CharmingHedgehog Posted July 25, 2011 Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 Is it possible/doable? I'll be living with a roommate, so it's like a communal cat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellorie Posted July 25, 2011 Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 I sure hope so, since my kitty is coming with me to London. Have you ever had a cat before? They don't require a huge amount of dedicated time. They don't need to be walked or taken out. They need food and water and to have their litter scooped. They need varying amounts of attention depending on the personality, but many are happy to sit in your lap or be near you while you study or do something else. Mine is quite happily lying next to me on the bed while I type. Sometimes he tries to paw at my hands while I'm typing, but that's about it. When I lived with my GF, we had two, and it never got in the way of anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted July 25, 2011 Report Share Posted July 25, 2011 Is it possible/doable?I'll be living with a roommate, so it's like a communal cat In our class there are many cats. Cats abound Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted July 28, 2011 Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 One of the reasons I love cats so much is how low-maintenance they are compared to dogs. I can leave for a weekend without a worry, and I've left for as long as a week without having anyone check on them. They do just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLengr Posted July 28, 2011 Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 Only advice: Try not to buy things that you don't want claw marks in. That or be prepared to put claw caps on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gradguy Posted July 29, 2011 Report Share Posted July 29, 2011 Cats should be a requirement in med school. They keep you company during studying marathons, and keep your stress level low. Unless you have a bad kitty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garret9 Posted July 29, 2011 Report Share Posted July 29, 2011 the real question is how could it not work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooty Posted July 29, 2011 Report Share Posted July 29, 2011 i'd invest in the furminator to minimize their shedding. you can buy them from ebay for cheaper than local pet stores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharmingHedgehog Posted July 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2011 Any advice on where to get the cat? I've thought of the humane society, but not sure how to pick a good cat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satsuma Posted July 30, 2011 Report Share Posted July 30, 2011 Cats are totally doable. My advice is to get 2 cats though - they will keep each other company. I had started with 1 cat but he was rather social and didn't like it when I left, so I got him a friend and they sleep together and play and chase each other around, and have the occasional healthy argument! Also automatic feeders are great! Picking a cat is tricky since their true personality probably will be hard to judge at the shelter. A cat may be pretty quiet and shy there, and then when you get them home warm up and be a lot different. But the humane society is a good way to go - give a cat that needs a home a home. Some places give a personality "type" with the animals so that they can match up with yours - since some animals are more relaxed or hyper etc than others. The shelter in Burlington I know does that. Keep an open mind - no pet is going to be perfect, and it is an adjustment for you and them. Your new pet will have alot of new rules to learn and eventually you will both adjust to each other. For example, there are some things I just have to accept with my cats - like my screens will be full of holes, because it is unreasonable to expect my cats to resist their natural instinct to chase a bird or bug that flies by, if I leave left overs on the counter, well there is a good chance my bowl ends up broken on the floor cause they were trying to finish it off etc. (so I've learned to accept holes in my screen, and keep my dishes put away) On the other hand, my cats have learned it is not acceptable to scratch furniture, or whine outside my room when I am sleeping. Give and take. Good luck finding an awesome cat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellorie Posted July 30, 2011 Report Share Posted July 30, 2011 Sometimes the shelter staff or volunteers know about the cat's personality though - they generally make some effort to help you pick an animal that's right for you. And you can play with them all and get some idea. I'd also encourage you to consider adopting an older cat, or one with special needs. Too often, they get ignored in favor of the kittens. I have an older cat with FIV, and he is the sweetest, gentlest boy and I love him to bits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooty Posted July 30, 2011 Report Share Posted July 30, 2011 Any advice on where to get the cat? I've thought of the humane society, but not sure how to pick a good cat you can become a foster parent and take care of little 4-week kittens for a month at a time at the humane society. they give you all the food, litter, bedding, and toys you need. all you have to do is make sure it doesn't die and bring it in for a checkup or two. you get them when they're about 500 grams and when they're around 800 g they're big enough for surgery and subsequently adoption. the bad side is sometimes they're sick. if it's a cold it's no big deal --you just give them abx once a day. but when it's diarrhea they sometimes tend to fall short of the littler '__' if you grow particularly attached to one (and it will likely be your first one), you can adopt it at 15% off the fee for being a foster parent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachy Posted August 1, 2011 Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 I have a Cat Genie -- it is the best invention ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted August 1, 2011 Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 I have a Cat Genie -- it is the best invention ever. ok, that thing is actually amazing Not that I would ever leave a cat alone for that long but with that, and the auto feeder/fresh water system my brother has you could leave cats for short periods for no problem! