Hey guys! I was just wondering... Oddly I saw a Siamese Cat... and then it was affordable! I mean if I could get one then I will... because I am so sick and tired with one of our dogs.

Now cats are usually all over the place, and like dogs different breeds mean different traits right?

Another factor I like are that cats are clean. The question is though (I have seen it though but I want confirmation) if cats can be trained to use the toilet as their litter?

Basically I am a dog lover, but if a cat can be loyal, obedient, trainable and would not exactly need a leash I would gladly get one. I like the Siamese Cat because of its colors, and it has short fur. I cannot have the house filled with fur.

Guys? I need help... because I know jack about cats [img]smile.gif[/img]

Cats are evil. [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

That was encouraging. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Cats ARE evil: they're not friendly like dogs, they are arrogant creatures, who expect you to make time for them whenever - even their expression looks arrogant [img]tongue.gif[/img]

However, yes I've seen/heard that cats can be trained to crap etc where you want them to, and even to scratch a post, not the leather 3-piece suite.

My cats are quite friendly, and playful, in fact the younger one loves to play fetch.

I love cats, much nicer than dogs, heheh. Although saying that I have 4 cats and 5 dogs so. But I do find that cats are cleaner and much more independant, all you need to do is feed them and thats it. But I love to play and pet my cats, I have 2 siamese aswell which I love.

They can be trained yes, so dont worry. Be careful though, while Siamese are nice looking and things, they can be nasty if you get a 'bad' one.

Here are my two:

http://img103.exs.cx/img103/956/tandt3ar.png


--Kestrel--

Cats can be trained, but it takes a lot of time and patience. They are NOT like dogs and can't be trained/treated as such.

I'd suggest you ask a veterinarian or look up some Cat fancier sites online that might have tips on caring for and training cats. Here is one place to start. It's a bit 'busy' as websites go, but it has a lot of info packed into the various links.

I'd suggest you read up on cats and their behaviour and care needs BEFORE you run out buy one, though. You may find you don't really want one or you may find that, although different than dogs, you really like the idea of having a cat for a pet. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I do strongly recommend doing some research before acquiring any pet. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Sorry Kestrel, but I have to say you don't just 'feed them and that's it!' as I'm sure you know, having 4! Cats need attention, playing, ocasional grooming and routine medical checkups at the vet, just like dogs do. No, they aren't as needy in the attention zone as dogs tend to be, but they still need some! Maybe your point was that they just aren't quite as needy and time consuming to own as dogs? [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 02-01-2005, 10:58 AM: Message edited by: Cloudbringer ]

siamese can most definatly be mean. my parents have a half siamese who does not like children at all. he hisses and bites, and is all round wild most of the time cept when he wants something. he also doesn't care who does what to discourage him from getting ont he counters, he still does it.

Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I just mean that yeah, they arent as needy as dogs are. They arent as time consuming as you dont really need to walk them or give them exercise. Siamese cats dont really need that much grooming as they only have short fur and so pretty much take care of themselves. They do require alot of affection and attention so that they grow fonder of you.

Im sorry if it came across as how you though, I was just making an under-exaggerated comparison to the amount of time and energy you have to put into the caring of dogs.

--Kestrel--

I figured that's what you meant, Kestrel! I just didn't want Bahamut or others who don't know about cats to get the wrong idea. :D

But you're right- they don't need quite as much work as dogs! [img]smile.gif[/img]

I love cats dearly and have got to know so many already in my young life. Some from childhood I just won't be able to forget. Beutiful creatures, really. The whole 'evil' conspiracy comes from people not liking when they're not as important as the said cat. :D

They're much more independant creatures than dogs, also more naturally solitary too since they are predators which isn't a fact I'm terribly squeamish about. I love to see my cat Mithrilana playing with a mouse or eating a bird. It shows that she's not just a fluffy wuffy cutesy wootsy kittie wittie, but an independant spirit with her own personal characeteristic signatures.

They will give you alot of space as if they're not there in one moment and then the next, a smooch on your leg, a pounce on your foot, a gentle meow or the sound of sharpening of claws on your couch reminds you that they are there with you.

