Lifestyle conpatable with cats?

13th Floor Elevator

I’m considering adopting a cat or a kitten from a cat shelter but I’m wondering if my current lifestyle is conpatable with owning a pet.
I live alone in a small flat in an apartment block and normally work 8 hours a day/5 days a week. I’m worried if I go a head and adopt one it mightn’t be the best environment for it.

Some people tell me its fine to leave a cat alone for that long if it has access to food, litter tray and water and toys to amuse themselves with, but I'm kind of unsure myself, I doubt that's the best environment for a kitten anyway.

The last thing I’d want to do is unintentionally give an unhappy home to any animal.
Also, an outdoor cat is not an option as I live around main roads and lots of dogs around the area.
A little advise from you seasoned cat owners would be greatly appreciated.

Yay or nay.

The Sweeper

The advice in answer to this question is always teh opposite to what it would be if you were talking about dogs.

Namely: get two cats.

dudmis

I agree with getting 2 cats - when I first got my little kitten, she used to get very upset whenever I left the house so I got her a pal - best thing I ever did as there were really good company for each other.

BTW mine were indoor cats too.

Kash

That's fine - your cat will be very happy.

The typical issues with owning a pet and being out at work all day are practically non-existant with cats:

• Company/sepearation anxiety/lonliness - most cats are happy out in their own company, if you are really worried, get two. (or get two just for the giggles)
• Toilet training - any cat i have owned has picked up litter training in the first hour
• Destruction of property - incredibly unlikely with a cat in any case, but grab a hessian or cardboard scratching post and Bob's your proverbial family member
• Having enough food and drink: cats rarely overeat, so you can leave their food out for them without running the risk that they eat it all first thing and then get hungry later
• Entertainment - again, they usually entertain themselves, but i always left a ping pong ball on the ground when Loki was small and he'll still play with it now 8 years later.

As far as I am concerned, cats are fantastic pets for people who work.

Mine loves when I am around, he'll spend hours curled up on my lap, but he does not get in any way distressed if I need to leave him alone.

Heroditas

Could you define "small" apartment?
The ideal solution is definitely to get two cats, preferably kittens because they'll adapt better to being indoors compared to two older cats who may have been used to the freedom of outdoors.
However, if the apartment is too small, even if the cats have each other, there still is a risk of boredom and an element of cabin fever.
We have three indoor cats in an average sized house and they occasionally knock lumps out of each other.
Feliway seems to be the answer to this!

BengaLover

Lots of rescue centres will have a specific cat in mind that would suit your requirements ie an older cat that prefers its own company most of the time. Getting 2 cats is great but they can get up to all sorts when unattended..;)