.

That will be the felon pretty soon. And to answer his original question...

http://www.paw-rescue.org/cat_scratch.php

Hey if you make it indoor/outdoor cat it will eat the rabbits......

I keep scratch posts in several areas of my house. I put them where the cat is most likely to scratch - like near tempting furniture.

Cats need to keep their claws in good condition - that's why they normally scratch. I have had cats my whole life, and have discovered two tips:

1) Routinely trim the cat's claws. I have one of those cat scissors for this job. I sit down on the floor in the same place each time. The cat knows what's going to happen. I NEVER, EVER let them escape. After a while, they get a learned helplessness and figure that struggling is useless. Watch so you don't cut the nail where the blood supply is. Most of my cats have had me do this to them their whole lives. I can trim all their front nails in half a minute or less.

2) I buy the big jar of dry catnip. I give it to the cat straight - about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon at a time, sometimes daily. They eat it, then are happy for a while. If the cat is upset about nail trimming, I "premedicate" with the catnip. I ALWAYS give catnip immediately afterward. I place it on the carpet or cardboard of their scratch post. They eat it, then scratch their claws smooth.

Kids can be trained for the feeding and litter box. The nails and other finer details will realistically be the parent's domain, no matter how earnestly the kids assure you that they can handle it.

My boys (5 & 7) love, love their cats. They insist on taking pictures of the cats (not the parents, mind you!) with them on vacation. They are very good about feeding them. Hairballs, claw trims, and litter boxes fall to me. They consider the cats to be a furry brother/sister. They insist that in a fire they will leave the screen door propped open - that's the only way I can get them to agree to leave immediately and not go look for them when the smoke detectors go off. My old cat is 18 years old - getting hard of hearing and a little confused at times. It is teaching them life lessons about caring and respecting the elderly.

Most cats will get infected with Toxoplasma gondii and will be shedding oocysts (cause toxoplasmosis). Typically happens when they are kittens (6mo-year).

I would make sure to keep their litter area cleaned up regularly, wash hands after touching them, and keep the preggers away from the kittens.

Look at my Avatar...I don't have that because I like cat's, it echoes my demeanor.
Cat's suck.
Everything that goes in the front stinks, same with the back.
Little fucker's are vindictive, return nothing for your attention and would Kill you for some Tuna.

I'm a cat guy.. We have 3 at home and one at work. Why do I like cats?

1) I can leave for the weekend and the cats, nor us care.
2) They are properly litter box trained. None of my cats spray or piss anywhere but where they are supposed to
3) They are free to come and go as they please, inside outside. No walks, no leashes, no bombs in the yard.
4) They don't always need your attention.
5) They'll trip you, just like a dog will
6) They'll keep you warm at night, just like a dog will

Now, i love dogs too.. But I also recognize that we like to go on long vacations, be slightly spontaneous in our timings etc. Having a dog would cramp our current lifestyle. When we get older though, we will dog up.

Very well behaved little dude.......




He is the Man in the Box.

Alice in Chains.

I'm more a dog person, but we do have Hank, a secondhand purebred altered Turkish Angora who is (mostly) indoor-only (he's only allowed out when Norman and Lily are out with him, and he doesn't stray more than 20 feet from Norman at any given time).

As far as the scratching...go to wayfair.com and buy this: http://www.wayfair.com/New-Cat-Condos-C ... Q1014.html . Bought it when I bought new living room furniture and Hank has been absolutely, madly in love with it ever since it arrived. He used to scratch the carpeting on the stairs leading to the downstairs playroom, but no more, and he hasn't touched the new sofa and loveseat.

Hank and Norman:

Is that a Golden? Best dogs ever.

Maybe a Pyrenee's?

Yes. And birds and reptiles and amphibians and mammals and insects. "Domestic" cats are the number one predator in the world. Not to mention they'll run all around the neighborhood causing trouble and poop in the neighbor's flower beds. And if I shoot the summbitch I'm the one gets in trouble!
Gawd I hate outdoor cats.
If you get a cat the least you can do is keep it indoors, and safe from harm. No, we don't want your cats in our yards! And no we don't think they're cute!

It will be indoor