Considerations for having a cat as a family pet.

Cats seem to have the perfect mixture of playfulness, affection, boundless energy and sleepy cuddles. They make the perfect animal companion for many individuals, couples and families alike.

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There are a number of things that need to be taken into consideration when thinking about having a cat as your pet of choice.

• Lifespan – cats can live for up to twenty years and so they should be looked at as a long-term commitment. Much like dogs they create life long bonds with their families.
• Costs – you should make sure that you factor in all the financial costs of owning a cat. This includes the initial adoption or breeders fee, microchipping, neutering, vaccinations and annual boasters as well as pet insurance just in case you pet has an accident or illness that needs treatment and care and finally any Cheltenham Cattery fees for when you go away on holiday. If you are looking for a cattery in the Cheltenham and wider area, then take a look at catterycheltenham.co.uk/ to see what they have to offer.
• Time and attention – although you don’t need to be factoring in daily walks for your cat, you do ned to makes sure that you spend plenty of quality time with them. This may be playing with them with balls of wool and cat toys or snuggling up on the sofa with them, gently stroking them whilst they fall asleep. Depending on the age of your cat you may also need to factor in time for litter training and building trust and bonding with them. The breed of cat you have will also impact on the amount of time you need to spend looking after them, particularly if you opt for a long haired breed as they will need regular grooming to help prevent knotting and the build-up of hair balls in their stomachs, which can not only be uncomfortable for your cat but not very nice for you to have to clean up.

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• Your daily life – cats don’t need you to be around as much as dogs do but they do need to have access to outdoors perhaps via a cat flap or to an indoor litter tray. They can be very independent creatures bit they can be susceptible to loneliness and in some cases can be depressed if they do not get enough mental and physical stimulation as well as love and affection from you and your family.