I recently retired an old coffee mug which has some nice maxims for cat lovers and those new to their charms alike:

All I Need To Know About Life I Learned From My Cat:

[img]graemlins/kitty1.gif[/img]
Curiousity never killed anything except maybe a few hours
[img]graemlins/kitty2.gif[/img]
Life is hard, then you nap.
When in doubt, cop an attitude.
[img]graemlins/kitty3.gif[/img]
Variety is the spice of life: one day ignore people, the next day annoy them.
Climb your way to the top - that's why the drapes are there!
[img]graemlins/kitty4.gif[/img]
Never sleep alone when you can sleep on someone's face. (Unusual, but some will do it!)
Find your place in the sun, especially if it happens to be on that nice pile of warm, clean laundry.
[img]graemlins/kitty5.gif[/img]
Make your mark on the world - or at least spray in each corner.
When eating out, think nothing of sending back your meal twenty or thirty times. (My cats eat everything I give them...but some do get fussy.)
[img]graemlins/kitty6.gif[/img]
Always give generously - a small bird or rodent left on the bed tells them I care.

These are just some of the reasons among many why I'll always bow to the meow! [img]graemlins/choc.gif[/img] Here's looking at you, Choc!

Cheers,
Cerebrodragon

[ 02-01-2005, 12:13 PM: Message edited by: CerebroDragon ]

You are SO going to get your butt kicked by Choc when he sees this [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

A cat is a good choice for a pet really, esp if you do not have the same amount of time available that you would need to devote to a dog (a dog larger than your lap anyway lol).
Siamese mke wonderful pets and can be toilet/litter box trained as well as leash trained, provided the cat is not totally mental lol.
Siamese can be very temperamental and emotionally needy (OR NOT!) animals. Interbreeding and cross-breeding tend to cause physical deformities and varying levels of brain damage ranging from a sloth-like domicile creature to one that will tear your face off for looking at it wrong (from across the room!). But for the most part, if you know the history of the breeder you are buying from and the history of your new kitty's lines, chances are you'll not be disappointed with a Siamese as a pet.
They are very loyal to their owners and have been known to give warning to their owners to existing (and coming) heart related health issues. So if you have heart problems (high blood pressure and beyond) pay attention to your more loyal Siamese for signs of uncalled for stress and clinginess, it could mean the difference between life and death.
Here is naother link you can check out to find the breed that is best for you.
http://animal.discovery.com/guides/c...r/selector.jsp
My advice though: Mixed (common) breeds are going to provide you with less veterinary costs in the long run and also live longer than pure breeeds.
Nothing agtainst pure bred animals, they are just more likely to suffer with health issues specific to their breed.

Do be positive that you are prepared to stay with the animal you choose for the long haul. There is nothing worse IMO than the idea that pets are disposable.
Good Luck with your decision and do let us all know when you get the new addition to your family. We want pictures!

Kestrel Daystar,
What beautiful furry friends you have!

Cats are NOT evil either, they are just VERY EASILY influenced by it LOL.

My dad's cat drink beer. Does that change your opinion about cats? [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 02-01-2005, 03:35 PM: Message edited by: Stratos ]

I really wish everyone would stop all this 'cats are good, dogs are bad', 'no, dogs are good, cats are bad'! And then listing all these stereotypical attributes of each species. It's getting old.

Anyway, do you mean use the people toilet as their litter tray, Bahamut? If so, the answer is yes! LOL I saw it done on a TV show a while back, it was the cutest thing. What you do is teach them to go in a tray as normal, the cat would probably already know this when you get it. Then you put the tray near the toilet so they know they are to go in that vicinity. Then you put the tray on the toilet seat (secured so it doesn't fall off) and encourage the cat to jump up to use it. Then you fashion the tray so it is inside the bowl with the seat down (you probably need to use a different sort of tray, like a plastic dish; doesn't matter as long as the litter is the same), so the cat goes into the litter but while sitting on the toilet seat. Then you remove the tray and the cat goes into the toilet from the seat! It's the cutest thing, then the cat tries to 'cover up' their business by 'digging' from the toilet seat :D . And of course, you need to be around to give praise and treats (if they want them) when they do each step correctly. Voila! :D May be more trouble than it's worth, considering you then have to make sure the toilet is always open and the seat is always down, and disinfect the toilet seat every time they go. Litter looks pretty good, huh? ;) Litter is pretty clean really, get the clumping sort and make sure you replace it as soon as possible after they go because they don't like going in dirty trays, and have a number of different trays about the place.

