Lon, since you have a new Haircut, you definitely need a Cat! (or Gato, or Katz, or Chat) You can go to a large Cat Show and determine what breeds would be compatible with your lifestyle and personality by seeing them up close, talking with their Owner/Breeder, and seeing them interacting with humans in the Judging Rings. To reserve a Kitten, you would have to wait on the 63-day Gestation Period, plus several weeks after that until the Kitten is mature enough for the Spay/Neutering operation. The breeder's fee will be usually be from $600 to $1000, depending on the Breed. OR... you could go to a large Animal Shelter and select an Adult cat from the breed choice you may have made at a Cat Show. Sit in the Get Acquainted Room with the cat and see how you might bond. This is important! The Animal Shelter would probably ask only $50 for the Adoption Fee, but you would then be required to take Anastasia to a Veterinarian for initial shots, then be sure you get a Litter Box, Bowls for Food and Water, and a tall, fluffy Scratching Post! As Beth has stated, you're not buying a new Camera or a Case of Scotch...you're getting a legitimate member of your household, which is really a Human with a Speech Impediment! God Luck! (Here's our calico Annie grooming Jackie) Hal the Meow
@Shirley Martin Cats rarely use hind claws for scratching, except when they are suddenly moved (usually frightened) while you are holding one, and the hind legs are used to "dig out" from your grasp. Then, your forearms bear witness to hind claws. They routinely use front claws defensively, and keep them honed to fine edge by scratching certain types of preferred surfaces, such as upholstered furniture. They can inflict nasty damage with them. The front claws are attached to little "fingers", largely unlike the rear, are pointed and very sharp; occasionally a cat will pick up small bits of food or fodder being played with by grasping it with the "fingers". As the front claws grow, their edges split off, revealing a new pointed end. Scratching seems to be a part of "toning" the claws. Typically, "de-clawing", done by a Vet, consists of removing the first joint or finger, containing the claw, of the front paws. This appears inhumane to me, disfigures the cat, and is readily visible; it's front feet just don't look right. I always trimmed my indoor cats' front claws every few weeks, which seemed to discourage furniture scratching as well as allowing the sharp-pointed instruments otherwise. They didn't seem to mind. I used small clippers. FYI, cats have 4 claws per hind foot, and 5 per front foot, those having an opposed "thumb" finger and claw. Frank
Some cats are easier on furniture than others. My current cat has rarely scratched furniture, although we do provide several carboard and sisal scratchers for her. She will sometimes place her claws on the couch if she wants to go out and we've been ignoring her, as if to say, "Let me out or the couch gets it." I haven't seen her actually scratch it, though.
Lon, you have been wanting a little "companion" for a while now, so why not give it a go? If you are up to maintaining a litter box and seeing to the needs of a little one, by all means do so. A pet is a wonderful thing and will give unconditional love. (Or with cats, a certain level of disdain, haha.)
I had two cats, they both passed on in 2018 aged 17years. I had them from when they were tiny kittens. A cat is a long term investment so I wouldn’t consider getting another one at my age. And if I got an older cat, I’m going to have to go through the trauma of watching them get old and sick and having to have them put to sleep. I can’t go through that again.
Understood. In the last few years, I lost two cats, sisters, who were 26 and 28. We have only one cat now, who is seven. We've considered the same issues, but we'd like her to have a companion, and we don't want to introduce a cat that might try to dominate her. Since she submitted to the older ones for years, it's her turn to be in charge. So, we'll be getting a kitten soon. She will probably hate the kitten for a few weeks, as the older ones did her when she came to us as a kitten, but she will end up with a younger playmate, which will help to keep her young.
I am going to wait until this Virus thing dies down before looking for a cat. I will be looking for a spayed female cat not more than a year old and probably get her from Craig's List or the local SPCA.
Go to your local County or Municipal animal shelter. Any dog or cat you get from them will already be neutered or spayed. Craig's List is chancy. Hal
At our shelters, every animal you adopt is neutered or spayed. Its the Policy of the Shelter and a County Law. Our county of San Bernardino is the largest county in the USA, which has nothing to do with the above. Hal