Opinions on cats

So, my wife wants a cat. She went over to one of her friend's places yesterday, and they have this fucking huge Maine Coon. I will admit, it's a spectacle. I'm not really a cat guy, I didn't even know they got that big. This thing was majestic as hell. 

She's wanted one for a long time now, and I've always kind of put it off - we have a two-year-old Aussie Shepherd named Ruger, who is phenomenal. I love him to death, and we got him when we first moved in together. It was kind of a 'testing ground' for raising a kid and also the first time we've had shared ownership of something large. 

It's been the third-best decision of my life, behind a) marrying her, and b) buying a BMW M2. All jokes, it's definitely tied for the first thing. He's an amazing creature, and regardless of how bad my day is, I know that everything will be cleared by seeing his big smile whenever I get home. 

Now, I wanted to bring that up to highlight a) that we have pet-raising experience, and b) I'm not sure what specifically a cat would accomplish. Maybe I'm looking at this too analytically - after all, if a cat would make her happy then that's truly all I want. I just wanted to pique some insight from you folks out there who own or have owned cats, and anything that you may suggest before grabbing one. 

My only primary concern is how it may get along with the dog. Our Aussie is extremely well-trained at this point (after a truly EXHAUSTING 6-8 months... I can only imagine what kids are gonna be like), but who knows how he'll react with another cat living there. Cats are kind of dicks from what I've seen, so I don't want him to get uncomfortable, and I certainly don't want to come home to a cat in multiple pieces while he sits there wagging half of his tail. I'm gonna reach out to my friend whose a breeder later today and see if she has any insight on how Aussies may react among different animals at this stage... when we first got him at around 12wks it was like a dog on cocaine 24/7, and he ran/chase/barked at anything that moved. Two years later, he's extremely patient, quiet, and I can walk him most places off-leash without him going more than 3-4 feet from me. Just don't want to mess that up with the arrival of a new feline. 

That's all. If you guys have any thoughts or suggestions, let me know. Enjoy the week!

 
CarsnWatches

I don't like cats, but you could ask to bring your dog around one of your friend's cats as a trial run. If it goes okay, maybe ask to cat-sit for a weekend to get a real test in for both you/wife and the dog. 

This idea doesn’t work. I don’t think you understand animals.

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

Cats are awesome! 

"The obedient always think of themselves as virtuous rather than cowardly" - Robert A. Wilson | "If you don't have any enemies in life you have never stood up for anything" - Winston Churchill | "It's a testament to the sheer belligerence of the profession that people would rather argue about the 'risk-adjusted returns' of using inferior tooth cleaning methods." - kellycriterion
 

Opinions? I personally would never own a cat, dogs are much better but a much more intense commitment. However, happy wife happy life and all that, cats aren't generally that bad. A couple of my close friends have cats, and 2 of the cats really like me whenever I visit and are really cuddly. I think it depends much more of the cat's personality, I'm spitballing here but I think dogs' personalities generally track their breeds' characteristics more closely than cats.

Quant (ˈkwänt) n: An expert, someone who knows more and more about less and less until they know everything about nothing.
 

I have two cats.  If I brought a dog home, the cats would hide for the rest of their lives.  I think introducing a kitten to a dog might work better.  You might want to chat with the vet for your dog and get an opinion.  

 

Love dogs, love cats, love 'em both. And cats being dicks? You have an Australian Sheperd. A very "dick" kind of dog. Tell us how many times it's tried to nip your heels and herd you?

For the cat, get an autoscooping litterbox. Definitely keep up with it though since cat piss should be classified as a chemical weapon with that odor. Wet food is the way to go since felines of all sizes (I'm talking up to tigers and lions) get their hydration from the food. Not just slurping water like a dog. Leave some dry food out for them to eat whenever they want of course. Cats can be "scheduled" like dogs ala feeding too. If you're not going to declaw it, make sure you have a good scratch pad so it doesn't go after your sofa or something else. Behavioraly, if they bond with you, you'll see certain behaviors like it'll always lay in the room where it can face the door as defence. That's a good sign. They love high places where they can see anyone and everything. That's why they climb bookshelves, kitchen cabinets, etc. /David Attenbrough out!

Edit: forgot to mention that the best thing to do is leave the cat in the bathroom or such with the door closed for the first couple of days so it gets used to the smells and sounds and them sniff it out with the dog under the door so the cat doesn't flip it's s*** and take it out on you and yours. If it's a kitten, like mentioned above you let them roam free. But not with one who's at least a year or so old.

To the point about the cat flipping the script if not adjusted and calmed: My childhood cat was the neighborhood menace. Birds, dogs (of all sizes), possums, raccoons? Didn't matter. She was the epitome of how to lose the f*** around and find out game. But to me? Sweet as pumpkin pie...

The poster formerly known as theAudiophile. Just turned up to 11, like the stereo.
 

Aussie is most certainly a former asshole. Trust me, he'd still be an asshole if we hadn't spent years of my lifetime making him un-asshole-like. The ends definitely justify the means, as I'm sure nearly every dog owner can attest to. 

Appreciate the cat advice. Good to know wet vs. dry food, as I wasn't aware of the hydration piece. I assume a cat tree thing, automatic feeder, and scratch pad will be prime. Call me an old white woman, but we JUST got a new West Elm sofa and I'm considering pulling a 1950s grandma and putting plastic sheets over it if our soon-to-be cat decides to have his/her way with it. 

Great advice on the dog/cat mend with the bathroom door as well - makes perfect sense. Appreciate your reply.

 
Stonks1990

Aussie is most certainly a former asshole. Trust me, he'd still be an asshole if we hadn't spent years of my lifetime making him un-asshole-like. The ends definitely justify the means, as I'm sure nearly every dog owner can attest to. 

