Advice request: potentially adopting a cat
My wife and I are potentially adopting a cat.
The cat is an adult, not sure the exact age (but will see if that’s known when we get it).
The long story short is, a close friend had 3 cats (I think strays as kittens but not 100% sure, I think they were acquired at different times - they do not appear to be related to each other), but due to the current political state of the US ended up moving abroad on a visa for this past year, and is planning on staying away for longer. Initially, the cats were staying with another friend but that has recently fallen through (I think they did not expect the 3 cats to be as much to handle as they are, they keep getting onto counters, eating food that is left out/left unattended, and scratching furniture, and at this point they’re getting fed up with them), and we were asked if we could take any of them
We have met the cats quite a few times, and they do seem friendly towards us.
My wife seems very allergic to one of them, but only mildly allergic or significantly less allergic to the other two.
We currently live in an apartment that does allow pets, but this would be the first time either of us have owned a cat, so unfortunately I think we could only take one of them.
I’m thinking we could probably use some advice on things to consider and best practices.
Preliminary research has said to get 1 or 2 litter boxes, feed at regular times, running water bowls are preferred, and get lidded trash cans. We plan on keeping the cat on the same food and litter type, at least initially. I know there are other things, and we will take the cat for a check-up and establish a vet. Due to my wife’s allergies, we are planning on keeping the cat out of the bedroom and running an air purifier there, and hopefully visiting an allergist before we adopt the cat if time permits.
But I’m wondering what others’ experiences have been with a cat in an apartment and what advice you may have? (How to keep them off of counters? Keep them from getting bored while at work or while working from home?)
That might work for an entire day, don't expect to be able to keep the cat out of any space really. Cats are three-dimensional and will get everywhere. On tables, chairs, desks, bookshelves, counters, etc. Some cats are more or less adventurous than other cats, and they'll have preferences (for example, my cat was not big into kitchen counters, but loved my desk), but basically every surface WILL become a cat surface.
Toys and cat trees for keeping them busy, though (especially adult) cats often will sleep during the day and be active at dawn/dusk.
If the cat seems interested in getting on the counter put some foil on it, and that usually stops the urge as they don't like the feel under their paws.
Food and water wise every cat is different, same food is good to start but the lower carb/higher protein you can get for a cat the better (and wet food is sadly the best option). I have one cat who likes a fountain, one who won't touch it and one who hasn't tried because I don't have one anymore. So ymmv. Making sure water is clean helps but some cats drink fine and others need more moisture via their food (see above)
I can't speak to the allergies.
Lots of scratching pads and posts, having them protects your furniture most of the time.
I've had a bunch of apartment cats. They do fine as long as you play with them a lot, and I recommend a window ledge or some place they can watch outside for more entertainment.
Thanks! I know right now they’re on mostly dry food but get wet food every 3 days as a “bonus” dinner so we’ll probably just keep doing that.
Good note about the water, we may hold off on a fountain then if she seems to drink OK out of a bowl.
Pretty much everything depends on the cat, you've got the basics down as a starting point and if the cat doesn't do what you expect, then ask questions!
Even though @RheingoldRiver is right that cats are basically liquids who can teleport, some cats don't get up on counters. Some go looking for people food and will find anything you leave out. Some won't eat food or treats that are too much like real food.
Some will kill any mice or crickets that get into your place. Some will do nothing about it, or be very bad hunters.
Contrariwise to another poster, keep in mind that cats are trainable. They like people, and want to get along with their housemates when they can. So if you explain the ground rules of the house to the cat through your own behaviour and expectations, they will generally adjust over time.
They aren't dogs, though, so the training approach is different. It helps to build a social alliance with the cat first, so that the cat can establish that everyone in the house is on the same team. And you may not win every time.
For example, all of our cats bar one have understood that table tops and counters are 100% off limits, and didn't/do not climb on them.
The sole exception understood that table tops and counters were off limits as long as there was a human in the room... but that if the room did not contain a human, every surface was fair game. He could not be persuaded otherwise. But as I said, he was the exception!
Scratching furniture is a tricky habit to break (if you can, pick a cat that doesn't already have the habit); make sure that you provide lots of alternative approved scratching surfaces, like big sturdy cat poles, coarse carpeting, or those shreddable cardboard cat scratchers.
Show the cat what those surfaces are for by using them yourself, with your fingernails, while showing great and sincere enjoyment. (Don't try to force the cat's paws onto the surfaces, that's just an inexplicable punishment to a cat.) But they do watch to see what you are enjoying!
Boredom is rarely a problem; cats are active morning and evening but sleep during the day and for most of the nighttime, and that fits well with when humans have a bit of time to interact with them. Most cats sleep a lot, and many will be happy to snooze while you work.
That said, over time you will accumulate toys.
One of ours loves woollen clothes dryer balls over all other toys, another liked feathers, and one was a techno cat and lived for chasing red laser dots.