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Over the last few weeks I've been craving kitty company again, and in a moment of loneliness I posted about it on Facebook. A friend put me in contact with a friend of hers who is looking to rehome two cats aged eight and nine that belonged to his daughter who moved back to Sweden to be with her mother.

Given I live in a second floor flat  (third floor apartment in US-speak)I wouldn't have a new kitten or a cat that's already used to having access to the outdoors, as I think cats should be allowed to roam free, so on the face of it this indoor-raised pair are perfect. I'm going to call him tonight and ask to meet them.

The one crappy photo he sent for your reference:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1139.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fn541%2FBerenice67%2Fkittiescropped_zpse3f11cee.jpg&hash=56909bc20bcf5bc579c376bc84016c0ebf014bde)

But I do travel a bit for work - through usually no more than a couple of days at a time - and I would like to arrange an actual holiday this year. I couldn't ask my old man to drive around twice a day to feed them, so I'd have to negotiate with my next-door neighbour who has a cat (we're on speaking terms but not friends - we've never invited each other into our flats) or arrange a cat-sitting service, or get a friend to stay.

So maybe it would be selfish to have a pet at all.

Over to you, Languish, to offer opinions which I will in the end roundly ignore.

The not being able to travel factor weighs heavily. But I would love some animals. And hey, with this age you get all the fun of a cat but the lifespan of a hamster.

I'm curious, whats the difference between option 1 and 5?

When you die alone in your apartment would you rather

1) that your pets dies with you out of loyalty?
2) that your pets will eat your face?

Choose wisely.

Quote from: Viking on February 24, 2014, 09:58:15 AM
I'm curious, whats the difference between option 1 and 5?

Whether it's a good idea or not.

Cats? No.

Quote from: Brazen on February 24, 2014, 10:03:17 AM

Quote from: Viking on February 24, 2014, 09:58:15 AM
I'm curious, whats the difference between option 1 and 5?

Whether it's a good idea or not.

That depends, do you want to ever have sex again? and do you want to be a cat lady?

Get two if you travel. They can keep each other company.

Quote from: Viking on February 24, 2014, 10:04:10 AM
That depends, do you want to ever have sex again? and do you want to be a cat lady?

Yes. A lady with cats, but not a cat lady. So:

(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic3.wikia.nocookie.net%2F__cb20120807094108%2Fde.simpsons%2Fimages%2F9%2F96%2FYoung_catlady.jpg&hash=8ae2144abf9b2445d6054b5876612f93826433f6)

or

(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic4.wikia.nocookie.net%2F__cb20120807120535%2Fde.simpsons%2Fimages%2Fb%2Fb6%2FKatzenlady_und_Hundemann.jpg&hash=bfd7de58cb66e36f3f5107db6b7acea02d11b28c)

not

(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthe-gaggle.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F07%2FCat_lady.jpg&hash=08bc423b5f5e2872181f0ff8c8d16c9b71a523ad)

I defer my vote until I hear from the board's leading cat experts.

I would have thought 4 and 5 were closely linked.  For that reason I chose 4 as it will likely lead to 5.

I've been going through similar decisions. Been wanting to get a cat, maybe a dog, but it comes to the point of if I really want to deal with the care of a pet. And if I travel, which isn't often, I'd have to make arrangements for someone to care for it.  I wouldn't mind having a cat but having the fur on furniture, cats also claw furniture, then the cat litter box. I just don't really want to deal with it. I wouldn't likely let it out much since coyotes have been seen in the neighborhood. A dog could be handy to help keep critters out of my backyard garden.

Quote from: Brazen on February 24, 2014, 11:22:25 AM

Quote from: Viking on February 24, 2014, 10:04:10 AM
That depends, do you want to ever have sex again? and do you want to be a cat lady?

Yes. A lady with cats, but not a cat lady. So:

So you are saying 1 = 4?

This poll needs a jaron option.

Yes. :)

Cats aren't like dogs. You can put a couple of days of food and water out and they'll be fine. The cat litter will need attention when you get home, but otherwise, the one- or two-day travel jaunts shouldn't be that big of a deal. (You will need to have someone check on them if you go on a true holiday, though. 24-48 hours is the most I'll leave my cats alone.)

