Vini's extra huge and probably way too long MASTERPOST about cats and how to take care of them! going to add stuff to this thread with a terrible attempt at coherency.

At the end of this, I hope I have given some new info to some people and maybe even encouraged someone else to take their own cat! And if it's thru adoption? I've done my job well.

So here goes, Vini's Cats 101! disclaimer: based entirely on my own experiences. Remember to always listen to professionals!

Cats are, like so many other animals, lifelong companions, full of personality and so full of love and affection. They might not show it the way dogs do – but believe me, they do. Here are some examples on how cats show affection:

Now how do I show my cat I love it right back? That’s simple. You can try to mimic cat language or just do w/e you cat is comfortable with and likes. Example: my cat LOVES head rubs and especially pets b/w his eyebrows, bc that mimicks how cat mums take care of their kittens.

Remember that every cat, just like every human, dog, horse, cow, snowflake… they’re ALL unique. So what works for one cat might not work for another, but luckily you’ll learn those things real fast with them.

Ok so I’m not going to write an essay on what cats are, you can find that information yourself easily. However, I’m going to now note what you need to consider when getting yourself a cat.

Cats are, while domesticated, still “wilder” than dogs. And that’s completely ok, you won’t really notice that on well behaving cats. HOWEVER, this is something you need to ALWAYS keep in mind.

If you train your cat, if you have issues with your cat… Remember that they are wilder AND also definitely NOT dogs. Cats can absolutely be trained to do pretty much anything – just the rules are slightly different. I’ll get back to this later.

Cats should not be let outside freely. They are after all a foreign species in 99% of the places they live in. (percentage out of my head, but you can google that)

They will pray on little birds and rodents – and for fun. No, they don’t need to actually feed on them, because they know there’s food waiting for them at home. So they play with them, kill them for fun.

And this has already caused huge problems worldwide and some species are endangered because of this too. Just google willow tit (hömötiainen in Finnish).

Not to mention your own cat is in danger! Bigger animals pray on them, they could get hit by a car, shot by another human (yes, sadly), they could hurt themselves really bad, get really bad diseases… So, DO NOT LET THEM OUTSIDE UNSUPERVISED.

You wouldn’t let your dog so why would you let your cat?

HOWEVER this does NOT mean that cats shouldn’t be let outside at all. They absolutely can and should, if you have an opportunity! You can train them to walk on leash, like dogs. Or you can build them a covered area where they can spend time without a leash.

i mean things like these, for example:

I mean, this enriches their life SO MUCH. So many new scents, things to feel, to explore, to watch… It is good for your cat. I mean, how well have you dealt in this Corona quarantine? You needed some fresh air too, right?

If you don’t have a possibility to do either of those, that’s fine. You can always bring autumn leaves inside for the cat to smell, let the cat to the balcony (if it's safe!), open your window to let in some fresh air with new smells…

Give your cats things to smell, to explore. Your cat will love it! It will also reduce the amount of time you need to play with your cat because it gives them an opportunity to use their brains and they won’t get bored so fast. And will have less energy, when they do.

Other self-explanatory things that I really shouldn’t have to say, but will say because I’ve witnessed myself so many times how these have not been taken care of:

1. Your cat needs FRESH WATER EVERY DAY. Cats also don’t like to drink next to their food, so if your cat doesn’t drink enough, try moving the water bowl. It’s usually the most common reason.

2.Your cat also needs food EVERY DAY. But, it’s up to you AND your cat whether it needs to be available constantly or broken down to specific feeding times or something else. My cat doesn’t overeat, so he has dry food all the time. /c

I also give him some wet food once a day and it’s enough for him. He doesn't ask for more, he weighs a healthy weight.

3. For fuck’s sake, your cat CANNOT BE A VEGAN. Cats are CARNIVORES. They need meat to live. A cat does NOT survive on vegetables!! Heck, a cat shouldn’t even eat vegetables unless in small portions, and even then, it’s usually to clean their stomach.

Vegetables in large quantities are DANGEROUS for a cat, they dont have any nutritional value! Many plants and veggies are downright POISONOUS. You can be a vegan for all you want but STOP FORCING YOUR DIET ON YOUR PETS. Thank you.

4. Your cat also needs a litter box. And that box needs to be emptied regularly AND CLEANED THOROUGHLY regularly. Your cat shat on the floor? Well, when was the last time you emptied the litter box?

Cats are each and every one very unique in this too – my friend’s cat shits on the floor if there’s even ONE poo already in the box. My cat is ok if I forget to empty his box but will let me know when he’s had enough (usually by dropping one dry piece of poo outside of the box).

Ideal would be emptying the box every day but if you have mental health issues or some other reason it’s impossible for you – don’t worry, the cat won’t suffer because you forgot. Again, depends on the cat, but sometimes once a week is enough. This is a matter of hygiene.