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garret9 Posted August 1, 2011 Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 Any advice on where to get the cat? I've thought of the humane society, but not sure how to pick a good cat friends, craigslist, store, spca, etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satsuma Posted August 1, 2011 Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 What was your set up for leaving them alone for a week? I have to go away for five days in the winter, don't have anyone I know to check in on them, and I'm sure my cats would rather stay at home then go to a kennel. We have a webcam set up that is motion sensoring, at their feeders. So we can check in on them 3X a day ( that is how often they get fed). We figure if they don't come down to eat there is something wrong! You definitely need someone to have a key to your place though in case you do need them to get in to get your cat for whatever reason. I probably wouldn't leave my cats that long without someone checking in on them. But if you have to, a webcam at least lets you see them from afar. Make sure you leave alot of water out, in case they tip a bowl over. And an extra litter box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarathonRunner Posted August 1, 2011 Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 We have a litter robot - it is the best litter box ever! We tried other ones, but the litter robot has just been amazing. We would never leave our boys alone for even an overnight, but then they are Sphynx, and they need a lot of personal attention and interaction. So even when we are only gone on an overnight trip we get someone to look in on them, give them fresh food, and play with them - the playing being the most important because they are Sphynx. They have a water fountain, and with crunchies left out they would be fine overnight, but they really do need a lot of play time and attention, so we have someone look in on them. I can't imagine leaving them alone for a week - even with lots of fresh water and food. But then all cats are different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachy Posted August 1, 2011 Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 Not that I would ever leave a cat alone for that long but with that, and the auto feeder/fresh water system my brother has you could leave cats for short periods for no problem!I usually get a cat sitter to check in on my kitty if I'm gone for more than ~36 hours. But the cat genie is totally amazing even if you're home every day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted August 3, 2011 Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 What was your set up for leaving them alone for a week? I have to go away for five days in the winter, don't have anyone I know to check in on them, and I'm sure my cats would rather stay at home then go to a kennel. I leave a big tupperware bowl full of dry food and leave the toilet bowl lid open. They will only drink out of the toilet, so I don't have to worry about water bowls. I have 3 litterboxes, so the poop doesn't become a problem until 5-7 days in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharmingHedgehog Posted August 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 Wow... that's so awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vorpal Posted January 1, 2012 Report Share Posted January 1, 2012 A little off topic - but I knew a woman who had her first child during her med school (without taking time off). She arranged her schooling so that she had a large break from clinical just after she gave birth. I nearly coughed up my drink when she told me! If she could have a child during med school, im sure having a pet wouldn't be too much harder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JustAnotherStudent Posted January 6, 2012 Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 oh ... i thought the topic is about the 120lb "cat" which would be more problematic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
questforstarfish Posted January 12, 2012 Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 Cats are amazing! I adopted the funniest, quirkiest, most affectionate kitty from the SPCA last winter named Oliver, who actually jumped onto a counter or surface near you and jumps into your arms every day. It's very cute Almost a year to the day later, we realized after having a friend's cat stay the night that he would love a friend (and maybe stop waking us up at 6 every morning because he was bored- we didn't mind because we usually get up at 6:30 and he's soo cute but still!). So we went back to the SPCA and got Jack a couple of weeks ago. They get along RIDICULOUSLY well- they cuddle, chase each other and play all the time! I found it very easy to get a feel for the cats' personalities at the SPCA, and the volunteers all know which can acts how. To me, they all seemed like great choices. We had a little more room for an energetic cat but some people prefer quiet, mellow ones of which there were also many! There's no reason in the world not to get a cat unless you have severe allergies (and my boyfriend who I live with has moderate allergies and we still have two of them! We just vacuum regularly), they are such a wonderful increase on your quality of life and only require as much attention as you have the time for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.