How to Know if You Are Ready for a Cat

Co-authored by Lauren Baker, DVM, PhD

Last Updated: June 13, 2022

Cats are great pets for people in many circumstances. However, before adopting a cat, you should reflect on whether you are ready to be a cat owner. This is important, as there are many factors, including your living situation and income, that might make it a bad time for you to get a cat. Ultimately, after talking to your family or roommates, considering whether you have the money or space for a cat, and reflecting on your lifestyle, you’ll have a better idea of whether you should get a cat.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Talking with Your Family or Roommates

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Initiate a conversation with everyone who you live with. One of the first steps you need to take is to talk to everyone who lives in your household. Without the cooperation and consent of everyone you live with, you won’t be ready to adopt a cat.
- Share your plans with your family, significant other, or roommates.
- Call a meeting at a time everyone can attend. A good time would be around dinner time on a weekday.
- Share your intent to get a cat and some of the specifics, including where the litter box will be, and where you will get the cat.
- Keep a dialogue open with your roommates and/or family. They might think of problems after some reflection. In addition, you might also be able to prove to them (by acting responsibly) that you are ready for a cat.^{[1]
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2
Listen to everyone’s concerns. Once you’ve shared your intent to get a cat and initiated a conversation about it, you should ask for feedback on the idea. This is important, as the people you live with may have helpful ideas or serious concerns about whether you are ready to get a cat.
- Make it clear that you want to hear any thoughts they may have about getting a cat.
- Don’t interrupt anyone as they’re sharing their ideas about you getting a cat.
- If people bring up substantial concerns, you may want to make a written list of the problems they think will arise from you getting a cat. This way, you can look over the list later and address one concern at a time.
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3
Avoid getting a cat if someone objects. If any of the people you live with seriously object to you getting a cat, you should not get one. This is important, as the cat will be another member of your household. Bringing a cat into the house should be a decision everyone makes together.
- If you live in an apartment that does not allow pets, you should not get a cat. Even if you think you can hide the cat from your landlord, this is not fair to the cat, and could result in fines or even eviction.
- If you have a roommate or family member that is allergic to cats, you shouldn’t get one.
- If you live at home and your parents say no, this means you are not ready to get a cat. Ultimately, you’ll be ready to get a cat when you are independent of your parents and have your own home.
- If someone objects because they think they’ll wind up taking care of the cat, you should reflect on their assertion. What this means is that the person does not believe you are ready to get a cat. You should take that concern seriously.^{[2]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Determining if You Have the Resources

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Be prepared to pay for upfront costs. After you’ve talked with your roommates or family and everyone has consented, you need to take stock of whether you have the money to pay for things you’ll need right away. This is important, as cats need a substantial number of items right when you get them. Make sure you can buy:
- An adoption or homing fee. This could vary widely, from nothing to several hundred dollars.
- A water bowl, food bowl, and litter box. Depending on where you get these items, they could run up to $50.
- Food and treats for the first few weeks. This should cost $20 to $40 per cat.
- A vet exam and the cost of initial vaccinations. This might run you about $150.
- If the cat is not spayed or neutered, you will need to budget for surgery. The cost of surgery is typically around $200, but this can vary widely depending on the type of surgery you choose and where you live.
2
Make sure you can pay for recurring costs. You’ll also need to make sure you have the money to pay for things you’ll need regularly for your cat. Ultimately, if you don’t have enough income to pay for these necessities, you shouldn’t get a cat. You’ll have to pay for:
- Food costs, which may run between $100 and $200 a year, depending on the food you choose.
- Litter, which could add up to $200 a year per cat.
- Yearly vet exams and vaccinations, which could cost you between $100 and $300.
- Parasite treatment and prevention, which is typically $100 to $200 per year.
- Toys and treats, which could run up to $100 a year.^{[3]
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Verify you have space. Many people, especially those in urban areas, may not have the space they need to get a cat. While cats are small and can be very content living indoors, you need to reflect on your circumstances when determining if you are ready to get a cat.
- How big is your home? If you live in a 500-square foot apartment in New York City with 2 roommates, squeezing a 4th living being into that space might make it way too tight.^{[4]
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Make sure other pets will accept a new cat. You need to make sure that all other pets that live in the home will accept a new cat. This is important, as some pets may be territorial and could react violently to a new pet.
- Watch to see how your (or your roommate's or family member's) dog behaves around cats at the vet, a boarding facility, or an animal shelter.
- If you, your family, or a roommate already have a pet, ask another friend if they can bring their cat to your house. Watch carefully to see how the pet that already lives in your home behaves around the visiting cat. This can hint at how your pet will behave around a new cat.
- It is really important to see how pets behave at home, as that is their territory and they may react differently than if they encountered a new cat outside the home.^{[5]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Reflecting on Your Lifestyle

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Commit yourself to the cat’s life. Before getting a cat, you need to decide if you are committed to caring for that cat for the remainder of its life. This is important, as cats can live a relatively long time. When reflecting on this, remember that:
- The average cat will live between 10 and 20 years.
- Some breeds have increased longevity. For example, American Shorthairs live between 15 and 20 years.
- If you decide to get rid of your cat, it will be very hard for you to find someone to adopt your cat. In many areas, most cats abandoned or dropped off at local animal shelters are euthanized. It is highly unlikely that you will find a caring and loving home for your cat after they’ve grown out of kittenhood.^{[6]
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Make sure you have time. Before getting a cat, you need to take a good look at your life and schedule and make sure you have extra time that you’ll be able to share with a cat. This is important, as you’ll need to play with and socialize your cat.
- If you work long hours, like 10 to 14 hours a day, you probably should not get a cat.
- If you’re in a transitional time in your life and are busy with an array of work related, academic, or social activities, think before getting a cat.^{[7]
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3
Determine if you can be a cat caretaker. Just because you have time and money for a cat does not necessarily mean you should get one. You also need to make sure you have the right temperament to be a caretaker and pet parent to a cat. When determining this, consider:
- Do you get frustrated easily? If so, you should consider the rigors of owning a kitten.
- Do you enjoy the affection of animals? You cat is likely to walk up or walk around you for affection at the weirdest times. For instance, they may decide to sit on your keyboard while you are working.
- Do you need constant affection or attention from a pet? Your cat may not provide you with constant and unconditional love. In fact, it’s more likely that your cat will only provide you with affection on their terms.
4
Avoid getting a cat if you move frequently. If for any reason you move very often, you should think twice before getting a cat. This is important, as there are a wide variety of challenges you'll face as a pet owner who moves all the time. Consider that:
- Your cat will undergo a wide variety of moving-related stresses.
- You might incur animal boarding or shipping costs.
- If you rent an apartment, you'll have to pay extra fees, deposits, and more. For example, a pet fee could cost up to $1,000 depending on the size of your apartment and the region you are moving to.^{[8]
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