15 Reasons Not to Have a Pet Cat
They may be the world's most popular pet, but our furry feline friends have plenty of downsides. Whether it's the vomited fur balls on the carpet, the stinky litter tray, the clawed and shredded furniture, or the slaughtered neighborhood population of small birds and mammals, cats have a lot to answer for.
Below is my list of reasons not to have a pet cat.
1. Felines are aloof. Yes, they can sometimes be affectionate, but it's always on their own terms and they mainly see you as a servant. (A dog, on the other hand, is almost always pleased to see you, and even looks up to you).
2. Cat poop and pee is disgusting and they do it in your home. Changing the litter box is one of most stomach-turning chores ever.
3. Fleas and ticks. Cats pick them up all the time. All they need is contact with another animal. Getting rid of the fleas/ticks can be time-consuming and expensive. It's not just the feline that you have to treat, your house and all its contents can harbor flea eggs after an infection.
4, Cats will claw up your furniture. Your expensive couch is just a scratching post to them and it will end up shredded.
Owners of dogs will have noticed that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they will think you are god. Whereas owners of cats are compelled to realize that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they draw the conclusion that they are gods.
— Christopher Hitchens5. The veterinary bills can cost you a small fortune if your feline falls ill.
6. Cats are poor travelers. They are fine on their own for a weekend, but spend any more time away from home and you will need to pay for a cat sitter.
7. Cat allergies are a relatively common condition. It may or may not affect you, but can be an issue if you want to invite friends and relatives over to your home. Cat phobia is less common, but may also interfere with your social plans.
8. They are natural born killers. They are programmed by nature to hunt, even if they have a full belly and aren't hungry. Populations of birds, small mammals, and other local wildlife can be decimated by the presence of cats.
9. They are self willed and impossible to train. Unlike a dog, felines will not obey orders, or even bother to acknowledge them most of the time.
10. Vomit. Cats vomit regularly. Sometimes it is caused by hairballs. Sometimes the cause is an illness. Sometimes you simply just don't know. It doesn't matter, whatever the cause, you still have to clean up the vomit.
11. Cats sleep most of the day, but hate the idea of their owner getting any rest at night. They will walk all over you in bed, knead your chest, purr in your face, tickle your nose with their whiskers and tail - anything to prevent you from getting a good night's kip.
12. As well as scratching up all your furniture, cats can scratch you up too. Often it is accidental, such as when they jump onto or off your lap. Other times they suddenly get annoyed because you are stroking their belly, or something surprised them. Those little claws are sharp.
The problem with cats is that they get the exact same look on their face whether they see a moth or an axe-murderer.
— Paula Poundstone13. They shed a lot of hair. It gets everywhere. Before you know it there is hair on your clothes, furniture, floor, and just about every surface. Yes, you can comb the cat, but the impact on the problem is limited.
14. That going outside, coming inside thing quickly gets old. They whine at you like they are desperate to be let out. Two minutes later, they want to come back in. Then they want to go out again. I don't understand what it's all about but it's certainly irritating.
15. Cats are just plain weird. There are reasons why the ancient Egyptians worshiped them as a supernatural gods, and European folklore associates them with witchcraft. Felines are so strange that you will never understand their ways.
Facts About Cats
- A group of cats is called a clowder.
- A group of kittens is called a kindle.
- Cats are crepuscular, rather than nocturnal. That means that they are most active and do their hunting around dawn and dusk, rather than during the night.
- Male cats are called toms, females are called mollies or queens.
- Female cats usually sleep more than males in the wild, mainly because they do most of the hunting.
- They can run up to 30 miles per hour.
- Cats have excellent vision in low light, but cannot see in complete darkness.
- They sweat through their paws.
You have to be very insensitive in order to have a cat, because I think they're very independent. When they're kittens, you think they're going to have a dog temperament in that they're going to run to the door when you get home, lick you on the face and cuddle with you all the time, but cats are not that way.
— Jennifer Love HewittThis article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.
Questions & Answers
How long do pet cats live?
Average life expectancy for a domesticated feline is between 10 and 15 years. In general, cats who spend a lot of unsupervised time outdoors don't live as long as indoor cats, who face less dangers.
Helpful 1
Comments
Cats can actually be trained. It just takes longer and more hard work.
If you train them before 6 weeks old they can become very polite.
What kinda imbecile is this. Could rip this article apart. Ya dogs don’t get fleas, or destroy property, shit all over the yard and burn piss holes in the grass that after the holes r dug. Vet bills more than cats, can’t be gone as long cause the dog will shit in the house and or destroy things. As far as injury a persons dog just killed its owner last week in Calgary. Let me mention I have trained my cat to use the toilet, fetch toys, ride in a car and walk on a leash. Not even gonna talk about some dogs breath pumping outta them with the potency of a donzen plug ins fuelled by a thumping of heat to add to the stench.
