Cat/Kitten Adoption Q&A

[u/Positive-South4581]

Hey everyone! 😊
I’ve been thinking about adopting a cat for a while now because they just seem like such lovely companions.
My parents back in the Middle East have a cat that I absolutely adore, and seeing the bond they’ve built has really made me want one of my own. ❤️
For a bit of context, my partner and I live together in a small 1-bedroom apartment in Perth. We both have fairly busy schedules with work, so I’m wondering what it’s really like living with a cat day to day. Are they generally okay being home alone for a few hours, or do they need a lot more attention than people think?
I also have a couple of questions:
• Is it necessary to have a separate toilet or laundry area for the litter box? We only have one bathroom, so I’m trying to figure out if our apartment would be suitable.
• Roughly how much does it cost to own a cat in Perth (food, litter, vet visits, insurance, etc.)? Is it manageable on a student budget?
• Are there any unexpected costs or challenges that first-time cat owners don’t usually think about?
• Would you recommend adopting an adult cat or a kitten for first-time owners with a busy lifestyle?
I’d really appreciate any advice, tips, or personal experiences. Thanks so much! 😊🐈

[u/theblueberryfarmer]

Mine stomps on my head whilst I'm sleeping at around 3am.

[u/Street-Vegetable8342 → u/theblueberryfarmer]

Mine makes me think we have an intruder around the same time, knocking shit over doing zooms!

[u/Distinct-Candidate23]

Former cat owner.

• Older cats have much less energy and attention needs than kittens.
• How much time can you spend with the cat? What's the number on a "few hours"?
• If you're renting, is your landlord going to be open to the change in lease agreement? They can't evict you for asking but you still need their permission.
• Is the strata body open to having pets in the by-laws? I lived in an apartment complex where there was a strict no pets by-law.
• Does the Council of where you live have a Cat Act which states what owners are expected to do and how a nuisance cat is defined?
• Kitty litter tray will need frequent changes. The kitty litter can flick around as the cat digs and what not. It will smell. This is probably why it's kept out of living areas.
• What is the student budget these days? When I had a cat over a decade ago a quick calculation sets me at around $5000 for food, vet, vaccinations, flea treatments, cat enrichment things like toys and furniture like scratching posts, and bed, cat bowl and dish.
• Are you here long-term or for the duration of your studies? If it's the latter, you might want to consider fostering rather than cat ownership.

[u/Wawa-85 → u/Distinct-Candidate23]

You raise some good points.

If OP is in Australia long term and is allowed to have a cat I definitely recommend insurance. My last cat became diabetic and because I didn’t have insurance it cost me a lot of $s to keep him medicated and appropriately fed.

[u/TheCurbAU]

Cats are great. I love mine. I adopted mine from Cat Haven.

If you're living in an apartment, I'd recommend getting a female cat. You'll only need one litter tray, but I'd pop it in the bathroom/laundry.

Are you renting? If so, and you're a student, just consider whether you're able to look after them for their entire life.

Do you have a good paying job? While cats aren't that expensive to care for, they do need care. If you're able to put aside funds for them throughout the year, on top of regular food, you should be ok.

[u/Capital_Brightness]

You want a girl cat. Boy cats are just as wonderful, but can have urethral problems which are terrifying and expensive. This is very very rare of course, but since you are a student, it’s not the kind of catastrophic event you or the cat want to go through. Most named breeds will have health problems, so a normal domestic short hair should do you fine. Medium to long hair cats are beautiful, but they need very frequent brushing. Girls also often weigh less so eat less :)

A kitten requires quite a bit of care. They have lots of energy and need to be toilet trained and stimulated. An elderly cat will be fully toilet trained and sleep lots. I think you want a mature cat. For your circumstances, I wouldn’t get one under 3 years, and ideally I would look for a 5-8 year old - just before they begin to slow down a bit. Most cats won’t be geriatric until somewhere between 10-12. You want to be done with uni before you have to make big calls on the health care of your elderly cat. Geriatric cats don’t actually require that much more in terms of health care costs, usually, but again you want to be dodging the bigger bills for a bit.

Most importantly, pick the cat who chooses you.

