Saturday, January 10, 2009

I Can Has Cat Plz?

"You can keep a dog; but it is the cat who keeps people, because cats find humans useful domestic animals."

George Mikes


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I should be studying for that nasty Surgery exam due in a few hours time, but all I have succeeded in doing is grow an inexplicable impulse to adopt a cat NOW.

I even managed to run through some lists of breeds and decided on which I want - and I decided that I want a Pixie-Bob,

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Or two, please.

And it has a dog-like personality too!

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Fetch AND walkies!

I'm thinking of Ocicats as well but they are suppose to be hard to get. In fact, I actually prefer how an Ocicat looks like compared to a Pixie-Bob,

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Actually, I'm mostly thinking "shorthair equals less moult". But dig the wild threads!

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See a pattern in the sort of cats I'm interested in?

Anyway, I can happily make do with a common domestic shorthair too. I'm not to picky about breeds, really. Anyone has kittens from a good-tempered momma cat up for adoptions? Also, anyone has a kitten with mismatched eyes but thinks that it's ugly?


My grandmother won't be too happy about it, I expect. Why do Chinese people hate cats so much? I back during my Tioman trip, I discovered that each and everyone of my classmate who went with me has that reflexive revulsion towards cats (and Tioman, by the way, is one cat-infested island). I was quite shocked actually to find that out because I used to think that only the old extra-Chinese folks have that prejudice. Even back here on terra Malacca, when a cat walks up expectantly to our tables to, uhm, sympathy-stare some scraps from us, someone would shoo it off like it brought the plague - in spite of the fact that it's just standing there (standing most politely too, I must add). And our zodiac animals, we rather have a rat in it instead of a cute widdle kitty! What the heck's up with that anyway?!

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I expect that I can only adopt one when I start working elsewhere and have a place of my own. In the meantime, anyone who owns a cat can let me know exactly how much care a cat needs? I'm reading up on it, but a bit of firsthand advice from actual cat-owners would really help - specifically the sort of problems I would encounter when I own a cat.

Now, I shall return to Surgery. Reluctantly. And cat-less.



P.S. It's Caturday, by the way.



Desperately seeking cat,
k0k s3n w4i

13 comments:

yuhhui said...

If you have said it earlier... I could give you one. A pregnant stray came to my house and wanted to give birth but she couldn't. So i sent her to the hospital and they did a C section on her. I had to take care of her during her recuperation period.But dad wasn't happy with a 2nd cat at home. He wanted me to give it away but I couldn't find anyone suitable. I was so desperate in finding an owner for her. hehe. But now, i managed to persuade my dad to let me keep her, in one condition - i bring her to Melaka when I'm back.

Anyway, a cat doesn't need much. It depends on whether you let them out of the house or not. If you prefer them to stay indoor, then you will need to invest in some sand and a litter box. As for food.. science diet is good and it costs about 40 ringgit. ( don't buy cheaper brands like friskies because it is known to cause urinary tract problems for the cats when they're older). It can last about a month. It also depends on the cat you got. Like my psychotic tiger, she eats very little. The new cat is a gourmet. So the allowance for food just increased. heh.

About the kind of cats you like.. I noticed you like the ones like a tiger or cheetah eh. Let me warn you first. They're CRAZY! My striped one is like a dog. She sniffs around when friends come over and she's quite racist too. Whenever a dark skinned person drops by my house, she will attack them. Besides that, she's full of energy too. Fiesty creature. She will never let you 'manja' her.I suspect she has Bengal cat's blood. The other one is total opposite. She's a leech. =D
If you're interested in getting a kitten, I think I can find one for you!

Anonymous said...

i thought you absolutely adored dogs? why adopt a kitten instead of a puppy?

k0k s3n w4i said...

yuhhui: that new cat of urs reminds me of a Singapura - a tiny breed prone to getting uterine inertia and requiring C-section to giv birth :D. I read your cat posts, and I actually hoped to bait u here anyway. Anyway, the temperament is one of the reason I'm even considering any specific breeds. the pixie-bob is apparently bred for their nature. I'm looking for an affectionate sort of cat (not the sombong aloof type). The colour or fur pattern isn't exactly important to me. What's important is that it doesn't shed a lot and requires little to no grooming. what do you do for ur cat's scratching habits anyway? did u get a scratching post?

minwi: I adore both dogs and cats. At the moment, I neither have the space nor the time for a dog (and I don't like those small, ratty yippy types either).

yuhhui said...

Looks like I fell for your bait! The topic is too tempting!LOL!I didn't know there's such breed called Singapura. Amazing! I'm not so into breeds so I don't know much. Just a little here and there. =D Pixie bobs are cute and nice but the fur... may be a problem.

