Pitbull s/o: Pet lovers, I'd love to pick your brain!

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Forum -> Inquiries & Offers -> Lakewood, Toms River & Jackson related Inquiries

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DVOM

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 6:58 am

This is kind of a spin-off from the pitbull thread. Seeing it made me think that I should post about my pet-related dilemma. I just never thought to tap imamother about it!

I've never had a pet (aside from a very short stint with a little white mouse as a child) and I know next to nothing about caring for a pet. My kids looooove animals of all kinds, but I never thought we'd be a pet family. Too smelly, too much work, too much mess, too out of my comfort zone.

This past summer we had an opportunity to consult with a very great chassidishe Rav. People wait for hours to have a few minutes to talk to him or get a bracha from him, and there he was, sitting at my kitchen table sipping tea and eating cake that I had hastily retrieved from the freezer, my four year old on his lap (a side question: what does one feed a very great rav when he shows up unexpectedly at midnight????).

In the process of discussing our children with him, the Rav suggested that we.... get a pet. We were floored. Not at all what we were expecting from this mainstream, super yeshivish/chassidish rav. (He also told me, not in these words, to chill out and stop worrying about my kids so much, that they are great kids. Very reassuring to hear!)

So now we are siriously contemplating getting a pet. I can't have a caged animal in my house, so that nixes a lot of options. I think for a first pet dogs are a lot of work and need a lot of knowledge that I just don't have. Which leaves us with.... a cat.

Cat people: what can you tell me about caring for and raising a cat? Where do I get one? what goes into taking care of one? How long do they live for? Are they smelly? Hairy? Do they ruin your floor and furniture? How much does it cost? If you were getting a cat for the first time and knew nothing about them, what would you have wanted to know (aside from the fact that they are awfully cute Smile

)

studying_torah

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 7:09 am

Wadr for this rabbi, please please don't get a pet unless & until you are totally ok with one!
Any pet is a lot of work & money and the burden of that will fall to you.
Animals need to be trained, can destroy things easily, shed, need to have their waste cleaned regularly, shots, medicine, food & water.
Oh and cats are often aloof & not child friendly. They don't always snuggle & play like a dog will.
Please think long & hard if this is really what you want right now.

amother

White

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 7:12 am

First of all, I totally agree with your opposition to caged animals. It's cruel. It's also a ton of work when it comes down to it, to clean the cage all the time. And the smell.

I have experience with both cats and dogs. For me personally, dogs are much much easier. Our dog needs to be walked three times a day, but that is pretty much it. When he's in the house, he lies beside us peacefully, or enjoys being petted. He pretty much stays on the floor, except when he's alone with my son and he sneaks onto the couch.

Cats - you can't stop them from climbing EVERYWHERE. If you are the type to care if a cat is sitting on your kitchen counters or kitchen table or master bed, then DO NOT GET A CAT. It is a losing battle. I personally cannot deal with running after a cat every two seconds to make sure she doesn't sit on my counters.
Plus you can't leave any food out at all.

amother

Red

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 7:17 am

I was badly scratched by a cat when I was a kid after it attacked me im still scared of cats
and have scars the cats name was petunia

mochamix18

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 7:24 am

First of all there is an over abundance of cats so definitely adopt. If you adopt from a shelter, a lot of medical stuff is taken care of already such as getting rid of fleas, ear mites, done vaccinations depending on age and “fixing” the animal depending on age (this would be benificial from a halachic standpoint). I know with formal adoption there are fees but not sure what they are. If you choose to adopt a street cat, make sure they are not too tiny and haven’t been separated from a mother they are still nursing from. You would want to take it to a vet right away before bringing it in the house to get rid of fleas, ear mites and get it vaccinated (rabies, feline lukemia etc). There are halachic loopholes to getting the cat fixed (sell it to a non Jewish worker at the vet and buy it back after surgery. Essentially a kinyan). It’s very recommended to do this because unneutered male cats will spray all over your house to mark their territory and although I’ve never experienced it, it’s evidently a horrible smell that is impossible to get rid of. Female cats when not fixed get their period, are miserable in heat (not to mention noisy) and contribute to the cat overpopulation.
As far as furniture, yup they can scratch it. Get the cat used to having it’s claws trimmed early and get a good scratching post. Outside of all this, cats are simpler then dogs. They are happy playing alone or with another cat, litter training is fairly easy. There are arguments for keeping your cat inside 100% of the time (they live longer, no worries about recatching fleas and other diseases, not fighting with feral street cats) and on the flip side there are those who argue that letting your cat out gives them a better quality of life.
As far as costs, each of the initial vet visits will cost you several hundred. Monthly you’re looking at food, litter, initially a food and water dish, perhaps a cat collar, toys and treats.
I’m not sure if I left anything out.....

