Considerations before getting a cat
What do cats need?
Cats have clear ideas about how they want to live. No cat is satisfied with water and food alone. They need several places to lie, some of which should be at airy heights, lots of scratching opportunities and several litter trays. They also appreciate company, e.g. from other cats. Not all cats insist on outdoor access, but trips to a balcony should be possible.
You don't need to worry much about resting places. Cats do not insist on a special bed. It's important to them that they have access to many places and the opportunity to retreat. However, they are very sensitive to scratching and litter boxes.
Cats do not scratch to sharpen their claws, it is to mark their territory. This means they need scratching boards or other scratching opportunities, especially near doors and windows. A scratching post is ideal because it also provides resting places and allows them to comfortably reach the surfaces of high furniture.
You need at least one more litter tray than there are cats living with you. These should be large and spacious. Very few cats like hooded litter trays. Also, most animals are very fussy about litter.
Can I offer a cat a nice life?
A cat will change your life and your home. Do you, like many older people, have a lot of mementos in your rooms? Are you ready to redesign your familiar surroundings to make them cat-friendly? Change is sometimes difficult. If you want your cat to feel comfortable in your home, you must be prepared to change a lot of things. You must also not be angry with her if she breaks something.
You will also have to vacuum and clean more often than before. Cat litter spreads quickly in the flat and you will find some cat hair, especially on upholstered furniture. To be clear, cats do not appreciate toilets with bonnets and even the most sophisticated system will not prevent litter from spreading throughout your rooms. Only if you are willing to put up with all this can you make a cat happy. She will give you a lot of love in return.
Origin of the animal
[Cats that do not belong to any breed can usually be obtained for 100 to 150 Euros from cat protection organisations or animal shelters. If you decide to get an adult cat, the previous owner can tell you a lot about its temperament.
Pedigree cats usually cost more than 500 Euros at breeders. Check with a breed club for breeders in your area. We strongly advise against buying from people who are not interested in how the cat is doing in your home. Only buy a cat that has lived with the owner's family. These animals will gladly join you and quickly overcome their shyness.
Definitely avoid breeds that are known for not being able to live a pain-free life. Especially cats with extremely flat faces and those with bent ears should be mentioned here. Short-nosed cats suffer from respiratory distress and eye diseases. The cute little ears that bend forward are a sign of a hereditary cartilage disease that affects all joints. The animals are in excruciating pain. No matter how good the housing conditions are, these cats will never live a happy cat life.
Shopping for the cat
The shopping list will help you to get the basic equipment you need.
- 1 sturdy cat tree with wall mounting and seat boards. Caves, hammocks and the like do not have to be on it.
- 2 feeding bowls per cat made of ceramic. The material is easy to clean and tasteless.
- 2 water bowls that hold about 250 ml made of ceramic or a bowl and a drinking fountain.
- Some sisal scratching mats and corrugated cardboard scratching boards to be placed around the house.
- At least two litter trays. Rectangular boxes from the DIY store have proven to be useful. Minimum dimensions 35 by 45 centimetres with a height of 20 centimetres.
Also, get enough food and litter for the litter trays before the cat moves in. Choose varieties that the cat already knows.
Financial aspects
Consider whether you are financially able to support a cat in the long term. If you are still working, do not calculate with your current income. At a certain point, you will have to live off your pension.
Try to exclude high financial burdens that the pet may cause from the outset. The biggest financial risk is an illness of your cat that leads to high veterinary costs. Therefore, take out health insurance for your pet.
Provide a safe home for cats
Security is also part of a fulfilled cat life. The most important thing is to secure windows and any balcony. Cats tolerate falls from great heights worse than most people assume.
Remember, a cat can also reach high shelves. For the safety of your grandchildren, it is enough to move dangerous objects or breakables to the top. Your cat will get there with ease - and may well carry them down again.
Apart from that, the measures that make sense for the safety of small children are usually sufficient. Fit drawers and cupboard doors with suitable safety devices and pack away household chemicals safely. This also includes toilet blocks.
Conclusion
You will only be happy with your cat if you can offer it a comfortable life. Therefore, before you buy a cat, think about whether you are willing and able to provide it with everything it needs.
The tree is primarily used for climbing and also offers resting places at high altitude. For claw care, there should still be additional scratching opportunities made of different materials.
Among other things, scratching serves to mark the territory, because there are scents between the toes. Cats particularly regard housing borders as a territorial boundary which they want to mark.
Kittens should remain with their mother and siblings until they move into their new home. It is in this security that the kittens meet their new owner for the first time. Traffickers rehome the babies too young from their familiar environment, which severely traumatises the animals. In addition, they often come from unhealthy backgrounds.
Windows can be protected with special fly screens whose fabric is resistant to claws. For balconies, nets can be installed with special rods without drilling.
From 8 weeks kittens are self-confident enough to move to a new home. However, it is better to leave them with their mother and siblings until they are 12 weeks old, as this is when they build up self-confidence and can cope with the move with less anxiety.
