SPCA Cats

Daniel has developed a mad obsession with cats and I think it would be cool to get an adult cat from the SPCA.

As kids all our cats went toilet outside, do any spca cats do this or do they all need a sand tray thing?

Is there much difference in temperment between boys (fixed) and girls? We only ever had male cats.

I am pretty sure any adult cat you get from the SPCA will be house trained they just use litter trays while at the SPCA as they are in cages. You would probably need to have a litter tray inside for them when you first got them as well so that they can get use to their surroundings and know where home is before they get let outside.

I have had male and female cats and found that the neutered males were more cuddly and friendly than the females who stuck to themselves and could be more nasty.

Go to the spca and let the cat choose you. All my cats have either batted me on the arm passing by their cages or rubbed around us like we were the next best thing. I find neutered male cats more friendly and put up with a lot more however I have had a female cat that was beautiful as well. If cost is a factor male cats are cheaper to de-sex. I think spca give you a discount but the overall bill tends to be a bit cheaper with boys.

As for the litter box put it by a door. Have you got baby gates as a gate on the door stopping little ones getting in and playing is a wise move. The cats can jump over it. You will need this for a few days whilst you keep the cat inside until the cat knows home. Then replace the litter with dirt and move it closer to the door and then outside. Then take it away all together. This should take a week all up. 2-3 days to know where its food and home is is and then move the tray 2-3 days and 1 day outside. Adult cats are the best and I always adopt them rather than kittens. It seems like less work and usually they know the routine a bit more. Also they are a bit more robust when toddlers cuddle them to bits.

Good luck.

As well as SPCA you could also check out the Lonely Miaow (www.lonelymiaow.co.nz) there are some beautiful adult rescue cats looking for forever homes They are all desexed already. Because they are in a foster home environment, you can know whether a cat is already ok with kids or dogs usually. I love the idea of choosing an adult cat (or letting one choose you!) you can see what type of personality the cat has right away!

You could also try www.petsonthenet.co.nz under their "cats for adoption", those ads are placed by both rescue agencies like Spca and private people too.

cat protection league are cheaper the spca, and they foster them in homes, so they are generally housetrained, and used to other cats as well. We got our boy from there at 12 weeks and he only cost $30, as opposed to $60-70 from SPCA

I have one of each now (neutered male and female, but have had other cats over the years) and find the males are always friendlier and happy to stay indoors more, whereas the females I have had are all very standoffish, and demand attaention when THEY want it, but wont come near you if they dont want it! Our male cats have always ben more tolerant of littlies too!

Definitely take your boy with you, and see how the prospective cat interacts with him, you wont want to bring a cat home only to find s/he will run away every time your son goes near him! Mine has had cats around since the day he was born, and he has learnt in that time to be gentle with things smaller than him, and is now instinctively the same with his sisters (he has 2 others on his dads side), its a great way to teach him responsibility as he gets older too, giving him the job of feeding, filling waterbowls etc.

Our cat is from the SPCA and we got him as an adult. It's a good opportunity to see what their temperament is like and the one we picked was happy to cuddle into our arms. He did disappear a couple of times at the beginning (maybe trying to find his way home?) but we got him back both times. I wouldn't get a kitten again as the toilet training would do my head in!

We got Henry from the SPCA last Sept, he was about 9mths old when we got him, and he is just the best! We let him choose us, but we talked to the staff to guide us towards cats that we a)not kittens and  b)toddler proof!

He made himself at home pretty much straight away - these pics where taken in the first week....he is such an awesome little mate for O, they chase each other around the garden, O is in charge of putting biscuits in his bowl, and the first thing that happens each morning is that Henry walks into his bedroom meowing his head off to say Good Morning!