Comments on: An Unexpected Expense: Cats! http://www.ncnblog.com/2007/08/07/an-unexpected-expense-cats/ Debt Reduction Rocks - We Are Living Debt Free! Sun, 21 Mar 2010 14:34:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Ursula http://www.ncnblog.com/2007/08/07/an-unexpected-expense-cats/comment-page-1/#comment-28940 Ursula Mon, 20 Aug 2007 03:36:14 +0000 http://www.ncnblog.com/2007/08/07/an-unexpected-expense-cats/#comment-28940 Outdoor cats are great for keeping away the critters, like mice and rats! I too had a feral/homeless cat give birth to 4 kittens in my backyard. That was 6 years ago. The mother still lives in my backyard, and one of her children lives in the house with me. The other 3 kittens were taken to a no-kill shelter. And I trapped and spayed the mother, so no more kitty maternity wards on my property! I'm glad you're keeping some of the cats. They really are terrific creatures, and who knows maybe you will learn to become a cat person! :) Good luck and God bless you for being kind to the poor animals. Outdoor cats are great for keeping away the critters, like mice and rats!

I too had a feral/homeless cat give birth to 4 kittens in my backyard. That was 6 years ago. The mother still lives in my backyard, and one of her children lives in the house with me. The other 3 kittens were taken to a no-kill shelter. And I trapped and spayed the mother, so no more kitty maternity wards on my property!

I’m glad you’re keeping some of the cats. They really are terrific creatures, and who knows maybe you will learn to become a cat person! :)

Good luck and God bless you for being kind to the poor animals.

]]> By: Steven http://www.ncnblog.com/2007/08/07/an-unexpected-expense-cats/comment-page-1/#comment-27806 Steven Mon, 13 Aug 2007 02:30:11 +0000 http://www.ncnblog.com/2007/08/07/an-unexpected-expense-cats/#comment-27806 I've grown up with cats all my life, and I can't imagine *not* having a couple of cats (we have 2 now). So they become just another part of the grocery expense. Tip: buy dry cat food (like others have said). My cats give me the "poor me" routine to try to get an occasional treat of wet cat food (works better on my wife than me!), but they do just fine on dry. Plus, they give companionship to the family members that is worth the expense! I’ve grown up with cats all my life, and I can’t imagine *not* having a couple of cats (we have 2 now). So they become just another part of the grocery expense. Tip: buy dry cat food (like others have said). My cats give me the “poor me” routine to try to get an occasional treat of wet cat food (works better on my wife than me!), but they do just fine on dry.

Plus, they give companionship to the family members that is worth the expense!

]]> By: jbj http://www.ncnblog.com/2007/08/07/an-unexpected-expense-cats/comment-page-1/#comment-27382 jbj Thu, 09 Aug 2007 21:07:50 +0000 http://www.ncnblog.com/2007/08/07/an-unexpected-expense-cats/#comment-27382 Sorry - I meant keep the ANTS out of the food Sorry – I meant keep the ANTS out of the food

]]> By: jbj http://www.ncnblog.com/2007/08/07/an-unexpected-expense-cats/comment-page-1/#comment-27380 jbj Thu, 09 Aug 2007 21:05:02 +0000 http://www.ncnblog.com/2007/08/07/an-unexpected-expense-cats/#comment-27380 I'm with the above comments - get the cat fixed and dry food is all you need (except some way of keeping abts out of the food). I’m with the above comments – get the cat fixed and dry food is all you need (except some way of keeping abts out of the food).

]]> By: Beth B. http://www.ncnblog.com/2007/08/07/an-unexpected-expense-cats/comment-page-1/#comment-27359 Beth B. Thu, 09 Aug 2007 15:58:19 +0000 http://www.ncnblog.com/2007/08/07/an-unexpected-expense-cats/#comment-27359 Is momma cat friendly? Or more of a ferral cat? Does she look pretty healthy, flea free, not mangy? If friendly and healthy, maybe she is a missing pet that could be returned? It wouldn't hurt to put a "found cat" listing in your local paper. It would be cheaper than cat food. Seconding the dry cat food thing, although that may just end up luring more cats to your house. Rabies shots are a must if your kids are going to be handling these animals. You may want to reconsider finding homes for all the kittens, if you are not willing to have the cats in the house. Ferral cats are a real nuisance. Is momma cat friendly? Or more of a ferral cat? Does she look pretty healthy, flea free, not mangy? If friendly and healthy, maybe she is a missing pet that could be returned? It wouldn’t hurt to put a “found cat” listing in your local paper. It would be cheaper than cat food.

