I’d love a cat but my mom thinks animals are smelly and disgusting

My mom thinks animals are smelly and disgusting. I love animals and I really want a cat.

My mom said I can get a really small one only if it stays small. I’ve been looking everywhere and a teacup cat is the only thing I have found. I need a teacup cat. Please help.

Anonymous

Hi Anon…. thanks for passing by the website. I have modified the title a bit. Hope you find it OK.

Your dilemma is an interesting one and probably not an uncommon one. As you like cats and animals I would like to try and help in some way but not sure I can.

I don’t think that you should consider buying a teacup cat by the way. They are rare and expensive (about $1000) and sometimes you will find that you have not actually bought a teacup cat but a kitten that is a bit smaller than normal.

I think you should consider three things.

1. Try and get your mom in a better mind set before adopting a cat. If your mom hates or at least dislikes cats and animals it is going to cause friction in the house when you get your cat and that is not good for you, your mom and your cat! Things might not work out and you know that when you adopt a cat it is for the life of the cat. Most failed adoptions happen in the first 6 months or so and are due to incorrect expectations (having misconceptions and the wrong ideas about keeping cats).

2. Get yourself in the right frame of mind too. Please read this page that I recently wrote: Lessons For A First Time Cat Owner. Or this page: 15 Ways To Avoid Cat Behavior Problems.

3. Get down to a cat rescue organisation and together with your mom let a cat choose you as his or human companion – cats choose people rather than the other way around. There is no difference in respect of cat caretaking (keeping a cat) and the impact that it will have on your lives between a very small cat and a normal sized cat so the idea of adopting a teacup cat doesn’t really make sense although I can understand where your mother is coming from.

What I am saying generally is: prepare for adopting your cat – both in how you and your mom think about keeping a cat and in respect of the home – litter, scratching post and food etc. And please no declawing. Your mom will have to accept claws and if she can’t – no cat in my opinion. It is cruel to declaw and if you love animals as you say I know that you will not declaw a cat.

And if you really do love animals and want to do the right thing and feel good about it, adopt this cat: FeLV Kitty Needs Help. But you’ve got to be good.

Good luck.

Best

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