Looks like I am getting a kitten

I am in the very early stages of thinking about this, DH is happy to get one and DS13 wants one so we are putting it all together but I do not want to get one till we have sorted our place out, had a good clear out and get oursleves organised.

We live in a unit at the moment but once covid eases and the world is as back to normal (well NSW at least) we may move to a townhouse/bigger unit with more outside space etc. although we only want the cat to be out when we are home.

When I had a cat before my parents just got one and that was it and it was all fine but my head needs to be organised to do this so what should we be mindful of, anything you feel you should have done before you got a cat etc. ?

And yes I am probably overthinking this!!! but I am using it as an excuse to be declutter and get random piles of stuff off the floor anyway

How exciting for you, seayork. I can see you as a cat person.

I’m not sure how the cat going outside when you are home will actually work. Unless you have a cat enclosure, they’ll be able to get out of your yard and go where they like anyway. Plus, that’s probably when they will want to be inside with you. My cat is currently sleeping on my unmade bed.

Our cat is an indoor cat, we did used to let him outside on a lead, but dh left him out a bit too long on a really sunny day and he ended up with what I thought was a sunburnt spot on his nose. So, now he’s indoor only.

Are you going to rescue one? There’s a big pound in Blacktown though they call themselves something different now.

Ooh how exciting! Cats are pretty good at knowing their homes, mine come and go throughout the day (inside at night). Actually one of mine knows how to open and shut our doors using the handles so she just opens the doors and trots in whenever she pleases LOL

We have 2 indoors cats, but we take them out when we are home. At the start we kept them on leads but now for the most part they stay in the backyard of their own accord but we stay and supervise. I think they’ve jumped the fence 3 times and then come straight back and once disappeared under the house.

I started a thread on old EB about cat trees. We ended up eventually after having some others break shelling out for one of these

https://cattreeking.com.au/

Rock solid and my 7 year sits on it

I forgot to add unless it is pouring with rain DH is usually out on the balcony during the day when we are home and if we had more space DS and I would be too.

We have a link to a cat shelter that DS goes to and helps out so he may come home with one lol! but we have heard there is special breeds that are better suited to units? we are not at the choosing stage yet but I am thinking of names already!

Figure out where kitty litter will go, where they will eat. Our cats have both in the laundry since it's baby gated off from the kids, but you don't need to worry about littles. When they first come home it's good to keep them in one room for a few days (helps them adjust, good idea if you're moving too). Keep in mind if it's not the same room their litter will be in long term you may have accidents in that room. We had the kittens in the bathroom the first few days at our place and their litter in the shower. And well, when they're litter is full, let's just say we usually find out pretty quickly.

I've always had cats, if there's any questions you have just let me know I'll probably know lol

We have a not quite 2 yr old BIG cat and a kitten we adopted last Saturday. Kitten is in our room and bathroom(walk through) which is where her litter is and food bowls and bed. I close the bathroom door at night and that's her bedroom. Boy cat sleeps in the laundry with the door shut. No cat zoomies at 3 am here!

Kitten likes the cardboard scratchers, boy likes his HUGE one that my 10yr old can sit on!

I'll be looking at screening in the pergola area so they can get fresh air but not get out too soon. You can buy Catnets online and screen in verandahs, even if you rent apparently. Just need a different frame or something.

Cats are the best!

We used to have indoor/outdoor cars, but now only have indoor. We lost our last mostly outdoor cat late last year, and the only reason he was left out was because he was a stray who found it impossible to stop peeing on everything and the sun, and was totally uninterested in birds, just rats, which was fortunate. We could feed the maggies their treats with him sitting only a few feet away - they learnt he couldn't care less, just wanted to be with his human.

The two indoor ones now would be bird killers for sure, the stronger, bigger one in particular.

One of our indoor ones came to us at a year old having never been outside, and was freaked out, leapt fences, climbed on to the roof of the two storey house next door, then sat on the rail of their upstairs balcony very high off the ground. We tried having people posted at the relevant spots so she could spend some time outdoors, but she always managed to evade us. After the balcony episode (and having lost a young cat to a fall from a tree), she became indoors only, but spent her day with her nose at the door. She now goes out on a lead for about half an hour each day and is very content indoors otherwise.

Younger cat has only known outdoors on a lead, so yowls at my husband until he gives in and takes him, but is then content to hang around us.

I know there are cats happy to hang around their owners outdoors, but ours wouldn't be (funnily enough the previous outdoor cat loved nothing more).

Depending on where you live, you might be able to set up the roller type things that you put on the top of fences so they can't get over it. Something I'll be keeping in mind when we downsize.

How exciting!!

Check your council rules. In a previous council I lived in, outside cats were banned unless in a council approved enclosure (which was almost any enclosure but it had to be enclosed). If someone let their cat rehome, the council would provide traps for neighbours to catch the cat. Then you had to pay a lot of fees to get your cat back.

We have two cats, indoor only, they never go out. We live fairly close to a main road, and it would be a disaster if one of them was hurt, so we decided we couldn't risk it. Our council requires them to be inside from dusk to dawn also. We have their litter tray in the laundry and food in the kitchen. They are able to roam almost anywhere in the house, and tend to move around with the sun. We have a cat tree for them, it is in our bay window, and they love it there. Both my boys (with ASD) adore them, and getting them was one of the best decisions we made.

but we have heard there is special breeds that are better suited to units? we are not at the choosing stage yet but I am thinking of names already!

Ragdolls are (generally) a stupid and lazy breed and perfect for apartment living. Don't go for any of the oriental breeds - they like freedom too much.

That said I have a blue russian and 4 moggies and all are happy inside. One is a new addition and although he would love to go out, we won't let him. The blue russian (oldest cat) comes outside with me when I hang clothes on the line and she just eats grass. She's too fat to run anyhow, so she's pretty safe to have out.

If you just post lots of pictures of potential new family members I will happily help you choose.

I have a ragdoll X russian blue. I wouldn't say it's the smartest cat I've had but it's not dumb. Spends most of the day asleep in various places ... Our bed, the couch behind my desk, on my desk, under my desk, on my lap. It's actually quite a social cat. Likes to be around me while I work from home, greets us at the door when we come home (waits in the window for the car), loves to cuddle visitors. We've had it indoors since we got it. Only comes outdoors when I'm hanging the washing up or watering the garden and then comes straight back in.

We need kitty photos!

We live in a 100% rented unit complex and there have been pets in various units over the time we have been here, one landlord owns the whole building but there is no strata bylaws but I think we need approval to have a rescue cat (or even a cat from a breeder) ! which I am totally fine with them wanting that but I am not sure we need to ask permission from the landlords side in our complex

We will ask permission though as it is the right thing to do but I just don't have the incentive yet and I don't want them to think we will get a cat if they no because we would not do that, I may ask in a few weeks when DS has settled back into school for abit

if we ever get one I will post photos