I have seen two mice in my apt over the past week. I'm thinking of getting a cat to help with the problem. My friend has a cat and her house always reeks of stinky litter box and cat hairs all over the furniture. Also I have leather sofas. I do not want the cat to scratch p my furniture. How can I get a cat and not have to deal with more problems than I already have. Also I worry about cat food possibly attracting more vermin. Can anyone give me any suggestions?
Not all cats scratch on furniture, and if the one you plan on getting done, use a spray bottle to spray him when you catch him/her in the act. Make sure you give this cat a scratching post. My kitten has actually never hurt the furniture in anyway, the only thing he scratches on is his scratching post and nothing else. About the fur getting on the furniture the only alternative I would suggest is a lint roller unless there is something new out there to remove pet stains. If you get a litter box that the cat can walk into such as a dog house looking type, it won't stink as much, just put it in a place like the bathroom or a room that is never usually used. About the food, I am not sure but just put the cat's food away at night ugh I wish I could help you with that but I'm completely stumped! Good Luck :]]! Btw; if you decide to adopt a pet, make sure to adopt it at a ASPCA or any other animal shelter. :]] And whatever you do, don't de-claw the cat!
If you are only thinking of getting a cat to get rid of the mice,think again,litter trays do stink,cat food stinks,all cats loose hair,my cat scratched m y leather furniture when they were kittens just by jumping up (as well as scratching) you have to love them. You can get plug in vermin repel ant,cheaper than a cat in the long run
If your ONLY reason for getting a cat is to chase mice.... don't. Get plug in vermin chasers instead. If you're considering getting a cat because you love cats and want to add one to your home life and are willing to take care of it properly and give it a forever home and be responsible for it's well-being for the rest of it's natural life..... then that's a different matter. If you don't want your furniture scratched, supply good scratching post(s) and when the cat goes to scratch anything else say no! use your scratcher and point at the scratcher then take the cat over to the scratcher and run it's front paws down the scratcher and tell them scratcher, you scratch here... and learn to clip their claws... clipped claws do less damage. If your friend's house smells, it means they aren't taking care of the litter box. With one cat the litter needs to be cleaned daily... with more cats it needs doing more often. And what you feed the cat and what litter you use counts too. I use Arm Hammer essentials and a self-scooping box and I won't feed fishy food (stinkier in=stinker out). If you feed your cat on a set schedule (put 1/2 day's food out in the a.m. and 1/2 out in the p.m.) and leave it out for 1/2 hour and then remove it... you'll train the cat to eat during that period and you won't have to leave cat food out to worry about it attracting anything... but the electronic vermin chasers help with that too. As far as the fur on the furniture..... fur happens, especially in the Spring.... but regular brushing of the cat and the use of a sheddin' blade during shedding season can help keep that to a minimum. And the sheddin' blade is actually really good at removing fur from the furniture as well. If you do decide to adopt a cat, I hope it's as a pet and not just a mouse-chasing servant. Cats are wonderful funny, affectionate and full of personality... they can greatly add joy to your life... as long as you let them in to do it.
I have five cats, and my house doesn't smell at all. I let all of my cats outside, so they usually go to the bathroom in my backyard. My litter boxes are rarely used. If you do not want to let your cat outside at all, just clean the litter box regularly. I used to have to clean my kitten's box about five times a day. I also used air fresheners a lot. My cats still scratch the furniture. I have scratching posts, but they rarely use them. You can get your cat declawed, but this is NOT a good idea if you are going to let your cat outside. My friend put plastic caps on her cat's claws to prevent the cat from scratching anything. They are removable, so you can still let the cat outside if you want to. You can get these caps at pet stores. If you are worried about the cat food attracting more vermin, then do not leave it out for the cat all the time. Only feed your cat at designated mealtimes. This will also prevent the cat from overeating as well.
