Pet Research Part 2- All about Cats

 According to the Kirkwood animal hospital, cats are closer to their "wild relatives" than dogs are. They have a stronger hunting instinct than dogs will have and it is important to understand this before you adopt a cat. They also mention that before you adopt a cat you should think of how you will raise them. Are they going to be an inside only cat, and outside only cat, or a combination of both. 

If your cat is not trained properly/ is used to being indoors then you risk the possibility of your cat being destructive to your household items. You run the risk with any animal "destroying" your house no matter how trained they are, but according to the Kirkwood animal hospital cats that are untrained just run a higher risk because of their natural instincts. 

Most cats are crepuscular animals, animals that are most active during dawn and dusk, but because of domestication a lot of cats are now changing their sleeping habits and are awake during the day.  

For the most part, cats are relatively laid back animals. So if you don't really have an active lifestyle and you want a companion then a cat is a good fit for you.  Some cats can be extremely playful so just be sure to play with them whenever you can and buy them some toys so that they have something to do especially when you are out working. 

Cats, like dogs, have an average lifespan of about 15-16 years. 

Kittens should start getting vaccinated when they are about 6-8 weeks old. Adult cats should get vaccinated too but just less often as kittens. Some of the shots that you should talk to your veterinarian about are the rabies shots, Panleukopenia (feline distemper) shot, feline calicivirus, and feline viral rhinotracheitis shot.   The feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia shot can often come in one combination shot, FVRCP. 

 

https://pets.webmd.com/cats/cat-vaccines#1  <- Where I got the picture from

https://www.kirkwoodvets.com/cats/cats-and-the-indoor-lifestyle/