Tell me about buying a pet

[MeshGearFox]

Furniture's for pussies anyway. Real men sit on the cold, hard floor and enjoy it.

(u c wat i did thar)

[Gen Eric Gui]

No Gen. The point is that people who are more considered with the value of inanimate objects than living creatures, should not have said living creatures in their house to begin with.

Or more simply put: Don't get a cat if you care that much about your furniture. Don't be a douchebag.

Alternately, you can get the front claws removed.  It's really not much different from spaying them.

Of course, we could go on for years and years and never agree on this point, so I think it's best to drop it.

[Tooker]

Alternately, you can get the front claws removed.  It's really not much different from spaying them.

I think you'd find the same strength of disagreement on the subject of declawing cats.  According to a few different sites I found with a 2-second Google search, the following is a list of countries where declawing cats is either illegal or not normally performed because it's considered "extremely inhumane."

England
Scotland
Wales
Italy
France
Germany
Bosnia    
Austria
Switzerland
Norway
Sweden
Netherlands
Northern Ireland    
Ireland
Denmark
Finland
Slovenia
Portugal
Belgium    
Brazil
Australia
New Zealand
Yugoslavia
Malta
Israel

[Serene Prophet]

However, keep in mind that while many arnt exactly keen on declawing, due to how its acceptable in the US (if thats where you are) it might have to be done.  For example, with my cat, originally I did not have to, but when I moved, I did, and it was either give him up (which meant either trying to find a home or giving him back to the shelter) or keep him but have the surgery.  I think in the long run my guy preferred staying with me to keeping his front claws..but *shrug*.

[Tomara]

Claws or not, pets are still going to make a mess. Unless you get a declawed naked cat or something.



Ew.

It could be worse, though:



Lets hope he doesn't have social anxieties that make it difficult for him to use a strange litterbox.

[Dincrest]

You never know what you'll find on craigslist.  And lol at the social anxiety comment.  But if we're moving into the realm of silly advice, I'd suggest that if you get a cat, or any pet for that matter, do not post a "name my pet" thread on RPGFan.  The last time that happened, I inadvertently helped a guy name his newly adopted female kitten Bob.  

[Tooker]

My cat's name is Frankenstein.  And yay for anyone who knows why that name totally makes sense. :)

[MeshGearFox]

Your cat is made of other cats?

[Dios GX]

Alternately, you can get the front claws removed.  It's really not much different from spaying them.

Then it'll have zero way to defend itself or climb certain walls. How would you like it if some big burley mother fucker came to your house, dragged you into a dark prison and cut your fingers off. I'm suspect you would not enjoy this, and maybe you'll think twice about saying something that fucking disgusting again.

[Hidoshi]

Err, while I am against the whole declawing thing, cats don't really fight with their front claws. It's their hind claws they need for that. Same for most climbing. It does depend on whether a cat is an indoors or outdoors type. If it's outdoors, leave the claws in altogether, because it's likely to end up dead if it can't climb properly.

I do agree in general, however. Declawing is damned inhumane.

[Tooker]

Your cat is made of other cats?

Muahahahaha!  Yes!

Nah, it's from a British show called Red Dwarf.  (The "Holly" the captain speaks of is the ship's computer.  And at the end of the clip when he says "choose," Lister chooses stasis.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QA7rruVQ5Fw

[Lard]

Unless you're looking for a purebred, get it from a shelter.
Shelters are hurting these days, from what I can tell.

[Dios GX]

Err, while I am against the whole declawing thing, cats don't really fight with their front claws. It's their hind claws they need for that. Same for most climbing. It does depend on whether a cat is an indoors or outdoors type. If it's outdoors, leave the claws in altogether, because it's likely to end up dead if it can't climb properly.

I do agree in general, however. Declawing is damned inhumane.

Not sure what cats you've seen fight before, but I only see cats using their hind legs when engaged with other cats. Their forepaws are what they use to combat against dogs, which some felines seem quite adept at going right for the eyes with disturbing precision. I speak, of course, about my fuzzy cat.

[MeshGearFox]

Graceycat usually latches on to bare flesh with her teeth, uses the front claws to hold/hook in (she's strong as hell for a 6/7 month old kitten) and then uses the back claws to rip and tear.

She's pretty amazing :3

(i find getting mauled cute so i usually just wear gloves and denim shirts and let her go to town)

[Gen Eric Gui]

If my cats had their front claws, my dogs would be dead, or at the very least severely wounded.  And I'd probably have scars all down my legs, and a good few on my face.

Then it'll have zero way to defend itself or climb certain walls. How would you like it if some big burley mother fucker came to your house, dragged you into a dark prison and cut your fingers off. I'm suspect you would not enjoy this, and maybe you'll think twice about saying something that fucking disgusting again.

1- My cats stay indoors all the time.  They do not need to defend themselves via anything other than shoving my dog into a wall, which they can do without front claws.  And has already been stated, and we knew well before deciding to declaw, they don't even use their front claws to fight.

2- What walls do they need to climb, exactly?  My cats get around to the highest places in my house without any problems at all.

3- And what, preytell, do you think happens when the cat is neutered?  Would YOU like some burly guy coming in and cutting off your junk?  Being for one and against the other is hypocritical, if you ask me.