And older cats are fine. Find out their quirks ("Do they wee on clothes left on the floor? Do they wake me up at 4:30am for breakfast?") and then make a decision, but I'd take them in. :)

Quote from: merithyn on February 24, 2014, 01:55:06 PM
Yes. :)

Cats aren't like dogs. You can put a couple of days of food and water out and they'll be fine. The cat litter will need attention when you get home, but otherwise, the one- or two-day travel jaunts shouldn't be that big of a deal. (You will need to have someone check on them if you go on a true holiday, though. 24-48 hours is the most I'll leave my cats alone.)

And older cats are fine. Find out their quirks ("Do they wee on clothes left on the floor? Do they wake me up at 4:30am for breakfast?") and then make a decision, but I'd take them in. :)

I think I've let our cat alone for up to 4-5 days at a time, and lots of times for 3 day long weekends.  They'll be pissed off at you when you return, but they quickly get over it.

Quote from: Barrister on February 24, 2014, 02:32:06 PM

Quote from: merithyn on February 24, 2014, 01:55:06 PM
Yes. :)

Cats aren't like dogs. You can put a couple of days of food and water out and they'll be fine. The cat litter will need attention when you get home, but otherwise, the one- or two-day travel jaunts shouldn't be that big of a deal. (You will need to have someone check on them if you go on a true holiday, though. 24-48 hours is the most I'll leave my cats alone.)

And older cats are fine. Find out their quirks ("Do they wee on clothes left on the floor? Do they wake me up at 4:30am for breakfast?") and then make a decision, but I'd take them in. :)

I think I've let our cat alone for up to 4-5 days at a time, and lots of times for 3 day long weekends.  They'll be pissed off at you when you return, but they quickly get over it.

Cats are so much easier than dogs.....

Quote from: merithyn on February 24, 2014, 02:42:14 PM
Cats are so much easier than dogs.....

... to cook, more tender.

Quote from: Barrister on February 24, 2014, 02:32:06 PM
I think I've let our cat alone for up to 4-5 days at a time, and lots of times for 3 day long weekends.  They'll be pissed off at you when you return, but they quickly get over it.

I've let my two go for a couple weeks.  They frequently go for 7 - 10 days.  I have a hopper-fed feeder that lasts 3 weeks, though.

When I get back, the look is more like, "Shit, I thought we were finally done with those fucking losers.".

Cats are too expensive. 

(https://i.imgflip.com/758s4.jpg)

Quote from: Monoriu on February 24, 2014, 03:02:27 PM
Cats are too expensive. 

You're just saying that because you think she should order fido au gratin instead.

Go for it.  We're at 4 cats here, and I'm nowhere near crazy cat lady (man? :unsure:) turf.

Me thinks you need to adopt a crazy cat man outta Baltimore B.

I wouldn't, but you can go your own way.

Quote from: lustindarkness on February 24, 2014, 02:43:44 PM

Quote from: merithyn on February 24, 2014, 02:42:14 PM
Cats are so much easier than dogs.....

... to cook, more tender.

:huh: Not in my experience.

Quote from: Brazen on February 24, 2014, 09:40:58 AM
I wouldn't have a new kitten or a cat that's already used to having access to the outdoors, as I think cats should be allowed to roam free, so on the face of it this indoor-raised pair are perfect.

I'm having trouble with this part of the sentence in respect to the rest of it.  So are you fer letting them out to die, or agin' it?


Anyway, I think you should take them in.  Older cats are cool, and a pair that's lived together that long are bonded anyway;  if you take one without the other, behavioral issues could arise that weren't there before, especially in a strange new environment.  AND YOU NEVER BREAK UP A SET

And you people who leave cats alone for days and weeks on end, well, you've just made my list of Nutsacks To Punch Today.  :mad:

Give it a shot. :D

It takes 24-48 hours for my cats to even notice we're gone. :P Food in bowl? Check! Litter in pan? Check! Dog out of my hair? Check! .... Oh wait... where are the humans? Meh... they'll come back.

Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 24, 2014, 09:00:44 PM
I'm having trouble with this part of the sentence in respect to the rest of it.  So are you fer letting them out to die, or agin' it?

