.. raise your cats differently?

Hoping this doesn't start a huge debate! - I just thought it'd be interesting to see if people would change their habits if there were no boundaries. For example, if money wasn't an issue, if you had more space etc etc..

I'll start (again, please don't take offense or get upset - this is purely speculation): -

Choosing a cat - Well for a start, I would like to be able to rescue. Currently we rent, and that's the first thing that usually means we 'aren't good enough' to re-home a cat. Madness really - we've lived here 30 years! I'd probably have more than 2 cats, but no more than 4.

Insurance - I wouldn't have any! Vet bills would be affordable, and I wouldn't have to worry about our cats getting lost, ending up in the wrong hands, and having a firework strapped to their back. - This hasn't happened to me, but if anything bad did happen, I hate thinking that I'd have to have our boy pts because we can't afford the bills.

Vaccinations - Tricky one. I don't think I would. Logi has them because otherwise the insurance isn't valid (catch 22 for me there!) The other 3 cats we've had over the years have never been vaccinated and I wouldn't class them as being more prone to illness than the 1 cat who is - quite the opposite in our case. I'm not convinced they are as 'needed' as we are led to believe.

Food - If I could remember to defrost the food, our boys would eat raw at every meal. I'd also give them only Organic and high quality dry food in their auto-feeder, for times when we are late home or whatever. It's a cost thing really.

Indoors/Outdoors - Outdoors without a doubt (this is an ideal world after all!)

Toys - I'd have a whole room just filled with cat toys. It'd be like a kitty Alton Towers. Logi would have one of those ball-pits filled with squishy cat balls - he loves them. Oh and a cat tower that went from floor to ceiling, and around the room! - he loves being high up.

So there you go.. What would you change?

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Bit early on for me as only had mine a month or so but interesting to hear what others say who had their cats longer x

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Choosing a cat - Hmmm... we didn't choose Mabel and Indy, they showed up and the only people who would take them (RSPCA) said they had 2 weeks and would be euthanised if not rehomed as they were feral and it was kitten season.... ideally I would like to actually choose... but this wayy I think it was meant to be! (We didn't even *want* cats when we got them). Misha was Free to Good Home and lucky he got us! such a sorry lil scrap... again I think it was just meant to happen.

Insurance - I don't have any, in an ideal world they would be safe and I wouldn't need to anyway. Currently insurance is too expensive for me due to where I live (cruel people torture animals) and insurance doesn't cover the fact they are indoor only and safe from the louts. However my vets are fab and let you pay anying over £70 in instalments.

Vaccinations - Mine are up to date and will stay up to date. I am studying animal management and we have been shown the statistics on feral/unvaccinated cats... and although up to 80% of pet cats are either not exposed or healthy enough to withstand the common diseases/survive... I couldn't bear it if my beloved pet died from somethhing I could have prevented. Obvious in an ideal world the diseases wouldn't exist.

Food - Am fairly happy with their current diet as they are so healthy, but I would like to increase their raw if they'd deign to eat defrosted stuff!

Indoors/Outdoors - Shoot the louts, have hover cars that fly above cat height and now nasty downforce... and let them run free.

Toys - They have more than enough... though an actual real tree would be nice

Let me see in an ideal world..

Choosing a cat - Well in an ideal world I'd live in a grand rambling house in the country. I would make a kitties house, a sanctuary for stray/unwanted cats but without the cages. They could just roam around as they pleased. Throw in some sphynx kittens too (not literally please they are delicate), it's always been a mini dream of mine to have a sphynx or two

Insurance - Hmm well seeing as there would be say maybe 14 cats in this rambling house (10 rescues,2 sphynx and of course Nefertiti and Tiramisu). Oh by the way I forgot to mention I wouldn't work my rescue babies would be my job. Now insurance hmm. I think I wouldn't bother but I'd have a big savings account for all the cats instead.

Vaccination - Yep defo keep with those vaccinations. Better safe than sorry IMO.

Food - I'd have a big box freezer, seeing as I'd have my big rambling old house it would be in a private utility room. All the fur babies would get raw fed. lol I guess feeding 12 cats raw would be a days work in itself. But yep ideally every one would get the raw food !!

Indoor/Outdoors - Well the big rambling country house would be set in beautiful grounds. The grounds would have a very high cat proof (if there honestly is such a thing) fence! So they could go out but not go so far away they would be lost. I would also grow cat mint and cat nip so they could roll around it like giddy kippers. Also there would be a stream full of fish (well actually that might be a bit unethical but oh they would love that).

Toys - Well there would be cat trees in just about every room and tons of toys. There would be wall shelves and also I would create a network running throughout the house just for the cats..

The Cat House

And yep they would be spoilt totally rotten all of them

Also I think queen Nefertiti should have her own thrown with a smaller one beside it for little Tiramisu (though she won't always be so little!!)

Arh yes and I will employ a butler especially for my cats and he will walk around with a tray of smoked salmon and little dishes of double cream for every one.

Choosing a cat - I would have one of each colour that i like in both long and short haired varieties . I already have a 10 year plan at the minute but in an ideal world i could do it now and that is to have a house big enough with a large back garden for plenty of cat runs as i want to breed nebelungs (look them up they are stunning) and also enough space to continue my recue work.. but in an ideal world it wouldnt be needed!

Insurance - I probably wouldnt have any, opting rather to have a savings fund in case the cats are ill. I also have a great vet who will allow payment plans

Vaccinations - hmm tricky. I probably wouldnt get them the full vaccinations just the ones that are absolutely necessary as i would not want my babied coming down with anything

Food - bigger freezer for more raw. My cats cant get enough of it

Indoors/Outdoors - I am a bit of a control freak so i would say indoors mainly with a catflap access to an outdoor run (just so i konw where they are)

Toys - You can never have too many. I would love my cats to have a play room like my kids used to

Nice thread Lioncub! Generally, in an ideal world, I'd have unlimited time to spend with my cats (and I'd have about 6 of them) and unlimited funds to pay for vets, etc., raw food, and the funnest toys available!

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CrazyCatGirl