Got approval to get a cat from the REA yayyyyy!!! Now to find some place to adopt from.
Can someone give me some 101s on adoption - what to look out for, to get a kitten or an adult (1-3 yrs? Or is that personal preference?), Starting costs etc?
https://www.neko.org.au/ these guys were FANTASTIC. Both mine are from there and I couldn’t recommend them enough. if you have your eye on one bring a carrier with you (one from kmart is totally fine) and chuck a blanket in it. They feed them (or used to at least) Royal canin, so if they still do with having that at home along with the essentials (toys, bed, food bowls, water dish/fountain).
Read the profiles, but know they arnt always 100%. If you are in a position to take a bonded pair its totally worth it too. They are social creatures.
Thanks! I’ve been looking at Neko as well. How did you find the adoption process? Was it long? How long did you need to wait?
I would love to take a pair but I think since it’s my first time having a pet, maybe one would be fine for now? Idk
Pairs will be better if you can. That way they have a companion and then there are less behavioural issues. A bonded pair or siblings is great fun.
Second other’s advice about pairs, highly recommended to adopt as pairs… Siblings or bonded pair.
We have three cats, two of which are siblings. The three of them are on friendly terms, but the siblings usually sleep together lol.
Congratulations on the approval. Looking forward to the adoption news.
Adoption process was too easy. We went to the cafe back when it was a think. Went to see cat X, who wasnt super friendly. Our backup option was VERY friendly. We were asked a few follow up questions and then away we went. Took him home then and there.
The only reason I bring up a pair is because they said cat 1 was totally ok by himself and didnt need a friend, but within a week it became apparent that wasnt totally accurate. We got him a friend, but she isnt totally into him. We would have been so much better off with a bonded pair from the get go. 2 cats is a lot easier than 1 some times.
If you do go see them, tell them Woodro and “Tuesday” say hi.
I’ve had three from Lost Dogs and one from Lort Smith. Kittens cost more than adult cats. If you want a calm snuggler consider a Senior. A kitten is more likely to climb the curtains and other such mischief. Do not forget to buy a scratching post! How much you send on toys etc is a how long is a piece of string question. Do not leave cats alone with bits of string! Don’t use plastic food bowls. And don’t trust the photos on adoption sites, they are notoriously terrible.
We got our from the Lost Dogs Home. They generally have a good selection of cats as well.
Exciting times for you!!
Seniors are quite expensive in terms of vet bills so definitely factor in costs. But they’re often chill easygoing lovebugs that will cuddle. If you can afford it and know how to recognise when they need vet care they’re amazing pets.
With adults their personalities are already developed so you can have an idea of who you’re adopting (though they may not shine while stressed in a shelter).
With kittens you will need two, otherwise you’ll have a crazy bored destructive animal that doesn’t properly know how to behave, ie. playing too roughly and seriously biting you. Look up single kitten syndrome. Also strongly consider using paper pellets instead of clumping litter as some kittens eat it and need the vet.
Also the cost of the pet and startup is probably the least you’ll pay. Make sure to budget for at least one or two vet visits each year, more for seniors. I have no idea about pet insurance.
Just some tips in case you’re not experienced with cats -
Steer clear of supermarket brand flea and worm stuff or flea collars. The collars contain pyrethrins and the shonky flea drops can be contaminated with it too, it’s toxic to cats. Choose a good brand from the pet shop or the vet (by cat’s weight). Never use a dog flea product on a cat for the same reason, it will make your cat very sick or they can die.
Look up signs of pain in cats and know how to spot a uti or blocked bladder (especially in male cats).
It’s a very good idea to feed a lot of wet food (even if it’s cheap wet food and you also use dry) and also stir some hot water from the kettle into the wet food to a lukewarm temperature - this warms it up if the rest of the can was in the fridge but more importantly it gets your cat to hydrate more.
Also while this may be controversial I don’t think Hills or Royal Canin are good food. Vets and shelters will push them but they’re full of cereal filler and very expensive for what it is.
Also if your cat starts getting the runs and stomach aches with everything else ruled out, know that cats can become allergic to frequently eaten proteins. For my cat it was chicken.
Finally don’t overspend too much on toys at first, not every cat likes every toy. Some cats get up high to feel safe, others might want a hidey hole or a box. Definitely get a scratching post and/or cat tree. And some cats prefer scratching horizontally, so a piece of cardboard on the floor is great.
This is all incredibly helpful. I thought about messaging you so thank you!!
About your point on the single kitten syndrome, does this also apply to a single adult? Say 2years or older.
I might not go for an adult cat because I don’t think I’ll be able to provide the care it might require and also finances permitting.
Glad it wasn’t too much! I tend to infodump accidentally but sometimes there’s important info that might not usually come up or something I wish I had known.
