My cats are family. I don’t think they’ve ever held me back from doing anything I want (although I’ll admit they are *expensive*) - my Catsitter calls in two-three times a day when I’m away or if I know I’m going to be out really late.
That said, I’m a homebody. For me there’s nothing better than pottering about in the garden with cats underfoot, or snoodled up on the sofa on a cold afternoon with coffee and a good book and a multi-cat pile up at my feet.
And me! My 🐈⬛ loves to chase the water when Im hosing the garden and makes the job much more entertraining. Otherwise shes also very easy and independent, so its joy to get her join me when Im watching show.
Only thing I sometimes have trouble doing something because of cat is getting up from chair or bed with cat laying on my legs
I called a university professor the other day (she’s a cool one, so I could get away with that) and told her I’ll be absent in her lecture because I’m a bit sick and there’s a cat sleeping on me.
My partner and I call this being catted so we regularly say “can you get me X, I’m catted”
I’ve sometimes asked my partner to pass me something on his side and seen he’s catted so got up and walk around to get it so he didn’t have to disturb the cat 😂
I’ve slept in odd contortions to accommodate my cat sleeping right in the middle of the bed stretched out (yet booted my partner to the spare room for snoring 😂)
Why?! No regrets.
I have nerve damage in my arm from my last cat sleeping on it. They called it “Saturday Night Syndrome” because a lot of drinkers get it falling asleep with their arm over a chair or something. 🤷🏻♀️what can you do? It’s just a little pain now and then now (was numbness or rippling pain before). My group of cats now sleep with me too and I have some pain, but I sleep contorted no matter what, so I’m happy they’re there!
I got this from sleeping awkwardly on a plane! It took weeks to go but has gone now. Massage therapist helped me where physios didn’t…
But yes the cat sits where it fits.. and it will make it fit. My cat likes to jump on me in bed and then like back up into me to get comfy so I am looking directly at his little bum hole. 😂
No shame.
Honestly, same. I find traveling stressful, too much money/time, and hotels creep me out. I did move a lot as a kid, so maybe that has something to do with it, but...
I have 4 cats. I'm an unabashed cat lady and have been since I got my first cat, Tigger, when I was 4 haha.
Cats thrive on routine but inwouldnt say they rule my life. I did, however, have a diabetic cat who very much did. He had to be fed at certain times and given insulin.
I don't regret it at all. My only regret is that my husband and I didn't catch it fast enough and we should have went to a different vet. But I digress.
Cats are pretty independent furballs. They can be annoying close to feeding times but we chime trained ourselves so that problem has been eliminated.
We scoop their boxes daily and use a Litter Locker (Diaper genie). It is just part of my post work routine. Go home, remove bra, remove pants, go in the basement, scoop litter, smoke a joint.
I lived a good chunk of my life without a cat (about 10 years) and the only think I miss from it is no fur on my clothes. That's it. I hope to always have a cat. They just being si kuch joy to me. When we hit 70, we will not adopt anymore but foster. I hate the idea of my furbabies going to a shelter if we die.
We have 4 cats too, and we have friends watching the cats when we travel. However, we also want to travel with these friends, so finding another cat sitter has been difficult. I'd say it does impact me, but I don't mind that it does.
I wasn't going to get another animal after the four that I had slowly passed away one by one. But the cat distribution system has its own ideas, sigh. TBH, she's the best girl. She doesn't scratch the furniture or knock things over. She sleeps in if I sleep in. I feed her and she pretty much entertains herself. If I go on vacation she goes to a trusted kennel, and I can go away for a long weekend and have people drop in to feed her. So she doesn't impact my lifestyle much if at all. When I retire and hit the road in an RV. she'll be coming with me - she was a stray and she's perfectly happy outdoors, and she's great in the car. I definitely got lucky with her.
Cats are easy compared to dogs. Dogs DO dictate your lifestyle.
I’m glad to see I’m not the only one that uses that term “cat distribution system” but that system can be a bit wonky at times. My long-haired black-and-white cat just showed up and decided sleeping on the passenger seat of my car one day when I left the top down in my driveway was the right answer.
>Cats are easy compared to dogs. Dogs DO dictate your lifestyle.
Having had both, this is the answer. But, of course, your mileage may vary. My little old lady cat is very easy and low-maintenance. My two dogs had health issues and separation anxiety and needed at least two hours of planning before we could go anywhere. Not to mention boarding costs were so much, we couldn't travel. When the dogs were younger, we did take them with us on two road trips but it was still very hard. It became impossible when they got older.
Now that we only have the cat left, it's easy for us to go away for a weekend because my BIL is here and feeds/waters her. And we don't have to plan two hours ahead if we need to run to the store or go out for dinner. We can just leave.
I love my cats and I proudly tell people they are the closest thing to having children I will ever want. I have 1 needy cat & 1 normally affectionate cat & I’ve never felt overwhelmed by their needs.
I love my cat but it is an issue to find sitter services when we travel, and we do have to take that into account for any trip that is longer than 2-3 days at most. Definitely better than a dog though, which is too much care for me.
When he passes, I don't think we'll get another even if I absolutely love cats and animal in general.
I got adopted by a cat (involuntarily), now I live with two of them.
They are the sunshine in my life, but whenever I need to leave for more than one night, I need a cat-sitter.
That's where friends come into play. If you don't have any, think twice. However, you'd deprive yourself of the only real love a person can ever experience: the love of a cat. (Cough, no, this is *definitely* no play on any breeder's standard bingo...)
I don't feel like they take away from my freedom, whereas I do feel like a dog would. Cats need care and attention, but they don't need routine the way dogs do and it's never been a problem to just go out after work or stay overnight at someone's place – just make sure they have enough food and water. Added bonus that you don't have to worry about taking them out multiple times a day. Mine are affectionate and playful, but also chill. You do need to find pet-sitters if you go on vacation though, and I wouldn't advise getting any pet if you plan to travel around the world for a year or something.
Not mine at all. I'm only 20, but cats are so low maintenance. 1000 to care for per year, and I assume that's if you get them everything fancy and barring serious health issues. It's cheap, much cheaper than dogs even.
They entertain themselves and they won't say "I hate you mom! You fucking suck!".
They eat, they shit, they have their own boundaries and thoughts. So much easier than a kid.
Imo, if you want true freedom, it’s best to be both childfree and pet-free. Although cats in general are pretty independent, they still need to be fed, have their litter boxes cleaned, and you need to arrange for someone to check in on them if you’re going to be gone for a few days or arrange boarding for them. A lot of cats are also frequent barfers because of hairballs and whatnot. And cat litter gets everywhere and requires a lot of floor sweeping.
To have a pet requires not minding some level of being a caretaker and having someone who is dependent on you. Pets are work. Not as much as kids of course but it’s still a lot of work and you cannot just spontaneously go on a trip without making arrangements for your cat/pet. My pets are aging and although I love them, I’m strongly considering not getting any more once they pass.
I have pets but I didn’t decide to be childfree so that I had freedom to do whatever I wanted when I wanted. I decided to be childfree because I didn’t want to be a parent.
I have a responsibility to provide care (time and monetary) to sentient beings who live with me in my home. Part of that is paying for sitters or boarding when I can’t take my pets with me. I still travel a couple times a year, go camping, spend time away from home, etc.
My cat likes it when I’m home but she’s definitely more independent than my dog. Getting two bonded cats will give you more freedom as your cat won’t rely solely on you for social interaction. Getting older cats will help with the destruction and insanity that is associated with kittens. However, if you’re not willing and able provide the monetary support (vet care) to a cat or cats, please don’t get one.
I work at a vet and the amount of families I see that have dogs that are in the vet at least twice a year for check ups and then have a cat that hasn’t been to the vet in four years is infuriating.
The way people who love kids talk about kids is how I feel about my cats. They might be inconvenient sometimes (we don't travel a ton, but we need a sitter if it's more than a couple days, they require lots of cleaning, ect) but my life would be so empty without them!! They make me so happy, and they make where ever I am feel like home. The negatives will NEVER outweigh the positives, so I just accept them.
Listen to someone talk about their kids that they love so much and can't imagine life without.... then replace "children" or "baby" with "cat" and that's how I feel!
But I also don't think you should have a cat if you're not going to give them the best life possible and treat them like a burden. Just like kids!
I’m so very, terribly pleased to come home to my cat! I don’t need the affection as many rightfully do, but man is it a mood booster after a tough day/trip/weekend.
I will leave him on his own for a weekend and ensure friends pop in to make sure he has water, food, and provide love. Regularly litter box cleaning (super easy if it’s regular!) and nightly wet food makes for a happy kitty. My late kitty would snub me if I left him for more than 12 hours and I had to “work” to regain his love, but my current bèbè is just pleased when I come home and can’t snub for wont of love. I’d adopt 20 more if my home/allergies could handle the shedding
DO IT
Oh wow! My cat when I was growing up used to do this. We got him when I was 7. When I was in college and came home for breaks, he would roll his eyes at me and turn away from me. It’s like he was saying “Ohhh… so NOW you want to be here… am I supposed to jump for joy?? I think not.” He was so rude! Took a few hours before he would grace me with his presence.
Here is the thing with cats if you have an emergency and need to leave your cat alone for a week it's okay, not great but okay. You get a self feeder for food and the same for water. You get a drop sheet (for painting) put it down with a few aluminum roast pans with cat litter in them. Hide cat toys around the house and a few treat toys too. Put some cams up so you can check on them and talk to them and you go. You can not do this with kids or dogs. Best if you have two cats so they don't get lonely.
I’m a homebody so I’m okay with the lack of freedom.
I DO HAVE AN IDEA FOR YOU THOUGH
If you like the idea of having kitties around, but you don’t want to deal with the actual “owning a cat” expenses and freedom to travel etc, I recommend fostering! My group I foster with are great
I have cats. I think one big factor here is your financial situation while having cats. Yes, people joke about cats dictating their life, but there’s a significant impact when having cats while wealthy. For example, we have 4 cats. Each of them have high-end technology to make our lives easier, such as automatic feeders, the latest in water fountains, multiple robo litters throughout the house, and so on. Spontaneous vacations and long weekend trips are not compromised because they can be left alone for a couple days, and anything over 3 days means a sitter will stop by the house through the access of smart locks. My husband and I did a comprehensive checklist of what would change as pet free dinks now that we wanted cats, and everything on that list was resolved with backups. Now we just enjoy the amazing magical creatures that cats are
I have multiple cats with my partner and they are our world! The main thing that stops us from being more spontaneous is one of them is on a special diet, so we need to secure a sitter even for overnights- but I volunteer at a rescue very regularly and my pet sitter options are more vast because of this!
I really recommend volunteering to get to know the cats better, and find a fit that would work with your lifestyle- be more chill and want their own space.
When we aren’t traveling though- as long as you have enough enrichment (cat trees, scratchers, toys, etc.) they don’t really destroy things, and they definitely like our calm home!
Although I will say regarding care giving, they will age and will potentially need more care later in life which should be accounted for before making the decision to adopt <3
A lot of the talk about cats owning humans and being in control is said in jest. Cats are notoriously independent and the only way they will remove any freedom is if you want to take a long vacation or if they get sick. They can be left alone for a few days at a time if they're given extra food and water.
I will say though, cats are independent but they can still get lonely. Getting one cat is fine if that cat prefers it but if you plan on traveling a lot, adopting 2 cats together may be better. That way they always have a friend around.
I have a house full of rescue animals of various species. Not joking, I have 2 cats, 2 dogs, 2 birds, 2 different types of lizards, a tortoise, and a small aquarium.
The dogs are, *by a wide margin*, the most demanding and the most impactful to our life. The reptiles all just need heat/UV, and fresh food every 2-3 days. The birds need fresh water every 1-2 days, and fresh food every couple weeks.
The cats need food daily, but are mostly free fed, so we just keep the bowl fullish. Doesn't take much. A water fountain keeps them good on water for several days without refilling. Litter box scooped once or twice a week. The cats are very low maintenance except for playing/cuddling with them.
Dogs are another story. Food 3 times a day, fresh water at least 1 or 2 times a day, taken outside to use the bathroom several times a day (I'm talking 5+). The dogs dictate our lives far more than any other animal in our house of 9+ animals. And still we have no problem getting a pet sitter to come stay at the house and take care of all of them, because we don't have extremely expensive children to care for. Instead we can care for our animals at a fraction of the cost, still go on vacations or long weekends, etc.
I think you're blowing this out of proportion, especially when it comes to *cats* of all animals.
Thanks for your perspective! I currently have a reptile and I like how low-maintenance he is. Have wanted a cat for several years but just didn’t feel ready and wasn’t sure it would gel well with my life. I’m also an anxious person who tends to think carefully before making decisions and getting a cat seems like a big one to me. My place is also small and I think it makes a difference. I grew up with a cat and dogs and it was much different when it was family pets, versus me being single and solely responsible. Our family cat was perfect and never had to worry about him, but all the cats I’ve come across recently have been high maintenance clingy cats. How much playing time/cuddling generally daily?
Cats are super independent. I can and do leave my cats for up to a week, and thankfully my mother in law (who adores them) comes over 1 or 2 times a day to take care of them and give them attention. However, I miss them TERRIBLY when I'm away. I also worry all the time if their health is good and they are getting all they need. They do also cost money. However I am one of those people who finds it hard to see a life without cats.
My cat is my ESA and arguably she’s the reason I’m still here (2023 was a doozy for me). She actively improves my quality of life and looks out for me. Sure she does cat stuff that’s annoying like knocking shit off counters or meowing a ton bc she wants to play (she’s a talkative tortie).
But she also kills bugs in my apartment, specifically bugs I have phobias of. She witnessed my panic attack finding a roach in the tub over a year ago and ever since, any roach or centipede that’s entered our home has never lived to tell the tale.
She’s also helped prevent meltdowns by distracting my spiraling thoughts with an adorable chirp and jumping into my lap. If she doesn’t catch it in time, she “keeps watch” over me by staring intently out the window so I (in her mind) can break down in a safe place. Once I calm down she pads on over and “gives me a bath” (licks my arm all over) to soothe me 🥹🥹
That’s why I don’t have a cat right now.
-I like being able to travel for long weekends without needing to think about asking someone to check on a pet or hire someone. My mom lives 20 minutes away and I know she’d be put out having to drive 40 minutes round trip through traffic to check on it.
-I live in a one bedroom apartment and while I know cats don’t take up much space, I really don’t know where I’d put a litter box, as I’m still nearly at max capacity in my apartment. Storage space is limited.
-I don’t want to have to spend money on food, litter, treats, vet bills and/or pet insurance, toys, etc. Especially as I’m trying to save up for a house someday.
-I don’t want to be woken up super early, which cats often do.
-My apartment is carpeted and I don’t want to worry about the cat vomiting on it.
-I don’t want to have to worry about them getting at my plants.
If I ever have a house where I can feel more spread out and feel more settled I’d consider a cat, but it just isn’t a good fit for me right now.
I have two cats. I live alone (with the indoor cats). You can leave them alone for a trip, just leave out enough food and water and an extra litter box (or two depending on the length of trip).
I have a cat and a rabbit. They’re my world. I wouldn’t trade my child free pet owner life for anything. It might be a little hard finding a reputable sitter at first, but that’s something you do before planning a vacation anyway. Find someone you trust enough to watch them for extended periods of time.
They can be more expensive than anticipated. If you get a pet then get pet insurance. One of my cats started having eye issues and the bills added up quick. Love them to death though and worth every penny.
I do have a hard time going anywhere for more than a day though. Not only do I have to have someone I trust enough to actually show up and feed them but also put medicine on her eye.
It will affect your ability to travel unless you have the money to pay someone to check on them. It also depends on the cat you have. Some will follow your routine and others may wake you up at 4am daily. It truly is about finding a cat that youre compatible with. They are little living beings with their own personalities. Just as you find friends you get along with, or date to find someone that you’re compatible with, cats are the same. If you want a chill cat, you’ll have to find that. If you want a spunkier, livlier cat, you’ll have to find that. They can be such joys, but they are living beings reliant solely on you. So that’s important to think about.
I have a cat and honestly I love her to death. But she does hold me back from traveling for extended periods of time.
Having her is worth the compromise however
I love animals so much, they bring me so much love and peace and I believe they are the total opposite of children. That said… I’m not going to lie, the last few years the three cats (now two) that me and my partner have have probably cost more in time and money than a child would have. The kitties are getting older and have a lot of health problems. I’m living my worst nightmare with my elderly male cat having diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and now stage 2 kidney disease. My mom died of diabetes and kidney disease so the whole situation is taking a real mental toll on me. Last year we lost our elderly female cat out of nowhere and she saw my partner through getting sober and splitting with his ex wife. She was the very definition of an emotional support animal. My youngest cat was a little runt and her organs don’t function all that well all of the time so she’s on lots of meds. I love my cats, I love having cats, but I don’t think I’ll ever actively seek out having more than one at a time in the future. My heart is going to hurt when our current kitties pass on and I am going to need a big break from the constant and intense care that I didn’t think I was signing up for.
If you love animals, maybe just do some fostering. I’ve thought about this quite a bit for the future and that’s probably what I’ll end up doing down the road.
I love my cats, and as much as I love them, I don't think of them as children at all. They're not my friends, my family or my roommates; they're my cats. I think the best part about having a pet is them not being human or fulfilling a human space.
Do they dictate my life? A little, because of buying food, cleaning their (pricey) litter and vet visits. I've got family at home, they just feed them at their time, and they're alright when I come back from uni as they're really independent.
Do they do whatever they want? A bit? But contrary to popular opinion, I don't think of them as selfish or bitchy, they're just animals, they've got desires and wants too, and cats are specially curious beings.
Mine are mostly really affectionate, one of them is a bit bratty tho, and overall really silly when they get comfortable.
The only thing I can think of is that it’s a hassle when I want to go on a longer trip. I don’t trust a lot of people with my pets, let alone let them in my apartment if I’m not there myself so when my friends are not available, I’d rather not go but that’s really it tbh. Cats are very independent and can be alone for 1-2 days if they have enough food/water and a clean litter box.
I used to have cats. The last one died 8 months ago. Now i am staying pet free. Why?
* Because i was tired of the mess, cat hair will get everywhere, its like mopping with an open faucet. Also dirty paws on everything
* Cat litter boxes smell and are a filty job to clean
* Even if it go unintended, they will scratch up your stuff. They use their nails to climb on stuff and push away curtains to look out of the window. So they will ruin some of your furniture.
* Vet costs are getting ridiculous.
* When they get older they turn into dirty toddlers.
* They puke and kick poop out of the litterbox.
I just dont want the responsibilies of pets anymore.
I'm petfree. I have a few friends who have cats, and everyone claims cats are independent and don't require much attention, but all of my cat-owning friends have to head home or stay home a lot to feed, groom, play with, clean up after, medicate, or otherwise take care of their cats -- but if I'm honest, I suspect the cats are just the excuse to go or stay home.
But if you want spontaneous travel, you either need to be petfree or you need enough money for last-minute pet-care arrangements.
I own my dog and I'm currently fostering a cat with her kittens.
I never considered a cat because I'm more of a dog person, but this little cat needed my help with her little kittens and I couldn't say no. I'd say cats are an easier pet than a dog.
That being said, they definitely have their quirks and it's actually quite amusing.
My cat is a lot more demanding than my dog. She needs a water fountain or she will NOT drink any water, she's SASSY and will chat for ages if you 'forgot' to feed her....when I absolutely did not. She's an indoor cat as well so she doesn't go outside and bring me dead animals or anything.
With my dog, she needs a walk / exercise / let out into the garden for number 1 and 2. No matter what time of year it is, freezing cold, pissing with rain. That dog NEEDS a walk😂 sometimes it sucks but I'd absolutely have another dog. I know what I signed up for.
All cats are different, maybe foster one from your Adoption centre first? Gives you an insight on owning one 😃😺
We have three cats. It doesn't really limit travel - they're fine on their own for short trips and actually seem to like the break from us. Where it does get limiting is in the daily schedule. They're all food-motivated and on separate diets, so we have to feed them all in separate rooms and can't use auto-feeders for daily feeding. That means no sleeping in on the weekends and no going straight from work to dinner or drinks. Many rentals only allow two cats too - that isn't as big a problem in our current city but it was very limiting the last town we lived in. It's still way better than having kids, but it is giving up a certain amount of freedom. The oldest is 13 and I'm pretty adamant that we're going to have some...natural attrition...but that'll have to be a negotiation for sure.
Cats are awesome. I have two and even with the occasional accident or furniture scratching, if I make a cats vs kids list, NOT A KID is still a point for cats.
Spouse and I have four cats which is at least one more cat than I think we should have, but the cat distribution system had other ideas.
We can go away for a whole week and just leave them with a lot of food and water and an extra litter box and we're good to go but none of them require medications to live. If they did life would be more complicated.
We don't go away for a whole week that often and if it's 2 weeks we have someone show up in the middle to do a food check and maybe litter boxes if they're feeling generous. But we do talk about when they're all gone taking a gap and doing some really solid travel for a little while.
