Candiceena
Cathlete
Hi there! I am a PROUD CRAZY CAT LADY!! I grew up a cat-lover in a family of *gasp* DOGS. I hate dogs. Just kidding - I love all animals but I am definitely not a dog person. Although I have 2 dogs (they came w/ DH lol).
Anywho - a couple of things I have found that work great for me is....boxes. Cardboard boxes. Whenever I get a box for something (shoes, vaccum, whatever) I make it into a DIY cat toy. I will cut holes in it for them and stuff. Get creative. It is the cheapest way to entertain 2 cats.
Also, spend time with them. Hold them and pet them and talk to them. Some people think cats don't get attached to humans like dogs do. Well, let me tell you what - that is wrong. I have a VERY strong bond w/ my cat Rolie Polie. I found him and his brother when they were about 5 days old - closed eyes, no teeth, claws, nothing. No sign of a momma cat anywhere so we rescued them. We had to feed them ever 4 hours with a bottle and poop and pee them (they're bowel muscles weren't strong enough to go on their own yet). I had to wake up int he middle of the night for feeding and they would cry ALL THE TIME. I've never had a human child but I'm pretty sure I woke up just as much w/ the kittens as you would with a human baby. They slept right next to my bed on the floor. It broke my heart to hear them crying, because I knew they wanted their momma cat. I would pick them both up and lie them directly on my chest and then wrap up my big warm fuzzy robe around them and that would soothe them. I love them both so much but Baby Burrow (Rolie Polie's brother) is really attached to DH while Rolie Polie is really attached to me. I used to carry Rolie Polie around in the pocket of my robe while I would get ready for work in the morning. I raised them on organic goat milk which is EXPENSIVE lol...but the kitten formula seemed yucky and un-natural and I read that you can raise any mammal on goat milk.
Anyway - the point is - work to develop a bond w/ the little guys! Some people don't want their cat as involved w/ their life as Rolie Polie is in mine...he sleeps with me at night, curls up right next to me on my pillow. When I get home from work he hears me and he runs out the kitty door and runs to the driveway and waits for me to open my car door and then he jumps in my lap. This is a CAT. not a dog. If you give your kitties attention they will repay you in kind. They WILL learn to know you, your smell, your voice, etc. I think it just takes more work than w/ a dog. Cats are more like people and they have personalities.
Good luck and congratulations on your new family members!!
ETA: Get them a scratch post or 2! Not the cheapy cardboard ones but a solid one. Or have someone make one for you. bring them to the post and push their claws out gently and help them "learn" what that post will do for them. This prevents scratching furniture, carpet, etc. Rolie & Burrow both were raised w/ a scratchpost and they scratch nothing BUT their scratch post. They love it! In fact, they have pretty much destroyed it and it's time to get a new one. Our other 2 cats (also came w/ DH) did not get raised w/ a scratch post and they scratch the carpet. But definitley do NOT declaw. Having cats is a lifestyle choice but you can definitely train them to use & LOVE their scratch post!
Anywho - a couple of things I have found that work great for me is....boxes. Cardboard boxes. Whenever I get a box for something (shoes, vaccum, whatever) I make it into a DIY cat toy. I will cut holes in it for them and stuff. Get creative. It is the cheapest way to entertain 2 cats.
Also, spend time with them. Hold them and pet them and talk to them. Some people think cats don't get attached to humans like dogs do. Well, let me tell you what - that is wrong. I have a VERY strong bond w/ my cat Rolie Polie. I found him and his brother when they were about 5 days old - closed eyes, no teeth, claws, nothing. No sign of a momma cat anywhere so we rescued them. We had to feed them ever 4 hours with a bottle and poop and pee them (they're bowel muscles weren't strong enough to go on their own yet). I had to wake up int he middle of the night for feeding and they would cry ALL THE TIME. I've never had a human child but I'm pretty sure I woke up just as much w/ the kittens as you would with a human baby. They slept right next to my bed on the floor. It broke my heart to hear them crying, because I knew they wanted their momma cat. I would pick them both up and lie them directly on my chest and then wrap up my big warm fuzzy robe around them and that would soothe them. I love them both so much but Baby Burrow (Rolie Polie's brother) is really attached to DH while Rolie Polie is really attached to me. I used to carry Rolie Polie around in the pocket of my robe while I would get ready for work in the morning. I raised them on organic goat milk which is EXPENSIVE lol...but the kitten formula seemed yucky and un-natural and I read that you can raise any mammal on goat milk.
Anyway - the point is - work to develop a bond w/ the little guys! Some people don't want their cat as involved w/ their life as Rolie Polie is in mine...he sleeps with me at night, curls up right next to me on my pillow. When I get home from work he hears me and he runs out the kitty door and runs to the driveway and waits for me to open my car door and then he jumps in my lap. This is a CAT. not a dog. If you give your kitties attention they will repay you in kind. They WILL learn to know you, your smell, your voice, etc. I think it just takes more work than w/ a dog. Cats are more like people and they have personalities.
Good luck and congratulations on your new family members!!
ETA: Get them a scratch post or 2! Not the cheapy cardboard ones but a solid one. Or have someone make one for you. bring them to the post and push their claws out gently and help them "learn" what that post will do for them. This prevents scratching furniture, carpet, etc. Rolie & Burrow both were raised w/ a scratchpost and they scratch nothing BUT their scratch post. They love it! In fact, they have pretty much destroyed it and it's time to get a new one. Our other 2 cats (also came w/ DH) did not get raised w/ a scratch post and they scratch the carpet.
But definitley do NOT declaw. Having cats is a lifestyle choice but you can definitely train them to use & LOVE their scratch post!
Last edited:
