I just rescued a cat from a junkie. Redpill me on cat ownership

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>>2343466

>rescued a cat from a junkie

Why?

>>2343469
>all homeless people are junkies

Wow. I'm literally shaking.

Coke head down the street wasn't looking after it said I should take it. Dont trip.

cats are shitty pets that make your house smell bad

have fun

There is no reason at all to feed dry food over wet food. If you can afford it feed wet food instead of dry. Try to get food with mainly meat as the first ingredients (besides water). There is no reason for cats to eat fruits, veggies and grains.

Get it checked out by a vet asap if you can afford it. It needs 2 distemper vaccines which will be 2 weeks apart, and a rabies vaccine if it's old enough (3 months or older). You will really want to get him fixed too if he isn't. If you can't afford this you can call around for low cost clinics and free vaccines but they usually require proof that you actually can't afford it and you're not just being a cheapskate. You'll have to get the rabies and distemper shot yearly

You will want to keep 2 litter boxes if possible in different locations if you can. Try to scoop it daily/ every other day and clean it completely weekly.

You will have to decide if you want it indoor only. I highly encourage indoor only, with maybe contained or supervised outdoor activity. If you don't have money, then you really shouldn't be letting the cat roam. If you do decide to let the cat roam, you won't want to let the cat out for at least a month while it gets used to it's new surroundings. You'll also want to look into getting a microchip in case it ever gets lost.

If you struggle with cash, never ever buy cat toys, look at DIY cat toys. Get a scratching pad or post that's long or tall enough for the cat to stretch completely while scratching. Posts will need to be heavy enough to ensure your cat's weight.

Get the cat used to being brushed and having it's nails clipped (you'll need small cat nail clippers, dog ones are too large). Daily brushing helps reduce hairballs and clipping nails will save your furniture.

Google how to train cats before you start punishing the cat. Sometimes the water bottle method will be counter productive. You have to be creative and make it seem like the cat caused it's own punishment, not you reacting to it.

>>2343556
Why can't more cat owners be like this person?

>>2343556
thanks for the legit reply

yep im feeding him wet, fancy feast infact (the lad has had a rough go, i figure he deserves it)

got him his shots today, he was already desexed from the previous owner (before the coke head).

he is indoor only - what do you think about declawing? (i am an ecologist and while i love cats, i dont want him killing anything)

i think the owner before the cokehead (he was dumped and she moved interstate) was probably alright, because when i wouldnt let him outside to piss he went to the litterbox i set up. was fucking stoked.

i dont want to punish him, he is super fucking chill so far.

what do you think about taking him surfing?
not in the water, like me going down the coast and bringing him in the car. maybe chilling in a catbox with plenty of air, water and food while i surf for an hour or two

planning to take him on shopping trips etc. just to get him used to the idea of being in the car / seeing if he absolutely hates it and this isnt happening. is this a stupid idea?

>>2343557
Let me rephrase that.
Why can't more PET owners be more like this person?

>>2343591

not same anon... declawing is pretty fucked up. the bone the claw is attached to is also removed, or else it will just grow back. it would be like not just removing your fingernails, but amputating your fingers at the first knuckle. even if people don't give a fuck about the cat's comfort, and do it for reasons like "muh furniture", it's still a dumb thing to do because it leads to litter box issues most of the time. walking on what are basically coarse rocks and trying to dig around in there hurts their sensitive bone nubs like fuck, they associate that pain with the litter box, and they just simply stop using it. it also leads to all sorts of weird kitty psychological problems, as scratching and manipulating stuff with claws is a big part of a cats instinctive routine. i'm not saying all cats that are declawed end up having issues, but the VAST majority of cats with issues are declawed.

if you want a social cat that you can take around more like a dog, you just have to socialize them early and often. cats that think they're dogs are the fucking best cats. i'd suggest getting it used to a leash before you take them out initially, and then keep them on that leash until you're confident they are chill and comfy being outside around lots of people and stuff going on. cats can be spooked pretty easily in new environments, and if it decides to bolt you probably won't find it again.

>>2343591
Not the anon you're replying to, but don't declaw. It's a practice that's been banned in several countries and even many american vets will refuse to do because it's been found to be an inhumane procedure. It's debilitating and often causes chronic lifelong pain. Also, from a human perspective, it's shitty because it can sometimes lead a cat to become reluctant to use a litterbox, because the litter can feel uncomfortable to their paws long after surgery. And a declawed cat can still figure out how to maim and kill things, it just has to get more bitey than scratchy.