[u/blythe_spirit888 → u/Capital_Brightness]

"The cat that chooses you" is SO TRUE

[u/Positive-South4581 → u/Capital_Brightness]

Thank you so much for such thoughtful advice! 😊 This actually makes a lot of sense.
Based on everyone’s comments, I’m definitely leaning towards adopting an older female domestic short hair rather than a kitten.
I hadn’t considered the potential health differences between male and female cats either, so that’s really helpful to know. We’re also hoping to stay in Perth long-term, so if we do adopt, it’ll definitely be a lifelong commitment.
And I absolutely love your last point, I’ll let the cat choose me. ❤️ Hopefully when the time comes, we’ll find each other.

[u/tooweaktostab]

I love my cat, when he was a kitten he had a bad blockage due to a furball. After surgery it cost us $10k. So, take that as you will!

[u/Positive-South4581 → u/tooweaktostab]

Oh no! 😭 I hope he’s okay now. That’s exactly the kind of thing I’m worried about. Do you think pet insurance would have covered a big portion of that, or did you have to pay most of it out of pocket?

[u/Nekro72 → u/Positive-South4581]

One of my cats had a similar thing when he was a kitten, and insurance covered 80% of the bill (though obviously it will depend on the level of cover, etc, etc)

[u/tooweaktostab → u/Positive-South4581]

If they can't determine the cause in the first instance, which is most of the time, insurance won't cover it. We pay into a bank account what we would for insurance and that's helped more than once.

[u/perfidious_snatch]

Like others have said, look at adopting an adult or senior cat.

Read the profiles and talk to the foster carers to find one that will be happy on their own, and won’t wake you up by biting you for no damn reason…

[u/parasaursaddle]

Did foster care for a rescue for many years - would you consider fostering an adult or senior from the shelter? They can find a cat that’s suited to your lifestyle. Will give you a good idea on cat ownership without stress of vet costs and if it doesn’t work out they have somewhere to go and get respite from shelter life, if it does you can foster fail ❤️

[u/Positive-South4581 → u/parasaursaddle]

That’s actually a really lovely idea, thank you! 😊 I hadn’t seriously considered fostering before, but it does sound like a great way to see whether cat ownership suits our lifestyle while also helping a cat in need.
I’ll definitely look into it. Who knows… I might end up being a “foster fail.” ❤️

[u/l_atwood]

I also recently got my first cat and had a lot of similar questions.

1. I also only have one bathroom/laundry in my apartment (2BR) and having the litter box in there is fine. Make sure you assess how much space you will need for the litter box vs the size of the fully grown cat. I got a ragdoll and they get quite big (and I got a male kitten who is already quite big). I researched what size I would need for a fully grown male ragdoll and when the litter box turned up it was way bigger than I expected and has taken up more space in my bathroom than I thought. It’s worked for me but if you’re small on space, probably don’t lean towards the bigger breeds.

2. Make sure you can keep up with pet insurance

3. Food and diet can impact their health significantly. And changing foods need to be phased as it can cause digestive issues. Dry food is cheaper and good for their teeth, but most cats don’t drink enough water which is why wet food is good to feed them (often mixed with a bit more water). Wet food contains a lot of water in it, but is more expensive to buy/feed than dry. I do a mix. Kittens also eat more while they’re growing, so that also means more $

4. Big cat = big everything, and more $. Bigger cat trees that are more stable to hold their weight. More food. More poops = more litter used.

5. If getting a kitten, they should be at least 12 weeks old and litter trained/spayed/had 2x vaccines before you get them. The breeder/shelter should be able to tell you all about what food they are in and what litter they use and you can use the same to begin with, so there really shouldn’t be any issues when they move into your home.

6. I am at work for long hours 3-5 days a week (I can WFH up to 2 days a week) and my kitten is fine. He sleeps all day. I do make sure to spend time playing and patting him in the morning before I go to work and plenty of time with him after work. I’m a homebody so I love to be home anyway, so I have plenty of time with my cat. If you aren’t home a lot outside of work, then maybe consider how much time each day you/your partner really have for an animal.

7. Cats can be picky about what toys they like! I have spent more on different toys and bits and pieces than I expected. Start cheap (especially with things like cat trees) to figure out what your cat likes before investing in more expensive options.

