Adding a cat to a family w/ dog?
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| Wed, 03-02-2005 - 4:03pm |
Hello everyone. I'm new to the board, and could possibly be a joiner (or regular lurker). DH and I are considering getting a cat to add to our family. We have three young girls, ages 5, 4, and almost 3, and a big, goofy lab/weimi? mix (approx 3yo male).
I am a SAHM and had a cat for 17 years. Tooner (my cat's name) and I grew up together and it absolutely broke my heart when he died a few years ago. He was a Blue Point Siamese, so I'm sure you can imagine that he wasn't the most child-friendly breed, but we bonded so strongly (I went home to visit family for the weekend and he was full of energy and very lovey, then when I left he went to my room and laid down and refused to move...finally my dad took him to the vet and he was in organ failure and was put to sleep...I believe he went to my room to die).
Anyway, the dog is wonderful and so sweet, but he's primarily my DH's dog. We adopted him from the local shelter and couldn't have asked for a better experience with him. I'd like to go back and get a cat from there (dependng on the dog's compatibility with cats), but I'm not sure what type to get. I did Breed Selector and it gave me lots of exotically named cats...when they're only listed on Petfinder as "American Shorthair" or "Tabby." Well, you get the idea. What general breeds are best suitable for an active, loving family of GIRLS? They're well-meaning people at the shelter, but hardly breed-savvy.
My personal experience has led me to believe I want a female, declawed shorthair. I'm not so concerned about age, as long as the cat's litter-box trained. What are the pros and cons to these preferences? Is a kitten/young one better so he/she gets used to the girls and the dog? Or is an adult better because they're beyond certain kitty hangups? I've also heard that if you get a kitten you should get two...true or false?
AND, how do I test the dog on his cat compatibility? He loves other animals, but I've never actually had a cat around him up close. He's all sniff and no bite and doesn't seem to have a small-animal prey drive. Obviously getting a cat would depend on whether he could live with one. I would be the primary cat-person, but I'm sure the girls will be trying to chase/catch him/her...hey, I did! LOL
Thanks for any advice you can give!
Rebecca


Hi Rebecca! Welcome to the board.
I'm assuming you want a cat declawed because of risk factors with your girls. I understand that but declawing is extremely traumatic for cats. Also, you need to take into account that a declawed cat will resort to biting as it won't have any other defenses. I strongly urge you to reconsider declawing or have this being one of your deciding factors when it comes to choosing a cat. Trimming their claws is relatively easy and is not traumatic once they get used to it. There are also these things called Soft Paws which are caps you put on their claws and it prevents them from stratching things.
Instead of trying to find a specific breed and since you are wanting to get a cat from a shelter anyways, you should be focusing on finding cats that are child and dog friendly. Most cats that end up at shelters are not pure breeds anyways. Most are strays or possible ferals that have been picked up. Even if they are dropped off by owners, unless you are a cat breed expert or specifically breed pure breds, I think it's relatively impossible to say what breed(s) a cat is. The shelter should be able to help you find a cat which will acclimate to your household with minimal problems.
In my opinion (which might be wrong), I think a kitten would be the best way to go. It will grow up accustomed to the dog and your children. I believe litterbox training is relatively easy. I've never had to train a cat to go in a litterbox so I'm not sure about that. I think that pretty much once they figure out what it's for, they start using it. But if you get a kitten, you may have to catch her before she starts going and put in the box so she gets the idea. It may be that the kitten is already litterbox trained. My city's shelter uses litterboxes for all their cats, regardless of age; every cage has a litterbox. So, the kitten may be litterbox trained when you take her home and all you'll need to do is show her where it is. (Make sure it's not too far away for her. If she lives on the main floor, put it on the main floor and not downstairs or something. I think "accidents" are more likely for kittens even if they are box trained if it's too far away and they can't get to it in time.)
The shelter should request that you bring in your dog in for a visit with the cat you choose before you take her home. If not, request that this is done. It'll save you a lot of hassle and headaches if you find out at the shelter that one particular cat freaks out at the slight hint of a dog rather than at home. ;-)
There will be a period of adjustment for both the cat and dog. You should set up a sanctuary room for the cat where she can stay for the first few days or so. This will give her time to adjust to being in a new place and she won't get so stressed out. A sanctuary room is a room which contains everything the cat needs without any stressors - such as the dog, your girls, you and your husband. Bascially, a sanctuary room allows for the cat to adjust to her surroundings slowly. When I got my Amber, we had her in the sunroom off our garage as her main room, but I brought her into a coverted bedroom for a couple of hours every day. She'd immediately head for cover under the bed and I would just sit on the floor, talking to her. Slowly, she began peeking her head out and eventually she was creeping towards me and then I was finally able to pet her and progress from there (holding her, letting her out of the room, etc.) I recommend using this same process with your cat.
Are you on information overload yet? I tend to go overboards sometimes. LOL I just want to say for the record that I am not a cat expert (I think my cat is a bit looney) and that most of this is just my opinion that I've developed through my own research, experience and what I have read on these boards. ;-) I hope you find a super cute kitty to add to your home!
Michelle
You're correct, I prefer declawed for my girls. However, I wouldn't have it done, but some are already declawed that are available. I didn't think of a connection between no claws and biting, good point! Thank you!
No, it wasn't information overload. It's great to get feedback. I tend to go overboard on my research. I picked over the pet messageboards for months before we got our dog...and ended up getting the total opposite of what I thought we wanted. And he's better than I expected. Hunter was housetrained, didn't jump, didn't chew, didn't bite, and knew basic commands. He still needs work on the leash and until we got our fence up I had to go after him on a weekly basis because he was a runner...but I think he's pretty set here. He doesn't even try to run out anymore when the door is open. I truly hope he's cat friendly!
Thanks for the advice!
Rebecca
Well then, we might just be two peas in a pod. lol I like to research things before I decide on something as well - especially when it comes to animals. My Amber is currently an outdoor cat living with my dad. I live with my mom but will be moving out in hopefully a year and Amber will be coming to live with me. I've researched lots of stuff and have posted tons of questions. I've never had an indoor cat so I'm a little worried about how Amber will adjust, what kind of litter to use, etc. lol
Wow, Hunter sounds like a great dog. Lucky for your family and him that you came along at the right time!
Michelle
Hi Rebecca.