Well, for their habits, it again depends. Their behaviours are different. I have 2 scratching poles. Tigara's rather aggressive so the first scratching pole is a goner. But the new cat is very quiet. She doesn't move around much except when she's picking a fight with Tigara. I guess you have to see what breed you're getting and also, their natures. It's hard to say. But one thing for sure, Tigara and Tara never scratch my furnitures.They know what they can do and cannot do. Any other questions? =D

It's nice knowing that there's a cat lover like you around. Most of my friends hate cats and some are into dogs. =(

k0k s3n w4i said...

yuhhui: at the moment, breed type is the only thing I have to go on in selecting personality. i would definitely like to get to know a kitten better before adopting one. I don't want to end up with an antisocial and fierce cat. there's a lot of stray in my backyard, so I suppose i'll be keeping my cat indoors most, if not all, of the time. and if i'd probably want to spay my cat (i'm looking for a female cat actually). do you keep a litter box or have you toilet trained yours? or do you merely let them go out to do their crapping?

I like cats and dogs, and hope to have both when I have my own house next time. I can't understand why so many people hate cats, either. my girlfriend tolerates cats okay but wud much prefer a dog any day.

février said...

suddenly got cat forum o.O

how did u know i hadnt read your post yesterday when we spoke?

yuhhui said...

Haha. True, personality is important! I ended up with an fierce one. But it's kinda fun coz she's wild and she can really play wrestling and all. It's like having a puppy at home.

I netted up my entire house coz they always try to get out of the house. But I can't let them because a neighbour threatened to kill my cat if she goes into her house again and also, lots of minor accidents happened. So they did their business in the litter box I prepared at the backyard for them. It's quite simple because they won't poo anywhere except in the box. ( but my smart tigara's using the manhole in the sink and bathroom floor to urine now!!) Just that gotta invest in the sand. And if you really have a cat, do spay it. Mating seasons can be a big headache and the cat may end up hurt.
Haha. Same case. My boyfriend absolutely adores dogs too, not so much on cats. He said cats are proud creatures. Not so affectionante like dogs. hehe

Inn Shan said...

I thought that you are a dog-fan?

must...resist...evil....cat's....temptation...don't....lose....your...humanity....

k0k s3n w4i said...

bevE: i just know. it's my genius level IQ.

yuhhui: that's what i'm afraid - having to wire up the entire house. One reason why i might just wait till i get my place of my own before getting a cat. how often do you take your cat to the vet for checkups? anyway, spaying doesn't do anything to stop some tom cat's advances right? I'd get a male, but for some reason I dun like how male cats behave. did u raise tigara from a kitten? I know a malay family that has like 6 cats, and all they did is lay a bit of newspaper at the corner of the house somewhere - and their cats will do their business there. did you have to train ur cats to use the litter box?

Inn Shan: I like both animals equally. pet a cat someday. you might find that you like it.

yuhhui said...

I take my cats to the vet once a year for vaccination and deworming. But usually,in a year, i tend to go to the vet about at least 2-3 times a year because Tig always escapes from the house and will get into minor accidents.( be prepared for that!) And also, she's rather fierce so when she's hurt, we cannot go near her. So no choice, we have to send her to the vet even if it's a small cut to ensure that there's no infections and all. As for Tara, so far she hasn't been to the hospital yet. =D Pray that you get a co-operative cat then you won't need to spend much on the med bill.

You're absolutely right. Spaying will not stop the tom cats' advances but it will prevent unwanted pregnancy. Also, they won't menstruate and mess up your entire house. Actually, from what I heard from the vet, male cats are more affectionate. Hehe.

Yupe, I raised tigara from a kitten but she's acting as if she's a stray.lol! Er.. you won't want to be using newspaper because newspaper can't absorb the urine and it's gonna stink real badly. And they may roll their poo ard the house. As for the little box, all I did was to prepare the sand in the box,and carry them there the first time to let them smell the place and after that, they will know how to do their business there. Even with the new cat, she knows where to do her business. It's all rather easy.No training required.

Diyana said...

cat maintenance depends on the type of cat you have.

shorthair-found-on-the-street-cat:
dun need to spend much on food and shampoo. yes, u need cat shampoo, if tepi jalan cat lagi susah nak mandi, be prepared to be scratched a lot. it will probably eat any food you give, edible ones lar of course, rice mixed with sardine or whatever.

persian-flat-faced-store-bought-cat:
shampoo is going to cost more than yours,especially if it's a white haired one. only eat cat food, no nasi for this one thank you. bathing it won't be much of a prob, usually they are used to it since their kitten days. these type of cats usually don't know a mouse/rat/dog when they see one. they have no idea that they are supposed to chase/run away.

that's what i know generally after years of having numerous number of cats, all persian, from sharp nose to flat nose.

currently,6 persian flat nose/face miaows.

k0k s3n w4i said...

yuhhui: nice. I never had the patience to train any animal. I do not have much experience with truly domesticated cats - i only ever knew strays, and I found that female strays are generally easier to approach than males. thanks for all the advice :) I'll pop by ur blog if I need anymore info xD

Diyana: uh, i never did like persians, though I heard that they are one of the more docile breeds (too much hair and i dun like the face). the fact that store-bought or bred cats are often more tolerant of other animals in the house is the reason why I might prefer them over the stray types. i plan to have a dog next time as well. thanks for the tips :)

Anonymous said...

they once pee-d on our exercise books!!
my tuition teacher kept a few of them and the whole house smelled of amonia..and the floor was damn oily..