Kitten Location Problem

[Susan]

Originally Posted by marie73

If your Dad won't let the cat inside, he certainly won't pay vet bills if the cat gets sick.

That same thought struck me as I read the post.

Purring_Kitties...I have to agree with the other posters. You need to wait until you have your own place and have the resources to care for a cat.

[Purring_Kitties]

Originally Posted by Stryker

Hi Purring_Kitties!

Hmmmmm..........maybe it's time for some strategy sessions. Is there anyone else at home with whom you could...well, plot? Is your mom with you and your dad?

You said that your dad "had a bad experience with cats awhile back".....what was that all about?

I wouldn't give up just yet.

He used to keep cats, and he just hated them. They scratched everything he owned, but I'm pretty sure he didn't even have the time to bond with it. Dad just doesn't agree. This is actually the only time he'll ever allow me, but guess I'll have to wait.

[catloverami]

Everyone in the household needs to be on board when getting a pet. Unfortunately, you don't have that situation now with your father. I agree that you should wait until your circumstances are more favourble. However, you can get your kitten fix by offering to do volunteer work at your local animal shelter/humane society.....cleaning cages, feeding, and handling the kittens to become better socialized. That would be something that you could do after some training from the shelter staff.

[yingying]

If your dad dislike cats so much, I'm pretty sure that even if you have the cat strictly outdoor, when a problem show up (e.g., cat meowing at night, destroying flowerbed, scratching fence, etc.), you dad will get rid of it. Also you dad most certainly won't send the cat to vet when he is injured or ill (that's highly possible for an outdoor cat). So just as everyone suggested, don't get a cat when you are living with your parents. It will do more harm than good for both you and the cat.

[Arianwen]

Kittens scratching things is normal - if that is what freaked you father out the first time then he really isn't suited to cats.

[scottd]

There are ways to prevent scratching besides declawing but based on what you said, I really doubt he would be open to anything.

I suggest you wait until you live on your own and can provide for the cat. It's not fair for the cat to be in a bad situation.

[marie73]

For those who aren't reading all the posts, she's already said she's waiting....

[jawramik]

I'm glad you realise that the most responsible thing to do at this moment is to not get a cat.

My fiance wanted a cat for the entire time we'd been living together, but even as adults, we still had to wait until we lived in an apartment that allowed pets and had the financial ability to pay for food, toys, and when needed, medical bills.

Just remember that it's worth the wait to be able to get a pet and do it right.

[Purring_Kitties]

My dad said we could try fostering a cat, to see if it's all THAT bad letting a cat libe indoors. And he also leaning into letting the "possibly soon to be" kitten stay in the house! It's better than no at all. Thanks everyone. Any extra advice would be appreciated.

[builder]

Well as a dad I can understand where he’s coming from, because I was there once. My daughter wanted a kitten and I had just bought a new home with nice furniture and curtains. It was not that I hated cats, because I loved them and I just did not want my place ruined. Plus my wife was allergic to them, so when my daughter graduated high school she moved out on her own and got a kitten.
That only lasted a year before she was in trouble and needed a place to live, so I took her back in, but she had two cats at the time. She was going to keep them in her room, but that didn’t work out because they would run out all the time.
After a couple of weeks my wife stopped sneezing and we started falling in love with those cats. Next thing I know she’s moving out again and the boyfriend is allergic to cats of all things, so now we have her cats here with us.