Ludeon Forums

Hello everyone!
I am trying to decide whether I should go and adopt a cat. I don't really know why I want a cat , Kind of like an urge to have something that cares I guess. However, I am having second thoughts of whether I should go through with this as I am 19 years old living with my parents while attending college to go to medical school. (High hopes I know lol) I honestly don't know where I will be in 2-3 years and I also deal with depression which can be a task of its own and i don't know whether i can really take care of a living animal. With all of these thoughts I am at lost whether I would be help to a cat's life or simply cause more stress to one later in its life.

Suggestions are welcome be them good or bad, Thanks.
Also sorry for the paragraph lol

Cats are excellent mood boosters, but the fur does become quite problematic later in their lives, They have minimum upkeep in terms of time and costs.

Although depending on where you live you might get faced with restrictions, some areas require that you keep pets inside at all times.
Whatever you choose, good luck with your studies and welcome to the forums!

also cats are adopted for THEIR life, and they really want THEIR person/people(the cat thinks of them as SLAVE/servant), and some will accept attention from visitors/friends, BUT they can also refuse attention and even aviod people they do not like, but if the people follow CAT etique when meeting them and greeting them they usually are friendlier.
I advse based upon MANY years and some cats(owned by) in my life, plus many cat friends

Keep in mind that becoming a cat's possession is a big responsibility and a lot of work.  Not only will you need to clip their claws regularly, about every week or two at the most, but you will have to feed them, clean the litter, take them to the vet, and a host of other tasks.  If they get injured you will need to pay for the vet's bills, which are not cheap.  If you do not have experience taking care of a living animal before, you might consider volunteering at a local SPCA.  It might satisfy your need for some furry friends while still providing you with an education on what you might be getting yourself into.

Felt this fitting to my feelings on the subject

depression in 19 years?

you should not get any pets, they will suffer.

As a cat owner of two cats I must say I disagree with some of the things said here.

Fur is only an issue with some cat races, not all. It is a good idea to check that up before getting one. There's even long haired cats with very easily maintained fur; for example a Norwegian Forest Cat has a thick and long fur that is surprisingly easy to maintain - I only brush mine a few times a month. That race also shed hair mostly in big dots at a time, rather than individual hairs that ends up filling the air.

Also, you don't need to clip their claws, they maintain that fine on their own if you give them proper scratching posts and such. I only clipped my cats claws before they where 2 years old as part of the process of teaching them not to scratch other people and regular furniture - just a bit of the the claw tips after they done any of those bad things; they are some of the most behaved cats you can imagine as a result now.

Liter can be a problem, and liter boxes is the easiest solution to that, but also the most expensive and wasteful so I thought I'd mention that cats can be toilet-trained differently. My cats have no liter box during summer and go outside instead then, which came very natural for them - they immediately asked to be let out the first time they noticed their sandbox was empty, lol. It's also possible to teach your cats to use the toilet or something if you have patience for that. I've been trying to make mine use the utility sink, which has been somewhat successful with one so far.

Cats are best kept indoors though, so don't worry if you end up in a situation which demands that from them; a dedicated outdoor-cat live on average only to the age of 7, while and indoor cat can live as much as 15 years. Personally I practice a balance, where they are mostly indoor during winter, and free to chose during summer.

Food is easy to deal with and can be set up to give minimal work. For the dry fodder I use a dispenser that is available 24/7, and I give them wet fodder whenever I prepare dinner for myself. None of my cats are fat, that they can eat when they want themselves makes it so that they don't feel stressed about having to eat - cats aren't like dogs that are constantly hungry, and are therefore capable of limiting their food intake according to their actual need. Cats are individuals though, so some may love food a bit more than what's good for them, learn to know your cat and see what works best for him/her.

With that said, getting a pet when you've yet to settle for yourself can be troublesome as everything becomes uncertain. It would been nice if your parents could reassure you that they could take temporarily care of the cat for you in periods where you might get problems finding adequate living situations or have financial issues - even though a cat isn't too expensive beyond the initial investment. Put aside a small deposit and you won't have to worry about not having enough for the vet if a situation comes up.

Quote from: Matthiasagreen on October 20, 2014, 11:52:55 AM
Felt this fitting to my feelings on the subject

Not to be completely humorless, but the stereotype that cats are lazy, arrogant, selfish etc. is in many cases untrue, cats care a lot if you earned their respect, and they notice when a person is sad or upset.

It's not without reason some cats are employed as therapy cats in various institutions - so no, cat's aren't useless.

Quote from: RawCode on October 20, 2014, 10:59:38 PM
depression in 19 years?

you should not get any pets, they will suffer.

That's to be blunt, a bit ignorant to assume, particularly because it's largely based on stigma rather than reality. Depression comes in many forms according to the various underlying causes, and in many of those cases getting responsibility for something actually helps with depression.

Also, it's unfortunately very common to have depression in that age because of an increasingly competitive society, and he's even taking an education that is known to have immense pressure. So personally I'm not surprised. If he's able to keep up with that kind of studies he's easily able to take care of a cat too. And it would provide something entertaining and meaningful in an otherwise monotonous day. It's a great idea imo.

Cats can actually help you deal with depression. As someone who has recently beaten their depression, I can attest to cats being a helping factor. It's something I generally don't talk about, and as such will not talk about it further in this thread. If you ever need someone to talk to, feel free to send me a PM. :)

But back to the subject at hand.

I'd first find out if your parents are willing to take care of the cat if you ever find yourself in a situation where you are unable to take care of the cat yourself. If your parents can do that, then by all means I recommend getting a cat. (I'm a little biased on this subject though.)
The first year or two of their lives you'll need to give them extra attention, just to make sure they learn to do certain things, such as using a litter basket instead of the floor, and scratching scratching posts rather than expensive furniture.
You'll also want to get them acquainted with toys, such as toy mice, or even small teddy bears. (My female cat loves her teddy.)


@RawCode: You might want to consider editing your post.

Yes. That is all.

No. Cats are evil. If you have any expensive furniture, I recommend that you don't get one.

If Dwarf Fortress is any indicator avoid before it splodes!

Any other community and this would have descended into a cat pic frenzy....im impressed rimworld community...very impressed.

Quote from: skullywag on November 10, 2014, 03:48:50 AM
Any other community and this would have descended into a cat pic frenzy....im impressed rimworld community...very impressed.

SHALL we????

Quote from: harpo99999 on November 10, 2014, 04:34:29 AM

Quote from: skullywag on November 10, 2014, 03:48:50 AM
Any other community and this would have descended into a cat pic frenzy....im impressed rimworld community...very impressed.

SHALL we????

Only if it's a Picture duel between Shinzy and Celthric.

if there is going to be a cat photo duel, then I will be posting photos of MY two bosses

Instead of cat pics duel, why not pussy pics duel?

I am now imagining pussplotion. Not sure if me gusta.

Quote from: StorymasterQ on November 11, 2014, 07:44:08 PM
Instead of cat pics duel, why not pussy pics duel?

I am now imagining pussplotion. Not sure if me gusta.

are you refering to felinus domesticus?
if not what is it?