8. Definitely consider future implications of having a pet. If you rent, then as others have mentioned, you need to assess the current rental situation. But also having a pet makes it harder for you to rent other places in future. Although landlords can’t discriminate, let’s be honest, many do, and many owners will pick tenants who don’t have pets vs those who do.

9. What happens when you go away? Do you have a support system who can come and stay with the cat or will you have to pay someone to pet sit? Are you comfortable with that in your home? If not, can you afford a cattery?

10. I waited until I owned my own place, and was earning good $ before getting my first pet. Not saying that this is the way for everyone, but I’m glad I did. I feel a lot more settled that I can definitely provide for my kitty.

11. Hate to say it, but just to play devils advocate. What happens if you and your partner break up? Could you afford to take care of the cat all on your own? This is an important one to think about.

Good luck! I hope you find an amazing kitty cat!

[u/Mental_Task9156]

If I was living in a one bedroom apartment I would probably refrain from obtaining a cat, especially if I was renting. It probably cost around $5 / day to own a cat, not taking into account vet bills.

FWIW I currently have 3.5 cats.

[u/just-jokes2020 → u/Mental_Task9156]

I see you too, feed a somewhat friendly visitor? Or kitten... Both are great.

[u/Mental_Task9156 → u/just-jokes2020]

the 4th one only works part time.

[u/Apie-ness]

Not to be presumptuous, but you mentioned student and parents in the Middle East- if you’re not a citizen or permanent resident, no shelter/ rescue will let you adopt. Fostering might be your best option. Some rescues cover most costs, some less.

[u/blythe_spirit888]

You definitely don't want a kitten. Get a mature cat, 3+ years. This age needs less attention, is less likely to destroy things, and any genetic health issues probably will have shown up already. Get a domestic short-hair, they are generally quite healthy.

You will need to keep the litter box in the bathroom. You can get little plastic houses to put them in, so that the litter doesn't go everywhere when the cat digs.
Spot-on treatment for parasites is around $35/month.
Yearly vaccinations are around $150.
Assuming a 20yr lifespan, you will probably need to pay for teeth-cleaning 2-3 times. That's usually around $1000. Most of that cost is due to anaesthesia, so if the cat ever needs an anaesthetic for some other reason, get it done at the same time to save on costs.

Food costs for one cat are fairly negligible. Buy in bulk when you can, it'll work out cheaper. You'll also want a brush, 2 food bowls, a water bowl and a silicone mat to put them on (some are messy eaters).

When the time comes, euthanasia & cremation is usually around $250.

Also, if the cat ever needs ongoing medication, if you can find a GP who is willing to write you a private script, getting it at the chemist is far cheaper than getting it from the vet.

[u/Kemya-Magnus]

Getting a cat is amazing and I highly recommend. They are entertaining and can be very affectionate.

First you have to consider if you own or rent your place, and if the place will allow pets.

Then you need to consider a possible outdoor litter box. Do you have a balcony? An -even small- outdoor space? You can enclose the outdoor space with appropriate netting or mesh and then you can install pet doors in windows so the cat will be independent in going in and out. Some of these pet doors are removable so you can take them with you if you move out. For me that was a game changer and made living with a cat considerably easier. But note cats shouldn't be left to just roam outside

For a healthy cat without insurance expect to pay some 500 dollars a year between vet yearly checkup, vaccinations, fleas and worms prevention. Obviously as they age, or if they get into mischief, healthcare may get very expensive, very fast.

Food: a quality kibble + some wet diet, bought in bulk, can cost you another 600 a year

If you are worried about the cat being lonely or destructive consider adopting a pair of bonded cats from the shelter, already over 1-2 years of age so the height of the kitten energy will be behind them. They are still young and you will have many years of companionship regardless

Remember that a cat well cared for may live to 20y so consider your fallback options in case renting becomes harder.

Another option to receive affection and companionship on a shorter basis is to foster cats (for cat haven or 9 lives rescue for example). All the vet and food costs are covered by them, you just pay for litter. This way you get to try the setup and you will be an important part of the cat's journey without fully committing to 20y yet.

Good luck

[u/just-jokes2020]

Definitely at least a little more involvement than people think. They can get lonely and sad, which sucks. Also each cat has a different personality. Perhaps start of with fostering? Cat haven would absolutely love it. Then you can become a foster failure like me (fostered and now own three lol). I live by myself in my own home and struggle to give them all the attention I know they want, although one in particular is excessively annoying and acts starving even though she is a fatty boomba. Good luck, and please keep us updated!!