Seconding the dry cat food thing, although that may just end up luring more cats to your house.

Rabies shots are a must if your kids are going to be handling these animals.

You may want to reconsider finding homes for all the kittens, if you are not willing to have the cats in the house. Ferral cats are a real nuisance.

]]> By: anon http://www.ncnblog.com/2007/08/07/an-unexpected-expense-cats/comment-page-1/#comment-27278 anon Thu, 09 Aug 2007 00:45:05 +0000 http://www.ncnblog.com/2007/08/07/an-unexpected-expense-cats/#comment-27278 you should know that if the kittens do not have enough people-contact growing up, then they WILL be feral and unadoptable. cats are less domesticated than dogs, and kittens that aren't socialized are permanently wild. and definitely, spay. Or you will have an exponentially growing family of cats... you should know that if the kittens do not have enough people-contact growing up, then they WILL be feral and unadoptable. cats are less domesticated than dogs, and kittens that aren’t socialized are permanently wild.

and definitely, spay. Or you will have an exponentially growing family of cats…

]]> By: Chief Family Officer http://www.ncnblog.com/2007/08/07/an-unexpected-expense-cats/comment-page-1/#comment-27238 Chief Family Officer Wed, 08 Aug 2007 19:10:26 +0000 http://www.ncnblog.com/2007/08/07/an-unexpected-expense-cats/#comment-27238 Awww! You're such a softie, although I’m totally with you about not being a cat person. I did want to echo the suggestion that you get the cats spayed. Maybe your local animal shelter will do it for free, or at least get you in touch with people who get feral cats spayed in their free time. (Sounds odd, I know, but I just had a long conversation about this with a cashier at Trader Joe’s.) Awww! You’re such a softie, although I’m totally with you about not being a cat person. I did want to echo the suggestion that you get the cats spayed. Maybe your local animal shelter will do it for free, or at least get you in touch with people who get feral cats spayed in their free time. (Sounds odd, I know, but I just had a long conversation about this with a cashier at Trader Joe’s.)

]]> By: Jon http://www.ncnblog.com/2007/08/07/an-unexpected-expense-cats/comment-page-1/#comment-27196 Jon Wed, 08 Aug 2007 14:25:38 +0000 http://www.ncnblog.com/2007/08/07/an-unexpected-expense-cats/#comment-27196 Just buy dry cat food. My parents even have a dog that eats dry cat food. They stopped buying dog food for it. Just buy dry cat food. My parents even have a dog that eats dry cat food. They stopped buying dog food for it.

]]> By: Jenn http://www.ncnblog.com/2007/08/07/an-unexpected-expense-cats/comment-page-1/#comment-27135 Jenn Wed, 08 Aug 2007 03:45:38 +0000 http://www.ncnblog.com/2007/08/07/an-unexpected-expense-cats/#comment-27135 If you're not even letting them inside the house and only putting out food, that doesn't really count as ownership. You could take the food away and they'd be just fine without you, most likely. If you don't like or want cats, don't even bother. It'll just get messier if you let your kids get too attached. And I'm speaking as a total cat person. Putting out wet food while the mother is nursing is a nice gesture though. If you’re not even letting them inside the house and only putting out food, that doesn’t really count as ownership. You could take the food away and they’d be just fine without you, most likely. If you don’t like or want cats, don’t even bother. It’ll just get messier if you let your kids get too attached. And I’m speaking as a total cat person.

Putting out wet food while the mother is nursing is a nice gesture though.

]]> By: Patrick http://www.ncnblog.com/2007/08/07/an-unexpected-expense-cats/comment-page-1/#comment-27123 Patrick Wed, 08 Aug 2007 01:28:36 +0000 http://www.ncnblog.com/2007/08/07/an-unexpected-expense-cats/#comment-27123 You are a better man than I. I'm also not much of a pet person, but I especially don't much care for cats. But the other advice on here seems pretty solid. You are a better man than I. I’m also not much of a pet person, but I especially don’t much care for cats.

But the other advice on here seems pretty solid.

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