There will always be a need for vets. That idea, plus my huge love of animals, has led me down the path of becoming a veterinarian. I have not graduated from my course yet, but the reason behind this blog is to share my learning journey. I intend to write blog posts on subjects like the veterinarian education path, my thoughts on whether to be a general or specialist vet and how I wish to use alternative treatments like acupuncture in my practice. If you too have a love of animals and want to make this your job, then my blog will be interesting to you.
Cat Adoption – Kitten Vs Adult
Introducing a cat into your home is a great idea for a host of reasons. Not only are you choosing to care for an animal that would otherwise not have gotten care from a family, but you are also getting to benefit from having a companion in your home. However, once you do choose to get a cat, you then have to make a decision about whether you will be better off with a kitten or a grown cat. While kittens are undeniably cute, adult cats do offer an array of advantages that you would not enjoy if you were nurturing a baby cat. Therefore, before you make a decision about cat adoption, here are a few things you should know about adopting a kitten or an adult cat.
Messiness
Kittens, in all sense of the word, are babies. Thus, just like human babies, they will make a mess. Not only will they poop and pee everywhere, from your carpets to your beds, they will also knock over items, spill their milk and generally just make your home untidy. Hence, if you choose to adopt a kitten, you need to prepare yourself to provide hands-on care for your cat round the clock until they learn how to navigate around your home and use their litter box appropriately. Take note that cats are very sensitive to stress in the home. So, if their mess agitates you, chances are your kitten will become stressed too. If you do not have the time to care for a kitten, then you should opt for an adult cat that is likely to be house trained and will not make much of a mess.
Scratching
All cats will scratch; that is unavoidable. Nevertheless, kittens definitely scratch a lot more than adult cats since they are exploring the new world that they have been born into! And while scratching your furniture and curtains may seem minor, you should bear in mind that kittens could scratch young babies, which can be traumatic for your child. Although you could choose to have your kitten wear nail caps to prevent scratching, it is likely that they will eventually chew through these protective plastic caps. Although adult cats do scratch, they are more likely to be satisfied with a dedicated scratching post. Moreover, the nails of adult cats grow at a much slower rate than those of kittens. So you could always have your veterinarian trim your adult cat's nails for you if you want to eliminate the risk of scratching.