Tell me about getting a dog and a cat.

[Reno]

Our cat has never brought dead things back .

When he still went out, Alfie only brought back mice. I think he is scared of birds.

Stanley, my cat before him was a killer though and he brought home one or two birds a week. Once my living room looked like a pillow had exploded, because he went Hannibal Lecter on a pigeon.

 

[Badgers]

Our cat has never brought dead things back .

Lazy twat

 

[marty21]

I think I'm quite lucky that my cat doesn't bring dead (or worse, dying) things inside, doesn't puke and doesn't use a litter tray. She also doesn't scratch the furniture and has rejected all cat beds and scratching posts we've ever tried so now we just don't have any cat stuff in the house except her bowls.

Our cat does puke, uses a litter tray, scratches furniture, and sleeps in several cat beds that mrs21 has acquired over the years, and plays with multiple cat toys . She doesn't use the cat flap , just looks through it until we open the fucking door

 

[purenarcotic]

If you have never had either, getting both at once seems a bit much, especially as you would have to introduce them etc.

Cats are much lower maintenance than dogs, but much less trainable and very much their own character. My cat is a soft, pliable, ridiculously patient thing with no killer instinct at all. She brought a rat in once and the wife was so horrified she never did it again. The pro is you can go out all day and not worry about it. With a dog it’s not just about holidays; some dogs can’t manage being left alone all day.

 

[purenarcotic]

I should add for balance that she also scratches the sofa, always pukes indoors on the carpet (why never on the wipe clean kitchen / bathroom lino ) and sometimes pisses on the kitchen floor next to her litter tray. Her shit also stinks and she refuses to shit outside.

 

[LDC]

Having had dogs, and now a cat, the idea that someone had not had either and yet was now thinking of getting both at the same time is a bit bonkers to me tbh, and makes me think they shouldn't be probably shouldn't be allowed either.

Dogs are HUGE amounts of work, unless you've had one you won't quite realise how much.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Cats are pets, dogs are basically another child.

Cats are better, obviously.

 

[trashpony]

You might get a kitten now but you won’t get a puppy unless you get one from a puppy farm for 2 grand and don’t do that.

I’d start with a cat anyway. As everyone has said, dogs are hard work and expensive. Also, if you’re going to be doing the lion’s share of the care, be sure that you really want a dog. Do you get one just because you’re being pressured by your wife and daughter

 

[Saul Goodman]

Having had dogs, and now a cat, the idea that someone had not had either and yet was now thinking of getting both at the same time is a bit bonkers to me tbh, and makes me think they shouldn't be probably shouldn't be allowed either.

Dogs are HUGE amounts of work, unless you've had one you won't quite realise how much.

Dogs are only hard work if you're lazy.

 

[Epona]

I would love to have a dog but am saving that for when I retire and am drawing a pension - I am at home a lot right now, but if I was offered work would not be at home so much. So although my current at-homeness would suit having a dog, it is hopefully only temporary and getting one would be daft.

Cats are ok to be left on their own for a bit (even really human-oriented ones like mine) - they sleep 16+ hours a day anyway and will not mind too much if you are out of the house every day - they will just organise their sleep schedule around suitable times to beg you for food and cuddles

 

[moomoo]

You might get a kitten now but you won’t get a puppy unless you get one from a puppy farm for 2 grand and don’t do that.

You can get a Romanian rescue puppy for nowhere near 2 grand.

 

[moomoo]

Dogs are way better than cats so sack off the cat idea and just get a dog.

 

[trashpony]

You can get a Romanian rescue puppy for nowhere near 2 grand.

Now?

 

[moomoo]

If you (or anyone reading this thread) decides to get a dog from a rescue organisation may I humbly recommend Spaniel Aid UK.

I am, of course, entirely biased as I'm a volunteer with SAUK.

Brilliant. I’m trying to talk myself out of getting another dog and that site isn’t going to help!!

 

[moomoo]

Now?

Yes. There’s a charity that rescues them. I think £250 is the minimum donation.

 

[Epona]

Yes. There’s a charity that rescues them. I think £250 is the minimum donation.

Is there a shortage of unwanted dogs?

 

[Saul Goodman]

I would love to have a dog but am saving that for when I retire and am drawing a pension - I am at home a lot right now, but if I was offered work would not be at home so much. So although my current at-homeness would suit having a dog, it is hopefully only temporary and getting one would be daft.

Cats are ok to be left on their own for a bit (even really human-oriented ones like mine) - they sleep 16+ hours a day anyway and will not mind too much if you are out of the house every day - they will just organise their sleep schedule around suitable times to beg you for food and cuddles

This should be the deciding factor. Do you have enough time to give to the dog. Dogs shouldn't be left alone for long periods, they don't like it.

 

[moomoo]

This should be the deciding factor. Do you have enough time to give to the dog. Dogs shouldn't be left alone for long periods, they don't like it.

This is very true. My dog can’t be left for long at all because he has massive separation anxiety but 3 of us live here and it’s very rare that we are all out at the same time.

 

[trashpony]

Yes. There’s a charity that rescues them. I think £250 is the minimum donation.

I mean now with COVID restrictions, given that anyone entering the country from Romania needs to isolate for 14 days, even once lockdown ends

 

[LDC]

Dogs are only hard work if you're lazy.

