Hey!

I'm looking to get a kitten soon, after wanting a pet that I can build up a relationship with and cuddle a bit more than my current dwarf hamster! I just have a few questions.

As i've just graduated this year obviously money isn't hugely free flowing, so does anyone have any dry food suggestions that offer all the nutrients needed but at a lower cost?

I've kept dogs and am a huge animal lover (just graduated with a zoology degree) so am really looking forward to having a cat, and the training that comes with it. However, I am travelling to Australi next year for a few months and will probabaly be moving my cat down to Pembs to be with my mum for a bit while i'm away. We have quite a highly strung dog; i've read on sites so long as the introduction is done over time the dog and cat should be fine with each other - does anyone have any more information on introductions and how possible it is for them to get along without shredding mums new house to pieces!

Also, how much can I be expected to pay on average a month on my cat!?

Any advice is greatly appreciated. I'm really wanting to get my research done before jumping in at the deep end!

thank you!
Abbie

Hi.

I don't know anything about introductions because I haven't been in that situation but I got a kitten about five weeks ago and they are quite expensive. If money is a problem then I would say that you need to think about it a bit more.
Basically, you will need to give your new kitty her jabs (if she hasn't had them already) and they cost me £25 each (she will two and then one a year).
I buy Whiskas Kitten Dry Mix (can't stand the smell of wet food lol) which is £1.08 for 375kg.
Other things that your kitty will need are:
water and food bowl (I use an old dish)
a scratching post (cost me £13)
a few toys

I am not trying to put you off and would enthuse you to get a kitty - they are lovely Also, if you really want one then you will find the money. I'm a writer so you can imagine that I don't have much money but I always find the money for my lil baby

Good Luck and let us know if you decide to get one. I hope this helps

Hi! If you're going away next year for a few months, why not wait until you get back from Australia? That way, your cat won't have to go through any unneccesary stresses and you won't have to worry about it getting along with the dog? Also, this will give you some time to save up, so you should be able to afford the kitty better. I'm not sure if anyone will be able to give you a total of the weekly/monthly costs of keeping a kitty, as it varies vastly, especially when it comes to vet bills: worming, fleaing, vaccinations, and any illness that crops up. By the way, are you planning to keep the cat indoors or let it outdoors? An indoor cat will need lots of toys and scratching posts to keep it stimulated, so that could become costly, too.

I get all my cat food and litter from Zooplus, as it's very cheap, and you can get some real good quality stuff. You could also get chep cat trees and toys from there, too! Getting a good pet insurance might be advisable as well, so that you don't get lumbered with any huge vet bills, especially for the first year until you get an idea as to how often your chosen kitty tends to get ill (I've got insurance with More Than, which is about £8 per month for a pedigree).

Agree with WhiteNile, may be better to wait til after your trip - that way it works out better financially for you and better for Kitten also xx

__________________

Hi Abbie,

Welcome to the forum.

I agree with everyone else and have to say if you can't afford it, don't get it.

A cat is a huge commitment and you will have to think about injections and neutering. If you don't want your cat to have kittens, the kitten will need to be neutered - and to be honest I think anyone that isn't a breeder should get their cat neutered. For cost if nothing else!

If you buy a boy he will spray everywhere - which means neutering is a godsend and for a female - well, let's just say my little girl entered season before the vet anticipated, and it was three days of hell! My poor little girl wailing all day and all night and trying to hump anything that she came into contact with! I couldn't wait to get her done!! She was like she was in pain and there was no way I was going to allow her to get "with child"

Plus if you are going away - it seems better to wait after your trip.

Remember also cats can be very independent. I have two that would happily stay in my arms and would probably like to be strapped to me 24 hours a day but not all cats are like that! Some only acknowledge you at meal times!!

Plus remember they aren't kittens for long and you are getting a cat not a kitten, I know this seems a silly thing to say but a lot of people forget that they are little cute balls of fluff for very long. It's a hell of a lot of commitment and you need to think about where you will be living it the future - will you be able to take the cat with you when you return from Australia. The situation with your mum's dog is another indicator that it would be best to wait.

