(no subject)

[bluflamingo]

So, I was going to post a whole ranty thing about stupid men who say stupid things and behave like creeps, and stupid straight people who say stupid homophobic things, and how much I hate the phrase "just happens to be gay" without being able to put my finger on why I hate it...

But then I decided that actually, since it's -5 outside, maybe cheerful and happy was the way forward, so:

1. I have finished my sheppardhc fic, I have finished my sga-santa fic, and I have finished the fic that someone won me to write for a charity. I also have nearly 1000 words of 3ships fic, and an actual plot. Then holiday ficlets, flyboys, and finally the accursed sequel to What Happens Next, since I've been writing it for over a year, wth?!

2. Final call for holiday ficlets. Speak now or forever...

3. I have *all* my Christmas presents. I've even wrapped the ones that have to go back with my parents tomorrow (of which there are actually only two, but still!)

4. I want to get a cat. I mean, I've been saying this for ages, but I'm starting to seriously think I might do it (unless my landlord says no. I'm putting off asking him in case he does. I like my fantasy cat too much to give it up if I can't have a reality cat). Cat people - what's your view on house cats that don't go out? (I live on a second floor flat off a busy road) I've never been much with pets, though my sister had the usual rabbit/mice/hamsters etc. Are cats hard? I'm kind of saying to everyone I know that I want a cat, I think because I'm trying to sound them out without actually asking if they think it's a good idea (or indeed if I'm just doing it because I'm lonely-I keep dreaming about a little kitten and the dreams make me really sad, and getting from sad kitten dreams to lonely is one of the less fun parts of counselling). No big decisions till after Christmas is my rule, but... I want a cat!

5. Okay, I *know* there was a point 5, but hell if I know what it was. talk amongst yourselves :)

Comments

[stillane]

Re: kitties... In my experience, there are some cats that are just not meant to be indoor-only critters. They climb the walls (occasionally literally), or are miserably sulky, etc. This number, though, tends to be overestimated by the general public. There are a lot more people who assume that their cat needs outdoor time than their are cats that actually do.

This is... sort of a soapbox issue with me. People have a tendency to assume that Fluffy's life is incomplete without the chance to play outside, and then equally assume that he's going to be reasonably safe out there because, hey, he's a cat. A lot of nasty stuff happens to cats who could otherwise have been perfectly happy inside. By contrast, very few people think it's a good idea to turn their dog out to roam freely and get in touch with his inner wolf. (Not that cats are just small dogs; I have a couple of professors who'd have my head for even suggesting that one. *g*) The main point is, your average domestic cat has no more idea how to avoid roads and toxins and predators than any other pet, and it's important to weigh that up against how much their quality of life is impacted by being kept inside. The happiest medium I know of is to get your cat used to having some regular supervised time outside with you, if you've got a good spot for it. It's not the end of the world by any stretch, though, if you don't.

The vast majority of cats do enjoy getting to poke around outside, yes, but most of them don't require it to be happy and healthy. They do all need entertainment, to greater and lesser extents, and that's usually where you come in. If your kitty would be alone often, it's probably smart to invest in some interactive toys that he or she can play with. It's also great to schedule in some playtime whenever you're home, so that it becomes a standard activity for you.

Cat selection is also pretty important here. I wouldn't try to convert a cat that has previously been outdoors to an indoor-only setup; as in most things, cats aren't always big fans of change. In this respect, a kitten or an indoor-only adult might be the way to go. Kittens are adorable, but definitely harder to deal with in general. They often take about a year to really settle down and lose that manic kitten energy, but then, some people are really entertained by that, so... *shrug* YMMV, pretty much. Both of my cats were somewhere between 6 months to a year old when I got them, which was great because they already had their personalities figured out and I knew going in that they were cuddlemonkeys.

Wow, that turned into a lot of words. Sorry. Once you get all the beginning stuff sorted out, though, cats are pretty low-maintenance. So long at they've got food, water, clean litter, and your attention, they're good. *g*

[tesserae]

They often take about a year to really settle down and lose that manic kitten energy

Omg, the kitten busies! I got my third cat when he wandered into my yard at 4 weeks of age and yeah, we went through a good year and a half of PLAYPLAYPLAYOMGBEARSPLAYPLAY!!! He has, though, adopted a far more cat-like interest in naps in the last year...

[bluflamingo]

Hee, kitten busies :) Sounds much cuter than it probably is in reality

[skieswideopen]

Oh, I don't know--I found it pretty adorable in reality. And highly entertaining. But of course, that was where having two kittens came in handy: they could expend some of that energy on each other rather than requiring us to fill the role all of the time. And there were two adults to play with. If it were just me and one kitten, I might have a different view on things.

[tesserae]

My somewhat older female cat, who bore the brunt of moost of it, found it cute up to a point - she'd play along for a while, then just pin him to the ground and chew on his head until he stopped. But it was everything: no piece of paper went uninvestigated, no moth went uncaught, no rug escaped vanquishment... exhausting, yeah.

[bluflamingo]

Wow, thank you for such a thoughtful response! I live on a busy road, so going out to roam free would be out anyway, but I do have a balcony - a cat could roam on there :) But yeah, no cats when we were kids because they got run over too often, and now my parents neighbours' gorgeous kitten has just been run over as well, so I'm all for indoor cats.