Can I ask what type of cat she is? Also, did you practice with the lead indoors or anything to get her used to it?

I suppose.

I've only ever tried a cat on a lead once.

We had moved house (temporarily while ours was being refurbished), and hadn't move far...maybe a mile away.

I kept Sox and Tigger in for 2 weeks, and collected their poo from the litter tray, which I would scatter around the perimeter of our new garden each evening.

I bought a cat harness and lead, and slipped it onto Tigger. He wasn't quite ready to go out though, and just sat at the back door.

Next up was Sox. He was eager to go out and explore his new surroundings. He dragged me to every corner of the garden, as Tigger watched from the back door. Sox definitely did not like being on a lead, but then again, he had enjoyed the freedom of being able to stroll wherever he wanted back at the old house so was used to a much freer lifestyle.

After a couple of days, we just let him out without the lead and let him be. He was much happier. I suppose it depends on what your cat has been used to?

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As for the comments about cleaning, I probably will have set days for various cleaning activities and am a little worried about the cat smelling issue! It will be my first house since living with my parents so although I do housework now it will be totally different once I've moved! I have friends with cats and their houses dont really smell like cat so shall try to keep mine the same

I do have rats at the moment and so am more than used to having to do additional cleaning as and when because of them! Rats can smell quite a bit if not cleaned often enough so I usually end up cleaning the cage every other day and their litter trays daily.

I'd just like to add that my rats are elderly now and so by the time I move out I highly doubt I will still have them. I know this sounds really mean! I adore my rats but have decided that I dont want to have any more for now. Didnt want people thinking I am getting a cat whilst I have rats as that mix doesnt always work out! By the time we come to get cats it will probably be this time next year when we are properly settled and the cats will be the only pets

LOL! You just took me right back to living in the other house with that comment. I can picture the living room and everything!

We only moved in while we were getting out own house refurbished, but boy was it an eyeopener!

The landlord had decided that blue carpet was a cheap option for the entire house. Tigger (as you can imagine) is a light ginger and white male. Orange being the opposite colour to blue = hoover a 3 bed house twice a day!

I never actually realised that he shed that much hair to be honest, and of course, as soon as I had put the hoover away, he'd be back through the cat flap to lay down on a nice clean spot!

So I guess for 6 months of my life, I did turn into a "bleach queen". My cleaner's husband actually told me that his wife was worried we were going to sack her seeing as we were keeping on top of everything so well LOL.

Thanks for bringing back the memories!

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Looking for puppy or dog training classes in the Liverpool area?

This is where I take Paddy - Kennel Club Good Citizen Awards, Puppy and Dog Training Classes Liverpool

Your animal story sounds remarkably similar to mine. I had rats while i lived at home with my parents, got cats when I got my first place and then "graduated" to a dog once my career was at a stage where I could more or less pick which hours I went to work each month.

BTW, a dog is an excellent way to cat proof a garden, unfortunately, that means from any cat getting in or out (including your own). LOL

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Looking for puppy or dog training classes in the Liverpool area?

This is where I take Paddy - Kennel Club Good Citizen Awards, Puppy and Dog Training Classes Liverpool

Yep I plan to get a dog in a few years once I've dropped my working hours and would have enough time for walks etc. And apparently introducing a dog to cats is easier than the other way around.

My parents have a barn owl in their garden and that works as cat proofing for them! Lol!

Oh blimey hun i completely agree. With a well bred cat then you know 99% of what you are going to get (of course there are always exceptions before anyone gets pedantic).

It took me a loooong time to find celestes breeder, and to be honest if she decided to swap breeds tomorrow i would probably guarentee my next kitten will come from her.... in a loooong loooong way in the future! Finding a breeder you can trust is more important to me than the actual breed. I bought celeste with a future vision to possibly show her, yet although i love her breed it was her breeder that i chose not just the breed.



Classix, ANY cat; male, female, neutered or unneutered can spray. If a cat is going to be a lifelong sprayer it will be, and it matters not a jot whether you had them neutered at 6 weeks, 6months or 6years.

For the majority of cats neutering BEFORE they reach sexual maturity means they will not be sprayers. Its not foolproof but nothing ever is when animals are involved. The trouble is, sexual maturity can be reached as young as 12weeks and as old as 18mo..... no easy answer there then!

Smell will ALWAYS have to be taken into account. Even if you are the queen of bleach and put showhomes to shame. I can guarentee your cat will decide the best time for the biggest smelliest crap will be just when friends are arriving for dinner. It will then proceed to get it stuck in its tail and scoot its sh!t across your rug and probably your friends coat on the back of the sofa.

You havent owned a cat until one of them has vomited in a visitors handbag, or in the case of outdoor cats left a decaptitated vole at the foot of the mother in laws bed!

Owning animals comes with smells, mess, hair, more mess, mud (dogs and outdoor cats), poo, pee, vomit and a bit more mess.

Be prepared for it, work against it, but remember its always always a case of swimming against the current!

xx

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Hehe I really like this!

I'm prepared for a few accidents and smells as long as the handbag thing is not a daily occurence!