And it’s also why litterboxes should be thoroughly washed once a month. Aka, you throw all the sand out, wash the box w water and soap, let it dry and fill it again with new, fresh sand. You should also do this if you deworm your cat, because it might just get the worms back

the second it uses the litterbox after deworming.

5. You need to give enough activity for your cat. Play with it, give it things to smell, different toys… (Best company for a cat is, obviously, another cat!) Keep your cat active! A bored cat is an overeating cat.

Or a bored cat can cause a lot of mayhem in your house, breaking things, gnawing stuff or starting fights with other animals in the household. (There are other reasons for this too, ofc!)

6. RESPECT YOUR PET’S BOUNDARIES. Honestly, don’t do that cucumber thing with your cat! It’s frightening to them! Imagine if you were chilling in the place you feel the safest, slowly eating and suddenly someone throws a snake or a huge spider to your head “for fun and laughs”.

You would start losing your sense of safety in that place pretty soon too, wouldn't you?

This also applies to other things – if your cat doesn’t like to be pet, don’t pet it. If your cat doesn’t want to be in your lap, don’t force it. If your cat doesn’t want to be lifted, don’t lift it.

Never force your pet to do anything, but rather gently encourage, train them, give them treats when they do something you want them to do. (yells POSITIVE REINFORCING)

7. Remember that a cat can live up to 20 years! So it is a long commitment. And definitely worth adopting an older cat too, since who knows how long you’ll have together! It could be a decade, even.

I keep talking about training a cat, but how does one do it? Well, like dogs, cats can be trained. The difference is, a cat needs a price IMMEDIATELY after a job well done.

*prize. what is english

And the prize has to be food, cat doesn’t do things to get praise from humans like dogs. It’s nice, sure, but it’s not what motivates them. So, you really can’t use the click-training with your cat…

(A cat can learn a click means treat, but a cat wont learn if they do sth good and hear the click, that the treat is for the good thing they just did. Nope, they will just assume it's for the click.)

And because cats don’t have a strong need to please humans, it’s also why training takes time and patience. The cats do love food!

And like in any training, cats need BOUNDARIES. Tell your cat a firm no when it’s doing something you don’t like. Push it off the table, clap your hands, snap your fingers… Set boundaries. But the boundaries DO NOT give you a permission to abuse your cat or be violent. No. Never

And remember, once you set boundaries, stick to them. Be patient. Do not make exceptions because “aww look at that face”. Because when you do, it’s game over. Or at least ten times harder to set that boundary again…

Now, why adopt? Because there are so many stray cats out there! Like I pointed out before, they don’t belong to the nature. Also, did you know a cat can have litters every three months or so – that means four litters a year. And one litter can mean 1-10 kittens...

And a cat can become a mother before they’ve even reached maturity, even at one year old. So…you make the calculation. This is also why it’s important to neuter your cats, unless you’re planning on having a litter (responsibly!).

Also when you adopt a cat from a shelter, you can be CERTAIN the cat has been fully checked at the vet, has been neutered, vaccinated, can even have an identification chip! So you will know EXACTLY what you're getting and in what condition.

Stray cats are just as much of cats as the loving, purring, domesticated pet cat. They just have very varying pasts, and not all of them are used to human company. However, this doesn’t make them unfit for pets! It will take time, but every cat can learn to live with humans.

They might not ever become fully domesticated, or they won’t let you pet them, or come to your lap, or learn to meow, or they just might! But other than that, they do make just as perfect a pet as any other cat.

They’re silly, they like to play, they have their weird moments, they shower you with love and affection in their own ways!

They will get annoyed if you don’t give them food when it’s already feeding time, damnit human, they will fill your house with cat hair in the weirdest of places (pickles, your butt… you will find cat hair even in your friends’ houses as soon as you think about your cat).

They will spend time around you, watch what you're doing, chase imaginary mice around your house. So, they will be perfectly imperfect pets yet absolutely wonderful in their own, unique ways!

Cats love routine. It’s also the reason they hate change and why it takes them time to get used to new things. This is good to keep in mind when dealing with your cat! If it acts up, ask yourself: do you have a clear routine or is your cat living in a constant state of change?

Trying to stick to a routine, even a small one, makes a huge difference in a cat’s life. For example, my cat gets restless if he’s unable to come to sleep next to me after midnight. It doesn’t matter if I’m awake, he just needs to start his night with some cuddles.

side info: cats are naturally nocturnal! However, they usually adapt to the day rythm of the humans they live with. But when they get trown into a new stressful situation, they feel the safest during nights.

Strays, like any other cats, can have a variety of health issues. It might me something minor, like teeth you need to check regularly, or something bigger like issues in kidneys, heart condition, bad asthma…

It can also be a mental disease, for example trauma, that will cause them strong reactions to seemingly harmless things. Much like humans can. Cats too can get depressed, anxious or many other things.

