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• A cat can live for 10-20 years – can you take responsibility for it if you move or your family situation changes?

• Do the people you live with want a cat too?

• If you are renting an apartment or house, are there rules on whether you can have a cat?

• Do you have enough space for a cat to move around properly?

• Are you prepared to adjust your home so that it is suitable for a cat?

• Apart from the purchase of the cat, can you afford to pay for the insurance, food, bowls, toys, tree/scratch post, castration of the cat and veterinary care if needed (insurance does not cover everything)?

• If you work full-time, can you take time off work to visit the vet if your cat gets sick?

• Do you have enough time to spend with your cat, or do you have lots of other hobbies demanding your time when you are not working?

• What is your opinion on tufts of cat hair all over the floor, are they cute or disgusting?

• Will you clean up after your cat when it has vomited or pooped accidentally on the floor, in your bed or on the fine carpet?

• Are you prepared to wipe your cats behind when it has diarrhea and its fur is full of poop?

• Are you or is anyone in your family allergic to cats? It takes more than a short visit to the breeder to see if you are allergic to cats.

• If you have young children, will you teach them to be careful with the cat? A living animal is not a child’s toy! Children can, out of foolishness, without meaning any harm, be very cruel to it. Young children do not understand that they have to be nice and careful with a mischievous cat. It is always the grown-up’s responsibility to teach children how to handle a cat.

• If you are going on vacation, who will look after your cat?

• Do you have other pets and if so can you see to it that they all live secure and safely

• Can you accept that a cat often does what it likes? You can not train it to obey like a dog.

Buying a cat means that you take responsibility for a living creature that will be depending on you for a long time. A domestic cat cannot live without your protection. Feral cats, or domestic cats gone feral, have a hard and short life. You will have to be prepared for your cat to live with you for 10-20 years.

Whether you buy a pedigree cat or a domestic cat, the cost of keeping it is still the same. Cat litter and food are recurrent expenses.

The cat’s need for nourishment is different than that of humans; they cannot survive on a diet where the main source of food is left overs from our own tables. Sure, they can have a taste now and then, but for it to stay healthy and feel well the cat needs an all-round food specially made for its needs. There are many good quality foods to choose from, and the cat will often choose which one it prefers.

A cat should be vaccinated regularly for FCV, FHV and FPV, and in some countries rabies. Follow the recommendations given by your veterinarian so that you know your cat has a satisfactory protection. Also have the vet do a health check on your cat while you are there.

The cat is usually a very healthy animal, but in spite of that accidents can happen. In these instances, it is good to have insurance to cover veterinary care. Consulting a vet in case of sickness or accidents costs a lot of money, and it is terrible to have to deny your cat proper treatment due to the costs.

Thus, there is a lot to think about before buying a cat, but all the extra energy and care you put into thinking about it increases the chances of a good start and a good life for you and your new little cat.