Anyway, I think you should take them in.  Older cats are cool, and a pair that's lived together that long are bonded anyway;  if you take one without the other, behavioral issues could arise that weren't there before, especially in a strange new environment.  AND YOU NEVER BREAK UP A SET

And you people who leave cats alone for days and weeks on end, well, you've just made my list of Nutsacks To Punch Today.  :mad:

Obviously it was your opinion I was waiting for Seedy, and the vote is overwhelmingly positive  :thumbsup:

Although academic in this case as I have no practical access to a garden and they'd remain indoors, British suburban outside is, I suspect, somewhat different to US suburban outside. In many cases there's back to back gardens to explore with no access to a main road. My childhood kitty made it to 17 before falling asleep in a patch of sun, and my most recent kitties are still thriving with my ex at around 14. The worst damage one suffered while exploring was biting her tongue jumping off a fence.

Anyway, I met my potential new kitty kids last night. The black male (probably) is a skinny wee thing, but the white female with black patches is like a little football! Diet for that girl. My only reservation is their current guardian (a former punk group lead singer delighting in the moniker Jesus Hooligan) doesn't know anything about their veterinary history - even their ages (estimated around 8 and 9), what sex they are for sure, or whether they've been neutered. His daughter got them from a shelter and she's gone to Sweden to live with her mother. Could be expensive! But the line "They're usually shy of strangers but they've taken a liking to you" is a sure winner. I'm going to decide by tonight.

But I already have proxy names for them - Mungo and Midge, after a pre-school TV programme called Mary, Mungo and Midge I used to watch with my mum when I was tiny, about a girl who lived in a block of flats with her pets. They currently go by Blacky and Whitey. Not cool.

Blackey and Whitey.  How gauche.

Definitely have to know if the male is neutered:  but if he has a round, chunky face and a thick neck, then you know he hasn't been;  older cats look that way due to the testosterone in their systems, and turn into furry fire hydrants.   You said he's skinny and wee, he's probably been fixed.  Also, the lack of balls would be a clue.

Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 26, 2014, 07:43:29 AM
Also, the lack of balls would be a clue.

I only saw them eating, I didn't jack them up on ramps to check the undercarriage.

Here's Tubster:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1139.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fn541%2FBerenice67%2FFatcat_zpsfd41e936.jpg&hash=fc86595986d768383e75334e91e3bc860180dda2)

And here's Slick:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1139.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fn541%2FBerenice67%2FSkinnycat_zps8b0b9638.jpg&hash=12056a6eae7136a0edc2ebbbe71138592c0b3693)

The Hidenburg hovering near its food dish.

:blink:

You sure she's not pregnant?? :unsure:

It's carrying Dr. Jones and its father out of the Fatherland.

I'm expecting Ace Ventura to crawl out of its ass.

Ide would not want to have sex with that cat.

(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FiY7wj34.jpg&hash=151ee6b38c914d33a3c0bb7caa577e5882bf8b92)

(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fassets.diylol.com%2Fhfs%2F8c0%2Fd70%2Ff67%2Fresized%2Flenin-cat-meme-generator-fat-cats-on-wallstreet-stop-purrsecuting-us-e0886a.jpg&hash=a43b1ac1192cc09486ac67d77d1d57dd0e26b4ad)

(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftreasure.diylol.com%2Fuploads%2Fpost%2Fimage%2F436125%2Fresized_business-cat-meme-generator-corporate-fat-cat-is-a-jew-d5f79f.jpg&hash=f418b9be6938c4c64e5fafe1bd7413bcac018356)

(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.uproxx.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F11%2Fsophcat-boat.jpg&hash=b1170ce95d741a0a31182698835dd152311b57dc)

I need a hobby.

Well I've asked Mr Hooligan to get in touch with his daughter to check whether they've been immunised and neutered. Zeppecat definitely looked a lot smaller in the first picture he sent, despite him saying she'd lost weight from her largest size! Called the local vet and the receptionist gave me some good advice on insurance and check-ups, and that it's OK to get another set of jabs if we don't know whether they've had them.

Update: He just messaged me "Ha, nope she's not preggers". Well, that's all right then.

Quote from: merithyn on February 24, 2014, 02:42:14 PM

Quote from: Barrister on February 24, 2014, 02:32:06 PM

Quote from: merithyn on February 24, 2014, 01:55:06 PM
Yes. :)

Cats aren't like dogs. You can put a couple of days of food and water out and they'll be fine. The cat litter will need attention when you get home, but otherwise, the one- or two-day travel jaunts shouldn't be that big of a deal. (You will need to have someone check on them if you go on a true holiday, though. 24-48 hours is the most I'll leave my cats alone.)

