Where from?

[GSLeloo]

So it was finally decided that next week I will be getting a cat. Now the debate isn't between cat and dog but where should I get it from. I was thinking a pet store, my mom said a shelter, and my dad said a breeder from the newspaper. Where do you guys think is the wisest place or maybe just the best place to get a cat from?

[Ravenstorm]

Shelter.

Raven

[Artha]

Shelter.

There isn't much that's more cool than adopting an animal, especially an abused one. The abused are a bit more work, but it's worth it in the end, as you get one of the most loving pets a person can have.

[Edited on 4-20-2004 by Artha]

[DeV]

I'd go with a shelter or a breeder.

[Wezas]

Cat? Shelter/Newspaper
Dog? Breeder

[Anebriated]

I agree, my dog is from a shelter and my cat was found on the side of a back road where there are no houses anywhere near. Both of them are amazing. Its also nice to save an animal if its possible.

[GSLeloo]

Sorry I just noticed we lacked the shelter option. It's been added!

[Sean]

shelter.

[Skirmisher]

Shelter, no doubt.

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

Shelter

[MPSorc]

shelter

[FinisWolf]

Cat?
Cat?

... O what is the world coming to?

Forget the cat, get a dog! Or better yet, a wolf!

But if its a cat (which should be kicked daily), get it from a pet store, less hassles, and they tend to have been given shots or have a shot plan, etc etc.

Finiswolf

[GSLeloo]

We have a dog! Ginger! I feel she's too much of the baby still to get another dog. She's not good at sharing.

[Bobmuhthol]

One of my cats came from a shelter. I think the other two were from ads in the newspaper.

The one from the shelter is my favorite.

[GSLeloo]

We had two cats, one from a pet store and one from the outside of a floral shop. The one from the pet store was the most loving and sweet and cute cat but he had health problems. The one at the floral shop was dirty (She like refused to clean herself) and sort of stayed to herself. She's still alive.

[Jolena]

Shelter or a organization like we have here called "Second chance"-- it's similar to the shelter but they make sure all pets are spayed/neutered, have all their shots etc. They are usually pets that have either been abused or left on the side of the road. They are also non-profit, and I worked for them alongside my mother during my highschool years.

[Jonty]

Shelter

[Sweets]

Shelter. Lots of lost and lonely kitties there. I have heard too many bad things about pet stores. Breeders will cost you an arm and leg sometimes.

[HarmNone]

I am really surprised that the cat thought-net has not picked up on your wish for a cat. Usually, around here, they show up and invite themselves in. ;)

Seriously, I would go to a shelter if I were looking for a cat. They are spayed/neutered, have had their vaccinations, and really need a home to call their own. Another little thing to keep in mind: black (or dark colored) cats are the least likely to be adopted. :)

HarmNone

[Ravenstorm]

To expand a bit...

When I was looking for a pet ten years ago, I went to some of the more well known animal shelters. North Shore Animal League is a 'name' in this area. It was really a nice place. Clean, classy, bright.

And then I went to a local animal shelter: dingy, overworked and overcrowded. But the people who ran the place really cared about the animals. (I'm not saying the others didn't too).

I got both my cats from the latter shelter. It was the difference between taking someone off of the streets and taking someone out of the Ritz-Carlton. The animals in the crowded, underfunded shelter /need/ to be adopted more than the ones in the 'name' adoption agencies or the newspapers.

They aren't pure breds. They were just two adorable, eight week old kittens who needed a home and I took them out of a life of poverty. Best choice I ever made and they've repaid daily every single cent they cost. Shelter.

Raven

[GSLeloo]

I've just been finding it hard to find kittens at shelters nearby me (been using petfinder) and I want a kitten.

[Staerin]

Ok, I'm not a cat person and don't really want to have cats. Though, I'd say go with a shelter, until just recently I'd gotten my dogs from shelters, or just off the streets, and they turned out to be some of the best pets ever. And like the ever-wise Harmnone mentioned they usually have a lot of the expensive work taken care of before you get to it (vaccinations... ack!)

[Souzy]

Shelter

[Ravenstorm]

Originally posted by GSLeloo
I've just been finding it hard to find kittens at shelters nearby me (been using petfinder) and I want a kitten.

I don't know what petfinder is but I'll tell you how to find a pet...

Open your yellow pages. Look up animal shelters. Then go to them and look around. They often get pets in daily. You might find some not even ready to be adopted yet as they're too young. But you can still claim one and wait.

Raven

[DianaBanana]

A shelter or a breeder depending on what you are looking for. Never ever ever a pet store though.

[peam]

Shelter. ALWAYS a shelter.

People who buy dogs/cats from puppy/kitten mill supporting pet stores should be kicked in the fucking teeth. Those places are some of the most screwed in the world. I know of a beagle farm about an hour and a half South of here that throws BABY BEAGLES into an INCINERATOR, if they're born without black markings. That's probably just scratching the surface of some of the B.S. that goes on in that industry.

[Artha]

I know of a beagle farm about an hour and a half South of here that throws BABY BEAGLES into an INCINERATOR, if they're born without black markings.

If there were ever a place I'd support getting torched by eco-terrorists...

[peam]

No doubt.

I don't see how any human being can take a handful of puppies and throw them into a fire. My grandmother saved her third beagle with no black from that place about a year and a half/two years back. That's the only justifiable reason to get a dog from one of those places, IMHO.

[GSLeloo]

www.petfinder.com

Basically you can search shelters in your area for the type of animal you want, age, size, location and all that.

[Ravenstorm]

Just go and look. Seeing them live, in person, in their cages where you can pick them up and pet them and listen to them purr, that's how you pick out a pet.