FranticFrummie

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 7:32 am

I agree with the other posters. I do think you should look into rescuing a dog, though. Get an older dog, one that is calm and easy going. Older dogs need less exercise, and they are often the first ones in the shelter to be killed. By "older", I mean anything over 3 years. They've already outgrown the puppy crazies, don't need to chew everything in sight, and will in general be much easier to do obedience work with.

I have dogs, and also a cat. The cat gets on my counters and steals my food if I forget to put the food away. I have to clean the litter box regularly, and even then it can get stinky.

Dogs get you out of the house and give you exercise on a nice walk. You get to meet your neighbors. You find out the other dog owners will start addressing you as "Fido's mom", and you will call them "Fifi's mom". Nobody knows each other's real names!

A healthy dog's life span can range from 9 to 14 years. Small breeds tend to live the longest. Terriers, mini poodles, and chihuahuas can all live to be 20 or more. (I have a 20 year old chihuahua. She is completely blind, and has 3 teeth left. She's still getting around the house, and is quite happy.)

A great dog to get is a retired greyhound. As soon as their racing career is done, they just want to be couch potatoes. They do not need a ton of exercise, and have the sweetest personalities. They easily live to be 12 to 14 years old, and make great family pets. They have a very short coat, and don't shed much.

mochamix18

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 7:56 am

You find out the other dog owners will start addressing you as "Fido's mom", and you will call them "Fifi's mom". Nobody knows each other's real names!
Isn’t that Israel in general? Everyone is “Ima shel Binyamin and Ima shell Sarah” 😂

imasinger

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 8:16 am

We are cat people.

We had cats for years, until one daughter developed severe allergies, at which point we went through a lot to re-home them in great places. We went petless a while, but then my DD found a way.

We routinely foster for friends of ours who have a business selling purebreds who are less allergenic than most cats. We take a pregnant mother (queen), and host her until the kittens are old enough to go to their forever homes. They stay only in DD's room, so minimal allergens around the house. Owner provides food, litter, and all expenses. Right now, we are helping with this litter of cuties:

Please feel free to pm me with any questions about owning, fostering, or caring for cats.

Rappel

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 9:18 am

I grew up with cats all my life, and I still own two.

If you live somewhere where your cat can go outside on his own, then they are hands down the easiest pet to have. No walking, no fur mess, and no smell (they clean themselves constantly!)

I'm going to try and order my knowledge here, so I may edit this as I go:
*I assume you have a lot of kids. Given that, I would recommend getting an adult cat with a confident, social personality. They exist. One of our current cats is basically a dog who can climb trees - totally docile with children, extremely affectionate, completely trainable, social, and outgoing. I recommend going to a reliable shelter, and explaining what you're looking for. Maybe even bring an experienced cat person with you. They'll help direct you to the cats whom will thrive in a busy household, and any other requirements you have.
*Cats need: a little food and water, changed daily. A litter pan for when it's too cold/wet outside to do their business comfortably. A comfy place to sleep (in our house, they sleep with our kids). A safe, high place where they are allowed to climb when they need some space. That's it.
*Regarding climbing: cats are naturally climbing animals. They are very curious, and also very cautious. If they're resting, or examining something new, they usually like to do it from above. That also means, though, that you're going to have to teach them where they're NOT allowed to climb - ex: the table, the kitchen counter. For two weeks, carry a spray bottle with you, and if the cat tries to jump up somewhere you don't like, spray him with a little water. He'll learn very quickly what the dos and don'ts are. For the rare cat who doesn't mind water, tap him sharply on the nose with your finger to correct him. It will startle him, but it won't hurt him, and he'll also learn very quickly what he needs to do.
*Cats can be very social, but they will bond closely with whomever feeds them. If that's you, your DH, your oldest child etc., Then expect the cat to follow you around, randomly rub against you, or try to sleep in your bed. He views his feeder as his protector, and that's the person he'll turn to for reassurance and praise and cuddles.
*When you first bring your cat home, the best thing to do is to set up one room for him to stay in, with food and water, and keep him there for a few days. Once he's bonded with you, and is confident about his new space, then you can let him into the rest of the house. He'll explore, and he'll be cautious, but since you've given him his "safe space" then he'll be more open with getting to know everyone and everything else.
*I've never met a cat who doesn't love babies. They cuddle with them, clean their hair, and purr for hours next to them. My old cat is almost a babysitter for my kids - wherever they are, she follows them around, and comes to get me if she thinks something is wrong. They can also be very protective, especially of children: my parents had a cat who wouldn't let anyone near my older brother, until he saw that mum was okay with it. When my dad was little, a feral husky dog broke into their bungalow upstate, and started chasing them around the kitchen table. Their cat leaped on the dog, and chased him away.