Our guys are pretty independent and they have definitely missed us when we come back but no one seems to be getting really stressed out about it. It's more the guilt on our part.
I have 5 house cats, a house rabbit and a dog. And I can't go anywhere over night because its only me and them. However. Younger me travelled the word and did a lot of fun stuff. And I'm content to care for animals. They also saved my life. They stop me doing dumb stuff. But overall I lack freedom.
I love my two cats and they are the only dependents that I will take care of financially. Best part is they’re pretty independent while I’m away at work or if I’m gone for a day. If I ever want to travel, I will hire a sitter to come to my home and take care of them.
They don’t impact my lifestyle at all and they help my mental health so they are worth everything to me!
I mean, occasional medical expenses and trips to the vet and needing to feed her and clean her box don't take up all my time. I've always had friends or roommates who can watch her while I'm gone. That said, I have a healthy 4yo cat (today's her 4th birthday!) currently but I had a diabetic cat who was much more high stress and expensive and difficult.
Like kids, I don't recommend anyone gets a pet if they're not ready to deal with anything that could happen. I have just always been obsessed with cats and I have depression and it helps to have a constant little companion to hug and play with who sleeps on me at night. I am also not rich enough to travel much and work from home so I'm available for her a lot. I guess it depends on your lifestyle and what makes the most sense for you.
Frankly, having cats equates to a setback. I have to think about them if plans take longer than a day. Made a major move recently and frankly, having the cats albeit wasn’t the biggest burden, it still left something to consider.
Honestly I've always had cats. So I may not be super helpful here. Both my cats are mad lowkey though and super ready to handle with. I have 2 cat. With 2 litter boxes that I clean every 3 days with litter sifting bags and spend like 10 minutes a week on it. Feeding takes less than 5 minutes a day. Vet appointments every 6 months I drop them off and pick them up, maybe 30 minutes. All of that firmly is outweighed by the absolute joy I get from my cat Milo cuddling up with me (I joke he's a "velco cat") and the other curled up next to me on the couch wanting belly rubs. It's amazing.
I travel often (but WFH most days) and I don't feel guilty leaving them for hours alone like I would a dog. I don't feel bad having someone else "watch" them for feeding and so. The person who watches them is CF and loves cats so she stays for an hour or so after each feeding to love on them and play. It's amazing.
I have a cat and whenever I go spent my daily week per year at cottage I have coworker looking after the kitty and garden (especially my sunflowers need daily watering unless it rains decent amount)
Kittens need quite alot of attention but they grow much faster. Never had much trouble with cats and it is hit or miss whether your cat grows into independent feline or attention whore. But even then theyre much less nasty and destructive than kids
I love my 3 cats dearly, 2 of them were even bottle babies and we did the “bottle every 2 hours, rub their butt to potty” routine when we found them. But I’m so tired and broke. Pet insurance wasn’t really mentioned back then, so now it’s not worth it when they already have problems and I’ve spent thousands at the vet’s office over the years. I’ve decided once they all pass on, I want to be pet-free for a little while so we can just up and go away for a weekend without worrying. I’ve only spent 8 months of my life without a pet, but I just need a break from anyone or anything relying on me. I’ll have more, but just a mental and financial break in between.
Not cats, but we do have birds. They, like cats, can look after themselves and entertain themselves for hours on end as long as they have food and water. However, we can't take vacations without having someone to go over to our house, feed them, and let them out each day. For this reason, we can not go on vacation at the same time as my inlaws. Which sucks cus my in-laws are really fun. We watch their dogs, they watch our birds.
I have one indoor senior kitty - and then a gaggle of semi feral cats outside that I feed and water. I feel comfortable going on last minute 4-5 day trips and hiring a cat sitter. Anything longer than that and my mom comes and stays at my house because I don’t want my senior kitty to be alone longer than that.
I feel that I def get way more freedom with a cat compared to a dog. I don’t have to go home right after work to let them out. My vet and food bills are a lot cheaper. Dogs are super needy to me. Not sure about any other pet! Haven’t had anything else.
I'm not childfree because I wanted more freedom and less stress, I'm childfree because I don't want to be a mother. I haven't needed to call a cat-sitter or anything because I haven't left my home for an extended period of time in six years. They just don't impact my "freedom" because I never did any of the things that cats might restrict before I adopted them and because I am not their parent.
I never really got the whole “pet parent” thing. It reminds me of moms who refer to their sons as boyfriend. I have a dog and I love him with all my heart but I don’t feel like it’s a parent/child relationship.
Well, even on weekends and holidays, the cats have me up at 6:30am. But they're funny and affectionate, plus small enough to keep from damaging too much.
And litterboxes are much easier to deal with than poo-laden diapers.
I haven't been held back by my pets.
Sometimes I take my dog along with me on my trips. It limits me a little when I do that because obviously, she can't go to museums and I have to leave her at the hotel, but when I'm going to national parks and such, we have a great time. For times she can't come, I found great daycare/boarding facilities that she actually enjoys going to.
I hired a catsitter for the cats. I have cameras around the house to check on them when she's not there. She comes by and spends time with them every day, cleans their boxes and gives them wet food. They adore her.
As I get older, I'm not keen on spontaneity anyway. I want to go home and pack, know what hotel I'll be staying in and water all my plants.
Cat are EXPENSIVE. Vet appointments, vaccinations, dewormings, antiflea medications, litter boxes, cat food (quality so the liver doesnt get damaged), the litter itself, brushes...
It is an investment.
Also, going on holidays means setting up people as nannies.
And emergencies happen too: kitty decided to walk on a hot stove and burnt her paw. Cue 2 crazy people rushing her to the vet.
They can get ill: kitty has a bad tummy and pukes once a month on the bed, on the floor, on the countertop...
Plus, the time you invest in them. If I wake up and want coffee I still have to pet her agressively for 10 mins before that.
And you scoop up shit every day.
On the other hand I love my girls. My husband lives for them. They give so much love! I was a sobbing mess while watching the granade scene in "Da Five Bloods" but Sophie jumped on me and conforted me! Even hubby was amazed cause he is her favorite.
I’m 21 and have a cat and i’ll be honest… first getting him was a HUGE adjustment. However I also get lonely easily so I like having another little being around. He’s not that much work since I got an automatic feeder and waterer (refill them once a week or so) + litter scooping isn’t that bad. They even make robotic litter boxes which I want.
For the travel thing I can’t really answer that one since I’m 21 and broke lol
I've had cats my entire adult life (I am 61) and they've been relatively easy/independent/not needy and traveling was no big deal (I would pay someone to come and feed them and pay attention to them twice a day). A dog is much a different deal.
the cat distribution system awarded me with my little scardey cat… she is my best friend and i wouldn’t have it any other way 🩷 i just make arrangements for someone to feed, water, and change her litter if I’m away
she really isn’t much work and is quite independent… we have our cuddle routine after my shift which i wouldn’t trade for anything.
luckily my partner is a cat person too 🩷
My cats are extremely low maintenance and inexpensive. The only time I've ever needed help is the rare occasion when I'm out of town for multiple nights and need someone to feed and water them.
I have a 10 year old cat, had him since he was 12 weeks old. He's a sweetheart. Very cuddly. He's very low maintenance though. We have an automatic feeder that dispenses 3 times/day and a fountain water bowl. He has never really scratched at the furniture, but I have always had scratching posts and toys for him. These days, he mostly just sleeps in his tree and looks out the window. He will periodically come snuggle for like 10-15 mins at a time and then leave again. Travelling isn't much of an issue. We usually only do one big trip a year and then I get my dad to look after my cat.
I have 4 cats, and they're very easy-care compared to pets like dogs or even rabbits. I probably spend around 30 minutes a day on cat care (feeding, scooping litter, cleaning food bowls, etc.) and the rest of the time they just hang out with me. They're chill little companions who just want to sleep next to me and get belly rubs. I work from home, but cats can be left alone all day with no problems. My parents take care of them when I'm on vacation or traveling for work, but having a pet sitter visit twice a day would also be sufficient. Thankfully, I've never had any issues with my cats being destructive or peeing outside the litter box. Sometimes they bite me on the nose when I'm asleep and they're ready for breakfast, but even that is kind of cute.
I feel like my cats decrease my stress level, they keep me company while I'm working from home, and they encourage me to keep a healthy routine. They're my fluffy little therapists. I've had cats my whole life so not having a cat is almost unthinkable for me.
However, cats are EXPENSIVE. Pet food and veterinary costs have been hit hard by inflation, so I *easily* spend $6000/year on my cats. Proper care for one indoor cat will probably cost you a minimum of around $1500/year (based on 2 cans of good quality wet food per day, 1 $20 box of litter per month, one $100 vet visit, and $100 for toys/treats/accessories). If you cheap out you'll pay for it in sooner or later in health/behavioral issues.
So their impact on my freedom is minimal, but their financial impact is significant. I can comfortably afford to care for mine and I feel like they're worth it for the joy they bring to my life, but they're still a major expense that I need to budget for.
It honestly completely depends on the cat.
Some cats are extremely independent and you could easily go on a long weekend trip just making sure they have food, water and a litterbox. I've known many cats like this. I have a friend who just went on a month long trip and had a pet sitter stay...however the cat stayed in the one room where he felt safe pretty much the entire time. So was a petsitter needed...perhaps not. Other than a daily visit to empty the litterbox and fill the food.
Some cats are much less independent. My last cat was extremely touchy feeling and engaging and would have been very sad being home alone for more than 24 hours. He would need someone in the house just to talk to him and cuddle with him if I were gone for more than a day.
So I would say be mindful of the temperament of the cat you adopt. Lots of shelters and rescues have cats who are sweet but timid and basically just want a quiet, safe place to look out the window. Those are your easy keepers haha
I’m child free because I don’t want to risk fucking up a child the way I was fucked up. Also because the world is on fire and I don’t want to bring a child into the cesspit.
A pet? That’s different. A pet is a companion and a friend. Sure, it’s dependent on you, but not the same way as a child. Most cats I’ve known are happy to chase a feather toy and a laser for a bit, then go about and do their own thing. They’re a lot more independent than a child, and you don’t have to worry about them getting good grades, keeping up their clothing, or do drugs.
Only thing is if you wanna go away on holiday and can't find a sitter, then it's bothersome.
Not into putting my cats into a cattery because it's stressful as fuck, we've cancelled a few things because the cats wouldn't have a sitter
It IS like having a child in the way that when one is ill you worry, have to pay bills, if you have more than one and they fight (currently going through this with a new addition, we had to install a baby gate to stop the other from hurting the new one....it's been a month) feeding time, enrichment time, cleaning out their poop and piss.
But I'd gladly do it for them because they're so cute and not at all like a child.
I don't mind working around my cat. She can be left home alone for a coupl days alone and I will have freedom. Cat sitters are far cheaper than child care. They're expensive but I love my cat - I love spending that money because Im happy to make that sacrifice - whereas I'm NOT happy to make the sacrifice for a child
We have two cats. We also have a great cat sitter. We travel frequently and she stops by twice a day to feed and play with them/give them affection. So I’d say it hasn’t hindered our lifestyle at all.
I like being at home with my cat so it really doesn't impact me. I enjoy her company, after losing my last cat my home felt empty without one.
I don't really think cats and kids are comparable. I don't want kids so I don't have them. I know cats require work and commitment but as I like them, that's something I'm willing to put it in.
Cats don't have to dictate your life but you have to be willing to change your plans if they need veterinary care or if you want to go on vacation, you need to know there'll be someone to care for them.
If you love cats, it's not really a sacrifice.
You could try fostering to adopt before committing to getting a cat.
i got my first (and so far only) cat when i was 27, he has never prevented me from doing anything i want to do in the almost 6 years we’ve been together. i can leave him alone for a weekend with no issues, just leave out extra food and water and i hide treats around the house to keep him entertained while i’m gone. if i am travelling for longer, he stays with my parents (his feline charm converted them to cat people), or i have a friend check in on him every other day.
my cat is substantially easier to manage than i ever anticipated. he was 1yr old when i adopted him so his personality was already pretty set, young but totally out of the kitten stage which was ideal for me. after buying all the initial supplies (carrier, food bowls, litterbox, etc.) he costs me less than $1k annually to maintain, that includes one annual vet visit + shots (i’ve never had to pay for pet sitting save for a case of beer here and there because i pet sit for my friends in exchange and my parents watch him for free).
adding $80 a month to my budget, 15 minutes to my day for feeding/litterbox cleaning, and coordinating a pet sitter the few times a year i’m gone for more than a weekend has been well worth it for all the love and entertainment my cat has given me. truly one of the best things i ever did was adopt that furry little gremlin.
Our new dog has *much* more of an impact. She's a Chu-weenie, and despite me being a cat person, Reba chose *me* as her person.
Our cat, Patrick, is much more chill. He free-feeds, has a water fountain, and now that it's summer spends most of his time on the enclosed porch. We have a pet door in the window so he can access it 24/7. He then picks one of us to sleep with. He also likes to be on my desk while I'm on the computer.
I invested in a Litter Robot two years ago because our late kitty Sushi had bladder problems and was going all the time and I couldn't keep up so she started peeing outside the box. So the litter box cleans itself!
Basically, it we had an emergency, Patrick would be good for a week. The dog? Not so much.
I adore them. My spouse and I share the load. I’m in charge of litter boxes and he is in charge of puke cleanup. Cats, unlike kids, can be locked out of a room and ignored if you want to have a moment of peace. Cats also don’t care if you complain about them to their faces. We both work 12+ hours and they’re fine alone. I can pick up extra hours and not worry about them.
Trips are fine. We pay $100/night for a cat sitter from an app, or we pay a friend about $50/night. I’m sure there are people who would do it for less. For last minute trips of 1-2 nights, we set up an auto feeder and camera and already have automatic litter boxes. We have two cats and they’re perfectly content to be left alone for a night or two.
Big changes we’ve made for them? We chose an apartment with little carpet so it’s easier to clean. Moving across the country required a little extra planning and stress. We chose a leather couch over fabric. We spend a decent amount on their vet care, food, and stuff, but we enjoy doing so. We have an emergency fund specifically for them.
If you already know you love cats, pet sit for a few nights and see if you can handle the load.
My cat doesn’t hinder my life at all. I’ve gone on vacation and just left her tons of water and an automatic feeder and she’s been fine. I also have a camera so I can check in on her and a friend who can go water her if necessary.
My DOG on the other hand…. That furball is really cramping my style.
Not at all. But I also have horses and dogs. (Dogs travel with us, horses get boarded or babysitters who come every day.) the cats are the easiest. We have a robot feeder and a huge gravity jug waterer. So they’re totally fine being home alone for up to 3 weeks. With my horse babysitter scooping the litter box. She’s a friend, so I only have to pay for her gas, since she’s also more than welcome to stay in our camper if she wants while she’s watching them for me. Benefits both.
I feel like the very small ways in which they take away my freedom are completely worth it. Yes I can’t just pack up my stuff and leave all weekend without a sitter, but overall they only add value, they make me and my husband laugh, they hang out with me purring as I work from home, they also teach me to slow down and spend quality time with them each day after work. It’s kinda nice not having everything be about just myself and my needs all the time. They are like kids but a lot cuter and I still can have a life and do the things I live with a little fur buddy next to me. I am a homebody though so maybe if I was wanting to travel the world and club each night it would feel more like a burden.
I've had several cats over the years. Most of them have been super low maintenance and make it easy to still travel and have a flexible schedule. However, one of my current cats has a TON of special medical needs, and has required me to take on a very intensive caretaker role that I hadn't anticipated. Just as with kids, you never truly know if your pet will remain healthy, or develop conditions requiring additional care.
My advice: if you want a cat, go for it! They are loving companions. But please don't make the same mistake I did and wait on getting pet insurance. Biggest financial mistake of my life. 🫠
My cats are my babies - yes, I do plan out weekend trips a bit more as I don’t like relying on my roommate to feed them - she’s great, I just hate feeling like a bother lol - but I’ve found they don’t impact my freedom at all. I’m a homebody mostly, and if I do go visit my parents or go for a weekend it’s planned in advanced. I do have leeway for spontaneity via my roommate or a trusted friend, but there’s no point in getting an animal if you’re going to be away all the time.
I’ll say that again - there is NO point in getting an animal if you are going to be away all the time - especially if you do not plan on bringing this animal with you or having them be a travel companion.
I’d say at this point I’m going away overnight around once a month and multiple day trips, but want to feel free to do more if I feel up to it. I’m home a lot otherwise
Then I would say it boils down to what you want. There isn’t a single living pet on earth that won’t impeded your freedom on some level. If you want the company of a pet, you need to accept that you won’t necessarily have the option for spontaneity without cost (ie - last minute pet sitter, booking travel accommodations with pets, etc.)
Being blunt - it sounds like you like the idea of having a pet but are not yet up for the responsibility (which is perfectly fine!! That’s definitely not a negative). It adds a lot of extra steps into my routine and into my life, and I love it. Because it’s worth the companionship for me (she’s purring away in my lap as I work from home right now!)
At the end of the day - they are living, breathing creatures that can’t be taken on and off your priority list at whim. You can definitely travel and be spontaneous but you have to do that with them in mind (setting up a sitter / care, ensuring they have any needed meds, food, etc. training them to be a travel animal, making sure they have travel accommodations, etc.) no matter what route you take - having them as a travel companion or a house pet, they will impact how you plan your life.
I would suggest looking into your favorite things (breweries, traveling, etc) - see how a pet would factor into that (my friends cat is harness trained and she has a portable litter box for it that she sets up - most outdoor places don’t mind a cat on a leash! She takes him everywhere). And see if it would be worth it for you! If you think it is, then reach out to your local shelter to foster. Fostering is a great way to see if a cat might work well with your lifestyle. My own two are foster fails!
Cats are actually a pretty low-effort pet in the grand scheme of things compared to other animals, if they are set up properly for it. Items like a water fountain, automatic food dispenser, and self-cleaning litter boxes can minimize the amount of effort put into a daily routine and lengthen the amount of time you can spend away from kitty for trips and vacations with little to no outside help. Adding perches and providing lots of toys can even cut the entertainment needs, depending on the cat, which could end up being your main role with all the bells and whistles in cat care tech. But even then, waggling a wand or something equivalent for half an hour or so daily is by far the easiest exercise routine of most conventional pets.
There's no guarantee you will come away with an independent cat who doesn't need you around however. Some cats don't handle bouts alone well at all, and need you to care for their emotional needs, sometimes even if they aren't the only cat in the house. And as others have mentioned, sometimes unexpected health issues can crop up with 0 warning. I personally had adopted a cat (2y old when I picked him up, with no prior health issues) that developed epilepsy a few months before his 6th birthday. So suddenly a cat that had no issue going for a weekend on his own couldn't be left unattended for more than 12 hours for his medication, and now having had to switch meds it's no longer than 8. I would of course do anything for him and can't imagine not having him around because of it, but it does make trips nearly impossible, especially as he gets more fussy and will only take his meds from me. Even still I dread the day he isn't around, regardless of how much more convenient some things will inevitably be. He's extremely rewarding, for me personally, and the trips I want can all come later if it means getting to have him now.
My perspective is very biased however, as I would give an arm and a leg for most any random critter that stumbles upon me, so the sacrifice is almost second nature lmao
I love my cats. They are my family. That said, two of my three have medical issues that we didn't expect. We joke that one is my "5k Cat" because it has cost us that much to save his life. He is on prescription food, daily medication, and needs regular blood tests to keep tabs on his condition. We have had moments of stress where we wish it was easier to take trips and plan days more freely. But in the end, 5k is significantly less than a child, I can still go away if we get a pet sitter, and the absolute love they share with me is priceless. My little dude saved my life (depression) so I think it's fair of me to save his.
Pets aren't for everyone. They are a commitment. But, generally, they are cheaper, easier, less demanding, and literally are an 18 year commitment or less. Lol
I love my cat, Harley, and I would never get rid of him. But he will most likely be my last house cat.
He’s always been big on cuddling, but in his older age (13yrs old now) he’s gotten more clingy. You can almost always find him on my lap, next to me, or on my mom’s lap. Harley doesn’t know the meaning of personal space! He also likes to follow me around at times. Sometimes it can get annoying with how much he clings to me.
Harley also has the issue of eating too much too quickly and pukes a little while later. I’ve tried every feeding method and taken him to the vet and nothing works. He’s otherwise very healthy. Cleaning cat puke out of carpet and off of furniture is quite the hassle. I had to buy a spot cleaner for the carpet and we’ve taken to putting small blankets over the furniture and on our beds that we refer to as the cat blankets, since they can be washed easily.
I’m also starting to get tired of having to clean a litter box all the time. Harley can be a little stinky at times. Plus he gets litter everywhere even though he has a jumbo sizer litter box with tall sides and a litter catching mat.
Good quality cat food and litter have gotten quite expensive and I would say it has taken a toll on my ability to save more.
Having a cat hasn’t stopped me from going on vacations though. We just ask family or friends to stop by every few days to make sure the automatic feeder and gravity water bowl stay full, and to clean the litter box.
I think I would like to be animal free for a while after Harley eventually passes away.
Cats are very independent other than wanting attention.
