(Not entirely certain which forum to post this in, so I apologize for any inconvenience to the moderators.)
Now, then.
My husband and I have been on the lookout for a new cat to adopt and we think we may have found the one. We have passed the screening process by the shelter and are now preparing to call the cat's foster mom to learn more about our potential new family member and possibly schedule a time to meet/pick her up. Before we call, we'd like to think up any questions we might have regarding the animal, to know whether she might be a good fit in our home.
One main thing is, we would like to know if she's the kind of kitty who might sleep with us or enjoy a nice catnap on our laps. Any thoughts on the best way to phrase wanting a scale of her cuddliness might be helpful.
In addition, we're currently living with my husband's parents and our new cat would be living solely in our bedroom. I will be home nearly all the time to play with it and it will also have plenty of alone-time toys to entertain itself. Furthermore, when the weather is nicer we could take it out for walks with a cat harness and leash, if the cat likes. Still, we certainly wouldn't want to put a cat that needs more space, in closer quarters than it could be comfortable and happy in. What would be the best questions to assess whether or not this cat could be happy in our small living space (other than, "Could this cat be happy in a small living space?"
)?
Beyond that, are there any other questions we haven't thought of, that we ought to ask?
Regardless of whether we adopt this particular cat or a different one, there are a few questions we would like input on.
First of all, we're looking for a good veteranarian in our area. We live in Scarborough, ON near Finch and McCowan. A vet clinic as close by as possible would be ideal, though we would obviously sacrifice the closest proximity for optimal quality.
Secondly, we have just begun researching and learning about the quality of pet foods and are strongly considering a holistic cat food. What are the best ones out there? And would you recommend a diet of dry food, wet food, or semi-moist? Or, I have also read of people feeding dry food once or twice a day and then wet food once a day, for a balance of the two. I've read mixed things about the pros and cons of dry food (mostly that dry food can be dehydrating and bad for kitty's teeth), but I worry that a diet consisting strictly of canned food could also cause health problems (as well as becoming quite pricey).
A related topic I've read mixed things about: food flavors. Some people say that you should change it up with each bag of food (because who wants to eat the same thing every day?); others say that cats need consistency in their diet and won't be comfortable with having their food changed on them. I know the latter to be true in that cats can become easily addicted to a particular food. Still, is this absolute, or is it also dependent upon the feline in question?
Thanks for your help!
Now, then.
My husband and I have been on the lookout for a new cat to adopt and we think we may have found the one. We have passed the screening process by the shelter and are now preparing to call the cat's foster mom to learn more about our potential new family member and possibly schedule a time to meet/pick her up. Before we call, we'd like to think up any questions we might have regarding the animal, to know whether she might be a good fit in our home.
One main thing is, we would like to know if she's the kind of kitty who might sleep with us or enjoy a nice catnap on our laps. Any thoughts on the best way to phrase wanting a scale of her cuddliness might be helpful.
In addition, we're currently living with my husband's parents and our new cat would be living solely in our bedroom. I will be home nearly all the time to play with it and it will also have plenty of alone-time toys to entertain itself. Furthermore, when the weather is nicer we could take it out for walks with a cat harness and leash, if the cat likes. Still, we certainly wouldn't want to put a cat that needs more space, in closer quarters than it could be comfortable and happy in. What would be the best questions to assess whether or not this cat could be happy in our small living space (other than, "Could this cat be happy in a small living space?"
Beyond that, are there any other questions we haven't thought of, that we ought to ask?
Regardless of whether we adopt this particular cat or a different one, there are a few questions we would like input on.
First of all, we're looking for a good veteranarian in our area. We live in Scarborough, ON near Finch and McCowan. A vet clinic as close by as possible would be ideal, though we would obviously sacrifice the closest proximity for optimal quality.
Secondly, we have just begun researching and learning about the quality of pet foods and are strongly considering a holistic cat food. What are the best ones out there? And would you recommend a diet of dry food, wet food, or semi-moist? Or, I have also read of people feeding dry food once or twice a day and then wet food once a day, for a balance of the two. I've read mixed things about the pros and cons of dry food (mostly that dry food can be dehydrating and bad for kitty's teeth), but I worry that a diet consisting strictly of canned food could also cause health problems (as well as becoming quite pricey).
A related topic I've read mixed things about: food flavors. Some people say that you should change it up with each bag of food (because who wants to eat the same thing every day?); others say that cats need consistency in their diet and won't be comfortable with having their food changed on them. I know the latter to be true in that cats can become easily addicted to a particular food. Still, is this absolute, or is it also dependent upon the feline in question?
Thanks for your help!