singleagain

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 9:23 am

Rethink caged animals. My brother has a leapard gecko which is adorable. And once you get past the start up cost is very low maintenance and not smelly.

Raisin

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 9:27 am

I'm not a pet lover but I grew up with a cat, and we fostered one recently. They are very little work. The one I grew up with was very aloof but the one we fostered was so cuddly! She jumped onto everyones laps all the time. (this was an 8 year old, not a kitten) She was not a lot of work really. Feed, clean litter tray. Not a trouble maker. Neither cat climbed onto kitchen counters. You can get cat climbing things if that is an issue.

Raisin

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 9:28 am

also, no need to worry about mice invasions with cats.

amother

Orchid

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 9:30 am

singleagain wrote:

Rethink caged animals. My brother has a leapard gecko which is adorable. And once you get past the start up cost is very low maintenance and not smelly.

Can lizards eat dead food?

amother

Crimson

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 9:33 am

Yesss FranticFrumie! Thank you for the shout-out to greyhounds! I'm the gh owner from the other thread. Are there many for rescue in Israel? I hope not because that would mean that racing is legal there? Sad

OP, if you're interested in adopting a greyhound, please post so here and I'm happy to tell more about greyhounds. They are among the sweetest dogs to everyone (unless you happen to be a rabbit or a cat). Where racing is legal, they're often unfortunately abused, kept in small cages, then tossed away if they're not a good racer, or if they are, then they're tossed away once their racing days are over. Despite all they go through, they're the most loving dogs to everyone.

amother

Crimson

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 9:37 am

Raisin wrote:

also, no need to worry about mice invasions with cats.

And no need to worry about a mouse or a cat invasion with a greyhound. Surprised

Apologies - I wrote that based on one of our own, but I don't want to give all greyhounds a bad name in this regard. We do know a greyhound who lives happily with two cats. So some are cat safe.

singleagain

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 9:41 am

amother [ Orchid ] wrote:

Can lizards eat dead food?

Live Mealworms or live Crickets.

If it's not moving they aren't interested

But you never have to touch them

Chayalle

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 9:41 am

Why is caged animals so cruel? My DD (an animal lover who would really love a horse) had a pet guinea pig for several years, and now she has a hamster. She takes really good care of them, and takes them out every day. They get some downtime in their cages, and plenty of loving cuddle time outside of it.

In terms of cleanliness and smelliness, I have to say keep away from guinea pigs (though they are so lovable and easygoing.) The hamster takes up much less space and the mess is smaller.

sequoia

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 9:58 am

I’ve always had cats — they are very low-maintenance. Easiest pet by far.

You just get used to not leaving things around that you don’t want them to drop.

CatLady

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 10:12 am

For obvious reasons, I'm very pro-cat. I have two at the moment. One's an avid counter-cleaner, the other's a schlub who lumbers around the house but doesn't get vertical very often. They're both purring machines, but they do shed, so regular combing is important. Scooping poop is a good responsibility for kids. *evil laugh*

My advice is to adopt an older cat. Kittens are cute but hyper and although their antics are delightful, I prefer cuddly, purry, sedentary types. Any good animal shelter or rescue organization will match you based on personality (yours and theirs).

Iymnok

Mon, Sep 23 2019, 10:17 am

We have such a great time with our two turtles and many fish. The turtles live on our mirpeset and eat lettuce and cucumbers. The kids take them out to play and try to feed them any available wild vegetation.

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