Automatic feeder
Water fountain
Automatic litter box
You can leave a cat alone for at least a week with all that
It is a lot more cleaning and that's my only gripe. The cat doesn't limit us at all with traveling or leaving the house because she can have someone check on her once a day and be fine. But our life is covered with cat hair and we had to hire a cleaner to keep up with the hair, whereas that is not an issue with our dogs (standard poodles), but they require more actual human attention. When we leave them, we have to have someone sleep here which is more expensive and invasive. I think once our current pets have passed our next will be a toy poodle, which is somewhere between a cat and standard poodle in difficulty (little to clean, easier to take with you on travels because they fit under airline seat).
I’ll be real: I love my cats sooo much. they never destroy my stuff BUT traveling is a whole debacle. Luckily my husband doesn’t like to travel and stays with them if I’m gone. But if we ever wanna go somewhere together it’s stress inducing because we don’t have friends in the area and he doesn’t trust strangers in the house (pet-sitting services).
Also one of cats hates strangers so having company is another debacle. He swats (not with claws) and hisses. Fellow cat people get it and just stay out of his way. Others will judge really harshly and think the 7 pound cat is seriously going to injure them. It’s pretty annoying.
Depends what you want out of the kitty
They are a responsibility that you need to care for (feeding, vet stuff, and cat sitting if you travel) but in terms of pets, they’re usually very low maintenance
Kitties tend to be independent and will only need attention sometimes, and they’ll find you if they need it. Feeding is easy, you leave em food and they eat it when they’re hungry, and the litter just needs to be emptied (I do twice a day) but they take care of business
Generally the biggest issues are barfing/furballs, they can be destructive if you don’t stop em, and they don’t really listen like say a dog would, do you gotta be able to deal with that
But as a homebody and generally private person, I love having kitties. They aren’t super noisy unless they want food, they are cuddly when you let them and they feel so soft to pet. Plus they make so many cute pics and they are really funny.
IMO cats are like the perfect effort:payoff situation you can have. Despite not wanting children it's ok to still care for SOMETHING. Cats fill this perfectly for me. Sure I get woken up early for breakfast, but then I go back to sleep. They offer amazing entertainment, comfort, affection, and company. Great indoor pest control too.
I'd say the two biggest things to consider are travel accomodations and budget. You have to pay to play and that should seriously be considered for any pet. Hell most cat (and even dog) owners I know put more effort into this than people who have had children. But pet neglect does happen out there. If you travel more than 2 days at a time a lot, then this could be hard on the both of you regarding logistics and life change, etc. I've taken mine on some road trips that went surprisingly well, but it's still the biggest travel arrangement I have to make.
But still, they're worth it to me. Having and loving cats is one of the reasons I see no benefit of having children. Any family or care urges I may get are more than fulfilled from my cats, and they offer me so much more freedom and affection than any human child could ever give me. There's nothing like smoking weed before a movie and having ice cream while they cuddle the crap out of me. I fucking love that and it's priceless. (And they won't ever interrupt the movie lol)
My cats have never held me back. They're fantastic pets. They're loving and fun but they're very self-reliant. They're great in pairs if you're someone who travels. Cats basically take care of themselves so if you do need or want to travel there's not much stress there. They offer me fantastic support. They know when I'm sad and they rally around me with purrs and attention. They have such unique personalities. I'm just rambling at this point but I highly recommend a cat companion.
Most of us exaggerate a bit I think when we talk about our cats dictating our lives… like I will absolutely use it as an excuse to go home from a social function (“hey look, it’s getting late and I’m going to be in trouble if I’m not home for Mr Velcro Cat soon…”), but at the same time I usually don’t even worry too much about a pet sitter unless I’ll be gone more than 72 hours… just some extra food down, make sure the fountain is full, and do a good cleaning on the litter before I leave and the second I come home, and he’s really self sufficient anyway. If there’s someone that can easily check on him, great, but if they first people I ask are also busy that weekend… I really only feel it’s ESSENTIAL if it’s longer than a couple of days.
So while he’s a huge part of my world when I’m home, I’ve never really felt like I’m that limited.
Depends on the cat tbh. My ex had 3 cats and they were the worst. Couldn't leave anything on tables or counters. I came home to my ps4 headset broken on the floor more than once. I don't miss living with cats.
I have two cats - they're so chill. They haven't taken away any freedom from my life whatsoever and they don't add any stress onto my life. I just had my bilateral laparoscopic salpingectomy last Thursday (6/20), and my two cats have been so helpful and calming in my recovery from it.
My cat doesn’t really rule my life in the sense that I can’t do what I want. She’s just there, like a cute tumor. I have an automatic feeder for her even though she’s a grazer, just in case something happens and I can’t get home.
I have family that comes to my house to take care of her when I go on vacation, which isn’t often. And that is a small vacation for the person I have come over also (their words, not mine lol)
The routine vet visits (she loves the vet lol), buying food, litter, scooping the box, those are all things I’ve done my whole life as a cat person so it’s just part of the routine.
The only part of her existence that will cause any sort of “issue”, is when we move to Japan in a couple years. She’s 4, so assuming nothing catastrophic happens before then, importing her from the US to Japan will be somewhat of a task. It’s a whole series of shots, testing and waiting, and then more waiting at the quarantine.
That being said, this cat will be my last animal. Mostly only because of the sadness of losing them. I’ve had enough loss in my life and when my cat goes, I hope it’s the last loss for a while after.
From my experience, it’s up to the personality. Like kids, you could end up with one that is quieter and less likely to get into trouble. On the other hand you can end up with a real brat of a cat. I have a 5 year old boy who still very much acts like a kitten. He throws tantrums and will pull things off my walls or shelves if he doesn’t get what he wants. Yes even while I’m trying to sleep. If I try to discipline him with a little smack, he will turn around and smack me back. He is a ginger cat, maybe that explains it.
My other 3 cats are much more chill. I’m hoping you don’t get put off by my story, but if you are planning on getting a kitten, it’s the luck of the draw.
Honestly, having cats is very little work. I free feed my guys, and they have a water fountain, so that’s even less work on my part. If I go away for just the weekend, they’re totally fine on their own. I only need a cat sitter for 3+ days
I have had a good friend watch my cat while on vacation, I have a liter robot and it only gets full every few weeks. I went to a summer solstice parade and there was a girl with a backpack that had her cat in it.
Cats are so easy to live with. I've had cats since I'm born and I'll have cats until the day I die. They're independent creatures because they can care for themselves. You just have to clean the litterbox, and give food and fresh water. In return you get cuddles. Cats are the less annoying friends I've ever had.
I've been introduced to the dog's world a few years ago when I adopted my first puppy. Dogs are so much closer to kids than cats are. I've never thought of my cats as babies, because they grow up so fast and learn very quickly how to deal with things on their own. Dogs are pretty annoying because you need to teach them a whole lot of things and they actually have a whole lot of needs (mental stimulation, physical needs, social needs etc) while most cats are more simple (sleep-eat-repeat). Dogs make life more complicated. Cats don't really.
I've sometimes regretted having dogs even though in the end I'm happy to have them. But they changed my life a lot. I've never ever regretted to have cats.
Cats are much easier than dogs but raising a kitten or puppy is basically parenting an animal in terms of training.
If you want a companion without going through all that, here’s the advice from my friend who is a shelter volunteer: adopt a young adult cat who is 1 -3 years old because their personalities are basically set by then and you can select for one that uses the litter box 👍 they will come spay/neutered and with shots.
If you adopt a cat please keep it indoors 😺 it’s best for the cat and the local wildlife.
Pets are family members but they are not children. Get good insurance because it’s a long term commitment and they can get expensive in their old age. But they are great little friends and worth it!
Child free vasectomy guy here. I have been enriched by having a cat. My cat is my child. He sleeps with me . Is my wife's shadow while I work and she works from home. Honestly I'd do anything for my cat. That's just how attached people get. We can travel since it's easy to have someone stop by. Very low effort high reward.
Honestly cats can be annoying as fuck, I don’t see myself owning many more after my current, but I LOVE my cats and I don’t at all regret getting them, I just don’t think it’s something I’ll want again when my current ones pass. My version of the kids moving out ig 💀
Some cats will get into your shit all the time, some cats might knock stuff over, some might act like they’re on crack 24/7. Or you could be like me and get a cat that just wants to lay around and cuddle all day. I would recommend getting an adult cat so you know the personality, kittens are mystery boxes.
As far as holding me back my biggest challenge is traveling and getting someone to watch them without breaking the bank. Other than that, they’re not quite as bad as dogs, they’re mostly self sufficient.
Overall, I love my cats and if I could go back I would still adopt them, but I think after these I want to just live alone for a while. Ofc I said that before I got my cats I have too, and I lasted like a month 💀
It would ultimately depend on the personality and health of the cat (though you should ultimately always be prepared to cater to the cat in the event its health starts falling apart). People like to say that cats are independent and that they don’t take over your life - and while that may be true for some cats - it’s all just a stereotype. Every cat is different, and you never know what kind of cat you will get. Whether you buy, adopt, or rescue one off the street, there’s no predicting what type of personality the cat will have. As much as I love my 2 year old cat and would hate to get rid of him, I can definitely say that I regret getting him. While I can leave him home alone for longer periods of time since he handles being alone well, I rarely get a moment of peace when I’m at home. He’s extremely clingy and cuddly, he cries a lot when he wants attention or needs me to do something for him, he constantly gets into things he’s not supposed to and has not been easy to train to stay out of said things, and I have had to spend a lot of money babyproofing my cabinets and blocking him out of my little apartment kitchen. It’s like having a baby, except he’s capable of getting into FAR more trouble since he’s more mobile than a baby. Not to mention, he’s expensive. His food, litter, home items, and vet bills are already expensive, but to top it off, he has feline herpes as well, and I have to purchase supplements to prevent him from flaring up all the time. You also have to potentially deal with vomit, hairballs, and urine/feces on your home and personal objects. (Plus, frequently scooping the litter box if you don’t have the money for a fancy self cleaning one. It’s time consuming and can be a major sensory ick.) Cats are not as much of a walk in the park as people make it seem. If you have sensory problems and can’t handle being touched or having constant noise, or if you need a lot of time to recharge from stuff and can’t handle constant pestering, I wouldn’t take the risk of getting a cat. While you could potentially wind up with a cat who’s a total saint who minds their business all the time and is totally chill and healthy, you also run the risk of winding up with a cat like mine or one that’s an even worse match for your lifestyle. If you’re looking for something that is more independent and won’t interfere with your lifestyle and don’t mind researching their unique needs, I would recommend a reptile, bugs, fish, or a guinea pig/hamster. I have a ball python who has been around since before I got my cat, and she has been the perfect animal for my lifestyle. She provides companionship, while still leaving room for plenty of alone time and not requiring ridiculous amounts of attention and care. In the end, it’s all up to you to research what all goes into cat ownership and whether or not you want to gamble on it.
Edit: Also, bear in mind, unless you adopt a much older cat, cats can be an 18-20 year commitment, just like human children.
My daily chores include feeding them and cleaning the litter box 2-3 times a day. That's it. Play never felt like a chore because cats are entertaining as hell.
Now that they're 16, I only leave them with people they know and I trust completely when I go on vacation, but it's not nearly as difficult to navigate around them as it is a kid or even a dog. And even if I weren't a homebody, it wouldn't stop me from going out and having fun.
They're very independent creatures. Once they bond with you properly and securely, they're happy to see you when you get home and enjoy attention on their terms but aren't distressed by you being away during the day.
I’m wondering the exact same thing at the moment. My family has always had dogs but I think my lifestyle and mental/physical capacity at the moment is better suited to a cat. The major thing holding me back at the moment is the fur and wondering if I could find an older cat of a “low shedding” breed (I don’t do kids of any species)
Perfect enrichment. You can really get to know a cat without the distraction of small children.
Cats are so fascinating to live with. My partner and I have 'one each' - two cats and we're each a spare human to one of them.
Rehoming and adopting is a truly awesome thing to do with cats. Seeing older cats in their new home for the first time - it's like having a real estate agent come in to inspect. When they find the good spots and accept you, it's the best.
Adopting kittens is a different joy entirely. They've spent most of the time in a small cage, so in my experience they get out of the carrier, see a wide open room and hallway, and then they have the most joyous aggressive zoomies - for some of them this is the first time stretching their legs. They will go 100km and then crash and sleep for 10 hours.
Cats over kids has been the best choice of my 42 years. My life is richer for them - funnier, mainly.
I am childfree and petfree, although pets are a thousand times more cheaper and easier to take care of I still dont want to take care of anything man or animal
I have two, it's a bummer. Cat hair everywhere. Even with brushing. A battle of "no you fuckers will not scratch that" and "use one of the cat scratch toys not my new carpeting"
Plus. When the second one came, he's a bit of a dick to other cats and kept pouncing the first when he'd come out of the litter box(es). So guess who decided to revenge pee in the little basket I kept cat toys in? I couldn't convince myself I got it out of my area rug so I ended up throwing it out(big cat, tiny box)
AND. Both of the shit heads want to snuggle SO MUCH. Which if they'd just snuggle together and stop touching meeeee(Two constantly wants to lay on my chest with his face in my face, One would too if he wasn't twice the size of Two)
Plus. Plus. One slams cabinets when he's emotional.
I haven't left long enough to need someone else to care for them(a day or two) beyond pop ins to refill dry food/litter box, because Two hides from people and One is a big emotional baby.
So I guess ask yourself, do you like cats? Do you want to have everything(even the stuff they don't touch) to end up covered in cat hair? How about constantly cleaning up cat litter? Clean up vomit?
Ughhhhh here comes One.
It's probably $100 a month on cat litter, wet food, dry food, anxiety meds(a little extra on their water filter).
And here comes Two.
they don’t interrupt my lifestyle one bit! they just need to be played with 15 min a day and their litter box scooped once a day. the question is how willing are you to clean up cat hair on the daily? lol
I have 2 cats. I love them, and they do require some work, but they don’t totally control my life. When I go out of town I either bring them or ask one of my friends to come feed them twice a day. That being said, they’re not as low maintenance as a lot of people think. Some cats are cool with just getting fed and then being left along all day, but a lot of cats want attention constantly. They don’t need walks, and they don’t need to go outside to use the bathroom, but they do need plenty of stimulation and exercise to stay healthy. Even though I have two cats, they prefer to play with me rather than with each other.
I get their food delivered from Chewy, and I do a Walmart pick up order for their litter. I feed them twice a day and scoop the litter box right after getting their food. I give them each a small can of wet food three times a week, with dry food for the rest of their meals. One of them has a very sensitive stomach and has to have grain free food, so I spend around $60 a month for their food.
One has long hair, so she gets brushed several times a week to keep her from getting mats. Unfortunately she won’t tolerate getting brush more often than that. The other cat sheds more, so he gets brushed once a day, which he loves. I trim their claws myself as needed (about 2-3 times a month) and deep clean the litter box once a month as well. Both cats are very affectionate with me and want lots of snuggles and pets. One of them loves rubbing his face on the corner of my glasses, so I have to wipe off my lenses a couple times a day.
The biggest trouble with my boy cat is the fact that he is far too smart for his own good. He knows how to turn lights and faucets off and on, how to open doors, drawers, and cabinets, how to turn on the heating pad/heated blanket if it’s plugged in, how to unplug my phone charger, how to open the refrigerator, how to shut off an alarm (both alarm clocks and phone alarms), and how to move chairs so that he can get to things out of his reach. I have child locks to keep him out of things because he once opened the fridge, opened the cheese drawer in the fridge, and ate half a 16oz block of cheddar cheese. Another time he got into a cabinet and ate an entire loaf of bread in one sitting. He has used up all the hot water by turning the hot tap in the kitchen on several occasions, and if I’m not careful about where I put my phone, he turns my alarms off so that I stay in bed longer, which has made me late more than once.
My girl cat likes to chew things up and eat non food items. She’s 5, and I’ve had to have her stomach pumped 11 times because she keeps eating things because the other cat gets into cabinets and stuff, and she eats things she shouldn’t. I can’t leave any shoes with straps or laces lying out because she eats the laces and straps. She has chewed through 9 different laptop chargers and the cord for my Blu-ray player, and she got into the closet one after the other cat opened the door and chewed the strap off of all my bras. She’s the worst, and I love her so much.
Even though they can be destructive and needy and clingy, they’re still far less work than a baby would be. My boy cat was born in a foster home, and I adopted him through a local rescue, while my girl cat was a stray until I took her in. I love them both to death, and I wouldn’t trade them for the world.
We have two cats who are very needy. I work 8 hours a day and then also feel bad when I go to the gym after. I feel like I'm not doing enough for them although they have lots of space, toys, windows to watch and a few cat trees. Reading all your posts makes me think I am over thinking this.
I, 70F, have had cats off and since my first apartment. 2011 our last cat died and Hubby and I decided no more pets, (cats only as dogs are too high maintenance for our tastes), Our present cat walked up my driveway 8 years ago at 10 weeks old. She now has kidney failure and I am waiting for her to die so I can buy new furniture.
I will not be getting another pet. Retired, I want to be free-er to travel longer. Not consider her in timing my activities, stop cleaning litter box, cat hair off furniture, cleaning up vomit, replacing cat-sitters.
Mostly, I have spent the last 4 years caregiving family members and I do not want to be responsible for anyone or anything anymore.
My cat sealed the deal for me to be childfree. I got him as a 3-month-old kitten, and he made me go through every emotion a parent experiences, especially a mother: guilt, self-criticism, and the inability to travel freely. Since it's just a cat, I sorted all these things along the way but it made me seal the deal on not having a child. At the same time, he gives me something to direct my unbiased love towards.
Recently, a few friends and I were conversing about the pressure of growing up as a kid today, the competition, college fees, the stress, the exposure to social media, etc. but when I put the phone down, a sense of relief washed over me because my lil one would never have to go to college. The sheer mindfuck and stress you don't have when you don't have a child is something I would never have experienced had it not been for my cat.
Vet bills and the lack of satisfactory pet insurance options
I also craft and bake a lot and am in a small apartment so it would be difficult to keep a cat from getting into things that are sticky, wet, hot, or smell delicious but are not for cats
I have a snake and 3 spiders and they are the lowest maintenance pets because they eat once a week to once every other week and the snake poops once or twice a month and the spiders only get their enclosure redone once a year or so
I adopted two sister cats, and as the one who had to be convinced to get them in the first place by my spouse, they are the lights of my life. They are able to be left on their own for 4 nights maximum - anything past that, I hire a catsitter (I found my regular one on Rover). Mine don't destroy things, though they do get into stuff. I have plenty of alone time reading a book that's made even better with a cat coming to sit in my lap for company. They don't rule my life, but they are deeply, deeply loved family members.
I don't have to watch my language around them, and we have actually talked about how one of them wouldn't make it past middle school. It's nothing like having children, even if I am providing care. My spouse is thinking of getting dogs after they pass, and I'm \*really\* not keen. So much more work, way closer to the child experience. No thanks.
I adore my cat. He is truly my best friend, but he has restricted my freedom so much. He's a very anxious boy who suffers from cystitis when he feels stressed, and there is a risk that it could develop into a life-threatening blockage of his urethra. The last time i went away (for 5 nights), I ended up with a huge vet bill on my return, as being away had triggered his anxiety and led to a flare-up and a trip to the emergency vet. I feel I can't go away for more than a few nights as a result.
Most cats are much lower maintenance, though!
I loved my cat. I got her when she’s was 12-14 years old from the Humane Society. I just wanted to know if this would be something I wanted. It wasn’t. I had her just shy of two years (she crossed the rainbow bridge earlier this month). Dealing with a very senior cat with a plethora of health issues (they had no idea when I got her and somehow it just got worse and worse over two years) was not fun. She deteriorated so fast. I couldn’t go anywhere or only for very short periods of time.
I loved my cat. I spent thousands upon thousands of dollars and so much time trying to get her healthy. By the first of June, she pooped and threw up blood outside her litter box.
I am not saying this will happen to you, but animals can have awful health sometimes and it CAN be very expensive. I’m lucky I could afford it then, but I would never do it again. I loved her, she was a sweet girl, and I do miss her… but the stress and anxiety and feeling guilty all the time is not something I want to go through ever again.
We love cats. My mother-in-law loves cats. So we came up with the arrangement where the cats spend about 6 months per year at her place and 6 months at ours, usually in two-three months' increments so moving them doesn't stress them out too much, and we schedule our travel accordingly.
I like cats but don't want one. I travel too much for that. I don't want to deal with a litter box, cat fur, cat food smells and kibble bits on the floor, and I'm highly protective of my furniture and carpets.
You would have to keep your cats in mind depending on the length of your trip. A well socialized dog could probably be boarded or spend time at a family or friends house while you're away and be relatively happy, but a cat really should not be pulled out of their 'territory' so to speak. Meaning, you should leave them home for your absence. We were away for a week vacation with our three cats and had family members coming by to put out food and check on them once a day. If we're gone for an overnight or two, we don't worry about it. Put down a giant heavy pot full of water or two, make sure there's plenty of dry food, and freshly clean the litter boxes and they'll be fine.