In rescues there are definitely adult cats that prefer or need to be the only pet so that can very much be ok! And by adult age (unless there have been major issues) they’re past the kitten socialisation phase and will usually have learned how to behave well. The good rescues get to know a cat’s personality and work out what kind of home/lifestyle would suit them best, so if you prefer one cat they could help you find a cat that doesn’t really need to be in a pair.
Seniors are definitely a bit of a financial commitment so it’s ok and good that you recognise that! Adult cats are probably the easiest option - at least that’s what I’ve found from experience.
Ps. The supermarket dry foods aren’t great so a pet shop might be able to advise you on a good nutritionally complete dry food - but the Woolies homebrand canned food and paper litter (Smitten) are fairly decent for the price. I don’t know how great the salt and ash content is but the Smitten tins have added taurine (which cats bodies need but can’t make) and meet AAFCO standards.
Unless I run into an issue with it and have to post otherwise, or unexpected issues develop for your cat, I’d say that tinned food goes alright on a budget.
You definitely don’t need to be paying prescription food prices unless there’s a genuine medical need. (ie. Kidney disease requiring it.)
So the development going on out the back of mine used to be an old tip. Way back for decades people would just throw anything in.
Just got a visit from an abstestos removal company saying there’s a significant amount in there and that they’ll be removing it.
The outfit developing it has already upended the soil (a significant amount) and the people who were doing it didn’t have any gear on.
If I were the people doing that excavation and sifting (so a lot of dust) I’d be proper pissed off.
Had they asked locals if they thought there would be a risk of contamination, everyone would’ve said yes.
Instead these days there’s no community consultation with these developments, always shrouded in secrecy, environmental reports not being released etc.
Fuck those developers. And the council. At least do some due diligence and let the workers there know exactly what they’re pulling up for their own safety.
And to top it off they’re trying to sell the ~500sqm blocks for $1m+. If I were in the market for one I’d be soil testing the shit out of that dirt.
thank you for listening to my rant.
I reckon you should get onto worksafe. That is absolutely not on. I’ve been on a worksite that had the tiniest bit of asbestos mixed in with the soil in some areas (and it was all wetted down and not friable) but there was a full blown asbestos inspector on site and they were very strict about PPE. Had to throw out your coveralls even if you just wanted to pee
ooh just reading up on the worksafe removal guidelines jeez it’s serious stuff.
From the way the dude was speaking I’m guessing it’s dust (ACD) (eek).
Can I suggest you keep your doors and windows closed. Hose down your driveway and paths. Wipe everything in your house down with wipes. Switch on air filters in your house, if possible have the air current draw away from where you spend most time. Even your vacuum cleaner can help as it has filters.
doughnuts, here to save my afternoon.
When I was a little kid, I grew up with stories about a family friend who would drive into the city at the crack of dawn and eat his breakfast whilst watching traffic bank up on the Monash. I guess it just wasn’t the “done thing” back then, so my grandpa must’ve thought this guy was pretty clever. I was just standing at the window waiting for my tea to brew and staring out at the city and caught a glance at the freeway. That family friend has passed on now, years ago now I think. And the little kid has grown with a little kid of his own. And I stand here and look down at this city which frankly doesn’t seem to care. One day my son might stand here and contemplate his existence. And the memory of the man eating his breakfast will be long forgotten. The city might look different then, but I still doubt it will care.
What I’m trying to get at is… actually, I’m not sure… If anyone can figure out the point of these thoughts let me know. I assume the takeaway is to appreciate the time we have?
I’ve been doing this since I was young
I absolutely loved to sit in cafes and also when Borders was around in Chadstone I’d sit upstairs looking down.
I don’t think too much of it but I appreciate and enjoy the going’s of life and watching odd things happen along the way as people go through their normal lives or days.
One such memory was I was at a cafe with a freeing but I was staring and looking outside at the people having their own lunch and some of them brought their dog with them.
Well the dog was pretty well behaved but restless and kept moving hut eventually the dog managed the wrap it’s lead around their owner’s chair without knowing.
I didn’t stay long to see what happened in the end but it’s still just a fond memory and nothing much about it is profound.
You just take those little moments to enjoy what happens in life.
Someone stole all the ripe chilies off my plants 😭 ( It’s a courtyard complex with little front yards. But that also means it was a neighbour 😡 )
Maybe keep an eye on who is ordering a whole box (or 2) of Who Gives a Crap …
In all fairness, so many people plant chillies as ornamentals only that the culprit MIGHT have thought that they would go to waste if not harvested. Maybe grizzle a bit at the next owner’s corp meeting about theft of chillies.
Or (heh heh) put a placard up against the plants - with something like “Smile! You’re on Candid Camera!”
It might not be a neighbour, I had all my chilis stolen overnight by a rat a couple of years ago. I blamed possums initially, but then I found the rat’s nest in a pile of timber and it was stuffed full of chilies 🤣