It can be even physical – your cat might miss a leg, is blind, or doesn’t hear, just to name a few. These cats are usually called “special needs cats”. But let’s be honest – they’re only "special needs" in your eyes.

The cat will ALWAYS see itself as a cat. It is your job to take care of its condition, its illnesses and special needs, but remember: the cat does not think of itself as any different from other cats. So, remember to treat it as such too!

(this is btw a thing you should remember with human beings too - in the end, a human is a human and needs to be treated as such, even if they have disabilities or health issues!)

Are you thinking of getting your first cat and through adoption? Hurray! That’s really great! I encourage you. Remember to ask your local shelter everything you want to possibly know.

They’re there to make sure the cat gets a good home, so that also means they’re there to make sure you know how to handle it. Check the cat's bg, if it’s known. Ask the shelter to tell you more about the cat, what they’ve learnt and if there’s anything you should bear in mind.

Basically, do what every responsible pet owner should do when getting a pet. There are also tons of information on different animal rescue and shelter organisations’ web pages, so give them a read! They know what they’re talking about.

If you’re wondering what kind of a cat would be good for a first cat ever, I would say either a 3yo (it’s the age of maturity for cats, so they’re usually calmer by then), or an elder cat (they tend to be very relaxed and easy-going). But honestly? Any age is a good age.

I didn’t mention kittens, why? A kitten would be very easy a choice for someone who hasn’t had cats before. They have almost unlimited amount of energy, they’re active and need a lot of attention – but also can be domesticated the easiest.

So why didn’t I recommend a kitten? Simple – so many kittens get adopted with a blink of an eye, but so many older cats, especially aged 5 or older, stay in the shelter for years, even though they would make just as good of a pet.

And if I’m brutally honest? An adult cat is an easier cat when you want to learn to take care of cats. Kittens can be a handful, at least in my experience. Older cats are not untrainable because they’re not kittens. On the contrary! Even an old cat learns new tricks.

And the best part? An older cat will stick to the learned tricks and won’t try to defy you once they hit puberty and you’ll have to be extra strict. :’D

But, all in all, take a cat that feels like it’d best fit your current situation in life! It’s good to think ahead too, but do not take a cat that would fit your life situation in 10 years.

Take a cat that fits into your life _right now_ and would keep fitting your life for the rest of its life. Cats aren’t something you can just take and then dump once you get bored!! They’re living beings that need love, care and devotion, much like having a dog or even a child.

Another thing to take into consideration: food, litter, vet bills. A cat isn’t a free pet. You might get it for free, but you will have to pay for the upkeeping. If your cat needs a special diet, it can be costly.

My cat has asthma, I have a similar asthma. So I need to take that into consideration when buying litter sand – and that means the sand costs a lot more than your local convenience store litter.

Also, your cat will need to go to the vet’s. It is important to keep your cat vaccinated, even if it’s an indoors only cat. You can still be the one that brings in the diseases unknowingly! Vaccination is _especially_ important, if there are more pets in the house.

Usually you need to vaccine your cat once every three weeks, and at least in Finland, it costs around €60. There can be times when you have an emergency and you suddenly need to be able to pay for the vet.

So, remember to always have some extra on the side or at least a solid plan on where to get the money if the need happens.

However, if there’s an emergency – **take your cat to the vet.** You can always discuss with the staff what to do if you’re not able to afford the cost! They too want the best for the cat, and the best for the cat is a cat alive and healthy in a good home.

Other things that are important: make sure you familiarise your cat with someone touching its paws, checking its teeth and ear and even possibly extracting their nails (for clipping)! It’s important to do this constantly.

Make it casual. Give your cat treats if it shows discomfort. Never hurt your cat but try to make it learn that people do these things and it’s not a bad thing.

This will help you enormously later on during vet visits or if you need to clip its nails. If possible, try doing the same with lifting and moving the cat! With some cats this is an instant hit – as soon as my cat allowed me to touch it,

I have had free reign to his ears and teeth (paws took some more time). Sometimes it takes more time – it took my cat over a year to let me lift him very small distances at first, and even longer to let me move him from one place to another in my arms.

This is still an ongoing learning project with him! These things can take time and trust, and it's alright. Small steps!

Now to my main reason for this thread: how to deal with anxious, shy and scared cats? And why to adopt them?

If you’re planning to adopt a cat (yay!) and it’s your first time having a cat (double yay!), I’m going to be frank: this kind of a cat is not really for you. If it’s just shy, then it’s doable, but if it’s also anxious or even scared…

It’s better to let someone else take care of them. I can’t obviously tell you what to do, but this is my recommendation. Dealing with this type of a cat means that you need to be able to read cats, know how they behave and communicate.

You really need to be able to read cats, I cant stress this enough. Why? Because most of cat communication is nonverbal. And not only that, many things they do are similar to what a dog does – but the meaning is ENTIRELY different, even opposite.