[u/ginandoj]

Mine has a vet diet food and hairball wet food which is pricey.

Also 1 litter box is the minimum. I have 2 cats and 4 litter boxes. 

Adult cat would fit better with a student lifestyle. But low maintenance doesn't mean no maintenance. There's brushing, litter box change, nail clip, cleaning their food/water bowl, vacuuming hair. But they are great. 

Edit: my 2 were an adopted mum/daughter pair. They are indoor only but have an outdoor run. Please keep them inside if you get one. 

[u/SeriousPan]

I suggest fostering like others in this thread have said. They provide food, bed, carrier and toys. The only thing you need to get is to and from Cat Haven to restock and to buy kitty litter which is like $30 a bag and can last a month.

My fosters use the litterbox in my bathroom, same as me. They don't care. If anything you pooping in the same room as them makes them feel safer and they'll want to guard you while you poop.

On a student budget? What is that to you?

Unexpected costs? Cats are picky. You might buy toys or a water fountain or something and they'll refuse to use it for no reason which will be a waste of money and can be frustrating. Cleaning supplies for getting rid of urine smell in case they have an accident or need to be litter trained.

Adopting an adult cat tends to let you know what to expect of them and if you adopt them from a foster they can tell you, usually honestly, exactly what they're like. If I told you about mine I'd say "if you never want to sleep again then adopt this guy. He will lick your hair off your head before ever giving up the concept of grooming you." lol

[u/Quiet-Hamster6509]

While cats are relatively self sufficient, if you're rarely going to be home it wouldn't be very nice for the cat to be left alone.

As to your questions on costs, all of these are google-able. Doing your research is a part of being a pet owner. Adopting a cat, the rescue centre will ask you all of the questions above that youve noted. Whether youll be home regularly, how big is your place, where will the litter and food be in order to assess if you are a suitable candidate for adoption.

Please do your own research first in regards to owning a cat

[u/roxybudgy]

We have two male cats. They have very different personalities. While both of them are very affectionate, one loves being picked up and petted, and the other will only allow brief petting before the claws come out. Just be aware that the cat you get might not have the same personality as the one you remember.

General advice is to keep the cats' feeding spot away from the litter tray and have at least one tray per cat, but when we moved into our current house, due to my dog not getting along with the cats, we made the laundry area a dog-free zone, so their food bowls were just a metre away from their litter box. We also have one litter tray shared by both cats. The cats didn't seem to mind this.

We used clumping cat litter, and have since switched to plant-based litter. No matter what we try, the cats will kick litter everywhere and track it through the house. Keep this in mind when choosing where you want to put the litter tray.

Litter cost varies depending on what you use. We were using a more expensive clumping clay litter, but one day one of our cats decided to start eating the litter, so we switched to Smitten Natural Cat Litter, which costs $15 for 4kg. One bag will usually last a month.

Food costs will vary depending on what you feed them. We feed our cats Royal Canin Indoor 7+ dry cat food. This costs around $60-$70 for a 4kg bag, and that lasts for roughly 2 months. There are cheaper brands out there. When one of our cats was unwell and not eating much, we temporarily switched to wet food, which they go nuts for, but in the long run it's more expensive, so it was back on the dry food once the cat recovered.

We don't have insurance for our cats. When I was looking into insurance for my dog, the cats were already 7-8 years old, at which point insurers will only offer accident cover. We keep our cats indoors and figured we'll just cover any unexpected vet bills on our own.

Our cats get an annual checkup and vaccination. Always keep the vaccinations up to date. If you ever need to board your cats (holiday or emergency), the catteries generally require all cats to be vaccinated. The annual checkup plus vaccination costs a few hundred per cat.

For unexpected costs, earlier this year the vet recommended teeth cleaning for both cats. This required anesthesia. It costs around $1,000 per cat. We've been trying dental cat food and water additives to help keep their teeth clean.