I'm definitely not a cat lover (I've never owned one or even had a friendly relationship with one), so I'm not bothered at all by your 15 reasons. But in skimming the comments, it seems you have stirred up something of a hornets nest among those who do love their felines. If you were talking about dogs I'd probably be a little upset as well, but for cats, I'll just remain an uninvolved spectator.
none of these are true my cat never does these btw how do they get fleas and ticks if there inside cats
I have 2 cats. A momma siamese cat and her baby. They are the most affectionate animals I have ever had. They are always in my lap or loving on me. Every time I sit down they are immediately in my lap, purring, and wanting me to give them attention and love.
dogs are the best
Sorry but I stopped at "Cats see you as servant".
Although they do attack their owner and try to eat their food .. they're still capable of eventually understand & stop if the owner fought back. If not, there must be a reason for it, it's owner's fault.
EITHER WAY, ADOPTING PETS NEEDLESSLY IS WRONG, HUMANS MUST NOT INTERFERE WITH NATURE.
cats are better than dogs i have 5 cats i love my cats
dogs are better than cats
1. Dogs are stupid, that's why they're "happy" to see you. "Oh, another rock to push, another rock to push...".
2. Living with YOU must be even MORE stomach-turning; clearly, you never had to work cleaning toilets or bedpans at hospitals, Richie Rich. Oh, the priviledged life of a special snowflake! BTW, my cats are all toilet-trained. When's the last time you saw a dog using a toilet? (Don't bother, it's rhetorical).
3. Oh yeah, dogs don't pick up fleas and ticks, ever. Are you sure your last name is not Einstein? {insert eyeroll}
4. Cats "claw up" (it's called *scratching*, genius) when a) they're not trained, b) they're not redirected, c) they're not motivated, d) they're not given their own scratchers or otherwise entertained.
5. Unless your dumb "canine" is made of paper, YOUR vet bill also costs you "a fortune" if s/he falls ill, dimwit.
6. There you go again, pushing the same rock, like your "smart" friends. Cats are excellent travelers, people just don't train them like they train dogs. Case in point, look up "Stovepipe, the traveling cat" when (if ever) you're done pushing your rock.
7. Cats don't cause allergies; if people got off the ignorance and "poor me" excuse wagons, they'd know the allergy is to the substance in their saliva, and would know there are remedies. BTW, Einstein, many people are also "allergic to dogs".
8. LOL. Natural-born killers. And dogs are not, of course, because their ancestors were... ah never mind, you're busy pushing a rock.
9. Untrainable, eh? Your ignorance is even more astounding now. See my earlier reference, Einstein. Cats are not brownnosers, like dogs (which oftentimes emulate their owners, so... ya get the gist - I hope your bosses are happy w/you, you're a good boy), thus, their only goal is to please. Pretty pathetic.
10. Vomit. Oh boy, that rock must be entertaining. Again, depends larely on age and the care THE HUMAN provides. But don't worry, I don't expect YOU to understand that. Dogs lick their asses and then you let them come over and lick your entire fece... er, face - or, by now, yours might be just one and the same. The right term (based on this) for people like you is not "LICKface"...
11. Cats don't know "hate", Einstein. Just like dogs, they don't have that kind of discernment. And again, they don't put a gun to your head, if you want some alone in your dome, close the damned door at night. Unless you can't because... you're pushing a rock.
12. Cats can scratch you?! OMG REALLY? You don't say. {insert another eyeroll}. So can dogs. Plus, dogs drool on you with their disgustingly smelling gunk and you can't HIDE that with your clothes.
13. Dogs shed too. And did I mention they drool? Which is disgusting (which you dog people find 'cute' - but name the last cat you saw drooling). If you live with a cat and you are stupid enough not to take care of her/him, you deserve what you get (including the shedding evidence). And you don't "comb" a cat, you *brush* them. BIG difference, and explains why YOU would see the shedding unsolved).
14. Einstein, ever heard of inside-only cats? Probably not. Gets old on who? The moron who can't install a pet door so they won't have to be "bothered" constantly? They wine? Oh, because dogs come to you and politely say, "Can we please go out? No worries if you can't now, I can wait".
15. "Weird" - term used by the ignorant to define that which they don't know and are too lazy or scared to research. 'Nuff said. If you choose to be part of the human ignorance circle, be my guest - and congratulations, that's very dog-like.
***16! Cat people don't SMELL, dog people do. Cats don't have to be getting a bath not to smell like shit all the time, dogs do. I could go on and on, but I have other stuff to do... with my cats.
I've owned cats and dogs my whole life and they both have advantages and disadvantages. Yes, my cat might thinks I'm his servant but he also likes to sleep with me every night as well as sit with me in the recliner every evening. He is not just a cold blooded killer. Also, the best thing you can do for a cat is make him an indoor pet. That saves the small birds and squirrels around the neighborhood as well as adding years to his life. A cat is an ideal pet for someone who has a busy life style as they are very independent animals. Every cat I've ever had displays a unique personality and has added much joy and love to my life. They are a true blessing as far as I'm concerned.
First of all a cat w/not get fleas unless you intend to let it outside. Don't do it! Second, if you train your cat from kittenhood that he/she gets his/her nails clipped as part of the normal grooming schedule you will not get shredded furniture or a shredded you. Third, how in the world could you tell what a cat is thinking?:) I would have to agree, they can be pretty strange! Amusing article.
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