Should I Get A Cat?

Cats are wonderful animals who are always ready to brighten up your day with their innocent friendliness. This is one of the many reasons why we love cats! If you’re trying to decide if you should get a cat, it’s understandable you may have a lot of questions. Don’t worry! We've got you covered. 

Cats are adorable and friendly creatures and are regarded as one of the best animals to keep as pets. On top of usually being completely harmless, they are also playful, smart, and loving. 

On the other hand, there are a few considerations to be made before adopting one. You may be asking yourself: “how do I take care of a cat? Do cats cause allergies? What breed suits me best?”

So, let’s find out whether you should get a cat!

A Cat’s Nature

Cats have a very interesting personality. They are proud animals who are extremely good at hunting and living independently outdoors. At the same time, cats are also emotional. A cat can sense his owner’s commands, and though they often like to ignore them, they feel the energy in your commands. For example, cats can feel sadness if scolded and angry if bothered. 

At home, a cat behaves very similar to a child. They long for your attention, cuddles, and your presence. To show their affection, cats like to lick their owners, give them gentle head bumps, meow in their ears, or bring them gifts, especially in the form of dead rodents such as rats. 

Also, when cats are overstimulated or excited, they may bite or scratch their owners. This action is not a display of anger or frustration but mostly of excitement and joy. However, if you really want to know whether your cat is frustrated, check for his tail movement. Often, rapid wiggling of the tail indicates that your cat might be stressed out or in a bad mood.

Benefits of Having a Cat:

Having a cat has many benefits, so let’s take a look at a few of them:

Companionship

Cats are lovely companions. If you’re living alone and are looking forward to reducing the sense of loneliness, adopting a cat will help you do that. 

Stress Reduction

Imagine you just came back home from a stressful day at the office, and your cat decides to jump on you, purr in your ears, and lick your face. Your kitty’s innocent actions can always brighten up your day.

Health Benefits

Researchers from the University of Minnesota's Stroke Research Center found out that over a period of 20 years, people who never adopted a cat had developed a 40% higher risk of death due to heart attack. Meanwhile, no such effects for dog owners were noticed. 

Low Maintenance 

Cats are low-maintenance pets. They groom themselves, use a litter box, and don’t really require regular walks like a dog. In simple words, they are very independent.

Entertainment

Cats are energetic and playful pets. They are curious and love to jump around the house. Similar to a child, cats consider any interesting object a toy, and they would play with it in their own way. Seeing them playing is definitely a source of entertainment for cat parents.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Getting a Cat

Do I Have Time for a Cat?

Cats usually don’t demand much of your time. Being curious, they prefer to explore things on their own. However, when you return home from your job, your cats might want you to pet them, play with them, and feed them. Cleaning their litter box, feeding them on time, getting them vaccinated, taking them for regular check-ups at the vet, and letting them play outdoors under supervision for a little while are all they need. 

You also need to get your cat dewormed every three months and vaccinated once, on top of a booster dose every year. Also, getting your cat spayed/neutered may not be a necessity, but it does help the cat live a healthier and longer life. 

Can I Afford a Cat?

If cost is a worry, then there’s good news: you can always adopt a cat for free from nearby animal shelters – although you still may need to spend some time and money getting them their shots and whatnot. You’d also need to arrange a few compulsory items for your cat, which include a litter tray, a cat bed, food, and treats. 

Do I Have a Cat-Friendly Environment at Home?

If your family is not really fond of cats or is allergic to them, it might not be wise to adopt a cat in these situations. Also, if you have a small child at home who might not settle well with the cat, your cat may get bothered and try to harm him out of frustration.

In case you’re living in a rented apartment, you would need to ask the owner if he can allow pets. Overall, having a cat-friendly environment is very important before you adopt a cat. 

Which Cat Breed Should I Get?

It depends on which breed suits you best. For example, if you live in cold weather, adopting a Persian or a British Longhair would be better. Yet, if you are allergic to cat fur, Sphynx cats would be a good choice. For more information about cats that better suit households with allergies, check out our article about hypoallergenic cat breeds.

There are over a hundred cat breeds in the world, so you have a big variety to choose your little friend from. 

Conclusion

If you are a cat lover, you should definitely consider getting one. Cats are easy to train and are loving animals who do not demand much maintenance. They don’t require you to put in a lot of effort to deal with them, in fact, cats love to take care of themselves, roam around and play to make your day happier.

Something to consider, however, is that cat parents often suffer from allergy issues which are caused by the cat’s saliva. Luckily, Pacagen’s Cat Allergen Neutralizing Spray is specially formulated to target and neutralize common allergens. Don’t let allergies stop you from cuddling with your little furballs – Pacagen’s got your back!