Sorry if that seems negative but I see lots of cats that end up being rehomed after a few months and always worry that people don't take them on a a life long (their life) commitment.

Alternatively have a word with one of the cat rehoming charities, they often look for foster homes for cats - this benefits people that want a cat but can't give a long commitment but gives cats that haven't had a good start in life the chance to settle before they are rehomed. They would need to check that you could offer the cat the right home and have the stability for them.

All the best with what you decide.

Thank you for all of your posts!

The money isn't too much of an issue, so long as it's not costing like £30 a week! I've got about £500 saved up and have one job at the moment (bar work) looking to start another 9-5 job soon.

It is just the dog-cat introduction thing, I've read around, and alot of people say it's fine, i was just looking for experience with it i guess. As you can understand as a zoology graduate i'm desperate for a cat to have as my own. I'll give it some more thought. It makes it harder that we've had a cat in our house till last week when the girl moved out and took the cat with her!

thank you for all of your help!
x

Hi

I can understand where you are with this. There are threads on the 'Behaviour' forum here about introducing cats to dogs.

Just a thought and a suggestion: I tend to agree with the others on this forum, that getting a kitten/cat before you go off to Australia might not be the best idea either for you, your mum or the cat. As to the cat it has been explained by the others.

As to you - well you may find you like it in Australia, or meet someone out there or decide to go off to Asia on the way home......or you may come across your dream job and have to move to Scotland, or Africa, or....

As to your mum - have you talked it over with your parents? Are they happy to have a cat? What if you prolong your stay in Australia etc etc.

As your degree is all about animals what about volunteering at your local animal rescue centre. Possibly you could foster...

Then when you return and are more likely to settle down, THEN think about getting a kitten (also if you work full time 2 kittens/cats keep each other company while you are at work).

These were my thoughts exactly Janee, totally agree

Hi.
I think its great that you are thinking about getting a Kitten, but if you were to get the kitten now and then go off travelling for a few months, you are going to miss out on so much fun! The don't stay young forever, so I would urge you to re-think getting the kitten before you go.
Also, its not really all that fair on the kitten to move it from home to home at such a young age, it will bond with you so much better if you are around alot more of the time.

Why not contact your local cats protection and explain your situation, and offer to foster a cat until you go, then find your perfect kitten when you return. That way you get the best of both worlds.

Okay, so as far as costs are concerned, to feed a quality diet, you are looking at about £5 a week per cat if you feed cat food (wet and dry). However, there are alternatives to cat food, such as raw meat diets, this for me works out cheeper than cat food, but you should read up on this if you plan on feeding this way.

Cat food costs are really the least of your worries, in the first year, your cat will need injections, one at about 9 weeks and one at about 12 weeks, at about £50 for the pair. At about 6 months, your cat will need neutering if its a boy (about £45) or Speying if its a girl (about £65). And I advise microchipping, about £25.
Your cat will also need regular flea treatment and worming treatment, I worm my cats every 3 months, costing a couple of quid a time.

Now what if something goes wrong and your cat gets ill, you have a choice. You can either take out an insurance policy, and pay about £5-£10 a month, if you cat gets ill and needs vet treatment, you will prob have to pay the first £100 (excess), but read the small print.
Or if you have enough savings / and or have a large diposable income, then you may decide not to take out the insurance and pay as and when the cat needs treatment, but if this is the case, remember, vet treatment can get very expensive.

On top of that, you will need (want) to supply your cat with toys, beds, food / water dish. Your cat will also need anual boosters at the vets costing about £35 a time.

I'm really not trying to put you off, but its not only money that you need to think about here, but your free time too.

Keep us posted on what you decide.

I personally feel it is not nice to move pets from home to home, especially when it is moving in with other pets. So why not wait till you get back from Australia it is for the best of the animal.

__________________