Going through a catalog of pets on the internet is like ordering a mail order bride. Go find a real animal to fall in love with in person. :)

Raven

[Edited on 4-21-2004 by Ravenstorm]

[Vesi]

Originally posted by Ravenstorm
Just go and look. Seeing them live, in person, in their cages where you can pick them up and pet them and listen to them purr, that's how you pick out a pet.

Going through a catalog of pets on the internet is like ordering a mail order bride. Go find a real animal to fall in love with in person. :)

Raven

[Edited on 4-21-2004 by Ravenstorm]

Oh so true! Listen to him!

Vesi

[GSLeloo]

LoL that was funny. We are. I'm having my wisdom teeth removed this Friday so once I am unswollen from that my mom and I are gonna go shelter hopping and find a cat that I like.

[i remember halloween]

save a dude from the incinerator. go shelter

[Snapp]

I got my dog from a shelter and he's wonderful. Newspapers aren't a bad idea either. There's always listings for free kittens around here. My brother actually got his kitten from a listing in the newspaper from a lady who took in strays and saved them. Nicest lady ever.. and she musta had at least a dozen cats in her back yard, so I truly believe about the cat thought-net that HN mentioned!

[Weedmage Princess]

I got my Smokey from a shelter called Pet Savers when she was a lil kitten.

Libby we got from some lady in front of the supermarket giving kittens away.

I heard some awful stories about cats/dogs that come from breeders and the like...that they're treated horribly. I'd rather not support them.

[Scott]

My opinion, don't get a cat. Cats just eat, sleep, and shit in a box..... Buy yourself a new dog, one that isn't trying to drown itself in it water bowl like your dog in your signature.

[Edited on 4-21-2004 by Gemstone101]

[FinisWolf]

Originally posted by Artha

I know of a beagle farm about an hour and a half South of here that throws BABY BEAGLES into an INCINERATOR, if they're born without black markings.

If there were ever a place I'd support getting torched by eco-terrorists...

:puke:

Seriously..., that is totaly upsetting my stomach. Geez, kill hte bastards that run that place, and anyone that works for them as well, thats just fucking inhumane.

BASTARDS!

Finiswolf

[Vesi]

My sister and her friend brought two puppies over a few Xmas Eve's ago. My daughter was begging... big time. I said no and then one of them licked me on the toe! Anyway... they would have gone to a shelter if we hadn't adopted.

Oh... and most puppies have worms. Since it was the holidays, no vets were open. So, I made my daughter clean up his messes in the bathtub until we could get to a vet. It was so gross I couldn't hear her talk about it. He's find now... a sweetheart.

If I didn't make myself clear before... shelters all the way. My sister has two cats from there and they are so much fun!

Vesi

[Vesi]

Originally posted by peam
No doubt.

I don't see how any human being can take a handful of puppies and throw them into a fire. My grandmother saved her third beagle with no black from that place about a year and a half/two years back. That's the only justifiable reason to get a dog from one of those places, IMHO.

Remember to kiss your grandmother Peam!

Also, when I was a kid we went to church with Dan Blocker's cousin... Dana Blocker. Nice guy. I used to love that show!

Vesi

[Nakiro]

People actual buy cats from stores?

Anyway, go to a shelter. Just make sure it gets its shots and shit.

[GSLeloo]

Originally posted by Gemstone101
My opinion, don't get a cat. Cats just eat, sleep, and shit in a box..... Buy yourself a new dog, one that isn't trying to drown itself in it water bowl like your dog in your signature.

[Edited on 4-21-2004 by Gemstone101]

LOL you're just jealous that my dog is so beautiful! I can't get another dog, she'd be too jealous.

[DeV]

I hear Golden's have a jealous streak in them. I believe retrievers are naturally that way, they love to be the center of attention. Our black lab outlasted every pet we owned to live to be 15, they are the best dogs (retrievers).

[GSLeloo]

Ginger is fine with other dogs. If you meet another dog on a walk she's ok with it (to a point) BUT if that dog comes to you and you pay attention to it, that is when she turns on it.

[Staerin]

Then she'd try drowning herself more often. So you can't have competition for that unstable of a dog :P

[longshot]

I really don't think Leloo is ready to handle the responsibility of an animal.

Try a plant first.

[GSLeloo]

I am too ready for the responsibility! Cats require having their box cleaned, being fed, and being loved. I already feed the dog so I can handle feeding the cat and I'm fine with cleaning as long as everything I'm touching is sterile.

We looked today at the pet store for a cat since we were going clothes shopping, all they had was one siamese that I bet they were over charging cause they're greedy. I wanted to go to the animal shelter tonight but because I'm having surgery tomorrow my mom said I should wait till Saturday when I won't be so out of it and will be more ok to take care of it.

[Ardwen]

Try one of them plastic plam trees first, then maybe move onto silk flowers and see how it goes.....


Ardwen

[AnticorRifling]

Originally posted by GSLeloo
I'm fine with cleaning as long as everything I'm touching is sterile.



It's animal shit. It's not sterile.

[Latrinsorm]

Originally posted by AnticorRifling
It's animal shit. It's not sterile. One can wear gloves (which are sterile) and then clean. I think that's what she means, anyway, unless she's got like a gamma ray gun to sterilize stuff with.

[Tendarian]

When i was younger i volunteered at a shelter and one of the cats was very frightened and they had a sign outside of the cage not to open it. This cat would hiss and spit even if you got near the cage. I go into the cat area to clean the litter boxes and some guy is holding this cat and the cat is liking it. I almost fell over in fear the guy was about to die until i realized that they just worked well together. He adopted the cat and never returned. The point of this is to definately go visit and play with the cat you decide to get to make sure you all have the chemistry or whatever to be good for each other.