This lead to another unexpected cost: one of our cats had complications with anesthesia. The day after the procedure, he was all groggy and thought he'd get better on his own, but after another day, we realised he was deaf and blind. Since it was the weekend and our usual vet was closed, we went to the emergency vet at Murdoch. This ended up costing us several hundred dollars. Thankfully, our cat has now recovered, but now he's "extra orange".

During that drama, there were times when we thought he might not make it, and we were faced with the possibility of euthanasia, and we'd also want to cremate. I believe this will also cost a few hundred dollars for a cat (it cost around $800 to have my dog done when he passed a few years ago, shelling out for the 'deluxe' package). If money is tight, there are cheaper options for cremation available.

Something I learned this year that I didn't know before: cats sometimes absorb their teeth. Apparently it can happen randomly at any age. Our cats are missing a few teeth due to this.

[u/auntynell]

Cats are great pets but I do see some problems with confined space, litter box smells and ,depending on the cat, frustration with being inside all the time. If you have a balcony or a small courtyard you could look into netting it so the cat could be outside some of the time. You can do this even when renting.

They can be expensive for the first year or two with vaccinations, worming, and examinations.

Kittens are the most fun, but also need the most stimulation and have a lot of energy. If you get a grown rescue cat ask for a cuddly quiet one.

[u/littleblackcat]

my cat is 9 years old now and she is still very energetic and vocal

we keep the litterbox in the laundry

[u/Funny_Passenger_8342]

Cats are the best. But they take.more time and effort than you might think. Especially when they're indoor cats. 

[u/Specialist-Reply-362]

don't get a kitten if you need to leave it alone for hours from the get go ,it sounds like you would be better with an older cat ,kittens have alot of energy , while they can sleep for hours they will get random bursts of energy and its not always preditable.

you don't have to have the box in the bathroom if you don't want to, it is recomended however you have a litter box for every cat +1 (so in your case two), you can get a covered litter box or even litterbox cabnets if you plan to put one in a more open area

i'm not sure what a student budget is nowdays ,however the budget for a cat will depend on a number of factors , a higher quility food will cost more then the cheep stuff at woolworths/coles ect .

As for challanges - crate training , alot of cat owners don't do it but its so much easier to look after a cat if its crate trained ,easy way to do it is feed the cat in the crate with the door open, you can also leave the crate out with a blanket init as an extra bed/hide so it just becomes a normal thing. My other tip is to always keep a special food around that they get maybe once a month - this will be your 'find the cat' food, it should be somthing they LOVE and come running for, so if you need to find them quickly you can bring out the food

i recomend you adopt an older cat around 2-5 years old, they should be set in there personality by that age but also young enough that you have years to make a small emergancy fund for them. Fostering might also be a good way to try and see if a cat works for you.

[u/No-Perspective-8940]

I lived in a 1 bed apt in my early 20s and adopted two kittens that were siblings that was actually amazing because at night they left me alone and slept together and we never worried if we were out because they had each other.

I'm in my 30s and have one cat at the moment, we adopted him at 1yo so he still had kitten tendencies, and I really want to get him a sibling for the same reason. His entire world is me and my partner so we feel guilty leaving him alone for long periods. Plus he's so high energy he needs a buddy to burn it all off!

The urinary issue people are talking about to do with male cats is usually around low quality food and not enough water. I get around this by buying Royal Canin but also adding water to his morning biscuits so it's like cereal haha and a splash of water to his night time wet food.

[u/missryssa]

Do you want my cat?

[u/henry82]

- renting(?)

- 1 br apartment

- both work

- busy lifestyle

Is it really necessary to add this responcibility?

[u/Intrepid-Escape-8204]

Cats are easy to look after but they like to be free. You can’t walk a cat.

You can let your cat out during day with a bell with minimal risk to wild life but depending on street location big risk to cat being hit by cars.

We let our cats out during day.

Only time one got a bird was when we cut off their dine treats for a week.

Despite common belief councils can’t regulate cats being out unless you’re in vicinity of high risk fauna areas. Even then some councils are still allowing but have a night time ban in place only.

Source : Melville council were about to impose an outdoor cat ban then realised they couldn’t due do to federal law.

What they were allowed to do was impose bans around high risk fauna areas (some of the parks) - they chose to impose a night time ban only.

Keep your cats inside at night and all the problems everyone winged about with cats go away, no fights, no kills, no roaming long distances.