Also, while short-haired cats do have less fur, you will still have fur all over the house, because they shed just as much. If you brush them daily this helps, especially in summer when they tend to shed a lot more.

Specific cat breeds do have specific traits, just like dogs as well. For example, Russian Blues are known for being quite timid, which is so true with my baby. Siamese are lovely companionable cats, are quite vocal.

My dad's cat drink beer. Does that change your opinion about cats? [img]smile.gif[/img] </font>[/QUOTE]Evil doesn't exclude common sense. :D You should have seen my dog drink beer. It was like "whatever the master does, i can do better".

I think Siamese are the easiest the train, or the smartist. dunno.

Anyway, I trained Choc to Sit, Lay and come here as well as 'jump up'. the harder stuff is training him to open doors that are cracked. I wanted to train him to be able to dig his nails into the doors side and pull it open, and he kept wanting to nudge it or use his other paw. he has to use his right paw to open a shut door from the inside. ;) So that took time.

He was trained to pee and stuff before we adopted him..

Only because yer evil, not friendly and arrogant Vasky. HAHAHAHA!

I would have thought that you could have trained him to surf the forums looking for troublemakers while you were out as well LOL

Just to reinforce what Cloudy said, be sure to do your research before going out to get a pet. Vets, books, the 'net and also the employees at your local petshop can provide you with a wealth of knowledge on just about all aspects.

TDC, I think Choc trained Ziroc at that [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Thanks guys for your inputs!!! :D

I took the cat selector thingee, and fortunately the Siamese is part of that magic 25. So far I have thought of the Siberian, Siamese, and they say the best suited for me is the Tonkinese. I have no qualms but I have not found any Tonkinese here as of yet...

Now that I am gathering more knowledge on cats they interest me more. [img]smile.gif[/img] Now my real problem are house concerns. I do not want the cat to destroy the house. That is basically it. Jumping all over the place will probably happen, but I want it to be at the minimum... I do not know how these factors work.

Basically, what do you guys do right after acquiring a cat? :D

Erm...have a beer ?

Kittens climb things, Bahamut! They climb just about everything from the sofa to your leg, to the bed, basically anything they can get their little needlesharp claws into. It's natural for a cat to want to be 'up' in a room. They have a good vantage point for seeing things and feel safe there.

If you have kitty furniture around they may use that too. I was lucky with my current pair, they favor the kitty furniture and scratch at that almost exclusively, but my last set didn't and I had to replace some drapes.

[ 02-02-2005, 10:33 AM: Message edited by: Cloudbringer ]

Aren't you the charmer [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Cloudy, we have wooden couch and dining sets and everything's concrete. Not much to worry about except our draps downstairs and the other room filled with out clothes (yikes!). Sure jumping from place to place is fine, but what I am concerned about is how much damage will they be causing. :D

Invest the money in what's referred to as a "Cat Tree". You can find them at many pet stores, and they come in a variety of sizes and shapes and colors. Ever since getting one, my cats hang out there and beat on that instead of the furniture.
Also make sure to keep several scratching pads or posts around. Cat's claws grow, and the scratching is how they keep the claws smaller, without it, they would be in pain.
Take the time to have the vet show you how to properly trim the cat's nails or just pay them to do it, it will also cut WAY down on the amount of scratching your cat does, and make him/her a lot happier too.

If your cat/kitten does start scratching something they shouldn't. Don't yell, instead pick them up and take them to the scratching pad or cat tree and show them to scratch that. Cats are pretty quick learners, and they will figure out quickly that you want them to scratch these things and not others.
Praising them when they scratch the tree or pads helps reinforce this a lot too.