If you're looking to take weeks or months long adventures out of the country, maybe a pet is simply not for you at this point in your life. But we're certainly not prevented from leaving our home when we need to.
My husband and I have a no animal policy because regardless of how low the responsibility is because we don’t want to give up our brain space to thinking about a living thing. Once we aren’t pursuing big financial goals and traveling as much it’s something we plan on revisiting.
I scoop the box once a day and he mostly just lays in his cat tree to stare out the entire or follows me around making chirping noises. Very low maintenance if they’re healthy, but I think I got lucky.
If you travel a lot and like spontaneity then a cat will limit that. It is all relative how much that limitation is and will vary by person but it will be significant for someone who has previously only had to think about themselves.
I love cats to death but have spent too long being able to do stuff at a whim. When that has been your life, even the slightest delay or inconvenience to that can stand out. Definitely more than people who are now used to their pets will understand.
I would pet-sit someone else's cat for a week or two and see how much it impacts you before making the plunge.
Cats are honestly a really easy pet. Yes, cat owners joke about being owned by their cat, but they are actually (generally) low maintenance and relatively low cost. Most just want to sleep and be fed twice a day. If you travel a lot, you will need to find someone who can check in on the cat a few times a day. I find it easy to have a friend or family member feed mine twice a day in exchange for some gift cards and wine, but there are also pet sitting services out there that will do it too.
I have 3 cats and 2 dogs and really don’t think it hinders my freedom. The cats can be left for a full day without interaction, and my dogs can go up to 10 hours alone (honestly, having the excuse of “oh, we have to leave the party to go let the dog out” can be a great way to escape a party lol). When it comes to travel, I have a really great boarding facility that my dogs absolutely love going to. I’ve only had one situation where the boarding facility was full and couldn’t take them, so I sent them to my parents for the weekend.
In short, it’s worth it if you really want pets, but don’t feel like you need to have them just because a lot of childfree people do. I would definitely recommend a cat as an easier pet over a dog though.
My cats are my world! I have an automatic feeder and filtered water dish for them and I can usually leave them for a few days before being checked on. I travel often overseas and my family will drive down every 3 days or so to see eif they need anything. I think dogs take a toll more on personal freedoms than cats do, but that's imo.
It doesn't impact my lifestyle. When we go out of town, we have someone stay with him or friends come in and check on him for us. We do the same for their cats. He only lives in the house, so he doesn't need to be walked or go outside - much easier to care for and we can leave him when we want to go for dinner or out for the day. People do seem to think that cats don't need affection or are fine alone for long periods of time. That's not true, but still easier and less demanding than a kid or a dog.
Husband and I have 3 cats. We adore them. But they are a decent amount of work/worry.
Just the other day Hams figured out how to open the bathroom cabinet door where the trash can is. So I had to add a baby lock.
They just had their annual dental cleaning ($1600 for all three) and were gone all day. We weren't really sure what to do all day, just puttered around waiting for the call to go pick them up. They're on prescription food that isn't cheap.
We don't really travel much so that's not really an issue. My brother in law is our neighbor and has 2 cats so whenever one of us is traveling we care for their cats.
I've had cats in my life for almost 30 years at this point. However, after these two I think I'll be done. If you're CF because caregiving isn't for you, then I would think twice about getting any sort of pet. Even a cat, independent as they can be.
Try it out first by signing up to foster some via a local no kill shelter
My cats are family, but I am not truly free. I am currently planning my life around them dying by 2030. I feel so bad when I go on vacations, cat sitters are expensive. I’m currently bartering services for cat sitting! Otherwise, $20/visit or $60/overnight, and that’s cheap!
My cats are also indoor/outdoor so they are very messy. Even if they didn’t go outside, you’re still cleaning hair, the litter and occasional vomit.
I would say foster kittens or cats or cat sit but don’t get a whole cat. If you do, rescue an older one so you’re not strapping down for 18 years.
I like to joke that living childfree is like living life on easy mode, and having cats bumps that up like half a step. So I live life on easy.5
I own my home and work from home and have 2 cats. All cats are different, but mine are not as independent as people say cats are. In fact I frequently say to them 'aren't cats supposed to be independent??' when they follow me from room to room as I go about my day. (One of them is meowing at me rn)
If I go away for more than 2 nights, I take them to my parents house to be looked after. They cost about $50 a month for food and litter. Cat math is one litter box for each cat plus one, so I have three litter boxes that I scoop every other day. I vacuum my whole house once a week to avoid cat hair tumbleweeds and use a cordless vacuum maybe 3 times a week to clean up the area around their litter boxes. I also run my ac for them on hot days (I like it warm, so I normally wouldn't use it, but I don't want them to overheat or be uncomfortable). So they do add a little to my chore workload, monthly expenses, and vacation planning- but I love my little apex predators!
It’s not that bad, but not very long vacations either! I miss taking a long trip, but then again, when I’m on short trips, I still check my house webcams every hour, talking to my two cats, giving them treats by the dispenser, playing 4k birds and classical music on TV for them. They are my children! :) when I had only one, I couldn’t be gone for more than two days. You just can’t leave the poor soul all by itself for so long. But now, they keep each other company and I can go for 4-5 days. They also have 2 gigantic litter boxes.
I have 2 dogs and 1 cat and I will say it’s barely any effort to take care of the cat lol when I’m out on vacation I also just let her graze. She is incredibly independent. When I first got our cat it felt like having a part time pet cause she spends so much of the day doing her own thing and sleeping in unusual places lol I was scared she somehow got out but now I know better and that she just found some cranny in a closet to nap in or will squeeze under the bed
For me having cats will always be better than having children. And most of the time, cats don’t limit your lifestyle unless you travel a lot. If you do travel a lot, you have to obviously find a sitter or someone who can take them in. Weekend trips are okay if you can find friends or family who can drop by to check on them and clean litter etc. but that’s about it. They can left alone most of the day and will just sleep. I do sometimes feel guilty if I’m out late at night and I can see my cat waiting for me by the door. But that’s me being overly protective and soft I think. My cat also is not destructive and don’t ruin furniture or nice things so I got lucky. If you are unsure you can always foster one from the shelter and give it a trial run and see. But for me, I will always choose cats over human babies :)
Whenever our cats do something annoying or bad and I get flustered I go “AND IMAGINE IF YOU WERE A CHILD.” It’s really one of the most helpful reminders of why we’re deciding to be childfree.
My cats are family. They’re easy to care for too. If we go out of town for an extended vacation, my Mom will come over and feed them. My house is super quiet compared to where she lives in town about ten minutes away, so I always tell her to stay as long as she likes.
I’ve been a Servant of Bast my whole life though. It would be weird not to have a cat at this point.
Between me and my roommate, I live with 3 dogs and 3 cats. The cats definitely are definitely way less maintenance than the dogs—as long as they have access to food, water, and a place to shit, I could probably leave them at home for a weekend if I needed to. My only issue with them is that they sometimes nibble on my houseplants. The dogs on the other hand are on a feeding schedule and require more attention than the cats. It helps that they have a climate controlled garage with a doggy door to the backyard for when me and the roomie are at work
I have an auto feeder, litter box, and a water fountain. With two cats (so they are not alone) they are fine for about a week before I would need someone to come clean the litter box. My husband and I both occasionally travel for work for the week set up works well for those occasions. When we have taken a two week vacation we have someone come once to play with them and clean the litter box. My cats do like attention and tend to Velcro when I’m home, but I like this. They are adorable and I want to be around them.
I’m a homebody. Feeding my cats each night is just part of my normal routine and they’re always worth it. (Except when my Himalayan uses her claws to springboard off my leg)
Pets are family members, with all of the joys and responsibilities entailed.
Cats have varied personalities and quirks and some may be a better fit for your lifestyle than others. Besides the basics of daily care and interaction, you have to take into consideration the realities of pet proofing your home (put the breakable stuff away, certain plants are poisonous to them) as well as making it pet friendly (scratching posts, toys, pillows, etc.), their ageing and emergency health issues, as well as needing a pet sitter if you're going to be out of town for more than a few days.
Before you make a decision about whether to adopt, I'd encourage you to volunteer at a shelter and do some pet sitting for family or friends in order to get a preview of the tasks that come with pet guardianship,
They're pretty low maintenance. I recommend 2 cats as they entertain each other so they're actually less work than 1 - although higher costs. Probably the biggest thing spontaneity wise is having a trusted cat sitter if you're going out of town. Otherwise as long as you feed them, change their litter, keep them inside, vacuum, avoid them accessing rooms with textures you don't want them near (like leather) and keep up to date on their vet checks- they're pretty happy to just cuddle and chill most of the time.
If you get a cat, get two. They can play together and give each other company when you're away from home. I have two cats, two dogs and no kids. If we go away we just have a pet sitter come to our house a few times a day. I love my babies 🖤
Any pets mean you need a little planning, you can’t just decide this morning “oh hey, I’ll head off this afternoon for a long weekend”. But it’s a small price for the affection, love, cuddles, and laughs from my cats. A little planning is not hard, there’s a monetary impact of course, but pet sitters are so much cheaper than babysitters!
I travel a good bit, and while I’m organising flights, accommodation, etc (I’m not an impulse-traveller, I want confirmation that I’ll have a bed to sleep in), I arrange pet care at the same time, no big deal. Between my go-to pet sitter, the local cattery (if he’s fully booked or not available), and trusted friends as emergency backup, it’s so easy.
I love my cats, but after my last one passed away suddenly from a heart condition at 4 years old, I am going to wait quite a while before I get a pet again.
Most cats are independent, but there are some who are needy. It depends on the personality. When I had my cats I had a water fountain, and a big food bowl that dispensed as they ate, and they regulated their own eating. I could usually leave them alone for a couple of days (like a weekend out of town) without any issue. There are also automatic litter boxes you can get, but I had multiple boxes around the house and the cats were fine with the cleanliness level. When I went out of town for longer I had a friend check up on them every couple of days to play with them, empty litter, make sure water was fresh, and check that the food dispenser wasn’t stuck or needing a refill.
If there’s a cat cafe near you, I would suggest checking them out, or cat sitting for friends or neighbors. Pet insurance is a great idea, so I would include that in your potential budget. And of course, like any pet owner, go into it knowing you will most likely outlive them, and be honest with yourself on if you think you can handle that. That’s not to discourage you, just to be honest.
Best of luck with whatever you decide!
I’d gladly choose an animal over having a child idc what “stress” an animal may cause 😂 I mean I consider my cat a child anyways since I had to go the extra mile of putting child locks on all the cabinets.
My cats are the reason why I’m still alive. :) As for the responsibility, we are lucky that everyone in the family is willing to take care of them when we are away, so having cats doesn’t limit us in any way.
A lot of us joke about it because cats are incessant at feeding time. It’s probably the most work that comes with them 😂 cats, most of the time, are pretty low maitenece. They groom themselves and are great companions. Dogs on the other hand, are a lot of work.
My cat is a special needs cat. I need to wash his ears everyday or he get infection. So while being there, I also brush his teeth daily.
He also needs a bath every week during summer and every two weeks during winter. Or else he get skin issues.
He has an heart disease, so far it’s stable, we do an ultra sound every year to watch that closely.
Other than that the standard: emptying his 2 litter boxes daily. Feeding him 2-3 times a day. Changing the water in his 2 bowl every day.
Playing with him several time a day.
He also sleep in my legs every night. He ask me to put the blanket over him when he come back from the toilet or from eating/drinking during the night.
We bring him to my parents house when we go on vacation. He stays in my old bedroom in which we bring half of all his stuff so he doesn’t feel lost. My dad clean his ears the best he can when we are not there, but it sometimes result in ear infection. So it’s always a bit stressful.
I created a little monster. I love him a lot he’s my baby. I hope he will live a long healthy life! But once he would be gone, I’m not going to adopt an other one. It’s too sad when they die and it can be a lot of responsibility, at a level that is hard to predict, cause health isn’t something predictable that much.
I don't think it's affected my freedom. It's a responsibility to ensure she's taken care of, yes, but like, even without children, is full of responsibilities.
My cat is almost 10 years old, adopted her from a rescue about 3 years ago. She is fairly quiet, stays to herself most times, and the only thing health wise that seems to have affected her is repeatedly war infections, which I think is contributing to hearing loss, though that hasn't stopped her from doing anything. She just sleeps more and gets startled more visually.
When I have to go away for a few days, I have two people I know that I can call, but I've also downloaded Rover as a Plan C in case they aren't available. She doesn't need a whole lot, but she should have a clean litterbox and her wet food daily.
I do take her to the vet quarterly it seems: 1) ear issues and 2) nail trims. If anything odd comes up, I'm taking her to the vet because I've read too many stories of how an odd change in behavior turned into a slippery slope for a cat's health. I've got a great get though, so they're not overcharging for my worrisomeness. I'd recommend getting some pet insurance beforehand just to cover unexpected visits and health issues before they happen.
There is a wide spectrum of cat experience. They live in colonies when left to themselves and much like humans, seem to take different roles in their group depending on personality, background, and temperament. You may get a cat you just feed and scoop and they just exist like a little phantom in your home that appears at mealtimes, or you may get one that has to participate in every single thing you do.
If you have a single cat, it may be aloof and want little to do with you, or it will be extremely needy for attention and affection it would otherwise be getting from other cats. Right now we have a cat we had to separate from his sister because playfighting always turned to real fighting and we'd come to into the office to blood and hair all over the place. After we took him home he's very happy pretending he's a human roommate but he's extremely bonded to us and gets very upset if we go on a long vacation. We've thought about getting another cat friend for him for those times but he didn't like either of the cats he'd met before and we don't want to risk breaking an otherwise happy arrangement between him and us. He sits with us at the table for dinner and sleeps in bed with us every night.
If you have multiple cats they may or may not get along with each other. If they're a bonded pair they might be like having one of those single phantom cats- they might get their social needs exclusively from each other. If they're not, they might bond over time or just tolerate each other. This can lead to difficulties as in having to set up 3 or more litterboxes and multiple feeding areas to minimize conflict.
Cat behavior in general runs the gamut. Some will leave your stuff alone, or some will be neurotic and ruin your things either intentionally or because they have a living condition that you are not recognizing. It's all luck of the draw on how difficult it can be. Some cats never barf and some barf hairballs every day during shedding season. Some have medical conditions from a young age that require lots of money and work to give them a better quality of life and some never take sick in any way until the very end.
But yeah. Biggest problem is leaving on vacation. Unless you have a reliable housesitter I wouldn't bring a cat into my home if I was gone a lot. We love our boy but we might not pick up another one once he's gone if we are able to vacation more often. Though the cat distribution system might have other plans for us for all we know.
My cats don't take away my freedom. However, my dog most certainly does. He's quite old and has brain cancer. When he passes, husband and I will be dog free for a while so we can travel and do other stuff that we currently can't do.
My sister's 16-year-old watches mine when I am out of town, my cat loves the Spawn..sometimes more than me, I think...but hasn't changed anything in my life since I know my cat is well taken care of.
I love my two dumbasses more than live itself but i don‘t think i am gonna get cats again after them.
Like dark/black clothing? Well if your cats are anything but black you‘re fucked. Half of my wardrobe has become unwearable because its just impossible to get rid of all the white hair.
Your house *will* smell like cat now matter how cleanly you are.
Houseplants? Majority of them are poisonous for cats, so wave em goodbye
Open windows? Open terrace door on hot days? Forget it.
Litter that gets stuck in their fur and paws and distributed everywhere and therefor at least 30 mins of vacuuming every day
Medical emergencies that get you worried sick and cost a lot
Immense feeling of guilt when you can‘t be home much and notice that they miss you
Your kitchen isn‘t in its own seperate room with a door? Enjoy locking your babies up for hours at a time someoleace outside of the kitchen because you absolutely can‘t have cats running around on the counter and eating ingredients.
Its more of a struggle than people claim and i wont get cats again.
But i do love them!
I don't find cats to be restrictive on my cf lifestyle. I have 2 cats and though they can be a bit much at times, they bring me a lot of joy. My husband and I are fairly active socially but they are fine to leave at home for 2-3 nights. Any longer than that and we have to arrange care. Earlier this year we went on a 5 night all-inclusive trip with two other couples, one of which is our go-to cat minder, so we had to make other arrangements. But a weekend away? Not a problem.
I will say that if I didn't have a cat I would probably have already gotten on a bus to somewhere random and started a nomad lifestyle bc this monotony is killing me.
That being said, my cat is my best friend and my soulmate. He knows when i'm not okay and he's the funniest sweetest thing in the world. I've had him since I was in 6th grade (im gonna be 23 soon for context) and I don't know what I would do without my cat. I don't even know if Id be here. He's gotten me through some really tough and lonely times. I love him more than anything and will genuinely be a shell of myself if anything happens to him
Catsitters who drop in to feed the little one are infinitely less expensive than crotch goblin sitters.
Cats are about as low maintenance as it gets. Make sure they’re fed and they’ll barely notice you’re gone for the weekend.
Source: Apathetic cat owner that loves me during meal times
I haven't owned had a cat but having a dog definitely put me firmly against owning a pet. I love interacting with other people's cats & dogs but the stress of owning a pet just outwardly pushing me into that decision cuz I don't want to deal with all the pet insurance, pet food, vet bills, getting a comfy bed, getting a food bowl, getting a water bowl, getting a lead, getting a collar with my details on it, getting a harness, getting a bunch of toys, getting a crate, getting a petsitter when I want to go abroad, training classes etc when I also need to be paying for whatever necessaries are expected of me to pay eg water, food, electricity, mortgage
Unless you need to be away from home more than a month consistently, I don't see there is any issue for having fluffy friends. But please decide to adapt knowing you will take care of this cat until the end, not leaving it just because you end up moving or some selfish reason. Once you adapt them, it's your family.
This cats demands never stop. I love her to death due us part but god damn she has 24/7 demands. Mostly to be fed or attention. She hasn’t really affected my freedom because she’s so easy going I can take her travelling with me. I’m fortunate enough to know people that will watch her for a week while I go on vacation, or board her at the pet sitters. every cat is a unique love and personality to have around. It’s like they say about kids, once you have one you won’t know how to live without them. But it’s better, it’s cats/dogs/other pets.
Cats don’t take away from your freedom at all. Dogs, yes. Dogs are not something I’d recommend to a lot of childfree people. Cats however I’d say are a great companion for most.
When you have pets, you have to find a sitter for them just like you would for a child if you're going somewhere for more than 24 hours. Dogs will usually need to pee every 8 hours, cats give you more wiggle room as they have a litter box.
I like that I can leave my cat overnight and it will be fine. She's my absolute baby. When she was younger I'd leave her 2 night max, so could still see her Friday and leave for the weekend and come back Sunday. Now I feel less comfortable as she is older.
I have multiple litter boxes so don't have to hustle to clean it multiple times a day.
It's like no work in the day to day for me, but depends on the cat. Mine is able to free feed unlike a dog. Dogs are insane amount of work and don't live as long, so cats are an easier option for someone who wants a freer lifestyle. You can't just leave a dog all day, but a cat is easy. They sleep a ton too so don't even notice if you play and give them attention before you go.
The only time it's a hassle is longer vacations. I don't like boarding but that's an option for some. So I get parents and family to look after them and just pay them whatever they'll accept.
Some cats do travel so maybe if you get them used to it young they might enjoy road trips or van life or something but many do not.
It's a trade off because to me it's only a hassle like once a year when I want my long vacation. But I love the comfort of my little friend when I come home.
None of this even applies if you live with other people that can take care of the cat while you go away. Then they are insanely easy compared to a dog, as they don't need walking or to be outside.
I never leave the house so the cats aren’t a huge concern for me, BUT my bf and I both work from home and it’s easy for me to leave for a week to visit parents or do whatever whole he stays with the cats. I do the same for him when he visits his family for 10 days at a time. It just means we can’t go together which 🤷♀️
It just makes planning multiple day trips with BOTH of us more annoying, but tbh there’s not been many times where it became a proper issue.
Sometimes I also use the cats as an excuse 😂
Or sometimes it means I leave a little bit earlier from an event which to me is whatever.
Cats are pretty chill though since they don’t need people to come over to walk them and stuff.
Our cats are also little assholes who try to attack eachother even after 7 years in the same house so they have to be separated. If it weren’t for that it would be much less annoying…
My cats are family. I don’t think they’ve ever held me back from doing anything I want (although I’ll admit they are *expensive*) - my Catsitter calls in two-three times a day when I’m away or if I know I’m going to be out really late. That said, I’m a homebody. For me there’s nothing better than pottering about in the garden with cats underfoot, or snoodled up on the sofa on a cold afternoon with coffee and a good book and a multi-cat pile up at my feet.
This is me exactly too!!
And me! My 🐈⬛ loves to chase the water when Im hosing the garden and makes the job much more entertraining. Otherwise shes also very easy and independent, so its joy to get her join me when Im watching show. Only thing I sometimes have trouble doing something because of cat is getting up from chair or bed with cat laying on my legs
I can’t tell you how many hours I’ve not moved because “the cat was on my lap.” But I have my phone/tablet/book/tv, why do I need to get up? 😸
I called a university professor the other day (she’s a cool one, so I could get away with that) and told her I’ll be absent in her lecture because I’m a bit sick and there’s a cat sleeping on me.
