Choosing to Get Your First Cat

Cats do make wonderful pets as they are not as noisy as dogs, are more independent, and do not require as much care. Cats also adapt well to indoor living. They are easy to train to use a litter box and they will groom themselves. The greatest benefit to owning a cat is the love and attention that they give you.

You do however will want to first decide if a cat is really for you. Be sure that you are not allergic to them or that your friends and family are not also allergic to cats. It will make it difficult to give up your precious new kitty once you have grown attached to it and then find out that you cannot be around cats due to an allergy and have to give them away.

An easy way to find out if you are allergic to cats even before getting your cat or kitten is to visit someone who has cats. You can even visit your nearby animal shelter and find the cat and kitten section to hold and play with them. Another note to remember is that some people are only allergic to kittens and not cats, so be sure to expose yourself to both to find out for sure. If you do find that you are allergic, as long as it is not a severe allergy and you can tolerate the reaction you have around a cat, you can still consider giving a cat a home.

Just one more thing to keep in mind when deciding on getting a cat - not everyone will be as enthusiastic as you may be about having a cat or being around one. I love all animals, but I have a great love for cats. I have been around many of my friends and family who just do not like cats. I have been fortunate enough that even though some of them do not like cats, they still hang around and will tolerate the cats. However, I have talked with other friends and family who have been around people that will outright be mean or cruel to cats. Just remember not everyone will have the same view about your cats as you do. I am also very lucky that my husband loves cats as much as I do. It can cause great stress on any relationship if both do not have the same views about their pets.

Once you consider all of these factors and you are sure that you want to get a cat. Go for it!! It will be a very rewarding experience. My cats are a pure joy and I love every minute that I am around them.