Rabbit or Kitten?

[Kinny]

Lol nah.. The cost is far too high for both.

 

[strudel]

Food actually works out not that much more, because big tins are cheaper overall than small.... $100 a year for his needles, $100 to get his knackers off. It's only vet bills that are the great unknown.

EDIT, good thing you've decided on the cat if cost is an issue. The rabbit op cost a fortune compared to a cat's.

 

[Kinny]

Oh no its not the food, its the adoption fees. One fee is $200 and the other is $180. Not keen to spend more than $200 on the cat alone.

 

[strudel]

Offer to take 2 for the price of 1. Yes, that's a fair whack of dough, I wasn't thinking about that. Is their castration and injections included in the fee?

 

[riddick07]

Tab, ferrets are cute and sweet but they are major predators and will try to go after anything that moves. They make AWESOME pets. I would recommend them as pets to anyone but they are like any animal you have to make sure they fit into your home and lifestyle. I would get another ferret in a heartbeat if I didn't have birds. I used to have a ferret that no one else would touch at the rescue because she was so mean and aggressive but I could pick her up the day I met her and stuck my hand in the cage before the owner of the rescue could stop me. She loved me and would follow me around and sleep with me in my bed at night. She also killed two hamsters and tried to kill a sugar glider (luckily I woke up before she caught it). I learned that small animals and ferrets did not go well together. They would also pick on the cats when they dared to go near the ferret room or our dog a rottie/doberman mix... I swear they had meetings about how best to pick on that dog lol

Also, I vote for the 2 for the price of 1 offer

 

[Kinny]

Yep. Desexing, microchipping and vaccinations are included.

Haha, doubt my husband would allow 2, its enough work getting him to say yes to one! But it IS a good idea ^^

 

[strudel]

Haha, doubt my husband would allow 2, its enough work getting him to say yes to one!

I know, Plan B. Adopt Dmitri and offer to FOSTER Bruce, and then when your husband falls in love with him, you can adopt him officially......

 

[Kinny]

LOL good plan! One problem: not getting him anymore... hubby says there's too many downsides like what if we had an eclectus pet and a $200 cat kills the $1000 bird. Its almost pointless trying to convince him now. I wish hed just said "No." at the beginning.

He said he loves cats but i chose birds, and we cant have the 2. *sigh*

He mentioned the hunter instinct, which i said my part about teaching the kitten, he said its be ok if the kitten was a few weeks old, but its 3 months old so yep. He says the risk of it being a killer cat is too high *sighs again, upset* WHY didn't he just say NO at the start! I'm more upset now after spending an hour meeting the kitten and it loving our daughter and us and..perfect for us.. :'( just to have to say Sorry, not interested anymore.

 

[strudel]

He says the risk of it being a killer cat is too high

Oh, no! I'm disappointed too. I had Dmitri and Bruce all moved in and happy with you. As I said before, they won't be a hunter if they haven't been taught. You can test them out a little bit, chuck in a toy and see what happens. (I have fish, cats, birds, dogs, bunnies and chickens and they can co-exist)

Anyway, I'm so sorry.

 

[Kinny]

Mmm yeah.. I tried telling him that.. He said he really likes and wants the kitten too, but if it killed our birds it's be cruel taking him away from our daughter.. But again its just an if.. And it makes me cry knowing that if we don't get him, a possible perfect family member will be put down... All because he MIGHT have had a hunter instinct. This has happened before and I've regretted it my entire life. I bonded with a kitten when i was a teen, friends bred it, and it cried every night after i met it, it wanted ME and only ME. I knew he was the cat for me, and he was FREE from good bloodlines. I was led on by my parents in that oh well think about it, but in the meantime you can go see him and then "No you're not having him."

I just hate the feeling of being 'taken for a ride'. Ii know he would be good he seemed to respond really well to harsh tones. He looked at my 6 month olds feet and got that 'must.. eat!' look, so i said in a suspicious stern voice "Noo... They're not for you!" and he turned away after looking up at me and trotted off to play with my daughter.. I have that ability to sense things about animals.. So hard when you're partner doesn't. I'm still trying to convince him, but in the back of my mind in thinking there's no point..

 

[imbadatmakingusernames]

I would choose kitten!!! (but ragdolls/raggamuffins would be my #1 choice cat because they're so docile to everyone).

 

[Kinny]

Hes sort of given me a last chance, saying Id really have to work hard to convince him (i think he deep down wants to bring that kitten home).

