So the gf (who is very quickly becoming my roomate if you know what I mean) is finally bringing over her cat.

Uh, I'm cool with this, but I've never had a cat. I don't even like cats, but this one is OK, i guess.

Anywayz, advice? Anything, really......

Move out. Unless by "cat" you meant "tiger".

My condolences.

this is not softening the blow here, kids.

i guess that one cat isn't too bad, but you've got to put the hammer down if she ever wants another. my ex-girlfriend and roommate (totally different girls) both have two cats and they're both psychotic (the girls). the problem is in the maintenance. cats smell horrendous and don't get any better on their own. i don't even invite my friends over because i'm kinda embarrassed at how much of a mess this place is.

i could probably cross-post a huge rant in the "idiot roommate" thread.

The good thing about cats is you can really get a fight going with them.

If you get a vicious fight going with a dog it's going to bite your arm off but a cat can't really do much except scratch you - so no fear of serious injury.

I grew up as a dog person, always wondering why anybody would bother with a cat. But I've had three now, and it turns out they're pretty cool little beings.

Thing is, it depends on how the owners treat them. If they're treated like precious, aloof little princesses then that's what you get. All of mine have been simultaneously independent and a whole lotta fun.

One word of advice: if you want to make friends with a cat, ignore it. Human expressions of friendship (ie: smiles, eye contact, touching) are examples of aggression to cats. That's why they always head straight for the dude with the cat allergy in any room - cuz that's the guy that's trying to ignore 'em.

<---- knows more about cats than is healthy.

Plus, if she goes out of town you are stuck with the damn cat. At least you can fuck a medium to large sized dog.

Yeah, I'm looking forward to a couple of left crosses and at least an open handed slap or three a day when no one is looking.

this must be why the cat that i don't torment likes me when i don't even acknowledge it.

Agree with all of this.

I've always been a cat person vs a dog person, though I've always had both most of my life. Last few adult years I've been cat only.

We have two who have awesome personalities(one likes showers and baths and doesn't mind sitting on the edge of the tub so he can dip his tail in. He's also the one that gets into the most trouble, figured out he can flush the toilet, stands up and closes our doors, climbs into cabinets and likes to run into the hall of our bldg and run up and down it.) and they're both very affectionate-when they want it. Two mornings ago I woke to a toe with dried blood on it and puncture holes in it, the 10 month old thought it cool apparently to stab me in my sleep.

I love cats. Just make sure you maintain their litter box and feed them daily and you're set.

Ha, I knew that you and the Cap'n (a known cat freak) would be two definites to weigh in on this one.

Where do you suggest that I put the litter box?

The bathroom's usually the best place for the litter box.

And Rad's advice was rock solid.

we have 2 cats and they are great - Cisco is 20lbs or so and is a big baby - Carolina is a smaller female and is a bit more aloof and crazy.

Bathroom preferably, or some out of the way room or hall. We have two front hall closets and we keep it in the bigger of the two closets. We're pretty good about cleaning it, but man a couple times recently we were lax and one of the cats though he would teach us a lesson by shitting right in front of the box instead. ha. Lesson learned.

Not true. My wife and I have two cats and our house does not have "the cat smell." Why? Not sure, but I have my suspicions that it's because we don't allow them outside, therefore they don't find disgusting things to eat or roll in, resulting in decent odors.

As for dealing with cats, treat them with respect. They're very intelligent animals and have very defined personalities. Cats, like dogs, behave toward you the way you behave toward them. Love them and pet them, and they'll do their equivalent right back at you. If you smack, shove, and hit them, they're going to take claws to you and everything you own. Cats respond very well to threats of sprayed water and loud noises, so we have a couple of water bottles around and a can with gravel in the bottom. If the can doesn't send them running when they get into something, a spritz with the water generally will.

This comes from experience - until just over 6 years ago, I was anything but a "cat person," in fact, I basically hated them. Then we found a cat from the apartment building we lived in sitting on our doorstep, let it in to give it some food, and I realized I really enjoyed it. When we let it back out, I took Alissa down to the humane society and we picked out a cat. Got a second later that year. Now I love these two cats so much I can't imagine ever getting a dog, surprisingly.

I'm going to have to quote the movie Homeward Bound here and say:





I've had four cats in total. We had twins from two months before my birth up until early this year when they finally passed away. The other two we've had for a couple of years. You don't have to walk them. You don't have to bathe them. They're small. They don't make a mess when they eat. They'll be quiet and sit by themselves. They don't yell at strangers or jump at people. And they're generally harmless.

There's exceptions but they're probably the least work of any animal outside of a cage.

hmm, well, our place has a definite cat smell in the living room. and my roommate doesn't believe that cats belong outside, so they never go there. oh well. i only have to deal with them for a few more months.

You've got a dog, don't you, Chris? If so their initial meeting should be interesting.

Also, as far as the litter box, don't be surprised if your dog helps you "clean" it. Some dogs have a thing for cat poop. My dog likes the day old crunchy variety.

Steve

haha. I was going to say this.

Cat farts are heinous.

cats are awesome.

great companions. very smart.
and definitely have their own personalities.

i have 2 cats. jazz and marley. and i absolutely adore them.
(i was never much of a pet person, let alone a cat person, until i got jazz.) a couple of hours with her .... and i fell in love.

now i'm a sucker for kitty cats.

my only advice....just make sure you keep the litter box clean. they can retaliate if they're not happy with the condition of their box. and it's not pretty.

I used to have one that would plant his ass right at my face & wait for me to wake up. Seriously.

Yeah, but my dog lives outside for the most part. As for the meeting, it was no biggie, my dog (Herschel) is pretty passive and generally gets along with everybody. I had a roomate at one point who had a cat that would literally just chill on Herschel's back. And yes, we did dream of the cat riding around on the dog's back.

Anyway, so far so good, the litter box is in the laundry room (tile floor) and the cat seems to be enjoying itself. I am following Radcliffe's advice and ignoring the bastard. Apparently its working---the little bastard slept at my feet last night.....