If you get regular vet checkups or even just your rabies shots updated regularly, which is legally required in some areas, then you'll have to transport the cat in a car eventually sometimes, so it's not weird to want to know how it'll fare with car rides. But don't leave an animal in a closed car alone, especially for long periods of time like hours long stretches. Most cars are not open enough to properly ventilate and keep from overheating, even in cold weather, even with windows open. An overheated animal can become dehydrated, and cats especially can become prone to not properly hydrating because they don't always sufficiently drink from water bowls to cover their needs. It's best not to chance it.

The reason why you see people with their dogs out and about everywhere, but almost never cats, is because dogs are more suited to being trained to accompany their owners places. In my personal experience, I haven't gotten a cat to become very good with coming along places, because it's difficult (maybe impossible) to get them to heel, they generally hate being shut up
in small places and then left alone when they can't free roam, and many stores don't allow animals. I think getting a cat to become good with frequent travel has worked for some people, but it takes very serious training and I wouldn't recommend it to a first time cat owner.

>>2343617
thanks anon

i will just clip his nails then, i dont want to hurt the poor fucker he has been through enough

ill see how the car travel goes, if he hates it then thats that, ill drive south, drop him at my second home and go surfing solo.

i dont 'need' the cat to come surfing with me, it would just be cool to have a chill little cunt hanging around the car and shit if he is comfy, then i would go buy him some fish or something.

he is already super social, due to having like 4 owners in the space of a year. he does his thing, and is following me around the house already.

his demeanour is pretty dog-like desu (previous dog owner)

ill see how he goes, but thanks for the comments im definitely listening. cheers m8

follow up question:

i eat alot, and i mean alot, of fish. like pretty much every meal. at least every day.

can i just chop up a flank of mackerel or something and kitty will be fed well ? or do i need other shit in there too

thanks for the replies anons

>>2343617
the spots i surf are usually pretty isolated - what if i left him in the car in a kitty box, but on the seat with the doors wide open?

im not worried about being robbed or anything, and i usually leave my car unlocked when i surf anyway.

main concern is kitty.

>>2343684
Depends on how cool he is with just chilling in the box. Every cat I've known yowls when they spend time locked in a box. Imagine if somebody took you to the beach, and then locked you in a walk-in closet sized shack while they went to go surf. And you didn't have a phone. I could maybe be kinda chill with it for while, but I think most people would get bored and annoyed fast. Cats would probably usually rather just stay at home.

>>2343679
No, fish actually really isn't that good for cats, I hear. The stereotype of feeding cats fish comes from when sailors kept them as mousers, and feeding them fish (when mousing wasn't cutting it) was just cheapest and easiest. It's not really best for them, though it can keep them from dying of malnutrition. Cats that survive on their own usually get by from eating small game like mice. But by eating them whole. The cuts of meat and cuts of fish people obtain from grocery stores don't cover the full nutrition a cat needs and would get from a natural diet that includes organs and stuff. Raw feeding is something some people do for their animals, but it requires research and a certain amount of knowledge of what a cat's nutritional needs are and how to meet them. Cat food is convenient because it's got all the shit they really need, so you don't have to worry about a nutrition deficiency problem.

Of course, poor rustic people have gotten by on feeding their cats just scraps before, and alley cats are foragers, so even if it's not the most nutritionally healthy, with a little luck a cat can get by on a diet without formulated cat food and survive.

>>2343732
word, i guess ill see how he goes in the car but im not about stressing the little dude out. point taken

most of the fish i eat is caught / speared myself so i would have access to liver, kidneys etc., but yeah youre right if nutritionally complete catfood is available for a few cents a hit (the cunt loves fancy feast, and desu after eating tinned mackeral tonight as opposed to my usual freshly killed coral trout, i had a sniff and definitiely considered it, lol jokes m8)

thanks for replies, ill see how the little cunt goes in the car. hes currently just dealing with not being allowed outside anymore, which i imagine is probably a pretty big blow.

>>2343732
Poor people let their cats outside which allows them to raw feed off of prey animals which fills the nutritional gap.

PS: If you let your cat outside but don't condone raw feeding, you're a fucking hypocrite and a moron.

>>2343738
yeah, i dont let my cat outside. I am an ecologist, i couldnt own a cat and let it outside and sleep at night.

i think i can give him a good life man - far better than the life he had before.

thanks for your input

>>2343469
Good looking cat & good job on the rescue. Keep him fed, litterbox clean, and provide a scratching post.. that will help keep his nails trimmed. A vet checkup is worthy too. I think you'll do good.