So any ideas? Any examples? Anyone here who has studied and knows cat behaviour etc? Kitten is 3 months old and hasn't really had a mummy cat since he was a couple of weeks old.

Any help MAY just convince my husband and save that kitty from being euthanized! Yes, thus is my plea for help! I will not let go of this kitty so easily! *stubbornness kicks in*

 

[strudel]

So any ideas? Any examples?

When I adopted my second-last dog, he had been collected as a vagrant so had no history. I took one of the cats down there for a "cat test". You just go into a room with one of the assistants, dog on lead, see what he does.

With a cat, you could start with just a toy. Get a pretend mouse or something and chuck it about. A hunter will focus on it, grab it, kick it in the guts, bite it maul it, "KILL IT". Somebody who is not interested in chasing and killing will not bother. Might go after it and look at it to see what it is, but it won't start flinging it about and biting it and "killing it".

Also, the animal orphanages here have a sort of "trial period" where if it doesn't work out you can take it back. That might not be an option if your daughter gets attached, but if the alternative is not having the cat at all, maybe she could cope. You know her best.

If this kitten has murderous tendencies, you could look at adopting an adult cat with a known history. I would have no qualms at all recommending my Tiger to go anywhere with birds. He is just not interested, at all. (no, you can't have him, I'm just saying that when you know an animal you know what is or isn't an issue with them). I wouldn't trust any old animal, but a lot get put up for rehoming when their people die. Find one who has lived with an old lady and a budgie.

 

[Kinny]

That's a VERY good idea strudel thank you! However we won't be going back there unless we actually decide to buy him. :/

I feel like I already know him. And i know (well.. 98%) that he would be a good cat. He already proved that by listening to me today.

 

[strudel]

Unfortunately, that doesn't really tell you much about how well developed/trained his hunting instinct is. He can be good and listen to you, and still be interested in the birds. It wouldn't bother me because I'd work around it, but it is obviously an issue with your family.

EDIT: If you do get him on trial (or whatever) don't play "chasey" games with him, don't get those dangly toys or that sort of thing that'll encourage his chasing instincts.

 

[Kinny]

True. I meant moreso that if he was interested in the birds, its more likely that he's listen to me when i say no etc. Its a problem for my husband.. I really don't have a problem with it coz like you said, work around it.

Oh certainly not! A ball of yarn however, would that be fine? / Things he can just chew?

 

[strudel]

This story is quite interesting, because they got a cat who was interested in the birds.
Introducing Cats Into a House With Pet Birds

There's no doubt a risk, it's just a question as to how much of a one and how many precautions and what type. I'd never let Tiger alone with my galah, but when he's there and she's there, I know he'll not leap on her. (He's never leapt in his life, he rolls...) If you get a young cat without a high prey drive, and doesn't know how to hunt, I think it could work easily, but it's your family. How would you feel if you insisted on the cat, and something did happen? It could cause real conflict. You will need to be vigilant where you don't now, etc etc etc. I'm a cat nut, but your husband does have a point to make sure you consider everything before deciding.

 

[Kinny]

Oh wow. Very interesting story indeed! Made me laugh at the part where all the birds went off and the cat freaked out haha.

You are very right. I've been thinking about it for months, about all aspects. Our daughter is only young, but she loves the kitten.

...I wrote a little thing as my last attempt, but then sort of gave up. Hubby demanded to read it, so i reluctantly gave it to him and said i know he'll make the right decision, whatever it is. Left it all up to him. A while later he walks in and pretty much says yes... O.O We are getting the kitten!

 

[Sc0tt]

I got my almost 4mo kitten 3mo ago, and he's the first cat I've ever had (First year moved out on my own, my brother is allergic so could never have them before). He is so sweet and cuddly it's awesome. Extremely loyal as well (he's a bengal, but any cat can be). The only problem you will probably not even encounter with him being separated from his mom so young is a slightly more aggressive play behavior. I don't mean that like he's mean but won't know the boundaries he would have been taught previously by his mother. This can be easily curved especially becuase he is so young. I say get the kitty :]

 

[PetoftheDay]

So glad the kitten will get a good home!


I did want to counter the person who said bunnies can be boring, as Miss Hoppy was never ever boring. She was a house bunny, litterbox trained etc., so that may have had a lot to do with it, she only used her hutch as a bathroom, and sometimes a place to relax, but not very often!