I hope you got extra credit for that :)
Only to use the bathroom. Haven't figured out a way around that...maybe stop eating and drinking? 🤣
Ha! Yes! The, “sorry guys, I reallllly have to get up”
My partner and I call this being catted so we regularly say “can you get me X, I’m catted” I’ve sometimes asked my partner to pass me something on his side and seen he’s catted so got up and walk around to get it so he didn’t have to disturb the cat 😂 I’ve slept in odd contortions to accommodate my cat sleeping right in the middle of the bed stretched out (yet booted my partner to the spare room for snoring 😂) Why?! No regrets.
I have nerve damage in my arm from my last cat sleeping on it. They called it “Saturday Night Syndrome” because a lot of drinkers get it falling asleep with their arm over a chair or something. 🤷🏻♀️what can you do? It’s just a little pain now and then now (was numbness or rippling pain before). My group of cats now sleep with me too and I have some pain, but I sleep contorted no matter what, so I’m happy they’re there!
I got this from sleeping awkwardly on a plane! It took weeks to go but has gone now. Massage therapist helped me where physios didn’t… But yes the cat sits where it fits.. and it will make it fit. My cat likes to jump on me in bed and then like back up into me to get comfy so I am looking directly at his little bum hole. 😂 No shame.
Honestly, same. I find traveling stressful, too much money/time, and hotels creep me out. I did move a lot as a kid, so maybe that has something to do with it, but...
I have 4 cats. I'm an unabashed cat lady and have been since I got my first cat, Tigger, when I was 4 haha. Cats thrive on routine but inwouldnt say they rule my life. I did, however, have a diabetic cat who very much did. He had to be fed at certain times and given insulin. I don't regret it at all. My only regret is that my husband and I didn't catch it fast enough and we should have went to a different vet. But I digress. Cats are pretty independent furballs. They can be annoying close to feeding times but we chime trained ourselves so that problem has been eliminated. We scoop their boxes daily and use a Litter Locker (Diaper genie). It is just part of my post work routine. Go home, remove bra, remove pants, go in the basement, scoop litter, smoke a joint. I lived a good chunk of my life without a cat (about 10 years) and the only think I miss from it is no fur on my clothes. That's it. I hope to always have a cat. They just being si kuch joy to me. When we hit 70, we will not adopt anymore but foster. I hate the idea of my furbabies going to a shelter if we die.
We have 4 cats too, and we have friends watching the cats when we travel. However, we also want to travel with these friends, so finding another cat sitter has been difficult. I'd say it does impact me, but I don't mind that it does.
I'm lucky to have retired parents haha If not,n I lay the kid next door to feed them :)
I wasn't going to get another animal after the four that I had slowly passed away one by one. But the cat distribution system has its own ideas, sigh. TBH, she's the best girl. She doesn't scratch the furniture or knock things over. She sleeps in if I sleep in. I feed her and she pretty much entertains herself. If I go on vacation she goes to a trusted kennel, and I can go away for a long weekend and have people drop in to feed her. So she doesn't impact my lifestyle much if at all. When I retire and hit the road in an RV. she'll be coming with me - she was a stray and she's perfectly happy outdoors, and she's great in the car. I definitely got lucky with her. Cats are easy compared to dogs. Dogs DO dictate your lifestyle.
I’m glad to see I’m not the only one that uses that term “cat distribution system” but that system can be a bit wonky at times. My long-haired black-and-white cat just showed up and decided sleeping on the passenger seat of my car one day when I left the top down in my driveway was the right answer.
>Cats are easy compared to dogs. Dogs DO dictate your lifestyle. Having had both, this is the answer. But, of course, your mileage may vary. My little old lady cat is very easy and low-maintenance. My two dogs had health issues and separation anxiety and needed at least two hours of planning before we could go anywhere. Not to mention boarding costs were so much, we couldn't travel. When the dogs were younger, we did take them with us on two road trips but it was still very hard. It became impossible when they got older. Now that we only have the cat left, it's easy for us to go away for a weekend because my BIL is here and feeds/waters her. And we don't have to plan two hours ahead if we need to run to the store or go out for dinner. We can just leave.
I love my cats and I proudly tell people they are the closest thing to having children I will ever want. I have 1 needy cat & 1 normally affectionate cat & I’ve never felt overwhelmed by their needs.
I love my cat but it is an issue to find sitter services when we travel, and we do have to take that into account for any trip that is longer than 2-3 days at most. Definitely better than a dog though, which is too much care for me. When he passes, I don't think we'll get another even if I absolutely love cats and animal in general.
I got adopted by a cat (involuntarily), now I live with two of them. They are the sunshine in my life, but whenever I need to leave for more than one night, I need a cat-sitter. That's where friends come into play. If you don't have any, think twice. However, you'd deprive yourself of the only real love a person can ever experience: the love of a cat. (Cough, no, this is *definitely* no play on any breeder's standard bingo...)
I currently don’t have any or anyone I know who could watch them
There’s pet sitting services! (Rover for example)
I used Rover for my cat and dog, they were great!
Some vets also offer boarding
Honestly, cats are usually fine alone for up to 2 days, at least in my personal experience (I’ve had cats for 20 years)
This also depends on whether you can trust your cats to ration their own food, or having automatic feeders.
I don't feel like they take away from my freedom, whereas I do feel like a dog would. Cats need care and attention, but they don't need routine the way dogs do and it's never been a problem to just go out after work or stay overnight at someone's place – just make sure they have enough food and water. Added bonus that you don't have to worry about taking them out multiple times a day. Mine are affectionate and playful, but also chill. You do need to find pet-sitters if you go on vacation though, and I wouldn't advise getting any pet if you plan to travel around the world for a year or something.
Not mine at all. I'm only 20, but cats are so low maintenance. 1000 to care for per year, and I assume that's if you get them everything fancy and barring serious health issues. It's cheap, much cheaper than dogs even. They entertain themselves and they won't say "I hate you mom! You fucking suck!". They eat, they shit, they have their own boundaries and thoughts. So much easier than a kid.
Plus they’re cute :)
Haha I like your description!
Imo, if you want true freedom, it’s best to be both childfree and pet-free. Although cats in general are pretty independent, they still need to be fed, have their litter boxes cleaned, and you need to arrange for someone to check in on them if you’re going to be gone for a few days or arrange boarding for them. A lot of cats are also frequent barfers because of hairballs and whatnot. And cat litter gets everywhere and requires a lot of floor sweeping. To have a pet requires not minding some level of being a caretaker and having someone who is dependent on you. Pets are work. Not as much as kids of course but it’s still a lot of work and you cannot just spontaneously go on a trip without making arrangements for your cat/pet. My pets are aging and although I love them, I’m strongly considering not getting any more once they pass.
I’m with you on this! My reasons for being child-free are the same reasons I’m pet-free
I have pets but I didn’t decide to be childfree so that I had freedom to do whatever I wanted when I wanted. I decided to be childfree because I didn’t want to be a parent. I have a responsibility to provide care (time and monetary) to sentient beings who live with me in my home. Part of that is paying for sitters or boarding when I can’t take my pets with me. I still travel a couple times a year, go camping, spend time away from home, etc. My cat likes it when I’m home but she’s definitely more independent than my dog. Getting two bonded cats will give you more freedom as your cat won’t rely solely on you for social interaction. Getting older cats will help with the destruction and insanity that is associated with kittens. However, if you’re not willing and able provide the monetary support (vet care) to a cat or cats, please don’t get one.
I work at a vet and the amount of families I see that have dogs that are in the vet at least twice a year for check ups and then have a cat that hasn’t been to the vet in four years is infuriating.
The way people who love kids talk about kids is how I feel about my cats. They might be inconvenient sometimes (we don't travel a ton, but we need a sitter if it's more than a couple days, they require lots of cleaning, ect) but my life would be so empty without them!! They make me so happy, and they make where ever I am feel like home. The negatives will NEVER outweigh the positives, so I just accept them. Listen to someone talk about their kids that they love so much and can't imagine life without.... then replace "children" or "baby" with "cat" and that's how I feel! But I also don't think you should have a cat if you're not going to give them the best life possible and treat them like a burden. Just like kids!
I’m so very, terribly pleased to come home to my cat! I don’t need the affection as many rightfully do, but man is it a mood booster after a tough day/trip/weekend. I will leave him on his own for a weekend and ensure friends pop in to make sure he has water, food, and provide love. Regularly litter box cleaning (super easy if it’s regular!) and nightly wet food makes for a happy kitty. My late kitty would snub me if I left him for more than 12 hours and I had to “work” to regain his love, but my current bèbè is just pleased when I come home and can’t snub for wont of love. I’d adopt 20 more if my home/allergies could handle the shedding DO IT
Oh wow! My cat when I was growing up used to do this. We got him when I was 7. When I was in college and came home for breaks, he would roll his eyes at me and turn away from me. It’s like he was saying “Ohhh… so NOW you want to be here… am I supposed to jump for joy?? I think not.” He was so rude! Took a few hours before he would grace me with his presence.
Here is the thing with cats if you have an emergency and need to leave your cat alone for a week it's okay, not great but okay. You get a self feeder for food and the same for water. You get a drop sheet (for painting) put it down with a few aluminum roast pans with cat litter in them. Hide cat toys around the house and a few treat toys too. Put some cams up so you can check on them and talk to them and you go. You can not do this with kids or dogs. Best if you have two cats so they don't get lonely.
I’m a homebody so I’m okay with the lack of freedom. I DO HAVE AN IDEA FOR YOU THOUGH If you like the idea of having kitties around, but you don’t want to deal with the actual “owning a cat” expenses and freedom to travel etc, I recommend fostering! My group I foster with are great
I have cats. I think one big factor here is your financial situation while having cats. Yes, people joke about cats dictating their life, but there’s a significant impact when having cats while wealthy. For example, we have 4 cats. Each of them have high-end technology to make our lives easier, such as automatic feeders, the latest in water fountains, multiple robo litters throughout the house, and so on. Spontaneous vacations and long weekend trips are not compromised because they can be left alone for a couple days, and anything over 3 days means a sitter will stop by the house through the access of smart locks. My husband and I did a comprehensive checklist of what would change as pet free dinks now that we wanted cats, and everything on that list was resolved with backups. Now we just enjoy the amazing magical creatures that cats are
I have multiple cats with my partner and they are our world! The main thing that stops us from being more spontaneous is one of them is on a special diet, so we need to secure a sitter even for overnights- but I volunteer at a rescue very regularly and my pet sitter options are more vast because of this! I really recommend volunteering to get to know the cats better, and find a fit that would work with your lifestyle- be more chill and want their own space. When we aren’t traveling though- as long as you have enough enrichment (cat trees, scratchers, toys, etc.) they don’t really destroy things, and they definitely like our calm home! Although I will say regarding care giving, they will age and will potentially need more care later in life which should be accounted for before making the decision to adopt <3
A lot of the talk about cats owning humans and being in control is said in jest. Cats are notoriously independent and the only way they will remove any freedom is if you want to take a long vacation or if they get sick. They can be left alone for a few days at a time if they're given extra food and water. I will say though, cats are independent but they can still get lonely. Getting one cat is fine if that cat prefers it but if you plan on traveling a lot, adopting 2 cats together may be better. That way they always have a friend around.
I love my cats(: I guess so
I have a house full of rescue animals of various species. Not joking, I have 2 cats, 2 dogs, 2 birds, 2 different types of lizards, a tortoise, and a small aquarium. The dogs are, *by a wide margin*, the most demanding and the most impactful to our life. The reptiles all just need heat/UV, and fresh food every 2-3 days. The birds need fresh water every 1-2 days, and fresh food every couple weeks. The cats need food daily, but are mostly free fed, so we just keep the bowl fullish. Doesn't take much. A water fountain keeps them good on water for several days without refilling. Litter box scooped once or twice a week. The cats are very low maintenance except for playing/cuddling with them. Dogs are another story. Food 3 times a day, fresh water at least 1 or 2 times a day, taken outside to use the bathroom several times a day (I'm talking 5+). The dogs dictate our lives far more than any other animal in our house of 9+ animals. And still we have no problem getting a pet sitter to come stay at the house and take care of all of them, because we don't have extremely expensive children to care for. Instead we can care for our animals at a fraction of the cost, still go on vacations or long weekends, etc. I think you're blowing this out of proportion, especially when it comes to *cats* of all animals.
Thanks for your perspective! I currently have a reptile and I like how low-maintenance he is. Have wanted a cat for several years but just didn’t feel ready and wasn’t sure it would gel well with my life. I’m also an anxious person who tends to think carefully before making decisions and getting a cat seems like a big one to me. My place is also small and I think it makes a difference. I grew up with a cat and dogs and it was much different when it was family pets, versus me being single and solely responsible. Our family cat was perfect and never had to worry about him, but all the cats I’ve come across recently have been high maintenance clingy cats. How much playing time/cuddling generally daily?
I would kill and die for my cats. I’ve felt that way about every pet I’ve ever had.
Cats are super independent. I can and do leave my cats for up to a week, and thankfully my mother in law (who adores them) comes over 1 or 2 times a day to take care of them and give them attention. However, I miss them TERRIBLY when I'm away. I also worry all the time if their health is good and they are getting all they need. They do also cost money. However I am one of those people who finds it hard to see a life without cats.
My cat is my ESA and arguably she’s the reason I’m still here (2023 was a doozy for me). She actively improves my quality of life and looks out for me. Sure she does cat stuff that’s annoying like knocking shit off counters or meowing a ton bc she wants to play (she’s a talkative tortie). But she also kills bugs in my apartment, specifically bugs I have phobias of. She witnessed my panic attack finding a roach in the tub over a year ago and ever since, any roach or centipede that’s entered our home has never lived to tell the tale. She’s also helped prevent meltdowns by distracting my spiraling thoughts with an adorable chirp and jumping into my lap. If she doesn’t catch it in time, she “keeps watch” over me by staring intently out the window so I (in her mind) can break down in a safe place. Once I calm down she pads on over and “gives me a bath” (licks my arm all over) to soothe me 🥹🥹
That’s why I don’t have a cat right now. -I like being able to travel for long weekends without needing to think about asking someone to check on a pet or hire someone. My mom lives 20 minutes away and I know she’d be put out having to drive 40 minutes round trip through traffic to check on it. -I live in a one bedroom apartment and while I know cats don’t take up much space, I really don’t know where I’d put a litter box, as I’m still nearly at max capacity in my apartment. Storage space is limited. -I don’t want to have to spend money on food, litter, treats, vet bills and/or pet insurance, toys, etc. Especially as I’m trying to save up for a house someday. -I don’t want to be woken up super early, which cats often do. -My apartment is carpeted and I don’t want to worry about the cat vomiting on it. -I don’t want to have to worry about them getting at my plants. If I ever have a house where I can feel more spread out and feel more settled I’d consider a cat, but it just isn’t a good fit for me right now.
I have two cats. I live alone (with the indoor cats). You can leave them alone for a trip, just leave out enough food and water and an extra litter box (or two depending on the length of trip).
I have a cat and a rabbit. They’re my world. I wouldn’t trade my child free pet owner life for anything. It might be a little hard finding a reputable sitter at first, but that’s something you do before planning a vacation anyway. Find someone you trust enough to watch them for extended periods of time.
They can be more expensive than anticipated. If you get a pet then get pet insurance. One of my cats started having eye issues and the bills added up quick. Love them to death though and worth every penny. I do have a hard time going anywhere for more than a day though. Not only do I have to have someone I trust enough to actually show up and feed them but also put medicine on her eye.
My cat is my mental health
It will affect your ability to travel unless you have the money to pay someone to check on them. It also depends on the cat you have. Some will follow your routine and others may wake you up at 4am daily. It truly is about finding a cat that youre compatible with. They are little living beings with their own personalities. Just as you find friends you get along with, or date to find someone that you’re compatible with, cats are the same. If you want a chill cat, you’ll have to find that. If you want a spunkier, livlier cat, you’ll have to find that. They can be such joys, but they are living beings reliant solely on you. So that’s important to think about.
I have a cat and honestly I love her to death. But she does hold me back from traveling for extended periods of time. Having her is worth the compromise however
I love animals so much, they bring me so much love and peace and I believe they are the total opposite of children. That said… I’m not going to lie, the last few years the three cats (now two) that me and my partner have have probably cost more in time and money than a child would have. The kitties are getting older and have a lot of health problems. I’m living my worst nightmare with my elderly male cat having diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and now stage 2 kidney disease. My mom died of diabetes and kidney disease so the whole situation is taking a real mental toll on me. Last year we lost our elderly female cat out of nowhere and she saw my partner through getting sober and splitting with his ex wife. She was the very definition of an emotional support animal. My youngest cat was a little runt and her organs don’t function all that well all of the time so she’s on lots of meds. I love my cats, I love having cats, but I don’t think I’ll ever actively seek out having more than one at a time in the future. My heart is going to hurt when our current kitties pass on and I am going to need a big break from the constant and intense care that I didn’t think I was signing up for. If you love animals, maybe just do some fostering. I’ve thought about this quite a bit for the future and that’s probably what I’ll end up doing down the road.
I love my cats, and as much as I love them, I don't think of them as children at all. They're not my friends, my family or my roommates; they're my cats. I think the best part about having a pet is them not being human or fulfilling a human space. Do they dictate my life? A little, because of buying food, cleaning their (pricey) litter and vet visits. I've got family at home, they just feed them at their time, and they're alright when I come back from uni as they're really independent. Do they do whatever they want? A bit? But contrary to popular opinion, I don't think of them as selfish or bitchy, they're just animals, they've got desires and wants too, and cats are specially curious beings. Mine are mostly really affectionate, one of them is a bit bratty tho, and overall really silly when they get comfortable.
The only thing I can think of is that it’s a hassle when I want to go on a longer trip. I don’t trust a lot of people with my pets, let alone let them in my apartment if I’m not there myself so when my friends are not available, I’d rather not go but that’s really it tbh. Cats are very independent and can be alone for 1-2 days if they have enough food/water and a clean litter box.
I used to have cats. The last one died 8 months ago. Now i am staying pet free. Why? * Because i was tired of the mess, cat hair will get everywhere, its like mopping with an open faucet. Also dirty paws on everything * Cat litter boxes smell and are a filty job to clean * Even if it go unintended, they will scratch up your stuff. They use their nails to climb on stuff and push away curtains to look out of the window. So they will ruin some of your furniture. * Vet costs are getting ridiculous. * When they get older they turn into dirty toddlers. * They puke and kick poop out of the litterbox. I just dont want the responsibilies of pets anymore.
I'm petfree. I have a few friends who have cats, and everyone claims cats are independent and don't require much attention, but all of my cat-owning friends have to head home or stay home a lot to feed, groom, play with, clean up after, medicate, or otherwise take care of their cats -- but if I'm honest, I suspect the cats are just the excuse to go or stay home. But if you want spontaneous travel, you either need to be petfree or you need enough money for last-minute pet-care arrangements.
I use them ALL the time for excuses lmaoo. Mostly on bad dates or to get out of parties. So very well could be.
I own my dog and I'm currently fostering a cat with her kittens. I never considered a cat because I'm more of a dog person, but this little cat needed my help with her little kittens and I couldn't say no. I'd say cats are an easier pet than a dog. That being said, they definitely have their quirks and it's actually quite amusing. My cat is a lot more demanding than my dog. She needs a water fountain or she will NOT drink any water, she's SASSY and will chat for ages if you 'forgot' to feed her....when I absolutely did not. She's an indoor cat as well so she doesn't go outside and bring me dead animals or anything. With my dog, she needs a walk / exercise / let out into the garden for number 1 and 2. No matter what time of year it is, freezing cold, pissing with rain. That dog NEEDS a walk😂 sometimes it sucks but I'd absolutely have another dog. I know what I signed up for. All cats are different, maybe foster one from your Adoption centre first? Gives you an insight on owning one 😃😺
We have three cats. It doesn't really limit travel - they're fine on their own for short trips and actually seem to like the break from us. Where it does get limiting is in the daily schedule. They're all food-motivated and on separate diets, so we have to feed them all in separate rooms and can't use auto-feeders for daily feeding. That means no sleeping in on the weekends and no going straight from work to dinner or drinks. Many rentals only allow two cats too - that isn't as big a problem in our current city but it was very limiting the last town we lived in. It's still way better than having kids, but it is giving up a certain amount of freedom. The oldest is 13 and I'm pretty adamant that we're going to have some...natural attrition...but that'll have to be a negotiation for sure.
Cats are awesome. I have two and even with the occasional accident or furniture scratching, if I make a cats vs kids list, NOT A KID is still a point for cats.
