is another way to keep your cat busy. This is a soft mat with many little pockets and folds for hiding dry food or treats.
Many people build “catios” for their cats; a catio is an outside screened room that may contain a small tree or some shrubs, giving a cat a place to enjoy fresh air without being in any danger. You could install a cat tunnel to give your cat protected access to the outdoors. A cat tunnel attaches at one end to a pet door and is closed at the other end. It is made of see-through mesh so that your cat can see what’s going on around him and get some fresh air. If you opt for something like this, lock the pet door when you’re not at home because a determined animal, including the cat, can tear though the mesh. You don’t want your cat getting out, or another animal getting in.
Another option for safe outdoor time is cat fencing. This type of fencing attaches to existing fencing and curves inward so that a climbing cat can’t go up and over. You can also get a cat harness and take your cat for on-leash walks. Many cats enjoy strolls around the neighborhood. Start when your cat is young so that he’s used to the harness and the leash. Never use a collar—always use a harness, which is more secure.
If you use a leash, never tie your cat out and leave him unattended. He can easily get tangled and seriously injure himself—plus, being tied to a specific spot leaves him vulnerable to attack by other animals.
Toys give indoor cats physical and mental activity.
For indoor play, remember that cats enjoy visual stimulation. Some cats will watch television and may enjoy nature programs. You can show your cats videos of birds and small animals that may attract his attention. If you’d enjoy an aquarium, so will your cat—just make sure that the tank has a secure lid so that your cat can’t help himself to fishy snacks. A bird feeder outside a window is something else your cat will enjoy.
ANOTHER PET
If you decide to get another cat, or you already have a dog, this will hopefully give your cat a playmate, or at least someone to take a nap with.
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What Type of Cat?
You have multiple factors to consider when deciding on what type of cat you want. Cats don’t have the size range that you find in dogs. Instead of weighing between 2 and 200 pounds, most cats fall between 4 and 20 pounds (1.8–9.1 kg). Whether you prefer a smaller, more delicate feline, or you have your heart set on a heftier animal, there’s not going to be much difference in how much space either cat needs for comfort.
The Turkish Van’s abundant coat sheds minimally.
Maybe you’re concerned about hair. If a cat has hair, he will shed, but some cats shed less than others. Or you might select a hairless breed, such as the Sphynx or the Devon Rex. The Cornish Rex has a very light, curly coat with minimal shedding, and Russian Blues, LaPerms, Siamese, Tonkinese, and Bengals also shed minimally. According to CatTime (www.cattime.com), even the longhaired Turkish Van is a light shedder, so, if you want a cat with a longer coat but are worried about shedding, the Turkish Van might be a good choice.
If you do choose a hairless or sparsely coated breed, remember that your cat will need protection from the cold, which may mean a sweater or coat if you live where there are cold winters. All cats must have shelter, but hairless breeds will do best living entirely indoors.
You shouldn’t base your choice solely on whether or not the cat sheds, though. Consider the personality of the breed and the individual cat. Bengals, for instance, are high-energy cats that need exercise. Ragdolls are at the other extreme—perfectly happy to lie quietly and be admired. If you’re selecting a pedigreed cat, do some research about what it’s like to live with a particular breed. In the larger scheme of things, I’d rather have a cat whose personality was a good fit even if it meant more hair on the furniture, but that’s something you need to decide before you get a cat.
The Sphynx is a hairless cat breed.
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