Get one of nose cheap red laser pointers. Cats go nuts chasing the dot. :^)

>>2343485
Just like kids.

Where do you guys live?

In my country it's very rare to give our cats the rabies vaccine (unless travelling out the country), and it's not unusual to let your cats outside.
Can someone explain to me why this is considered to be weird? I think the fewest of cat owners I know only keeps their cat inside.

I wouldn't take him to the beach to sit in the car desu, I think he'd prefer to sit at home. Oh and eBay has a lot of cheap cat toys!

Always make sure there's water and food available, and he should be happy.

Seems you're doing a great job so far, thanks for caring anon.

>>2343926
Not OP, but have you ever seen or read Stephen King's Pet Sematary? Where the plot kicks off when a family moves to the suburbs on a busy road with no speed limit, and their cat gets hit by a car and dies within the span of a few month? That's basically where I live. I've known a couple of cats from the area now that have died from car accidents alone, and seen a fuckton of roadkill. I've seen the response "well if the cats were smart they'd just avoid the roads. I live on a road and my cat's lived 10+ years crossing it," but we have really shitty drivers around here, and more cars on the road than a lot of places. We have a higher rate of accidents involving people and other cars as well. This is my main motivation for keeping my cat indoors, because I'd rather avoid it just suddenly dying like that. No point in having a cat if you're gonna let it go play russian roulette ever day.

>>2343943
That makes sense. The speed limit here is like 18 m/h and I live quite a bit away from that. People usually follow that speed limit, and I probably wouldn't have a cat if I lived really close to the road (I'm too clumsy to not let them out/leaving the door open by mistake, I think)

>>2343958
A lot of people (OP included it sounds like) don't like outside cats because not only is the cat in danger from cars, disease, other cats, asshole people, foxes, etc., but they pose a risk to native wildlife and can be a nuisance to your neighbors

>>2344189
What diseases are there to worry about? None of mine have ever had anything contagious or been killed or hurt by other animals/people. I mean one of them have had smaller fights with other cats but never anything so bad I wouldn't let him back out.. And I've had like a hundred cats, so I guess it really depends on where you live. Wouldn't let my cat out if a bunch of shitty people were living there too. It's just most people here have cats and you would basically be banned if you'd hurt an animal.

The animal rescue group in my area rarely even lets you adopt a cat if you're going to keep it inside of an apartment the whole time.

And keeping a tiny bell on their collar should give the birds and mice a good chance.

>>2344198
>bell

nah, most cats are still efficient predators even with the bell on - johnny can move without making a noise from the bell. he is pro as fuck.

OP here, i take him outside on a leash a bit, but he is an indoor cat. he seems happy as so far. hes already sleeping with me after like 2 days, i am so stoked. he is awesome.

I care about the native wildlife and ecology too much man. This cat will not kill any native birds while in my care! and hes just gonna have to deal with it.

>>2343591
Sorry to say, but if he is older declawing is already not an option. After around 4-8 months vets will not do a full declaw unless absolutely necessary (cancer, injury, etc) because the wound is on the toes, and cats walk on their toes. A full grown cat swinging all that weight on their surgery area would severely irritate it. If he's young enough, you now have to think about other complications that can happen after surgery. Some cats stop using a litter box because the texture hurts their feet. Sometimes they become more skittish without their main line of defense, and when scared they will be much more likely to bite. There is also now an increased chance of cancer around the paw area and a chance of a nail growing back, which would require another declaw surgery. Declawed cats also experience arthritis earlier. Sometimes declawing can't be avoided, like with neurological cats that continue to scratch themselves, but it's important to understand what you will have to deal with after the surgery so you don't end up spending money on a surgery just to surrender the cat.

Declawing does not keep cats from killing. In fact, during that small scale go pro study done on outdoor cats, it was a declawed cat that killed the most during a day. If he's indoor he wouldn't catch much anyways. Alternatively you can clip the nails yourself or use these things called cat caps that cover the nail with rubber to keep cats from harming others. Cat caps do fall off over time so you will have to buy more. Also the cat's nails need to be clipped before putting the caps on.

