My cat, who had lived a happy 16 years passed away from cancer last week. I miss her.
My 9 year old daughter is crushed, because her chore at home was feeding and caring for the cat, and now she wants nothing for Christmas besides a kitten.
I've never had to get a cat. Cats have always gotten me. The one I just lost was named Frostbite, because she crawled under our house and meowed pitifully during a snowstorm...we brought her inside, wrapped her in a blanket, fed her tuna fish and she never left.
I suppose my choices are 1) shelter 2) classified ad or 3) vet - often the vet clinics around here will have kittens they want to get rid of. I'd prefer the vet route, because I know they've been well checked out and everything but I can't count on them having a kitten before Christmas. The only thing that makes me hesitate about a shelter is the exposure to disease, and the fact that the kittens may not get much time being held and handled by people and I know that is important for socialization.
So...how does one go about getting a kitten?
[ November 23, 2009, 08:48 PM: Message edited by: Belle ]
Posted by TheBlueShadow (Member # 9718) on :
quote: The only thing that makes me hesitate about a shelter is the exposure to disease.
I got both of my cats from an animal shelter and all of the sheltered animals I have experience with must have all of their shots, are spayed/neutered, and have been checked for different illnesses like FIV before they can be adopted.
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
I'd go for a shelter myself.
And I'd also adopt a bunny in addition to a cat.
Posted by CaySedai (Member # 6459) on :
People list them in the paper or on Freecycle around here. You don't know about what kind of care they've gotten, though.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
I guess I should say the last animal I adopted from a shelter was a puppy who died of parvo a week later. So, consider me naturally suspicious of the shelter's claims that animals are "healthy" and "have all their shots."
Posted by SoaPiNuReYe (Member # 9144) on :
All three choices seem perfectly reasonable but the safest route is probably the vet.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Belle, try contacting Jenny Gardener.
Posted by Traceria (Member # 11820) on :
Oh! If you lived closer, I'd try to convince you to give my two six-year-old cats (sisters) a good home. My fiance and I still haven't decided which cat(s) to keep in what will be our smallish apartment and whether his parents will take his feline or mine will take both or one of my cats, etc.
I hope you find a good kitten. A bunny can be really, fun, too. We've had two dwarf rabbits in the past that we let roam free (when someone was home) and they were both potty trained, so to speak. Very fun!
Posted by kmbboots (Member # 8576) on :
quote:Originally posted by rivka: Belle, try contacting Jenny Gardener.
I highly recommend this!
Posted by MEC (Member # 2968) on :
Where do you live, Belle?
I only ask because my cat needs a home, I've been away to college for some time now and he's been living with my family in Texas. Unfortunately he's very timid and my family's other pets make him too skittish to eat or use the litterbox properly. They're considering putting him down and unless I can find an alternative I think it may be the most likely outcome.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
I live in Alabama - so I don't think getting a cat from Texas will work.
And she really, really wants a kitten. My cat died at 16, and my daughter is nine so she has never had a kitten before. I want her to experience the joys of a kitten with all its clumsiness and incredibly high cuteness factors. She was so wonderful at taking care of Frostbite, when she was too weak to eat my daughter would sit holding her and try to feed her by hand, if need be. It was so sad and sweet at the same time.
Does Jenny have magical powers to send kittens my way?
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Is Jenny in Texas? Huh. I thought she was farther east than that.
Posted by kmbboots (Member # 8576) on :
Jenny is in Indiana. MEC has the cat in Texas.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
ahhhhhh!
<-- Not awake.
Posted by Shanna (Member # 7900) on :
quote:Originally posted by Belle: I guess I should say the last animal I adopted from a shelter was a puppy who died of parvo a week later. So, consider me naturally suspicious of the shelter's claims that animals are "healthy" and "have all their shots."
Its actually really hard to vaccine puppies against parvo. Do it too early and their immune that they get from their mother will interfere with the vaccine taking. We had our puppies vaccinated and four of our six came down with parvo alittle later. Its INSANELY contagious and the high population in shelters makes it all the worse.
Shelters vary from place to place. My mom and I have volunteered at alot over the years and we've seen some real dumps and plenty of places that were insanely clean and full of volunteers who just love to spend their free time cuddling kittens and puppies.
I'd say call the vets first and then the shelters. I'm wary of classified ads because I don't want puppy/kitten farmers to financially benefit from me.
Posted by anonymous (Member # 486) on :
One of my coworkers, in the Birmingham, Alabama area, is giving away kittens, I think. She heard me talking about my six month old kittens and thought I was looking to get a kitten. I think she said that they're the kind that don't have tails? I don't know much about it, but I could probably find out if you'd like.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
Kitten search is over! Tonight, while shopping with my eldest daughter, we passed a vet whose sign said "free kittens." We went inside and found out they had one left - a sweet 7.5 week old solid black female with beautiful eyes.
I brought her home and put her in the arms of my nine year old, who burst into tears she was so happy. She named her Izzy, short for Isabelle.
Major props go out to the vet, who gave her to me with a medical chart - she's been given her first shots, checked for feline leukemia, and dewormed. He gave her a complete physical and pronounced her perfect - weight is good, eyes, ears, everything. Everything was free, I didn't even have to pay for the shots and worming. She came in the clinic at 9:00 this morning, and I got her at 5:30 so she didn't even spend 12 hours in the vet.
Right now she is sleeping, but she has already used the litterbox, and has been playing with the kids. Thanks for the advice and support. I think things worked out really well. She's delightful, and my daughter is happy. Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
Aww. Now I want a kitten.
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
awww! How cute!
I wish i wasn't allergic to cats.
Posted by dabbler (Member # 6443) on :
Ditto. Also horribly allergic to dogs. And my hedgehog.
Posted by TheBlueShadow (Member # 9718) on :
Awesome.
Posted by Magson (Member # 2300) on :
My wife and I adopted a kitten about a month ago. He got an upper Respiratory Infection about a week after we got him home, but has otherwise been perfectly healthy. He's a lotta fun, and our dog loves him and he loves to wrestle with her too, so... we're very glad we got him.
Now if only he wouldn't try to lick our noses at 4 in the morning every other day. . . . .
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
Pictures! Pictures!
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
quote:Originally posted by Uprooted: Pictures! Pictures!
Pictures, or it didn't happen! And lying about getting adorable new kittens is extremely close to talking during the theater. Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Pictures!!!!
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
hard to get good pictures of a solid black kitty! She doesn't show up very well on film.
My daughter took some last night, I'll get them uploaded soon.
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
I highly recommend this!
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)