Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

Good idea, bad idea, wtf why a kitten?

Just moved into my apartment and thought it'd be a good time to get a kitten.

Obv the pros are:
-It's cute.
-It's relatively easy to take care of.
-It's cute.

And the cons:
-It turns into a cat.
-Vaccination.
-It gets hungry.
-Cleaning litter box

Should I still get one? And, if I get one, should I get it declawed? I go to school so I won't be able to spend too much time with it.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

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Obv the pros are:
-It's cute.
-It's relatively easy to take care of.
-It's cute.
-Tasty with a little a-1 sauce


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Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

Get two.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

Pro; They kill things that you want dead.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

I dunno, me personally, I'd probably not get it declawed.
Unless it's abused, it probably won't scratch you except on accident like if you're holding it and the nails poke out a little.

And a cat is way better than a dog if you're not gonna be around a lot. By no means neglect it, whenever you're home you should give it tons of affection, but you don't need to baby it nearly as much as a dog, very independent those cats.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

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I dunno, me personally, I'd probably not get it declawed.
Unless it's abused, it probably won't scratch you except on accident like if you're holding it and the nails poke out a little.

And a cat is way better than a dog if you're not gonna be around a lot. By no means neglect it, whenever you're home you should give it tons of affection, but you don't need to baby it nearly as much as a dog, very independent those cats.

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You need to watch the "Dog Whisperer"

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

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-It turns into a cat.

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This is probably kind of a joke...but even so, think hard about it. They're cute kittens for like 6 months, and then they can stick around for 6+...sometimes 16 years.

As far as getting it declawed, don't. For one it's super painful, it's actually amputation. Also the cat won't have any way to defend itself when it escapes from your house. I know they're not supposed to get out but the little [censored] always find a way every few months.

I love my cats. There are real downsides though, as you pointed out. Also I don't think cats are ever as easy and as good as people think they will be. They often scratch up [censored] around your house. If you can get past that sorta thing and accept the bad with the good, then cats are great. But don't think that they're super easy pets at all.

btw, I got one cat at first. He was doing great living on his own. I was home all day though...when I got a day job I felt bad, so I got another cat. Now they both ignore me.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

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As far as getting it declawed, don't. For one it's super painful, it's actually amputation. Also the cat won't have any way to defend itself when it escapes from your house. I know they're not supposed to get out but the little [censored] always find a way every few months.

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ooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhh all of a sudden i really like you Pergesu! What he says is very true, also inhumane like cutting off the cats fingers, and should be illegal.

I LOVE my cat, Murphy, who is all boy and a turd. But he is very funny, more personality than most people, and i adore him.
Down side, is the scratching furniture, etc..

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

Cats are awesome, but in an apartment be prepared to have hair on your furniture, dishes, food, eyeballs, etc. Spay/neuter is a good idea too. GL

-ZEN

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

Declawing is illegal in lots of western countries, and there is a reason for that. Dont declaw your cat, get a scrathpole or something.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

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-It turns into a cat.

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As far as getting it declawed, don't. For one it's super painful, it's actually amputation. Also the cat won't have any way to defend itself when it escapes from your house. I know they're not supposed to get out but the little [censored] always find a way every few months.


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Yikes. I've been around cats for 25 years and not once has one of them escaped the confines of either the house or the backyard.

I am firmly in the declaw camp, simply because my cats don't ever leave the house, and it's a huge pain getting everything scratched regularly. Cats really do not need their front claws unless they are fighting other cats, and the pain issue isn't as big a deal as people say (cats have a super high pain tolerance and get medicated for the treatment).

Recently I adopted an abandoned kitten (about 2 days old), and bottle fed it with my g/f for about the past 6 weeks. It is cute and definitely was worth the effort. Kittens/cats are great if you get them in pairs and give them a lot of attention when they're young. Cats are actually a big reflection upon their owners, much like children.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

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Cats really do not need their front claws unless they are fighting other cats, and the pain issue isn't as big a deal as people say (cats have a super high pain tolerance and get medicated for the treatment).



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If its not a big deal I wonder why its illegal in most European countries, as it violates the laws on cruelty against animals. There is probably a reason why most European vets will object to declaw a cat, calling it "cruel".

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

The pain issue isn't a huge deal for the reasons listed above. I've never seen a cat suffer any sort of long term trauma from the procedure, and I've had roughly 10 cats over my lifetime.