>>2343591
Before taking him out to the beach, just try taking him out in the back yard a few times. Many cats sort of freak out when outside, so you want to make sure your cat would feel comfortable outdoors. They make cat tents made for keeping cats outside and safe. I would be really leery about leaving him alone in public since he look like a Siamese, he might get stolen. Really there's a chance of a cat getting stolen even if it didn't look like a fancy breed. I wouldn't take him to places that are busy until you know he's really comfortable around crowds; the last thing you want is a ball of claws fighting you in public. I don't think most shopping places allow pets, let alone cats, so look into that before bringing him in. Your cat should always be contained when you travel to make sure he doesn't run away. If you want to use a leash, train him slowly starting indoors and when he's used to that move to the yard. I would advise you use something like a carrier if you're bringing him in public in most cases instead of cat leashes in case your cat tries to bolt on a leash. Also never have a cat loose in a car; they sometimes try to get around the gas/break pedals.

Honestly i doubt taking him anywhere outside besides your backyard would go too well, since cats tend to be finicky and dislike change. But I guess anything could happen. Just keep your expectations realistic and go slow with adjusting him to outdoor time.

>>2344242
cat caps sound great, thankyou very much!

>>2344243
he is super friendly with people, probably due to being passed around so much. he is a total chiller.

but yeah obv i wont make him do anything he doesnt want to.. if he hates car rides then thats that. If i could get him used to a cat carrier, i could maybe leave him in the car, in the shade, with the air conditioning on for short periods? or is that a stupid suggestion

either way, getting him used to a cat carrier is a good idea. ty!

>>2344245
OP again. just talked to my mate, and leaving him in the car is out of the question.

i have an idea though..

im gonna get one of these

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/5-Colors-Double-Shoulder-Dog-Cat-Pet-Rucksack-Bags-Cage-Backpack-Travel-Carrier-/172403018326?var=&hash=item2824054a56:m:mMEZ1bKyKJEUXZSRdBSl_Vw

and take him down to the beach, where ill set up one of these

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Pet-Tent-Dog-Cat-Foldable-Portable-Camping-Travel-Beach-Outdoor-Waterproof-Small-/142279389058?hash=item2120832f82:g:XJkAAOSw4CFYpRMH

no more risk of losing my cat than losing my backpack / keys / phone, which i leave on the beach regularly.

this could work, depending on how he tolerates carriers / the beach etc.

so far he has been totally chill with everything tho.

>>2344247
YOU'VE GOT AN INDOOR CAT. IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE BEACH LEAVE HIM INDOORS. IF YOU WANT TO TAKE YOUR PET TO THE BEACH GET A DOG.

>>2343926
It's not unusual to let cats outside, but it's bad for about 47362638 reasons

>>2343741
>>2343926
The whole house cats are killing 'millions' of wild song birds meme is fucking stupid. It's worse than the vegan hyperbolic about eating honey is exploiting bees and cural meme.
Keeping your cat indoors 24/7 is mean. Cats should be allowed to roam about and go on kitty adventures. Part of what makes cats fun is they are not completely domested and most cats have feral in them just a few generaltions back, which gives them their personaltiy.
.
Now there HAS been a huge drop in biodeversty around the world. Young People don't remember how your headlights would light up a 1000 bugs flying off the road. But that's due to all the chemicals and Poisons humans have released in the world, not cats.

>>2346341
Peer-reviewed sources or shut the fuck up and keep Kylo indoors.

>>2346369
You reactionaries are just like vegans. Your emotion is out of place here

>>2343828
So like why couldnt you idk, BUY A CAT FROM A PET STORE.

Who knows how much diseases and parasites this shit has.

>but but its so cute
Cats dont care about you at all, they would eat you if you stopped moving after a day.

>>2344247
>>2345189
OP is okay taking the cat out, IF the cat enjoys it. OP, you'll want to get the cat desensitized being out of the house, and being contained in those carriers. Assuming the cat enjoys going out and being out, expect to take him out multiple times a week for at least a few months, in order to get him desensitized to those experiences. I would wait at least a year before taking extended trips (more than an hour), since he is so new to you and you'll want enough time to be able to learn his personality and how to tell when he's stressed.

>>2346555
what a wasted shit trips

>>2346562
I only ever see cats in pet stores if they have a program set up with a local animal shelter. Cats are too damn easy to obtain for there to be much business in it, unless they're a fancy breed, but that's not something you see in a store. And the animal shelters get a lot of their cats as abandonment cases from people like the junkie OP knows. It's the same damn cat, just with less middlemen and less exposure to lots and lots of other cats that can carry diseases and parasites. OP's cat is probably a lot healthier. Just because something comes from a store doesn't automatically make it problem free.