And older cats are fine. Find out their quirks ("Do they wee on clothes left on the floor? Do they wake me up at 4:30am for breakfast?") and then make a decision, but I'd take them in. :)

I think I've let our cat alone for up to 4-5 days at a time, and lots of times for 3 day long weekends.  They'll be pissed off at you when you return, but they quickly get over it.

Cats are so much easier than dogs.....

:yes:

 :lol:

Quote from: The Brain on February 26, 2014, 11:25:25 AM

Quote from: merithyn on February 24, 2014, 02:42:14 PM
Cats are so much easier than dogs.....

:yes:

If you ask me, they're all pussies.

Quote from: Brazen on February 26, 2014, 08:21:51 AM
Here's Tubster:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1139.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fn541%2FBerenice67%2FFatcat_zpsfd41e936.jpg&hash=fc86595986d768383e75334e91e3bc860180dda2)

You could dress this one up as a manatee and take it out on Halloween.

Have you considered the trebling of your grocery bill with that one?

Quote from: crazy canuck on February 26, 2014, 03:22:44 PM
Have you considered the trebling of your grocery bill with that one?

It could considerably decrease the grocery bill ... at least, for a week or so.  :ph34r:

Quote from: Malthus on February 26, 2014, 04:16:48 PM
It could considerably decrease the grocery bill ... at least, for a week or so.  :ph34r:

At 20 minutes a pound I haven't got time :P

Anyway, she's on iron rations until she passes her physical.

Quote from: Brazen on February 27, 2014, 04:54:18 AM

Quote from: Malthus on February 26, 2014, 04:16:48 PM
It could considerably decrease the grocery bill ... at least, for a week or so.  :ph34r:

At 20 minutes a pound I haven't got time :P

Anyway, she's on iron rations until she passes her physical.

Is it problematic for you to begin a brand new relationship using iron rations?  That's probably not a good start.

Quote from: Monoriu on February 27, 2014, 05:14:22 AM
Is it problematic for you to begin a brand new relationship using iron rations?  That's probably not a good start.

Cats have no concept of the quantity of food in their bowl, but by instinct (especially if there's more than one) will eat everything served in case of coming famine. She's not going to starve any time soon on sensible serving sizes.

(https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/2142516480/h4A8D8F61/)

 :lol:

Quote from: Brazen on February 27, 2014, 06:22:16 AM
Cats have no concept of the quantity of food in their bowl, but by instinct (especially if there's more than one) will eat everything served in case of coming famine. She's not going to starve any time soon on sensible serving sizes.

Cats will eat what's given to them. 

Be sure if you're changing a cat's diet to do it slowly;  cat GI tracts are very sensitive, and a sudden, drastic change in food time can cause things like diarrhea and even Irritable Bowel Syndrome.  Transition it slowly, over the course of 7-10 days.

Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 27, 2014, 09:16:23 PM
Cats will eat what's given to them. 

Be sure if you're changing a cat's diet to do it slowly;  cat GI tracts are very sensitive, and a sudden, drastic change in food time can cause things like diarrhea and even Irritable Bowel Syndrome.  Transition it slowly, over the course of 7-10 days.

That's just the physical effect, too.  Cats aren't prone to food anxiety quite on the level that dogs are, but it does happen, and when cats start a pattern of nervous binge eating, you end up with a pattern of regularly having to clean up cat puke.

Hell, they don't even have to be nervous for that to happen.  :D  Portion control is the best defense against regurgitation.

Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 27, 2014, 09:16:23 PM
Cats will eat what's given to them. 

Be sure if you're changing a cat's diet to do it slowly;  cat GI tracts are very sensitive, and a sudden, drastic change in food time can cause things like diarrhea and even Irritable Bowel Syndrome.  Transition it slowly, over the course of 7-10 days.

You know, I've heard both of these "truths", and yet I've never seen it. We put out a week's worth of food for our three cats. They do fine. And I don't even remember what brand of food they eat. I get what I think they like, but I'm usually wrong. They do fine with that, too.

Of course, our cats are indoor/outdoor cats that hunt squirrels and mice. They don't exactly have delicate tummies.

Princess Sneakers of Monaco had a touch of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and it got worse as she got older.  Changing food on her really aggravated it.

I miss that cat.  :(

QuoteOf course, our cats are indoor/outdoor cats that hunt squirrels and mice. They don't exactly have delicate tummies.

I would think not.  :)