Like I said, my cats never interact with other cats, so they really have no need for their front claws. I would imagine that in Europe there are far more cats with outdoor exposure who need full use of their claws. Personally I feel like not neutering/spaying a cat, as well as letting it roam free outside, is far more unethical than declawing it.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

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I go to school so I won't be able to spend too much time with it.

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There is a common misconception that cats are more solitary animals. They are not, they are just solitary hunters. They don't mind when you leave that much because they just assume you are out hunting food. But, they are social animals. If you are going to be gone for long periods it's better to get two. It's better for their mental health.

Also, don't declaw. Cats can have many problems with declawing. You can buy a cheap claw trimmer that will take off the points, which helps with the scratching. Having things around for them to scratch really helps. Rub the posts wiht catnip which will attract them to it.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

if you take the time to train cats not to scratch your stuff when they are young, it won't be a problem. way better than declawing.

or you can just do what i do and not have nice stuff.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

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as well as letting it roam free outside, is far more unethical than declawing it.

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How is it unethical to let a cat roam free outside?

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

Don't declaw. Dogs are great, but cats are special, especially when you raise them from kittens. You'll have an eccentric friend for 15+ years.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

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as well as letting it roam free outside, is far more unethical than declawing it.

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How is it unethical to let a cat roam free outside?

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That's a profound question. Our outdoor cat only lived 5 years, but he was born to run. He led a full life. Of our 2 indoor cats, one lived to 10, and the other is still chugging at 13.

If I had to do it over, I wouldn't try to keep the outdoor cat inside. But they live a lot longer if you keep them indoors.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

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That's a profound question. Our outdoor cat only lived 5 years, but he was born to run. He led a full life. Of our 2 indoor cats, one lived to 10, and the other is still chugging at 13.

If I had to do it over, I wouldn't try to keep the outdoor cat inside. But they live a lot longer if you keep them indoors.

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Doesnt most animals live longer in captivity than in the wild? Not sure if its unethical to let nature run its course though.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

well, i'm gonna climb up on the flame wagon. I've had 3 cats over the past 20 years. They've all been declawed and as far as I could tell they all still loved me. I never liked cats before I met a guy that had a real cool one which made me want one. I saw what his cat did to the furniture.

I didn't know about the plastic nail covering things at the time and would probably go that route if I ever get another cat.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

kittens are ok. i would rather just get a really chill cat though. kittens can be really annoying sometimes.

also don't declaw it - that is like someone cutting off half of all of your fingers.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

Get a taby I heard they're delicious.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

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The pain issue isn't a huge deal for the reasons listed above. I've never seen a cat suffer any sort of long term trauma from the procedure, and I've had roughly 10 cats over my lifetime.

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People who lose limbs make it without their limbs, it's not like they immediately die or suffer from the pain forever. The human equivalent of declawing a cat is chopping the tips of the fingers off at the first knuckle so the nails don't grow back. Obviously, if you had that happen to you, the pain will go away eventually, but it's still a pretty [censored] up thing to have done to you.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/7285/15847dm2.jpg

INGREDIENTS

* 2 pounds skinless, boneless kitten breast halves - boiled and cut into strips
* 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
* 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of kitten soup
* 1 cup kitten broth, divided
* 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
* 1 (6 ounce) package instant stuffing mix


DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Layer kitten strips in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, mix together cream of celery soup, cream of kitten soup and 1/2 cup kitten broth; pour mixture over kitten.
3. Sprinkle kitten with cheese, then combine stuffing mix and seasoning packet with remaining 1/2 cup kitten broth, mix together and place mixture on top of kitten.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

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* 2 pounds skinless, boneless kitten breast halves - boiled and cut into strips

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lol at retard americans. The thigh meat is far more delicious and economical.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

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as well as letting it roam free outside, is far more unethical than declawing it.

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How is it unethical to let a cat roam free outside?

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Seriously...nobody owns a cat.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

OP.

If you're looking for some companionship a cat is a good play.

I actually leveraged this forum about this very issue last summer and everyone was very helpful. I scored a kitty from the pound that was excess from a litter.

Not long after, and feeling bad about leaving him at home for 15+ hours consecutively I adopted a slate-colored "true" pound kitten who unlike the first only ended up in the pound because someone ran over his tail and severed it in half.