I said huge amounts of work, not hard work. But it's easy if you've not had a dog before to have no idea how much work they are. Yes, it might be enjoyable and you might love it, but plenty of people get a dog without realising how much work it is and then sometimes the dog ends up being taken to a home (at best). The idea of someone having not had a dog or cat wanting to get both at he same strikes me as a very foolish plan.

 

[moomoo]

I mean now with COVID restrictions, given that anyone entering the country from Romania needs to isolate for 14 days, even once lockdown ends

Erm, I’m not sure. The dogs are still coming over and going to foster homes so I don’t know how that works.

 

[seeformiles]

All I’d add to what’s been said (& at the risk of teaching you to suck eggs..) is that dogs (esp.,pedigrees) are generally more expensive than cats to feed and maintain, are more dependent upon you, demand more of your time and energy and hence are a much bigger commitment. Cats are generally more independent, more stoic when feeling under the weather, more risk averse, live longer and don’t require you to supervise their bowel movements twice a day. Mongrels are generally healthier than pedigrees and adopting both from rescue centres will ensure they’ve gone through proper inoculations and health checks. Rescue centres will, in most cases, vet (no pun intended..) your home to make sure it’s suitable before letting you adopt and will usually ask for a donation towards the veterinary care received.
Friends who have had one of each have usually done so while both were puppies/kittens and some wonderful interspecies friendships have resulted.
The bottom line is that regardless of what you go for, it will require compromising your lifestyle to some degree and a commitment of about 15 years. Well worth it (given what you’ll get from the deal) so good luck whatever you decide

 

[a_chap]

If you (or anyone reading this thread) decides to get a dog from a rescue organisation may I humbly recommend Spaniel Aid UK.

I am, of course, entirely biased as I'm a volunteer with SAUK.

Brilliant. I’m trying to talk myself out of getting another dog and that site isn’t going to help!!

I make a point of never looking at the web site pages listing dogs awaiting adoption. Far, far, far too tempting.

It's bad enough when I'm transporting a rescue dog - sometimes you instantly fall for them. If I had the time/money/space I swear I'd end up with a house full of spaniels!

 

[Thora]

Is there a shortage of unwanted dogs?

There’s a shortage of unwanted puppies in this country, and most UK rescues won’t rehome to families with children or who work whereas the ones who import puppies will.

 

[scifisam]

I think I'm quite lucky that my cat doesn't bring dead (or worse, dying) things inside, doesn't puke and doesn't use a litter tray. She also doesn't scratch the furniture and has rejected all cat beds and scratching posts we've ever tried so now we just don't have any cat stuff in the house except her bowls.

Ours is the same except for very occasionally bringing in dead mice. Not hard work at all. It's easy to get catsitters too, and I don't like leaving the flat empty anyway.

Another recommendation for Celia Hammond here. They are homing cats, though I don't think they have many kittens at the moment if that's what you want. They're doing home assessments by zoom.

 

[moomoo]

I make a point of never looking at the web site pages listing dogs awaiting adoption. Far, far, far too tempting.

It's bad enough when I'm transporting a rescue dog - sometimes you instantly fall for them. If I had the time/money/space I swear I'd end up with a house full of spaniels!

Likewise!! My spaniel is the most stupid and needy dog on the planet but we love him so much!! I couldn’t do what you do. I’d be diverting to my house all the time.

 

[Epona]

There’s a shortage of unwanted puppies in this country, and most UK rescues won’t rehome to families with children or who work whereas the ones who import puppies will.

Fair enough - it is why I got cats from ethical breeders, I did try but rescue centres won't rehome to flats without outdoor access (and that won't suit a lot of rehomed older cats who are used to outdoor access), ethical breeders prefer their kittens or retirees to go to indoor only homes.

 

[moomoo]

A friend of mine has posted that she’s got a new puppy from a breeder. It’s a cockapoo so I’m thinking perhaps someone has allergies. My dog is a pure breed. His dad is KC registered. Or it might be his mum. I can’t remember. I got him from a friend, not a puppy farm. But next time I’d definitely get a rescue. Hopefully it would have a bit more intelligence. As much as we love our Max, he’s not the brightest thing on the planet.

 

[a_chap]

... most UK rescues won’t rehome to families with children or who work ...

I'd be interested in where you got that information from.

I do home-check visits to potential adopters and having children or being employed definitely does not automatically bar someone from adopting a dog.

 

[Wolveryeti]

I have a dog from a puppy and child and have never owned a cat so my advice is only about dogs.

Do not get a dog that is from a working line as a family pet if you work. If getting a puppy make sure you go round to the breeder's house, see the mum and satisfy yourself that you are not buying from a puppy farm. Puppies need to be socialised to have a bigger chance of growing into a nice dog, which will be harder during lockdown. I agree with those who say a dog is like getting another child - they are social animals and get terrible separation anxiety. But if you have a child it's probably not that much more disruption on top of what you are putting up with already.

As people say, they are also expensive and if they get crocked doubly so. We go through about £50/month just on food. The berk ate a corn cob recently and I had to spend £150 just to have an out of hours vet look at him and give an opinion.

They are great fun though - love my waggly berk.