I want a cat badly!

amother

Ecru

Sun, Jan 24 2016, 10:00 pm

Hi I've been wanting a cat for a long time but my landlord doesn't let me keep one. I do have a garden and was wondering if there is a way to keep a cat happy and warm outdoors?!
My dh wants me to realize keeping a cat is just not going to work at the moment but I'm seriously desperate. Please help.

My landlord says all cats pee in the house even with a litter box or a catflap. Is that true?

mummiedearest

Sun, Jan 24 2016, 10:09 pm

well, a male cat will mark his territory, though fixing him might help with that. that's a halachic issue, though, so AYLOR before doing so. female cats may not, but I had a mother/daughter pair who both had a genetic disease that caused incontinence. many things were ruined by their urine. not the simplest thing. keep in mind that if you keep a cat outdoors, you will have the following: a strong scent of cat urine in the yard, other outdoor cats coming to share the food, suitors to deal with if the cat is female (this means your outdoor stuff may get peed on, you'll find small dead animals in your yard as gifts to your cat), possible animal fights, nighttime concerts, etc. you'll also have minimal companionship from the cat if you can't bring it indoors and cuddle it.

I am not anti-cat at all, but I don't think a backyard cat is going to work out the way you want it to.

Machel

Sun, Jan 24 2016, 10:40 pm

I have had cats all my life and have one now after a disagreement with my landlord Once a cat is litter trained it will only use the litter, but when they get older or get sick they might start having issues, and cat urine can be a hard smell to get rid of if that happens. That being said if you get a young cat or kitten it shouldn't be a problem for many years. Maybe you can do what we did with our landlord and work out a security deposit so if your cat does cause any damage he/she would not be liable to pay for it.

and if you adopt from a humane society they are already spayed/neutered which bypasses the halachic issues (I believe)

sequoia

Sun, Jan 24 2016, 11:43 pm

What Machel said. My cats are 16 and only recently has one started having issues where she pees outside the litter box. The other one is still perfectly clean and trained. 16 is considered pretty old for cats.

If you adopt a kitten who's already spayed/neutered, house trained, and vaccinated, you will have years with a healthy, well-behaved, affectionate pet. I hope your landlord agrees to let you get one.

MagentaYenta

Mon, Jan 25 2016, 12:15 am

Please consider a shelter cat and keep it indoors. Outdoor cats kill birds, can be hit by cars or get into fights with other animals. Besides indoor cats won't poo in your neighbors garden or your kids sandbox. I've kept a cats most of mr life,and indoor cats have longer life spans as well. Be prepared for the expense of a pet and be aware cats need care even if you are only going away on a overnight.

greenfire

Mon, Jan 25 2016, 12:46 am

the only time you'll have a cat marking their territory is when you bring another foreign cat into their space

baby kittens are easily trained to use a litter and conform readily to your schedule

often cats need a friend so they won't be lonely - my suggestion is a pair from the same litter

as far as incontinence in old age - I do believe it happens with all species including humans

cats can easily be indoor/outdoor cats having the best of both worlds - but you cannot just get a cat and leave it outside & call it your pet - especially bad idea when exposed to extreme weather elements ... we do however take our kitties outside on a nice day to play in the yard with a watchful eye & never leave them outside after dusk [they turn into creatures of the night]

you cannot violate your landlords wishes as the acid from pet urine seeps into wood floors usually ruining them forever & claws scratches on wooden doors are a pain to fix

adopting any pet is a serious commitment - you cannot just take one when it's a fun idea & then abandon it when the going gets tough

all that said good luck ~ MEOW !!! MEOW !!!

amother

Ecru

Mon, Jan 25 2016, 4:48 am

@greenfire you say cat urine seeps in wood and wouldn't be fair to my landlord but you also said that they don't pee outside box unless I bring another cat in. So what is it?

amother

Ecru

Mon, Jan 25 2016, 4:51 am

What are the costs involved?
Would I need pet insurance? Because most people I know don't have one.

I saw on Craigslist a heated cat cabin with a heated pad for it to lie on, made for the outdoors and extreme weather. Would that not be good?

Sadie

Mon, Jan 25 2016, 5:34 am

amother wrote:

I also love cats and kinda want one, but I live in Israel, so no way!

Why would being in Israel matter? I live in Israel and I have two cats. I found them in the street as kittens and they are extremely affectionate companions.

amother

Cyan

Mon, Jan 25 2016, 5:53 am

Sadie wrote:

Why would being in Israel matter? I live in Israel and I have two cats. I found them in the street as kittens and they are extremely affectionate companions.

It probably depends on the neighborhood. In my neighborhood, it wouldn't go over very well. My building actually has a cat that used to be a pet and the owners moved and let the cat loose shock

The bldg. adopted the cat and people feed her, but poor kitty! She looks like she would love to be someone's pet again. (She lives outside and probably sleeps in the machsan. Doesn't look like she has problems w/ other cats. She's large and they follow her around.) I've mentioned to DH that I wish I could adopt her, but he said he's not helping (and the neighbors would be upset that I stole their pet and think I'm disgusting b/c I have an animal inside my house). So, I guess I should just be content feeding her leftover tuna.

amother

Linen

Mon, Jan 25 2016, 8:19 am

Sadie wrote:

Why would being in Israel matter? I live in Israel and I have two cats. I found them in the street as kittens and they are extremely affectionate companions.

This. I live in Israel and we have 4-5 yard cats. They are not really our pets, but street cats that decided to settle in our garden after we set out food for them everyday. I also had them spayed. I dont smell any cat urine outside (maybe they pee at the neighbor's ?)

I like coming home and seeing them all snuggled up by the front door.
The temperatures here are fine for outdoor cats.

I sometimes think maybe to adopt one inside as a real pet, but I worry that it will climb on the counters.

greenfire

Mon, Jan 25 2016, 12:16 pm

amother wrote:

@greenfire you say cat urine seeps in wood and wouldn't be fair to my landlord but you also said that they don't pee outside box unless I bring another cat in. So what is it?

2 separate issues: while cats don't generally pee outside their box - they sometimes do - aging, scared, other cat around, etc.

just read what you wrote ... if the landlord doesn't let, it's a violation of your rental agreement - there is nothing else to discuss

ecru-amother wrote:

been wanting a cat for a long time but my landlord doesn't let me keep one

saralem

Mon, Jan 25 2016, 7:19 pm

Cats will climb on your table and counters. It's just the reality of kitty life. They behave as if they are the master and the human is the servant. Despite all of that, I'm so so so fond of my three feline baby girls. Meow!

blini

Wed, Feb 10 2016, 2:20 am

sequoia wrote:

Sorry to hijack and late to the party, but I am so glad you were able to keep them! I'm like an elephant with a long memory. Xoxo.