Appreciate the cat advice. Good to know wet vs. dry food, as I wasn't aware of the hydration piece. I assume a cat tree thing, automatic feeder, and scratch pad will be prime. Call me an old white woman, but we JUST got a new West Elm sofa and I'm considering pulling a 1950s grandma and putting plastic sheets over it if our soon-to-be cat decides to have his/her way with it. 

Great advice on the dog/cat mend with the bathroom door as well - makes perfect sense. Appreciate your reply.

Glad I can help. Can definitely agree with the dog un-asshole-ing with an adopted boxer who went through some stuff.

The poster formerly known as theAudiophile. Just turned up to 11, like the stereo.
 

Pick it up a LOT as a kitten and keep it off counters etc and it will be awesome. Like a roommate but you only see it when it wants to chill with you (and who s**ts in a box). As long as its a kitten when you get it, the dog shouldn’t mind and it will grew up with the dog always around.

 

My family and I have had three cats over the past eight years, along with five foster kittens that one of them had, the first being a Maine Coon rescue named Holly (she was a big and fluffy kitty). When we said originally that we were getting a cat, it was big news for us because I had always wanted one, and my mother had owned Maine Coon cats since her childhood. Unbeknownst to us, at the time that we had gone to the shelter, my mum had already talked to the shelter and picked out the cat we were getting by herself. As my dad, my brother, and I played with the other cats, Mum was already out front paying the shelter fees and she was ready to go. When we got into the car with her, we immediately fell in love with our sweet fluff, and she became the most important part of our lives (certainly my mother's and mine). She loved the outdoors more than anything, treats came second, but I know she had a special place in her heart for us. I loved her more than anything in the world, and to say otherwise would be a crime.

On 12/2/2020, my heart was broken into a billion pieces when I found out that she had been killed by a passing car. From the moment I found out, I swore vengeance upon the man who did it. She was my baby, and to hurt her in any way was equal to killing me. My mother and I were both destroyed. Many people say that, when they lose a pet, the pain of loss hurts so much that they cannot bring themselves to find a new one. In my mother's eyes, the pain of loss hurt too much to just live without a new cat, and so we set on a mission to find our new little sweetie. On Easter Sunday 2021, our prayers had been answered; our friendly neighbors had a relative with a mother cat who just had kittens, and by the grace of God, we received not just one, but two. Finally, on 5/29/2021, my sweet new kittens Tigger and Daisy, were delivered to my home for the first time, and I fell in love with the little ones once again.

My advice to you, OP, is that you should never judge how you'll feel before you get your Maine Coon cat. My dad made the same mistake, and he fell hard for all the cats we had. They are a wonderful breed that is good with children and pets; Holly was a stray when she was found by the shelter and while she could be a bit feisty, she was very loving too. They can get very big, yes, but there's more of them to love that way. All I can tell you, is that I know you'll be happy with your Maine Coon. Your relationship with him/her will grow like a weed until you're inseparable like my cats and I.

I hope my story and the advice I gave helps you out. Best of luck to you and the missus.            : ^ )

“Strive for perfection in everything you do. Take the best that exists and make it better. When it does not exist, design it.” -- Sir Frederick Henry Royce, 1st Baronet, Co-Founder of Rolls-Royce Limited.
 

Also, I'll post some pictures for those who want to see the cats.

Tigger (sleeping on my couch):

Daisy when she was a kitten (sleeping on my laptop): 

Holly (sleeping on my unmade bed):

Holly (sleeping on my unmade bed):

“Strive for perfection in everything you do. Take the best that exists and make it better. When it does not exist, design it.” -- Sir Frederick Henry Royce, 1st Baronet, Co-Founder of Rolls-Royce Limited.
 

Your comments regarding the world are very insightful and certainly the truth. December 2020 was a very difficult month for us due to Holly's death and also due to the illness and subsequent passing of my late grandfather. Still, I believe that God was watching over us in that month, because Grandpa made it through Christmas and I got to say the final goodbye (I had prayed for both). Thankfully, Tigger and Daisy have always been a blessing in our lives just like Holly; every moment we spend with them are the greatest parts of each day.

Thank you for your kindness in your reply. I can tell you and your wife are good people, and that you'll take good care of your new cat just like you do for your Australian shepherd. Cheers!

“Strive for perfection in everything you do. Take the best that exists and make it better. When it does not exist, design it.” -- Sir Frederick Henry Royce, 1st Baronet, Co-Founder of Rolls-Royce Limited.
 
Most Helpful

i have two cats and i love it. i thought about getting a dog for a while. i wouldn’t say its less work than a dog, but its stuff i can do a little more on my terms, since cats are pretty self sufficient. they use the litter box, eat from automatic feeders, entertain each other while i’m going etc. 

as for personality its a gamble, but that isnt any different than dogs. my older cat is very independent. she’d generally rather sit on the window perch next to my couch than in my lap and she *hates* being picked up. my younger cat to lay in my lap, sit on my desk while i work from home, drop toys next to me to play fetch. no way i could have known that before really. 

very few cats are actually dicks. my older cat probably seems like a dick when one of my friends picks her up or wont stop petting her when she’s made it clear she doesn’t want that (pupils dilated, tail wagging, etc.). the kitten probably seems like a dick when he’s screaming, dragging stuff around and trying to nip your ankles. in reality, he’s just bored. i turn on a toy and he’s fine. 

my last point is you can train most dogs and cats to get along fine. but some breeds with a high prey  drive you can’t (cats love to run which can set dogs off). from what i gather, australian shepherds get along with cats but will chase them for fun which not all cats will enjoy (one of my cats loves being chased and the other hates it).

 

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"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

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