The outcome is that they both get along, I rarely have to worry about entertaining them, and they barely cost more time and effort than setting one up with food and drink would.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

get 2, get them young, train them young (a spray-bottle of water, spritz them in the face if they do something naughty, this is actually pretty effective) and play with them / pet them a lot, especially when they're kittens. i've had a fair number of cats in my life and they've all turned out to be really low key, friendly, and great pets. some declawed some not declawed. having 2 as opposed to 1 really makes a difference though, because they can play with each other / get some exercise and they'll be moderately less likely to destroy your [censored]. you have to show them where the litterbox is for maybe a week before they learn it on their own. they're extremely low-maintenance for a mammal. (put food / water in bowls, change litter periodically, pet them)

also post pics so we can make lolcats of them ldo

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

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(a spray-bottle of water, spritz them in the face if they do something naughty, this is actually pretty effective)

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true dat

i had forgotten about this trick. not used it in a long time. At one point i had a water gun that ran on batteries. It was good for the long distance behavior training. after about a week i didn't even have to put water in it. just the sound was enough.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

Serious question for the anti-declawing crowd...

Aside from the fact that any pain from the procedure is very temporary...I assume you would all have your cats spayed or neutered? What's so different about cutting a cat's balls off? I'd much rather have my balls than my claws...well, if I were a cat at least...

(Note - I've never had a cat, but my GF's family has 3, so I'm learning. I'm a dog guy myself.)

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

When should we maim animals? Spaying/neutering has some legitimate rationale behind it. Saving our precious furniture, less so.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

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When should we maim animals? Spaying/neutering has some legitimate rationale behind it. Saving our precious furniture, less so.

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See, there's the rub. When it fits a purpose you deem fit, you call it legitimate. When its something you don't think is as necessary, you call it maiming.

It would seem to me that anybody who would take the moral stance against declawing logically should follow that further and refuse to get their cat fixed. I don't see that happening though. It would seem to me that if it keeps my furniture from getting destroyed and doesn't harm the animal long-term, its really a win-win, isn't it?

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

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Cats are actually a big reflection upon their owners, much like children.

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qft

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

Do you have little old ladies for neighbours? If so, keep him inside.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

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Cats are actually a big reflection upon their owners, much like children.

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qft

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What does having a cat that does friggen nothing but lay on the couch across from me all day sleeping say about me?

edge,

I'm pretty much with you on the declawing thing, even though the cat I have right now isn't declawed or have his GIGANTIC balls cut off. I didn't ever have him as a kitty though, so I didn't have a choice.

OP,

kittens are awesome, and I would def get two if I were going to start from scratch.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

definitely get a kitten. they are awesome, and the people who say "oh well they turn into cats!" probably just don't like fun. if you raise it well from a young age, it will behave the way you want, and will be an amazing companion.

I adopted mine from an organization that shelters its cats in individual volunteer homes rather than shelters (until somebody permanently adopts them). As a result, she is incredibly sweet and friendly to everyone (other cats too!). Even people who don't like cats have said that they love her. Chicks dig her too, though that isn't really why I got her.

I'd agree that getting 2 is a good idea, unless you can hang out with one all day because you work from home or something. They'll keep each other company, which is definitely necessary to keep them happy. Its also really no additional effort to have two as opposed to one, except when transporting them I guess, but you shouldn't have to do that very often.

Another nice feature is that you can stop using alarm clocks, because they'll wake you up to play/feed them in the mornings, and kitten alarms are wayyyyy better than noisy buzzer or radio alarms.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

There's no longer any sane reason to torture cats with claw removal since they have claw covers.

Note that laziness to the extent that you bring great suffering to another creature doesn't qualify as a sane reason.

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

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Serious question for the anti-declawing crowd...

Aside from the fact that any pain from the procedure is very temporary...I assume you would all have your cats spayed or neutered? What's so different about cutting a cat's balls off? I'd much rather have my balls than my claws...well, if I were a cat at least...

(Note - I've never had a cat, but my GF's family has 3, so I'm learning. I'm a dog guy myself.)

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People get themselves "fixed." I can't recall ever hearing of a person having their fingernails removed. Which sounds worse to you?

Re: Thinking of getting a kitten.
 

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letting it roam free outside, is far more unethical than declawing it.

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Is this some kind of thing where you're trying to convince yourself that it isn't cruel to keep your cat indoors? Are you succeeding?