What is the downside of having cats as pets?

What is the downside of having cats as pets? We shouldn’t worry because the upsides clearly outweigh the downsides but two downsides quickly come to mind (1) your cat’s lifespan is much shorter than yours which usually means living through the death of your cat. This is nearly always a very difficult if not traumatic time for a loving cat owner and it can last months. The decision to euthanise, if it comes to that, is one of the most difficult a person can make.

At this time there will be countless other decisions on your cat’s health and possibly heavy veterinary expenditure which is a minor factor in relation to the passing of your cat.

Cats ‘pin you down’ and tend to stop you travelling. It depends on the cat owner’s attitude. Some cat owners who are not particularly keen on travelling but quite fancy the idea might remain at home if they have a strong bond with their cat. Cat owners don’t always feel well disposed towards leaving their cat at a cat boarding cattery if their cat has never been to one. They are stressful places for cats. And cat sitters can be problematic too. You’re letting a stranger into your home to care for your cat. It can open a pandora’s box of problems. The wellbeing of your cat should not be risked. The safety of your cat is paramount and the first objective of a cat owner.

Some other downsides:

• The better a cat owner you are, the more you feel a responsibility to ensure that your cat is content and healthy. This places emotional demands on the cat owner. This is not necessarily a bad thing but there are demands.
• Cats being far more nocturnal than humans, you’ll expect to be awoken in the earlier hours if not before. You have to get used to it. Not all cats are active at night however.
• Cats need to scratch; no problem for a well versed cat owner but for some it is a irritant. Buy cardboard cat scratching boxes and/or heavy cat scratching posts. Spray them with catnip. Problem solved.

The downsides of having a cat are subjective. I’d love to hear the personal views of others on this topic.

P.S. The decision to euthanise your beloved cat is tough. It goes without saying that it should be based on what is right for your cat. It should be made objectively with the aid of an experienced veterinarian.

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