The Best Advice For First-Time Cat Owners Straight From The Most Experienced Cat Parents On The Internet

Here, at ICanHasCheezburger, we encourage every single person who wants to have a cat to adopt a cat. Don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise - cats are amazing pets! They're different from dogs, and you shouldn't expect them to be the same, but they will bring just as much, if not more, joy and happiness and love into your home. We promise that you will not regret getting one.

But if you're anything like us, before you get a pet - any pet - you want to know more about what it means to own one. How do we help cats stay cool on these extremely hot days? Is using a squirt bottle harmful? How often should we play with our cats? Can cats be trained? Well, don't worry, we're about to bring you the best advice about cat ownership from the best cat owners we know - our ICanHasCheezburger audience!

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Posted by Marielru

1
"Treat them with respect, give them their space, and they'll love you forever."

Via Jarrod O'Connor
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2
"Get a bonded pair. They are very social creatures and will always have one another to be with."

Via Arlene Sith'ari
3
"Don't have any expectations - they are all as individual as humans. They often have issues that are hard to resolve and can get stressed really easily. But they are so worth it xo"

Via Sian Nais
4
"Learn their boundaries..."

"Learn their boundaries. Cats have boundaries and will enforce them. Getting familiar with body language helps... they can and will communicate with you, but you have to make the effort to understand. This will go a long way in building respect and comfort between you. And the more comfortable the cats are with you, the more love they'll give, in their own way."

Via Katherine Marie Sager
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5
"Remember they aren't dogs..."

"Remember they aren't dogs. Do not overwhelm a cat...They don't want you all over them, getting in their faces, forcing them on your lap, picking them up. They do everything on their own terms. Let them come to you."

Via Nita McCormick Wade
6
"Keep your cat indoors, especially if you live somewhere with predators."

Via Michelle Kaye Fitzgerald
7
"...Turns out it was dreaming..."

"I'll always remember how scared my non-cat owning friend was when the pet she was taking care of appeared to be having a fit one way. Scared the life out of her! She ran home to get her husband, and when they went back the cat was sitting there grooming himself. Turns out it was dreaming. Poor thing. So yeah, that's a thing. But most of all, every cat is different, every personality is different, so enjoy them. Love their quirks, relish every head bump and hair ball. Enjoy them. Always."

Via Colleen Barnett
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8
"Get a bonded pair , they will be great companions, with you and each other"

Via Jane Brannan
9
"Invest in corrugated cardboard scratching boards! Neither of my boys scratch furniture because I have those boards available throughout the house and they know what to expect."

Via Samantha McLaughlin
10
"Patience. A cat will accept you and your home in its own time. You can’t force or rush it. Just be kind, loving, and patient, and in time, things will work out."

Via Kim Kaald
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11
"Get the Churro treats! All my babies love them!"

Via Jen Amorella-McKimmey
12
"PATIENCE AND LOVE! Don’t smother them but don’t ignore them. Is that more than one? I’ve got LOTS MORE advice but #1 is patience. Just like with your kids, only more!"

Via Carolyn Matheson
13
"Appreciate every moment"

Via Veronica Drake
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14
"You don’t own them they own you"

Via Anne Marie Jernigan
15
"Please remember that even though throughput all the years domesticated, they will always have wild instincts. So you must Cat Proof your home Forever! It’s worth it and so much more!!"

Via Susan Rhody