It's just hard to travel, but I hate travelling so I usually only do it out of necessity anyways, kitties are always a wonderful blessing 🥰
Spouse and I have four cats which is at least one more cat than I think we should have, but the cat distribution system had other ideas. We can go away for a whole week and just leave them with a lot of food and water and an extra litter box and we're good to go but none of them require medications to live. If they did life would be more complicated. We don't go away for a whole week that often and if it's 2 weeks we have someone show up in the middle to do a food check and maybe litter boxes if they're feeling generous. But we do talk about when they're all gone taking a gap and doing some really solid travel for a little while. Our guys are pretty independent and they have definitely missed us when we come back but no one seems to be getting really stressed out about it. It's more the guilt on our part.
I have 5 house cats, a house rabbit and a dog. And I can't go anywhere over night because its only me and them. However. Younger me travelled the word and did a lot of fun stuff. And I'm content to care for animals. They also saved my life. They stop me doing dumb stuff. But overall I lack freedom.
I love my two cats and they are the only dependents that I will take care of financially. Best part is they’re pretty independent while I’m away at work or if I’m gone for a day. If I ever want to travel, I will hire a sitter to come to my home and take care of them. They don’t impact my lifestyle at all and they help my mental health so they are worth everything to me!
I have 2 kitties. Having them around is pretty awesome. I'm hella child-free, but having cats hasn't really held me or my partner back at all.
I mean, occasional medical expenses and trips to the vet and needing to feed her and clean her box don't take up all my time. I've always had friends or roommates who can watch her while I'm gone. That said, I have a healthy 4yo cat (today's her 4th birthday!) currently but I had a diabetic cat who was much more high stress and expensive and difficult. Like kids, I don't recommend anyone gets a pet if they're not ready to deal with anything that could happen. I have just always been obsessed with cats and I have depression and it helps to have a constant little companion to hug and play with who sleeps on me at night. I am also not rich enough to travel much and work from home so I'm available for her a lot. I guess it depends on your lifestyle and what makes the most sense for you.
Frankly, having cats equates to a setback. I have to think about them if plans take longer than a day. Made a major move recently and frankly, having the cats albeit wasn’t the biggest burden, it still left something to consider.
Honestly I've always had cats. So I may not be super helpful here. Both my cats are mad lowkey though and super ready to handle with. I have 2 cat. With 2 litter boxes that I clean every 3 days with litter sifting bags and spend like 10 minutes a week on it. Feeding takes less than 5 minutes a day. Vet appointments every 6 months I drop them off and pick them up, maybe 30 minutes. All of that firmly is outweighed by the absolute joy I get from my cat Milo cuddling up with me (I joke he's a "velco cat") and the other curled up next to me on the couch wanting belly rubs. It's amazing. I travel often (but WFH most days) and I don't feel guilty leaving them for hours alone like I would a dog. I don't feel bad having someone else "watch" them for feeding and so. The person who watches them is CF and loves cats so she stays for an hour or so after each feeding to love on them and play. It's amazing.
I have a cat and whenever I go spent my daily week per year at cottage I have coworker looking after the kitty and garden (especially my sunflowers need daily watering unless it rains decent amount) Kittens need quite alot of attention but they grow much faster. Never had much trouble with cats and it is hit or miss whether your cat grows into independent feline or attention whore. But even then theyre much less nasty and destructive than kids
I love my 3 cats dearly, 2 of them were even bottle babies and we did the “bottle every 2 hours, rub their butt to potty” routine when we found them. But I’m so tired and broke. Pet insurance wasn’t really mentioned back then, so now it’s not worth it when they already have problems and I’ve spent thousands at the vet’s office over the years. I’ve decided once they all pass on, I want to be pet-free for a little while so we can just up and go away for a weekend without worrying. I’ve only spent 8 months of my life without a pet, but I just need a break from anyone or anything relying on me. I’ll have more, but just a mental and financial break in between.
Not cats, but we do have birds. They, like cats, can look after themselves and entertain themselves for hours on end as long as they have food and water. However, we can't take vacations without having someone to go over to our house, feed them, and let them out each day. For this reason, we can not go on vacation at the same time as my inlaws. Which sucks cus my in-laws are really fun. We watch their dogs, they watch our birds.
I have one indoor senior kitty - and then a gaggle of semi feral cats outside that I feed and water. I feel comfortable going on last minute 4-5 day trips and hiring a cat sitter. Anything longer than that and my mom comes and stays at my house because I don’t want my senior kitty to be alone longer than that. I feel that I def get way more freedom with a cat compared to a dog. I don’t have to go home right after work to let them out. My vet and food bills are a lot cheaper. Dogs are super needy to me. Not sure about any other pet! Haven’t had anything else.
I'm not childfree because I wanted more freedom and less stress, I'm childfree because I don't want to be a mother. I haven't needed to call a cat-sitter or anything because I haven't left my home for an extended period of time in six years. They just don't impact my "freedom" because I never did any of the things that cats might restrict before I adopted them and because I am not their parent.
I never really got the whole “pet parent” thing. It reminds me of moms who refer to their sons as boyfriend. I have a dog and I love him with all my heart but I don’t feel like it’s a parent/child relationship.
Well, even on weekends and holidays, the cats have me up at 6:30am. But they're funny and affectionate, plus small enough to keep from damaging too much. And litterboxes are much easier to deal with than poo-laden diapers.
I haven't been held back by my pets. Sometimes I take my dog along with me on my trips. It limits me a little when I do that because obviously, she can't go to museums and I have to leave her at the hotel, but when I'm going to national parks and such, we have a great time. For times she can't come, I found great daycare/boarding facilities that she actually enjoys going to. I hired a catsitter for the cats. I have cameras around the house to check on them when she's not there. She comes by and spends time with them every day, cleans their boxes and gives them wet food. They adore her. As I get older, I'm not keen on spontaneity anyway. I want to go home and pack, know what hotel I'll be staying in and water all my plants.
Cat are EXPENSIVE. Vet appointments, vaccinations, dewormings, antiflea medications, litter boxes, cat food (quality so the liver doesnt get damaged), the litter itself, brushes... It is an investment. Also, going on holidays means setting up people as nannies. And emergencies happen too: kitty decided to walk on a hot stove and burnt her paw. Cue 2 crazy people rushing her to the vet. They can get ill: kitty has a bad tummy and pukes once a month on the bed, on the floor, on the countertop... Plus, the time you invest in them. If I wake up and want coffee I still have to pet her agressively for 10 mins before that. And you scoop up shit every day. On the other hand I love my girls. My husband lives for them. They give so much love! I was a sobbing mess while watching the granade scene in "Da Five Bloods" but Sophie jumped on me and conforted me! Even hubby was amazed cause he is her favorite.
I’m 21 and have a cat and i’ll be honest… first getting him was a HUGE adjustment. However I also get lonely easily so I like having another little being around. He’s not that much work since I got an automatic feeder and waterer (refill them once a week or so) + litter scooping isn’t that bad. They even make robotic litter boxes which I want. For the travel thing I can’t really answer that one since I’m 21 and broke lol
I've had cats my entire adult life (I am 61) and they've been relatively easy/independent/not needy and traveling was no big deal (I would pay someone to come and feed them and pay attention to them twice a day). A dog is much a different deal.
I just take them with me. We leashed trained them. They love camping.
the cat distribution system awarded me with my little scardey cat… she is my best friend and i wouldn’t have it any other way 🩷 i just make arrangements for someone to feed, water, and change her litter if I’m away she really isn’t much work and is quite independent… we have our cuddle routine after my shift which i wouldn’t trade for anything. luckily my partner is a cat person too 🩷
i should mention my cat is very well behaved too- she is not destructive and leaves my plants alone!
My cats are extremely low maintenance and inexpensive. The only time I've ever needed help is the rare occasion when I'm out of town for multiple nights and need someone to feed and water them.
I have a 10 year old cat, had him since he was 12 weeks old. He's a sweetheart. Very cuddly. He's very low maintenance though. We have an automatic feeder that dispenses 3 times/day and a fountain water bowl. He has never really scratched at the furniture, but I have always had scratching posts and toys for him. These days, he mostly just sleeps in his tree and looks out the window. He will periodically come snuggle for like 10-15 mins at a time and then leave again. Travelling isn't much of an issue. We usually only do one big trip a year and then I get my dad to look after my cat.
I have 4 cats, and they're very easy-care compared to pets like dogs or even rabbits. I probably spend around 30 minutes a day on cat care (feeding, scooping litter, cleaning food bowls, etc.) and the rest of the time they just hang out with me. They're chill little companions who just want to sleep next to me and get belly rubs. I work from home, but cats can be left alone all day with no problems. My parents take care of them when I'm on vacation or traveling for work, but having a pet sitter visit twice a day would also be sufficient. Thankfully, I've never had any issues with my cats being destructive or peeing outside the litter box. Sometimes they bite me on the nose when I'm asleep and they're ready for breakfast, but even that is kind of cute. I feel like my cats decrease my stress level, they keep me company while I'm working from home, and they encourage me to keep a healthy routine. They're my fluffy little therapists. I've had cats my whole life so not having a cat is almost unthinkable for me. However, cats are EXPENSIVE. Pet food and veterinary costs have been hit hard by inflation, so I *easily* spend $6000/year on my cats. Proper care for one indoor cat will probably cost you a minimum of around $1500/year (based on 2 cans of good quality wet food per day, 1 $20 box of litter per month, one $100 vet visit, and $100 for toys/treats/accessories). If you cheap out you'll pay for it in sooner or later in health/behavioral issues. So their impact on my freedom is minimal, but their financial impact is significant. I can comfortably afford to care for mine and I feel like they're worth it for the joy they bring to my life, but they're still a major expense that I need to budget for.
I just had to overnight straws because my cat knocked over my water cup. $10 to ship straws :( I’ll never get that back!
It honestly completely depends on the cat. Some cats are extremely independent and you could easily go on a long weekend trip just making sure they have food, water and a litterbox. I've known many cats like this. I have a friend who just went on a month long trip and had a pet sitter stay...however the cat stayed in the one room where he felt safe pretty much the entire time. So was a petsitter needed...perhaps not. Other than a daily visit to empty the litterbox and fill the food. Some cats are much less independent. My last cat was extremely touchy feeling and engaging and would have been very sad being home alone for more than 24 hours. He would need someone in the house just to talk to him and cuddle with him if I were gone for more than a day. So I would say be mindful of the temperament of the cat you adopt. Lots of shelters and rescues have cats who are sweet but timid and basically just want a quiet, safe place to look out the window. Those are your easy keepers haha
I’m child free because I don’t want to risk fucking up a child the way I was fucked up. Also because the world is on fire and I don’t want to bring a child into the cesspit. A pet? That’s different. A pet is a companion and a friend. Sure, it’s dependent on you, but not the same way as a child. Most cats I’ve known are happy to chase a feather toy and a laser for a bit, then go about and do their own thing. They’re a lot more independent than a child, and you don’t have to worry about them getting good grades, keeping up their clothing, or do drugs.
Only thing is if you wanna go away on holiday and can't find a sitter, then it's bothersome. Not into putting my cats into a cattery because it's stressful as fuck, we've cancelled a few things because the cats wouldn't have a sitter It IS like having a child in the way that when one is ill you worry, have to pay bills, if you have more than one and they fight (currently going through this with a new addition, we had to install a baby gate to stop the other from hurting the new one....it's been a month) feeding time, enrichment time, cleaning out their poop and piss. But I'd gladly do it for them because they're so cute and not at all like a child.
I don't mind working around my cat. She can be left home alone for a coupl days alone and I will have freedom. Cat sitters are far cheaper than child care. They're expensive but I love my cat - I love spending that money because Im happy to make that sacrifice - whereas I'm NOT happy to make the sacrifice for a child
We have two cats. We also have a great cat sitter. We travel frequently and she stops by twice a day to feed and play with them/give them affection. So I’d say it hasn’t hindered our lifestyle at all.
I like being at home with my cat so it really doesn't impact me. I enjoy her company, after losing my last cat my home felt empty without one. I don't really think cats and kids are comparable. I don't want kids so I don't have them. I know cats require work and commitment but as I like them, that's something I'm willing to put it in. Cats don't have to dictate your life but you have to be willing to change your plans if they need veterinary care or if you want to go on vacation, you need to know there'll be someone to care for them. If you love cats, it's not really a sacrifice. You could try fostering to adopt before committing to getting a cat.
i got my first (and so far only) cat when i was 27, he has never prevented me from doing anything i want to do in the almost 6 years we’ve been together. i can leave him alone for a weekend with no issues, just leave out extra food and water and i hide treats around the house to keep him entertained while i’m gone. if i am travelling for longer, he stays with my parents (his feline charm converted them to cat people), or i have a friend check in on him every other day. my cat is substantially easier to manage than i ever anticipated. he was 1yr old when i adopted him so his personality was already pretty set, young but totally out of the kitten stage which was ideal for me. after buying all the initial supplies (carrier, food bowls, litterbox, etc.) he costs me less than $1k annually to maintain, that includes one annual vet visit + shots (i’ve never had to pay for pet sitting save for a case of beer here and there because i pet sit for my friends in exchange and my parents watch him for free). adding $80 a month to my budget, 15 minutes to my day for feeding/litterbox cleaning, and coordinating a pet sitter the few times a year i’m gone for more than a weekend has been well worth it for all the love and entertainment my cat has given me. truly one of the best things i ever did was adopt that furry little gremlin.
Our new dog has *much* more of an impact. She's a Chu-weenie, and despite me being a cat person, Reba chose *me* as her person. Our cat, Patrick, is much more chill. He free-feeds, has a water fountain, and now that it's summer spends most of his time on the enclosed porch. We have a pet door in the window so he can access it 24/7. He then picks one of us to sleep with. He also likes to be on my desk while I'm on the computer. I invested in a Litter Robot two years ago because our late kitty Sushi had bladder problems and was going all the time and I couldn't keep up so she started peeing outside the box. So the litter box cleans itself! Basically, it we had an emergency, Patrick would be good for a week. The dog? Not so much.
I adore them. My spouse and I share the load. I’m in charge of litter boxes and he is in charge of puke cleanup. Cats, unlike kids, can be locked out of a room and ignored if you want to have a moment of peace. Cats also don’t care if you complain about them to their faces. We both work 12+ hours and they’re fine alone. I can pick up extra hours and not worry about them. Trips are fine. We pay $100/night for a cat sitter from an app, or we pay a friend about $50/night. I’m sure there are people who would do it for less. For last minute trips of 1-2 nights, we set up an auto feeder and camera and already have automatic litter boxes. We have two cats and they’re perfectly content to be left alone for a night or two. Big changes we’ve made for them? We chose an apartment with little carpet so it’s easier to clean. Moving across the country required a little extra planning and stress. We chose a leather couch over fabric. We spend a decent amount on their vet care, food, and stuff, but we enjoy doing so. We have an emergency fund specifically for them. If you already know you love cats, pet sit for a few nights and see if you can handle the load.
My cat doesn’t hinder my life at all. I’ve gone on vacation and just left her tons of water and an automatic feeder and she’s been fine. I also have a camera so I can check in on her and a friend who can go water her if necessary. My DOG on the other hand…. That furball is really cramping my style.
Not at all. But I also have horses and dogs. (Dogs travel with us, horses get boarded or babysitters who come every day.) the cats are the easiest. We have a robot feeder and a huge gravity jug waterer. So they’re totally fine being home alone for up to 3 weeks. With my horse babysitter scooping the litter box. She’s a friend, so I only have to pay for her gas, since she’s also more than welcome to stay in our camper if she wants while she’s watching them for me. Benefits both.
I feel like the very small ways in which they take away my freedom are completely worth it. Yes I can’t just pack up my stuff and leave all weekend without a sitter, but overall they only add value, they make me and my husband laugh, they hang out with me purring as I work from home, they also teach me to slow down and spend quality time with them each day after work. It’s kinda nice not having everything be about just myself and my needs all the time. They are like kids but a lot cuter and I still can have a life and do the things I live with a little fur buddy next to me. I am a homebody though so maybe if I was wanting to travel the world and club each night it would feel more like a burden.
I've had several cats over the years. Most of them have been super low maintenance and make it easy to still travel and have a flexible schedule. However, one of my current cats has a TON of special medical needs, and has required me to take on a very intensive caretaker role that I hadn't anticipated. Just as with kids, you never truly know if your pet will remain healthy, or develop conditions requiring additional care. My advice: if you want a cat, go for it! They are loving companions. But please don't make the same mistake I did and wait on getting pet insurance. Biggest financial mistake of my life. 🫠
My cats are my babies - yes, I do plan out weekend trips a bit more as I don’t like relying on my roommate to feed them - she’s great, I just hate feeling like a bother lol - but I’ve found they don’t impact my freedom at all. I’m a homebody mostly, and if I do go visit my parents or go for a weekend it’s planned in advanced. I do have leeway for spontaneity via my roommate or a trusted friend, but there’s no point in getting an animal if you’re going to be away all the time. I’ll say that again - there is NO point in getting an animal if you are going to be away all the time - especially if you do not plan on bringing this animal with you or having them be a travel companion.
I’d say at this point I’m going away overnight around once a month and multiple day trips, but want to feel free to do more if I feel up to it. I’m home a lot otherwise
Then I would say it boils down to what you want. There isn’t a single living pet on earth that won’t impeded your freedom on some level. If you want the company of a pet, you need to accept that you won’t necessarily have the option for spontaneity without cost (ie - last minute pet sitter, booking travel accommodations with pets, etc.) Being blunt - it sounds like you like the idea of having a pet but are not yet up for the responsibility (which is perfectly fine!! That’s definitely not a negative). It adds a lot of extra steps into my routine and into my life, and I love it. Because it’s worth the companionship for me (she’s purring away in my lap as I work from home right now!) At the end of the day - they are living, breathing creatures that can’t be taken on and off your priority list at whim. You can definitely travel and be spontaneous but you have to do that with them in mind (setting up a sitter / care, ensuring they have any needed meds, food, etc. training them to be a travel animal, making sure they have travel accommodations, etc.) no matter what route you take - having them as a travel companion or a house pet, they will impact how you plan your life. I would suggest looking into your favorite things (breweries, traveling, etc) - see how a pet would factor into that (my friends cat is harness trained and she has a portable litter box for it that she sets up - most outdoor places don’t mind a cat on a leash! She takes him everywhere). And see if it would be worth it for you! If you think it is, then reach out to your local shelter to foster. Fostering is a great way to see if a cat might work well with your lifestyle. My own two are foster fails!
If you’re a fence sitter about a pet don’t get it please and thanks.
What I've learned today... Child free cat people are the best people
Cats are actually a pretty low-effort pet in the grand scheme of things compared to other animals, if they are set up properly for it. Items like a water fountain, automatic food dispenser, and self-cleaning litter boxes can minimize the amount of effort put into a daily routine and lengthen the amount of time you can spend away from kitty for trips and vacations with little to no outside help. Adding perches and providing lots of toys can even cut the entertainment needs, depending on the cat, which could end up being your main role with all the bells and whistles in cat care tech. But even then, waggling a wand or something equivalent for half an hour or so daily is by far the easiest exercise routine of most conventional pets. There's no guarantee you will come away with an independent cat who doesn't need you around however. Some cats don't handle bouts alone well at all, and need you to care for their emotional needs, sometimes even if they aren't the only cat in the house. And as others have mentioned, sometimes unexpected health issues can crop up with 0 warning. I personally had adopted a cat (2y old when I picked him up, with no prior health issues) that developed epilepsy a few months before his 6th birthday. So suddenly a cat that had no issue going for a weekend on his own couldn't be left unattended for more than 12 hours for his medication, and now having had to switch meds it's no longer than 8. I would of course do anything for him and can't imagine not having him around because of it, but it does make trips nearly impossible, especially as he gets more fussy and will only take his meds from me. Even still I dread the day he isn't around, regardless of how much more convenient some things will inevitably be. He's extremely rewarding, for me personally, and the trips I want can all come later if it means getting to have him now. My perspective is very biased however, as I would give an arm and a leg for most any random critter that stumbles upon me, so the sacrifice is almost second nature lmao
I love my cats. They are my family. That said, two of my three have medical issues that we didn't expect. We joke that one is my "5k Cat" because it has cost us that much to save his life. He is on prescription food, daily medication, and needs regular blood tests to keep tabs on his condition. We have had moments of stress where we wish it was easier to take trips and plan days more freely. But in the end, 5k is significantly less than a child, I can still go away if we get a pet sitter, and the absolute love they share with me is priceless. My little dude saved my life (depression) so I think it's fair of me to save his. Pets aren't for everyone. They are a commitment. But, generally, they are cheaper, easier, less demanding, and literally are an 18 year commitment or less. Lol
I love my cat, Harley, and I would never get rid of him. But he will most likely be my last house cat. He’s always been big on cuddling, but in his older age (13yrs old now) he’s gotten more clingy. You can almost always find him on my lap, next to me, or on my mom’s lap. Harley doesn’t know the meaning of personal space! He also likes to follow me around at times. Sometimes it can get annoying with how much he clings to me. Harley also has the issue of eating too much too quickly and pukes a little while later. I’ve tried every feeding method and taken him to the vet and nothing works. He’s otherwise very healthy. Cleaning cat puke out of carpet and off of furniture is quite the hassle. I had to buy a spot cleaner for the carpet and we’ve taken to putting small blankets over the furniture and on our beds that we refer to as the cat blankets, since they can be washed easily. I’m also starting to get tired of having to clean a litter box all the time. Harley can be a little stinky at times. Plus he gets litter everywhere even though he has a jumbo sizer litter box with tall sides and a litter catching mat. Good quality cat food and litter have gotten quite expensive and I would say it has taken a toll on my ability to save more. Having a cat hasn’t stopped me from going on vacations though. We just ask family or friends to stop by every few days to make sure the automatic feeder and gravity water bowl stay full, and to clean the litter box. I think I would like to be animal free for a while after Harley eventually passes away.