It depends on your kitten. Tuppence never did anything destructive - she didn't even climb the curtains. But some kittens will like to destroy things - though not on purpose I don't think, like dogs tend to. In the process of exploring and playing and exercising their claws they might do some damage. With your wooden furniture and no carpet you are off to a good start. Do get a scratching post and encourage that the kitten use it (but don't be surprised if they don't ;) ). If you have a room filled with clothes that you can't put away, while it's unlikely they would destroy them (more likely be very pleased you provided such a lovely bed for them lol), you can always just keep that room shut so they can't get in.

One really important thing to do when you first get your baby home is to show them where the litter trays are (you should have at least two, so if you can't clean it straight after they've gone, they can use the other one if they need to go in the meantime - otherwise it is very likely they will go elsewhere, which you DO NOT want. Cat piss is the worst smell ever, and dreadfully hard to remove). They should already by litter trained but it's important they know where they're supposed to go in the house.

Also a good idea if your cat is an indoor cat (which it should be!) to provide some grass for them to eat - you can buy special cat grass but it's really expensive. We grew wheat for Tuppence and that's fine. Just plant some seeds in a pot and leave in somewhere sunny and where your cat can reach so they can nibble it when they need to.

You should also expect your cat to vomit occasionally after a meal, usually to get rid of furballs. We take all sorts of precautions so Tuppence doesn't get a furball - brushing every day, using furball-control biscuits, but even still she needs to occasionally. So it's a good idea to feed your cat somewhere it isn't a disaster if they vomit and leave them shut in there for a while after a meal, just until you're sure the food is going to stay down.

Not all cats vomit after meals lol but Siamese do generally have sensitive digestive systems and may on ocassion, toss their cookies. The trick is to keep their dry food fresh and clean and don't feed them anything that makes them vomit every time they eat it (even cats can be allergic to some foods).

Furball control paste is also available from your local veterinarian or maybe even some pet chain stores. It looks like a tube of toothpaste with thick (usually tuna flavored) grease inside (squeeze some out, put it on your cat's teeth).

Not maintaining your cat's digestive tract health can kill it (fur balls clogging the system) but a vet administered enema can fix it if caught in time.

Give your cat furball preventive biscuits or paste as directed by the vet and if they do experience a clog severe enough to affect their health, you'll know by seeing your cat experience tubular shaped vomit after every meal.

Siamese is my favorite breed. Although my present lifestyle doesn't allow for keeping another live one (my "Shane" died of old age over a decade ago), I do keep some on my jammies:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...er/kitty02.jpg
and
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...er/kitty03.jpg

We have three and they did destroy two couches. Then we got a cat pole that stretched from floor to a twenty foot celing. We made little landings on the way up so they could play. Also they are 100% indoor cats so it gave them good exercise. My friend went a step further and made a carpeted runner through the whole house about 18" below the celing then he had little ramps for them. Cats will seek out the highest point to perch. They are very affectionate mine will sleep on my lap the whole time I am on the puter or watching tv. They rub aginst you and love you and they are very clean. I believe they spend 18-20 hours per day sleeping or grooming themselves.

One thing though, you may be able to get a great adult cat from the shelter. This way you can see thier personality and make sure it matches with you.

I have 3 cats and 1 of them is trained to beg :D

Thanks guys for more input [img]smile.gif[/img]

Furballs... yikes...

Nightwing: I want a kitty because I want to start its life with me all that sentimental stuff. ;)

Right now I am really concerned with the clothes and curtains actually not to mention the couch. That is pretty much it. I would probably get a Siamese because that is the only I see around that is my type. I can see that the Tonkinese is much more expensive than the Siamese.

AND, is there an instance where cats follow you anywhere you go without a leash? Or at least wouldn't stray that far?

My sister used to have a cat that would walk her (1/2 a block) to the bus stop every morning and then go home when she got on the bus. He'd also be there to meet her when she got home in the afternoon.
Shane (my Siamese) would walk with me unleashed around the neighborhood but only so far. He did not like busy streets without the security of his leash. He would stick with me but that is typical of Siamese - they attatch themselves to their owner with everything they have.
How well your cat is going to stay by your side really depends on the cat (how much it likes and trusts the outdoors).