It will be much easier to leave an older cat alone in the knowledge that it is not going to get itself into trouble, and it will generally be much less hard work and worry than a kitten. An adult cat will probably already be neutered and vaccinated. Choosing an adult cat and where to get one. Un-neutered cats may exhibit unwelcome reproductive behaviours. For example, un-neutered male cats will mark their territory with strong smelling urine while un-neutered female cats can come into season every two weeks if they do not become pregnant.
Equally, if you want two kittens and you are getting two from the same litter, the sex of either cat is probably not important. However, if you have a resident cat and are getting just one kitten or another cat, it may be worth considering going for one of the opposite sex to try and remove some of the competition factor. Neutering also removes the need for so much competition and makes the choice of sex much less important.
How to tell what sex a kitten is. The majority of cats kept as pets are what we call moggies or domestic short or long haired cats — that is they are a random mixture of lots of different cats, we have often have little idea about their parentage well the father anyway.
This means we have no control over the colour, body shape, coat length or anything else that the kittens can inherit from their parents. So, for example, if your kitten is from a moggie mum but its father is unknown, it may develop a longer coat than you desire if the father was indeed longhaired.
There are also health issues which you need to check with the breeder and things you need to ask. Good breeders aim to breed healthy, people-friendly cats and avoid or seek to deal with inherited disorders which arise.
Pedigree cats — things to consider. There are many different breeds, some of which will require extra care and attention, for example if they have a very long coat or even no coat at all.
See our A-Z of cat breeds. Some pedigree cats are more people orientated and may not like to be left alone for long periods. If you are out all day at work it may be worth getting two kittens together for company — do your research about the breed you are interested in. How to choose a kitten.
If you have other pets there should not be a problem in getting a cat, but you just need to make sure that you take everything into consideration.
If you have a dog you just need to make sure that you make introductions carefully so that your new cat is not chased or injured while the dog gets used to it. Not all dog types make good companions for cats. How to introduce a new cat or kitten to a resident dog. If you have two cats living together very successfully then think very carefully before you add more.
Any new cat needs careful introduction. How to introduce a new adult cat to your cat. The best way to have two compatible cats is to choose siblings. These will have grown up together, and this usually bodes well for a good future relationship although never guaranteed! If you are buying a pedigree cat then there will be associated costs and these may be quite large.
Pedigree kittens usually come vaccinated and in some cases already neutered. Laser Therapy. About Us. Contact Us. Request Appointment. Prescription Refill. Pet Memorials. We use cookies to measure the effectiveness of our digital efforts. By clicking "Accept" or using our site, you consent to the use of cookies unless you have disabled them in your browser.
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We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Credit: Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. The researchers also define a healthy aged cat as one that shows none of the DISHA pattern of signs that's used to identify cognitive decline in ageing dogs:.
D: disorientation - getting lost in familiar areas, not recognising family members. I: Interaction changes - social interactions might change between the pet and owner or between other pets.
They might get more clingy, or more distant and irritable. H: house-soiling - going to the toilet indoors, or where they normally wouldn't. This may result in reduced functionality and affect the graphical presentation of this site. However, all content will still be available.
People who live with cats know that they're not nearly as aloof or independent as alleged. Although cats don't require daily walks like dogs, your presence matters to them… and not only because you have the ability to open a can, fill a water bowl and clean a litter box.
Still, there may be times when you must leave your adult cat for overnight or longer. Kittens younger than four months should not be left alone for more than four hours. Older than that, they can handle another hour or so. When they reach six months, they can tolerate an eight-hour day without company. The length of time you can leave a grown-up cat alone depends on the cat, his diet and your environment.
Cats who eat dry food that you can make readily available may be left on their own for hours as long as fresh water is accessible as well. Beyond that time frame, water may get too dirty to drink and the litter box full.
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