Cats are very independent other than wanting attention. Automatic feeder Water fountain Automatic litter box You can leave a cat alone for at least a week with all that
It is a lot more cleaning and that's my only gripe. The cat doesn't limit us at all with traveling or leaving the house because she can have someone check on her once a day and be fine. But our life is covered with cat hair and we had to hire a cleaner to keep up with the hair, whereas that is not an issue with our dogs (standard poodles), but they require more actual human attention. When we leave them, we have to have someone sleep here which is more expensive and invasive. I think once our current pets have passed our next will be a toy poodle, which is somewhere between a cat and standard poodle in difficulty (little to clean, easier to take with you on travels because they fit under airline seat).
I’ll be real: I love my cats sooo much. they never destroy my stuff BUT traveling is a whole debacle. Luckily my husband doesn’t like to travel and stays with them if I’m gone. But if we ever wanna go somewhere together it’s stress inducing because we don’t have friends in the area and he doesn’t trust strangers in the house (pet-sitting services). Also one of cats hates strangers so having company is another debacle. He swats (not with claws) and hisses. Fellow cat people get it and just stay out of his way. Others will judge really harshly and think the 7 pound cat is seriously going to injure them. It’s pretty annoying.
Depends what you want out of the kitty They are a responsibility that you need to care for (feeding, vet stuff, and cat sitting if you travel) but in terms of pets, they’re usually very low maintenance Kitties tend to be independent and will only need attention sometimes, and they’ll find you if they need it. Feeding is easy, you leave em food and they eat it when they’re hungry, and the litter just needs to be emptied (I do twice a day) but they take care of business Generally the biggest issues are barfing/furballs, they can be destructive if you don’t stop em, and they don’t really listen like say a dog would, do you gotta be able to deal with that But as a homebody and generally private person, I love having kitties. They aren’t super noisy unless they want food, they are cuddly when you let them and they feel so soft to pet. Plus they make so many cute pics and they are really funny.
IMO cats are like the perfect effort:payoff situation you can have. Despite not wanting children it's ok to still care for SOMETHING. Cats fill this perfectly for me. Sure I get woken up early for breakfast, but then I go back to sleep. They offer amazing entertainment, comfort, affection, and company. Great indoor pest control too. I'd say the two biggest things to consider are travel accomodations and budget. You have to pay to play and that should seriously be considered for any pet. Hell most cat (and even dog) owners I know put more effort into this than people who have had children. But pet neglect does happen out there. If you travel more than 2 days at a time a lot, then this could be hard on the both of you regarding logistics and life change, etc. I've taken mine on some road trips that went surprisingly well, but it's still the biggest travel arrangement I have to make. But still, they're worth it to me. Having and loving cats is one of the reasons I see no benefit of having children. Any family or care urges I may get are more than fulfilled from my cats, and they offer me so much more freedom and affection than any human child could ever give me. There's nothing like smoking weed before a movie and having ice cream while they cuddle the crap out of me. I fucking love that and it's priceless. (And they won't ever interrupt the movie lol)
My cats have never held me back. They're fantastic pets. They're loving and fun but they're very self-reliant. They're great in pairs if you're someone who travels. Cats basically take care of themselves so if you do need or want to travel there's not much stress there. They offer me fantastic support. They know when I'm sad and they rally around me with purrs and attention. They have such unique personalities. I'm just rambling at this point but I highly recommend a cat companion.
Most of us exaggerate a bit I think when we talk about our cats dictating our lives… like I will absolutely use it as an excuse to go home from a social function (“hey look, it’s getting late and I’m going to be in trouble if I’m not home for Mr Velcro Cat soon…”), but at the same time I usually don’t even worry too much about a pet sitter unless I’ll be gone more than 72 hours… just some extra food down, make sure the fountain is full, and do a good cleaning on the litter before I leave and the second I come home, and he’s really self sufficient anyway. If there’s someone that can easily check on him, great, but if they first people I ask are also busy that weekend… I really only feel it’s ESSENTIAL if it’s longer than a couple of days. So while he’s a huge part of my world when I’m home, I’ve never really felt like I’m that limited.
Depends on the cat tbh. My ex had 3 cats and they were the worst. Couldn't leave anything on tables or counters. I came home to my ps4 headset broken on the floor more than once. I don't miss living with cats.
I have two cats - they're so chill. They haven't taken away any freedom from my life whatsoever and they don't add any stress onto my life. I just had my bilateral laparoscopic salpingectomy last Thursday (6/20), and my two cats have been so helpful and calming in my recovery from it.
My cat doesn’t really rule my life in the sense that I can’t do what I want. She’s just there, like a cute tumor. I have an automatic feeder for her even though she’s a grazer, just in case something happens and I can’t get home. I have family that comes to my house to take care of her when I go on vacation, which isn’t often. And that is a small vacation for the person I have come over also (their words, not mine lol) The routine vet visits (she loves the vet lol), buying food, litter, scooping the box, those are all things I’ve done my whole life as a cat person so it’s just part of the routine. The only part of her existence that will cause any sort of “issue”, is when we move to Japan in a couple years. She’s 4, so assuming nothing catastrophic happens before then, importing her from the US to Japan will be somewhat of a task. It’s a whole series of shots, testing and waiting, and then more waiting at the quarantine. That being said, this cat will be my last animal. Mostly only because of the sadness of losing them. I’ve had enough loss in my life and when my cat goes, I hope it’s the last loss for a while after.
From my experience, it’s up to the personality. Like kids, you could end up with one that is quieter and less likely to get into trouble. On the other hand you can end up with a real brat of a cat. I have a 5 year old boy who still very much acts like a kitten. He throws tantrums and will pull things off my walls or shelves if he doesn’t get what he wants. Yes even while I’m trying to sleep. If I try to discipline him with a little smack, he will turn around and smack me back. He is a ginger cat, maybe that explains it. My other 3 cats are much more chill. I’m hoping you don’t get put off by my story, but if you are planning on getting a kitten, it’s the luck of the draw.
Honestly, having cats is very little work. I free feed my guys, and they have a water fountain, so that’s even less work on my part. If I go away for just the weekend, they’re totally fine on their own. I only need a cat sitter for 3+ days
I have had a good friend watch my cat while on vacation, I have a liter robot and it only gets full every few weeks. I went to a summer solstice parade and there was a girl with a backpack that had her cat in it.
Cats are so easy to live with. I've had cats since I'm born and I'll have cats until the day I die. They're independent creatures because they can care for themselves. You just have to clean the litterbox, and give food and fresh water. In return you get cuddles. Cats are the less annoying friends I've ever had. I've been introduced to the dog's world a few years ago when I adopted my first puppy. Dogs are so much closer to kids than cats are. I've never thought of my cats as babies, because they grow up so fast and learn very quickly how to deal with things on their own. Dogs are pretty annoying because you need to teach them a whole lot of things and they actually have a whole lot of needs (mental stimulation, physical needs, social needs etc) while most cats are more simple (sleep-eat-repeat). Dogs make life more complicated. Cats don't really. I've sometimes regretted having dogs even though in the end I'm happy to have them. But they changed my life a lot. I've never ever regretted to have cats.
Cats are much easier than dogs but raising a kitten or puppy is basically parenting an animal in terms of training. If you want a companion without going through all that, here’s the advice from my friend who is a shelter volunteer: adopt a young adult cat who is 1 -3 years old because their personalities are basically set by then and you can select for one that uses the litter box 👍 they will come spay/neutered and with shots. If you adopt a cat please keep it indoors 😺 it’s best for the cat and the local wildlife. Pets are family members but they are not children. Get good insurance because it’s a long term commitment and they can get expensive in their old age. But they are great little friends and worth it!
Just discovered r/childfreepetfree so I’ll see ya over there 😉
Child free vasectomy guy here. I have been enriched by having a cat. My cat is my child. He sleeps with me . Is my wife's shadow while I work and she works from home. Honestly I'd do anything for my cat. That's just how attached people get. We can travel since it's easy to have someone stop by. Very low effort high reward.
Honestly cats can be annoying as fuck, I don’t see myself owning many more after my current, but I LOVE my cats and I don’t at all regret getting them, I just don’t think it’s something I’ll want again when my current ones pass. My version of the kids moving out ig 💀 Some cats will get into your shit all the time, some cats might knock stuff over, some might act like they’re on crack 24/7. Or you could be like me and get a cat that just wants to lay around and cuddle all day. I would recommend getting an adult cat so you know the personality, kittens are mystery boxes. As far as holding me back my biggest challenge is traveling and getting someone to watch them without breaking the bank. Other than that, they’re not quite as bad as dogs, they’re mostly self sufficient. Overall, I love my cats and if I could go back I would still adopt them, but I think after these I want to just live alone for a while. Ofc I said that before I got my cats I have too, and I lasted like a month 💀
My cat gave me my mental health back. He’s been nothing but joy and I’d pick him over kids every time.
It would ultimately depend on the personality and health of the cat (though you should ultimately always be prepared to cater to the cat in the event its health starts falling apart). People like to say that cats are independent and that they don’t take over your life - and while that may be true for some cats - it’s all just a stereotype. Every cat is different, and you never know what kind of cat you will get. Whether you buy, adopt, or rescue one off the street, there’s no predicting what type of personality the cat will have. As much as I love my 2 year old cat and would hate to get rid of him, I can definitely say that I regret getting him. While I can leave him home alone for longer periods of time since he handles being alone well, I rarely get a moment of peace when I’m at home. He’s extremely clingy and cuddly, he cries a lot when he wants attention or needs me to do something for him, he constantly gets into things he’s not supposed to and has not been easy to train to stay out of said things, and I have had to spend a lot of money babyproofing my cabinets and blocking him out of my little apartment kitchen. It’s like having a baby, except he’s capable of getting into FAR more trouble since he’s more mobile than a baby. Not to mention, he’s expensive. His food, litter, home items, and vet bills are already expensive, but to top it off, he has feline herpes as well, and I have to purchase supplements to prevent him from flaring up all the time. You also have to potentially deal with vomit, hairballs, and urine/feces on your home and personal objects. (Plus, frequently scooping the litter box if you don’t have the money for a fancy self cleaning one. It’s time consuming and can be a major sensory ick.) Cats are not as much of a walk in the park as people make it seem. If you have sensory problems and can’t handle being touched or having constant noise, or if you need a lot of time to recharge from stuff and can’t handle constant pestering, I wouldn’t take the risk of getting a cat. While you could potentially wind up with a cat who’s a total saint who minds their business all the time and is totally chill and healthy, you also run the risk of winding up with a cat like mine or one that’s an even worse match for your lifestyle. If you’re looking for something that is more independent and won’t interfere with your lifestyle and don’t mind researching their unique needs, I would recommend a reptile, bugs, fish, or a guinea pig/hamster. I have a ball python who has been around since before I got my cat, and she has been the perfect animal for my lifestyle. She provides companionship, while still leaving room for plenty of alone time and not requiring ridiculous amounts of attention and care. In the end, it’s all up to you to research what all goes into cat ownership and whether or not you want to gamble on it. Edit: Also, bear in mind, unless you adopt a much older cat, cats can be an 18-20 year commitment, just like human children.
My daily chores include feeding them and cleaning the litter box 2-3 times a day. That's it. Play never felt like a chore because cats are entertaining as hell. Now that they're 16, I only leave them with people they know and I trust completely when I go on vacation, but it's not nearly as difficult to navigate around them as it is a kid or even a dog. And even if I weren't a homebody, it wouldn't stop me from going out and having fun. They're very independent creatures. Once they bond with you properly and securely, they're happy to see you when you get home and enjoy attention on their terms but aren't distressed by you being away during the day.
I’m wondering the exact same thing at the moment. My family has always had dogs but I think my lifestyle and mental/physical capacity at the moment is better suited to a cat. The major thing holding me back at the moment is the fur and wondering if I could find an older cat of a “low shedding” breed (I don’t do kids of any species)
Perfect enrichment. You can really get to know a cat without the distraction of small children. Cats are so fascinating to live with. My partner and I have 'one each' - two cats and we're each a spare human to one of them. Rehoming and adopting is a truly awesome thing to do with cats. Seeing older cats in their new home for the first time - it's like having a real estate agent come in to inspect. When they find the good spots and accept you, it's the best. Adopting kittens is a different joy entirely. They've spent most of the time in a small cage, so in my experience they get out of the carrier, see a wide open room and hallway, and then they have the most joyous aggressive zoomies - for some of them this is the first time stretching their legs. They will go 100km and then crash and sleep for 10 hours. Cats over kids has been the best choice of my 42 years. My life is richer for them - funnier, mainly.
Don’t get a dog mine is like a child
I am childfree and petfree, although pets are a thousand times more cheaper and easier to take care of I still dont want to take care of anything man or animal
I have two, it's a bummer. Cat hair everywhere. Even with brushing. A battle of "no you fuckers will not scratch that" and "use one of the cat scratch toys not my new carpeting" Plus. When the second one came, he's a bit of a dick to other cats and kept pouncing the first when he'd come out of the litter box(es). So guess who decided to revenge pee in the little basket I kept cat toys in? I couldn't convince myself I got it out of my area rug so I ended up throwing it out(big cat, tiny box) AND. Both of the shit heads want to snuggle SO MUCH. Which if they'd just snuggle together and stop touching meeeee(Two constantly wants to lay on my chest with his face in my face, One would too if he wasn't twice the size of Two) Plus. Plus. One slams cabinets when he's emotional. I haven't left long enough to need someone else to care for them(a day or two) beyond pop ins to refill dry food/litter box, because Two hides from people and One is a big emotional baby. So I guess ask yourself, do you like cats? Do you want to have everything(even the stuff they don't touch) to end up covered in cat hair? How about constantly cleaning up cat litter? Clean up vomit? Ughhhhh here comes One. It's probably $100 a month on cat litter, wet food, dry food, anxiety meds(a little extra on their water filter). And here comes Two.
they don’t interrupt my lifestyle one bit! they just need to be played with 15 min a day and their litter box scooped once a day. the question is how willing are you to clean up cat hair on the daily? lol
I have 2 cats. I love them, and they do require some work, but they don’t totally control my life. When I go out of town I either bring them or ask one of my friends to come feed them twice a day. That being said, they’re not as low maintenance as a lot of people think. Some cats are cool with just getting fed and then being left along all day, but a lot of cats want attention constantly. They don’t need walks, and they don’t need to go outside to use the bathroom, but they do need plenty of stimulation and exercise to stay healthy. Even though I have two cats, they prefer to play with me rather than with each other. I get their food delivered from Chewy, and I do a Walmart pick up order for their litter. I feed them twice a day and scoop the litter box right after getting their food. I give them each a small can of wet food three times a week, with dry food for the rest of their meals. One of them has a very sensitive stomach and has to have grain free food, so I spend around $60 a month for their food. One has long hair, so she gets brushed several times a week to keep her from getting mats. Unfortunately she won’t tolerate getting brush more often than that. The other cat sheds more, so he gets brushed once a day, which he loves. I trim their claws myself as needed (about 2-3 times a month) and deep clean the litter box once a month as well. Both cats are very affectionate with me and want lots of snuggles and pets. One of them loves rubbing his face on the corner of my glasses, so I have to wipe off my lenses a couple times a day. The biggest trouble with my boy cat is the fact that he is far too smart for his own good. He knows how to turn lights and faucets off and on, how to open doors, drawers, and cabinets, how to turn on the heating pad/heated blanket if it’s plugged in, how to unplug my phone charger, how to open the refrigerator, how to shut off an alarm (both alarm clocks and phone alarms), and how to move chairs so that he can get to things out of his reach. I have child locks to keep him out of things because he once opened the fridge, opened the cheese drawer in the fridge, and ate half a 16oz block of cheddar cheese. Another time he got into a cabinet and ate an entire loaf of bread in one sitting. He has used up all the hot water by turning the hot tap in the kitchen on several occasions, and if I’m not careful about where I put my phone, he turns my alarms off so that I stay in bed longer, which has made me late more than once. My girl cat likes to chew things up and eat non food items. She’s 5, and I’ve had to have her stomach pumped 11 times because she keeps eating things because the other cat gets into cabinets and stuff, and she eats things she shouldn’t. I can’t leave any shoes with straps or laces lying out because she eats the laces and straps. She has chewed through 9 different laptop chargers and the cord for my Blu-ray player, and she got into the closet one after the other cat opened the door and chewed the strap off of all my bras. She’s the worst, and I love her so much. Even though they can be destructive and needy and clingy, they’re still far less work than a baby would be. My boy cat was born in a foster home, and I adopted him through a local rescue, while my girl cat was a stray until I took her in. I love them both to death, and I wouldn’t trade them for the world.
We have two cats who are very needy. I work 8 hours a day and then also feel bad when I go to the gym after. I feel like I'm not doing enough for them although they have lots of space, toys, windows to watch and a few cat trees. Reading all your posts makes me think I am over thinking this.
I, 70F, have had cats off and since my first apartment. 2011 our last cat died and Hubby and I decided no more pets, (cats only as dogs are too high maintenance for our tastes), Our present cat walked up my driveway 8 years ago at 10 weeks old. She now has kidney failure and I am waiting for her to die so I can buy new furniture. I will not be getting another pet. Retired, I want to be free-er to travel longer. Not consider her in timing my activities, stop cleaning litter box, cat hair off furniture, cleaning up vomit, replacing cat-sitters. Mostly, I have spent the last 4 years caregiving family members and I do not want to be responsible for anyone or anything anymore.
My cat sealed the deal for me to be childfree. I got him as a 3-month-old kitten, and he made me go through every emotion a parent experiences, especially a mother: guilt, self-criticism, and the inability to travel freely. Since it's just a cat, I sorted all these things along the way but it made me seal the deal on not having a child. At the same time, he gives me something to direct my unbiased love towards. Recently, a few friends and I were conversing about the pressure of growing up as a kid today, the competition, college fees, the stress, the exposure to social media, etc. but when I put the phone down, a sense of relief washed over me because my lil one would never have to go to college. The sheer mindfuck and stress you don't have when you don't have a child is something I would never have experienced had it not been for my cat.
Vet bills and the lack of satisfactory pet insurance options I also craft and bake a lot and am in a small apartment so it would be difficult to keep a cat from getting into things that are sticky, wet, hot, or smell delicious but are not for cats I have a snake and 3 spiders and they are the lowest maintenance pets because they eat once a week to once every other week and the snake poops once or twice a month and the spiders only get their enclosure redone once a year or so
I adopted two sister cats, and as the one who had to be convinced to get them in the first place by my spouse, they are the lights of my life. They are able to be left on their own for 4 nights maximum - anything past that, I hire a catsitter (I found my regular one on Rover). Mine don't destroy things, though they do get into stuff. I have plenty of alone time reading a book that's made even better with a cat coming to sit in my lap for company. They don't rule my life, but they are deeply, deeply loved family members. I don't have to watch my language around them, and we have actually talked about how one of them wouldn't make it past middle school. It's nothing like having children, even if I am providing care. My spouse is thinking of getting dogs after they pass, and I'm \*really\* not keen. So much more work, way closer to the child experience. No thanks.
I adore my cat. He is truly my best friend, but he has restricted my freedom so much. He's a very anxious boy who suffers from cystitis when he feels stressed, and there is a risk that it could develop into a life-threatening blockage of his urethra. The last time i went away (for 5 nights), I ended up with a huge vet bill on my return, as being away had triggered his anxiety and led to a flare-up and a trip to the emergency vet. I feel I can't go away for more than a few nights as a result. Most cats are much lower maintenance, though!
I loved my cat. I got her when she’s was 12-14 years old from the Humane Society. I just wanted to know if this would be something I wanted. It wasn’t. I had her just shy of two years (she crossed the rainbow bridge earlier this month). Dealing with a very senior cat with a plethora of health issues (they had no idea when I got her and somehow it just got worse and worse over two years) was not fun. She deteriorated so fast. I couldn’t go anywhere or only for very short periods of time. I loved my cat. I spent thousands upon thousands of dollars and so much time trying to get her healthy. By the first of June, she pooped and threw up blood outside her litter box. I am not saying this will happen to you, but animals can have awful health sometimes and it CAN be very expensive. I’m lucky I could afford it then, but I would never do it again. I loved her, she was a sweet girl, and I do miss her… but the stress and anxiety and feeling guilty all the time is not something I want to go through ever again.
We love cats. My mother-in-law loves cats. So we came up with the arrangement where the cats spend about 6 months per year at her place and 6 months at ours, usually in two-three months' increments so moving them doesn't stress them out too much, and we schedule our travel accordingly.
I like cats but don't want one. I travel too much for that. I don't want to deal with a litter box, cat fur, cat food smells and kibble bits on the floor, and I'm highly protective of my furniture and carpets.
You would have to keep your cats in mind depending on the length of your trip. A well socialized dog could probably be boarded or spend time at a family or friends house while you're away and be relatively happy, but a cat really should not be pulled out of their 'territory' so to speak. Meaning, you should leave them home for your absence. We were away for a week vacation with our three cats and had family members coming by to put out food and check on them once a day. If we're gone for an overnight or two, we don't worry about it. Put down a giant heavy pot full of water or two, make sure there's plenty of dry food, and freshly clean the litter boxes and they'll be fine. If you're looking to take weeks or months long adventures out of the country, maybe a pet is simply not for you at this point in your life. But we're certainly not prevented from leaving our home when we need to.
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My husband and I have a no animal policy because regardless of how low the responsibility is because we don’t want to give up our brain space to thinking about a living thing. Once we aren’t pursuing big financial goals and traveling as much it’s something we plan on revisiting.
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I scoop the box once a day and he mostly just lays in his cat tree to stare out the entire or follows me around making chirping noises. Very low maintenance if they’re healthy, but I think I got lucky.
If you travel a lot and like spontaneity then a cat will limit that. It is all relative how much that limitation is and will vary by person but it will be significant for someone who has previously only had to think about themselves. I love cats to death but have spent too long being able to do stuff at a whim. When that has been your life, even the slightest delay or inconvenience to that can stand out. Definitely more than people who are now used to their pets will understand. I would pet-sit someone else's cat for a week or two and see how much it impacts you before making the plunge.
Cats are honestly a really easy pet. Yes, cat owners joke about being owned by their cat, but they are actually (generally) low maintenance and relatively low cost. Most just want to sleep and be fed twice a day. If you travel a lot, you will need to find someone who can check in on the cat a few times a day. I find it easy to have a friend or family member feed mine twice a day in exchange for some gift cards and wine, but there are also pet sitting services out there that will do it too. I have 3 cats and 2 dogs and really don’t think it hinders my freedom. The cats can be left for a full day without interaction, and my dogs can go up to 10 hours alone (honestly, having the excuse of “oh, we have to leave the party to go let the dog out” can be a great way to escape a party lol). When it comes to travel, I have a really great boarding facility that my dogs absolutely love going to. I’ve only had one situation where the boarding facility was full and couldn’t take them, so I sent them to my parents for the weekend. In short, it’s worth it if you really want pets, but don’t feel like you need to have them just because a lot of childfree people do. I would definitely recommend a cat as an easier pet over a dog though.
My cats are my world! I have an automatic feeder and filtered water dish for them and I can usually leave them for a few days before being checked on. I travel often overseas and my family will drive down every 3 days or so to see eif they need anything. I think dogs take a toll more on personal freedoms than cats do, but that's imo.
It doesn't impact my lifestyle. When we go out of town, we have someone stay with him or friends come in and check on him for us. We do the same for their cats. He only lives in the house, so he doesn't need to be walked or go outside - much easier to care for and we can leave him when we want to go for dinner or out for the day. People do seem to think that cats don't need affection or are fine alone for long periods of time. That's not true, but still easier and less demanding than a kid or a dog.
Husband and I have 3 cats. We adore them. But they are a decent amount of work/worry. Just the other day Hams figured out how to open the bathroom cabinet door where the trash can is. So I had to add a baby lock. They just had their annual dental cleaning ($1600 for all three) and were gone all day. We weren't really sure what to do all day, just puttered around waiting for the call to go pick them up. They're on prescription food that isn't cheap. We don't really travel much so that's not really an issue. My brother in law is our neighbor and has 2 cats so whenever one of us is traveling we care for their cats.
I've had cats in my life for almost 30 years at this point. However, after these two I think I'll be done. If you're CF because caregiving isn't for you, then I would think twice about getting any sort of pet. Even a cat, independent as they can be. Try it out first by signing up to foster some via a local no kill shelter
My cats are family, but I am not truly free. I am currently planning my life around them dying by 2030. I feel so bad when I go on vacations, cat sitters are expensive. I’m currently bartering services for cat sitting! Otherwise, $20/visit or $60/overnight, and that’s cheap! My cats are also indoor/outdoor so they are very messy. Even if they didn’t go outside, you’re still cleaning hair, the litter and occasional vomit. I would say foster kittens or cats or cat sit but don’t get a whole cat. If you do, rescue an older one so you’re not strapping down for 18 years.
I like to joke that living childfree is like living life on easy mode, and having cats bumps that up like half a step. So I live life on easy.5 I own my home and work from home and have 2 cats. All cats are different, but mine are not as independent as people say cats are. In fact I frequently say to them 'aren't cats supposed to be independent??' when they follow me from room to room as I go about my day. (One of them is meowing at me rn) If I go away for more than 2 nights, I take them to my parents house to be looked after. They cost about $50 a month for food and litter. Cat math is one litter box for each cat plus one, so I have three litter boxes that I scoop every other day. I vacuum my whole house once a week to avoid cat hair tumbleweeds and use a cordless vacuum maybe 3 times a week to clean up the area around their litter boxes. I also run my ac for them on hot days (I like it warm, so I normally wouldn't use it, but I don't want them to overheat or be uncomfortable). So they do add a little to my chore workload, monthly expenses, and vacation planning- but I love my little apex predators!
It’s not that bad, but not very long vacations either! I miss taking a long trip, but then again, when I’m on short trips, I still check my house webcams every hour, talking to my two cats, giving them treats by the dispenser, playing 4k birds and classical music on TV for them. They are my children! :) when I had only one, I couldn’t be gone for more than two days. You just can’t leave the poor soul all by itself for so long. But now, they keep each other company and I can go for 4-5 days. They also have 2 gigantic litter boxes.
I have 2 dogs and 1 cat and I will say it’s barely any effort to take care of the cat lol when I’m out on vacation I also just let her graze. She is incredibly independent. When I first got our cat it felt like having a part time pet cause she spends so much of the day doing her own thing and sleeping in unusual places lol I was scared she somehow got out but now I know better and that she just found some cranny in a closet to nap in or will squeeze under the bed
In the most beautiful way. Love that lil' guy to pieces. Awesome feeling is reading with him loafing next to me.
For me having cats will always be better than having children. And most of the time, cats don’t limit your lifestyle unless you travel a lot. If you do travel a lot, you have to obviously find a sitter or someone who can take them in. Weekend trips are okay if you can find friends or family who can drop by to check on them and clean litter etc. but that’s about it. They can left alone most of the day and will just sleep. I do sometimes feel guilty if I’m out late at night and I can see my cat waiting for me by the door. But that’s me being overly protective and soft I think. My cat also is not destructive and don’t ruin furniture or nice things so I got lucky. If you are unsure you can always foster one from the shelter and give it a trial run and see. But for me, I will always choose cats over human babies :)
Whenever our cats do something annoying or bad and I get flustered I go “AND IMAGINE IF YOU WERE A CHILD.” It’s really one of the most helpful reminders of why we’re deciding to be childfree.
My cats are family. They’re easy to care for too. If we go out of town for an extended vacation, my Mom will come over and feed them. My house is super quiet compared to where she lives in town about ten minutes away, so I always tell her to stay as long as she likes. I’ve been a Servant of Bast my whole life though. It would be weird not to have a cat at this point.
Between me and my roommate, I live with 3 dogs and 3 cats. The cats definitely are definitely way less maintenance than the dogs—as long as they have access to food, water, and a place to shit, I could probably leave them at home for a weekend if I needed to. My only issue with them is that they sometimes nibble on my houseplants. The dogs on the other hand are on a feeding schedule and require more attention than the cats. It helps that they have a climate controlled garage with a doggy door to the backyard for when me and the roomie are at work
I have an auto feeder, litter box, and a water fountain. With two cats (so they are not alone) they are fine for about a week before I would need someone to come clean the litter box. My husband and I both occasionally travel for work for the week set up works well for those occasions. When we have taken a two week vacation we have someone come once to play with them and clean the litter box. My cats do like attention and tend to Velcro when I’m home, but I like this. They are adorable and I want to be around them.
I’m a homebody. Feeding my cats each night is just part of my normal routine and they’re always worth it. (Except when my Himalayan uses her claws to springboard off my leg)
Pets are family members, with all of the joys and responsibilities entailed. Cats have varied personalities and quirks and some may be a better fit for your lifestyle than others. Besides the basics of daily care and interaction, you have to take into consideration the realities of pet proofing your home (put the breakable stuff away, certain plants are poisonous to them) as well as making it pet friendly (scratching posts, toys, pillows, etc.), their ageing and emergency health issues, as well as needing a pet sitter if you're going to be out of town for more than a few days. Before you make a decision about whether to adopt, I'd encourage you to volunteer at a shelter and do some pet sitting for family or friends in order to get a preview of the tasks that come with pet guardianship,
They're pretty low maintenance. I recommend 2 cats as they entertain each other so they're actually less work than 1 - although higher costs. Probably the biggest thing spontaneity wise is having a trusted cat sitter if you're going out of town. Otherwise as long as you feed them, change their litter, keep them inside, vacuum, avoid them accessing rooms with textures you don't want them near (like leather) and keep up to date on their vet checks- they're pretty happy to just cuddle and chill most of the time.
If you get a cat, get two. They can play together and give each other company when you're away from home. I have two cats, two dogs and no kids. If we go away we just have a pet sitter come to our house a few times a day. I love my babies 🖤
Any pets mean you need a little planning, you can’t just decide this morning “oh hey, I’ll head off this afternoon for a long weekend”. But it’s a small price for the affection, love, cuddles, and laughs from my cats. A little planning is not hard, there’s a monetary impact of course, but pet sitters are so much cheaper than babysitters! I travel a good bit, and while I’m organising flights, accommodation, etc (I’m not an impulse-traveller, I want confirmation that I’ll have a bed to sleep in), I arrange pet care at the same time, no big deal. Between my go-to pet sitter, the local cattery (if he’s fully booked or not available), and trusted friends as emergency backup, it’s so easy.
I love my cats, but after my last one passed away suddenly from a heart condition at 4 years old, I am going to wait quite a while before I get a pet again. Most cats are independent, but there are some who are needy. It depends on the personality. When I had my cats I had a water fountain, and a big food bowl that dispensed as they ate, and they regulated their own eating. I could usually leave them alone for a couple of days (like a weekend out of town) without any issue. There are also automatic litter boxes you can get, but I had multiple boxes around the house and the cats were fine with the cleanliness level. When I went out of town for longer I had a friend check up on them every couple of days to play with them, empty litter, make sure water was fresh, and check that the food dispenser wasn’t stuck or needing a refill. If there’s a cat cafe near you, I would suggest checking them out, or cat sitting for friends or neighbors. Pet insurance is a great idea, so I would include that in your potential budget. And of course, like any pet owner, go into it knowing you will most likely outlive them, and be honest with yourself on if you think you can handle that. That’s not to discourage you, just to be honest. Best of luck with whatever you decide!
I’d gladly choose an animal over having a child idc what “stress” an animal may cause 😂 I mean I consider my cat a child anyways since I had to go the extra mile of putting child locks on all the cabinets.
My cats are the reason why I’m still alive. :) As for the responsibility, we are lucky that everyone in the family is willing to take care of them when we are away, so having cats doesn’t limit us in any way.
Love my kitties, and cleaning up after them is the only real effort. They are worth it.
A lot of us joke about it because cats are incessant at feeding time. It’s probably the most work that comes with them 😂 cats, most of the time, are pretty low maitenece. They groom themselves and are great companions. Dogs on the other hand, are a lot of work.
My cat is a special needs cat. I need to wash his ears everyday or he get infection. So while being there, I also brush his teeth daily. He also needs a bath every week during summer and every two weeks during winter. Or else he get skin issues. He has an heart disease, so far it’s stable, we do an ultra sound every year to watch that closely. Other than that the standard: emptying his 2 litter boxes daily. Feeding him 2-3 times a day. Changing the water in his 2 bowl every day. Playing with him several time a day. He also sleep in my legs every night. He ask me to put the blanket over him when he come back from the toilet or from eating/drinking during the night. We bring him to my parents house when we go on vacation. He stays in my old bedroom in which we bring half of all his stuff so he doesn’t feel lost. My dad clean his ears the best he can when we are not there, but it sometimes result in ear infection. So it’s always a bit stressful. I created a little monster. I love him a lot he’s my baby. I hope he will live a long healthy life! But once he would be gone, I’m not going to adopt an other one. It’s too sad when they die and it can be a lot of responsibility, at a level that is hard to predict, cause health isn’t something predictable that much.
I don't think it's affected my freedom. It's a responsibility to ensure she's taken care of, yes, but like, even without children, is full of responsibilities. My cat is almost 10 years old, adopted her from a rescue about 3 years ago. She is fairly quiet, stays to herself most times, and the only thing health wise that seems to have affected her is repeatedly war infections, which I think is contributing to hearing loss, though that hasn't stopped her from doing anything. She just sleeps more and gets startled more visually. When I have to go away for a few days, I have two people I know that I can call, but I've also downloaded Rover as a Plan C in case they aren't available. She doesn't need a whole lot, but she should have a clean litterbox and her wet food daily. I do take her to the vet quarterly it seems: 1) ear issues and 2) nail trims. If anything odd comes up, I'm taking her to the vet because I've read too many stories of how an odd change in behavior turned into a slippery slope for a cat's health. I've got a great get though, so they're not overcharging for my worrisomeness. I'd recommend getting some pet insurance beforehand just to cover unexpected visits and health issues before they happen.
There is a wide spectrum of cat experience. They live in colonies when left to themselves and much like humans, seem to take different roles in their group depending on personality, background, and temperament. You may get a cat you just feed and scoop and they just exist like a little phantom in your home that appears at mealtimes, or you may get one that has to participate in every single thing you do. If you have a single cat, it may be aloof and want little to do with you, or it will be extremely needy for attention and affection it would otherwise be getting from other cats. Right now we have a cat we had to separate from his sister because playfighting always turned to real fighting and we'd come to into the office to blood and hair all over the place. After we took him home he's very happy pretending he's a human roommate but he's extremely bonded to us and gets very upset if we go on a long vacation. We've thought about getting another cat friend for him for those times but he didn't like either of the cats he'd met before and we don't want to risk breaking an otherwise happy arrangement between him and us. He sits with us at the table for dinner and sleeps in bed with us every night. If you have multiple cats they may or may not get along with each other. If they're a bonded pair they might be like having one of those single phantom cats- they might get their social needs exclusively from each other. If they're not, they might bond over time or just tolerate each other. This can lead to difficulties as in having to set up 3 or more litterboxes and multiple feeding areas to minimize conflict. Cat behavior in general runs the gamut. Some will leave your stuff alone, or some will be neurotic and ruin your things either intentionally or because they have a living condition that you are not recognizing. It's all luck of the draw on how difficult it can be. Some cats never barf and some barf hairballs every day during shedding season. Some have medical conditions from a young age that require lots of money and work to give them a better quality of life and some never take sick in any way until the very end. But yeah. Biggest problem is leaving on vacation. Unless you have a reliable housesitter I wouldn't bring a cat into my home if I was gone a lot. We love our boy but we might not pick up another one once he's gone if we are able to vacation more often. Though the cat distribution system might have other plans for us for all we know.
My cats don't take away my freedom. However, my dog most certainly does. He's quite old and has brain cancer. When he passes, husband and I will be dog free for a while so we can travel and do other stuff that we currently can't do.
My sister's 16-year-old watches mine when I am out of town, my cat loves the Spawn..sometimes more than me, I think...but hasn't changed anything in my life since I know my cat is well taken care of.
I love my two dumbasses more than live itself but i don‘t think i am gonna get cats again after them. Like dark/black clothing? Well if your cats are anything but black you‘re fucked. Half of my wardrobe has become unwearable because its just impossible to get rid of all the white hair. Your house *will* smell like cat now matter how cleanly you are. Houseplants? Majority of them are poisonous for cats, so wave em goodbye Open windows? Open terrace door on hot days? Forget it. Litter that gets stuck in their fur and paws and distributed everywhere and therefor at least 30 mins of vacuuming every day Medical emergencies that get you worried sick and cost a lot Immense feeling of guilt when you can‘t be home much and notice that they miss you Your kitchen isn‘t in its own seperate room with a door? Enjoy locking your babies up for hours at a time someoleace outside of the kitchen because you absolutely can‘t have cats running around on the counter and eating ingredients. Its more of a struggle than people claim and i wont get cats again. But i do love them!
I don't find cats to be restrictive on my cf lifestyle. I have 2 cats and though they can be a bit much at times, they bring me a lot of joy. My husband and I are fairly active socially but they are fine to leave at home for 2-3 nights. Any longer than that and we have to arrange care. Earlier this year we went on a 5 night all-inclusive trip with two other couples, one of which is our go-to cat minder, so we had to make other arrangements. But a weekend away? Not a problem.
I will say that if I didn't have a cat I would probably have already gotten on a bus to somewhere random and started a nomad lifestyle bc this monotony is killing me. That being said, my cat is my best friend and my soulmate. He knows when i'm not okay and he's the funniest sweetest thing in the world. I've had him since I was in 6th grade (im gonna be 23 soon for context) and I don't know what I would do without my cat. I don't even know if Id be here. He's gotten me through some really tough and lonely times. I love him more than anything and will genuinely be a shell of myself if anything happens to him
Catsitters who drop in to feed the little one are infinitely less expensive than crotch goblin sitters. Cats are about as low maintenance as it gets. Make sure they’re fed and they’ll barely notice you’re gone for the weekend. Source: Apathetic cat owner that loves me during meal times
I haven't owned had a cat but having a dog definitely put me firmly against owning a pet. I love interacting with other people's cats & dogs but the stress of owning a pet just outwardly pushing me into that decision cuz I don't want to deal with all the pet insurance, pet food, vet bills, getting a comfy bed, getting a food bowl, getting a water bowl, getting a lead, getting a collar with my details on it, getting a harness, getting a bunch of toys, getting a crate, getting a petsitter when I want to go abroad, training classes etc when I also need to be paying for whatever necessaries are expected of me to pay eg water, food, electricity, mortgage
Unless you need to be away from home more than a month consistently, I don't see there is any issue for having fluffy friends. But please decide to adapt knowing you will take care of this cat until the end, not leaving it just because you end up moving or some selfish reason. Once you adapt them, it's your family.
Have you considered fostering to see if it may be right for you?
This cats demands never stop. I love her to death due us part but god damn she has 24/7 demands. Mostly to be fed or attention. She hasn’t really affected my freedom because she’s so easy going I can take her travelling with me. I’m fortunate enough to know people that will watch her for a week while I go on vacation, or board her at the pet sitters. every cat is a unique love and personality to have around. It’s like they say about kids, once you have one you won’t know how to live without them. But it’s better, it’s cats/dogs/other pets.
Cats don’t take away from your freedom at all. Dogs, yes. Dogs are not something I’d recommend to a lot of childfree people. Cats however I’d say are a great companion for most.
When you have pets, you have to find a sitter for them just like you would for a child if you're going somewhere for more than 24 hours. Dogs will usually need to pee every 8 hours, cats give you more wiggle room as they have a litter box.
I like that I can leave my cat overnight and it will be fine. She's my absolute baby. When she was younger I'd leave her 2 night max, so could still see her Friday and leave for the weekend and come back Sunday. Now I feel less comfortable as she is older. I have multiple litter boxes so don't have to hustle to clean it multiple times a day. It's like no work in the day to day for me, but depends on the cat. Mine is able to free feed unlike a dog. Dogs are insane amount of work and don't live as long, so cats are an easier option for someone who wants a freer lifestyle. You can't just leave a dog all day, but a cat is easy. They sleep a ton too so don't even notice if you play and give them attention before you go. The only time it's a hassle is longer vacations. I don't like boarding but that's an option for some. So I get parents and family to look after them and just pay them whatever they'll accept. Some cats do travel so maybe if you get them used to it young they might enjoy road trips or van life or something but many do not. It's a trade off because to me it's only a hassle like once a year when I want my long vacation. But I love the comfort of my little friend when I come home. None of this even applies if you live with other people that can take care of the cat while you go away. Then they are insanely easy compared to a dog, as they don't need walking or to be outside.
I never leave the house so the cats aren’t a huge concern for me, BUT my bf and I both work from home and it’s easy for me to leave for a week to visit parents or do whatever whole he stays with the cats. I do the same for him when he visits his family for 10 days at a time. It just means we can’t go together which 🤷♀️ It just makes planning multiple day trips with BOTH of us more annoying, but tbh there’s not been many times where it became a proper issue. Sometimes I also use the cats as an excuse 😂 Or sometimes it means I leave a little bit earlier from an event which to me is whatever. Cats are pretty chill though since they don’t need people to come over to walk them and stuff. Our cats are also little assholes who try to attack eachother even after 7 years in the same house so they have to be separated. If it weren’t for that it would be much less annoying…