When my wife and I first got married, she wanted to get a pet. But we both lived in an apartment and worked full time, so I thought it was a bad idea. Her brother in another state had a cute pet ferret, so my way around her request was to tell her that when California legalized pet ferrets we could get one. I doubted if that would ever happen.
Then, one day on the job, while driving in my car not too far from our apartment, I was about to turn right out of a side street onto a busy highway. I looked to the left, then to the right, and back to the left as I began to go. That's when I saw a movement on the white line between the two oncoming lanes to my left. It was a tiny kitten, frozen in fear and confusion.
Lights down the road had just turned green and a tsunami of cars was beginning to speed from both directions in all four lanes. I threw my car in park and jumped out, leaving the door open. People behind me waiting to turn were wondering WTF was I doing.
As I dashed into the street, the kitty saw me and ran across three lanes, including a center median, to the other side. There was a wall, so she turned left and began running in the same direction as the traffic that had begun to rush past. I was right behind her and was afraid that she would panic and dart into traffic. But she was tiny and quickly ran out of stram. As she cowered, I scooped her up and held her to my chest. I realized that she wasn't feral because she didn't bite or scratch. She just hissed weakly.
At that point, I had no choice but to take her back to my place.
I handed her to my wife who, with the deepest sense of tenderness, cradled the tiny creature to her breast and gushed "Oh, can we keep her? Can we keep her?"
Of course we could.
The next question was, "What should we name her?"
I said that I had rescued her moments from certain death from the middle of Rosecrans Blvd. in Manhattan Beach and suggested the name Rosecrans. My wife said "And we can call her Rose!"
We put food, water, a litter box, and a box with a warm blanket for a bed downstairs in a bedroom. The kitty was afraid of us, so we let her acclimate.
A couple days later, we were watching TV in the living room upstairs when I saw a tiny creature cautiously exploring the side of the room. She had managed to climb up the carpeted stairs, which was no small feat for such a little kitty. We just let her do her thing and, eventually, she was sniffing my feet. Then she climbed up my pant leg onto the couch and settled onto my lap to fall asleep. That was the point when she decided to adopt us. We were her new mommy and daddy.
That's how my wife got the pet she had wanted.
We officially adopted Rosie at a Pet Smart where we paid $50 to get her spayed and and inoculated. The doctor said she was about five weeks old.
We moved twice and then a third time to our own house. We always kept her indoors. From the beginning, she decided to sleep on the foot our our bed between us and we made a cozy nest for her out of a fleece blanket.
She was affectionate, but not annoyingly so. She made up games like tag and hide and seek. Such a funny girl. She went through all the stages of life from a frisky kitten to adolescence to adulthood. She was almost exactly 22 years old when she finally wore out. Completely healthy and happy, she only went down hill 2 or 3 weeks before the end. She peacefully passed away on the sofa one morning, in her own home, as I sat watching over her.
I loved that little girl with all my heart.
Cats generally DON'T suck up like food-obsessed dogs do...
if they LIKE you, they genuinely LIKE your company.
They can be strong-willed. I've owned many cats and each had a distinct personality.
I've presently 'inherited' the care of a deceased Parishioner's brother & sister pair.
They've decided they genuinely LIKE my company and are unafraid to express their unique affections.
Because of a local rabies and coyotes threat, they are now indoor cats only.
Some will object but I've had their front claws taken. I realize for their 'sacrifice' I have a lifetime provider commitment to them. My spouse might elect to divorce me but... my obligation, freely-undertaken, to these felines is for their lifetimes~
They will NEVER be a mere 'convenience' to be 're-homed' if "inconvenient"--- <3 :)
It is all ok to do that but make sure you only take care of the cat. When my mom me and my sister wanted to adopt rabbits my dad was against it. My rabbits and dad had a special and funny Bond though. Once I caught my dad running away with the rabbits behind him lol. He pretends to hate them from outside but he eventually started loving them secretly like a grandpa secretly loving his grandson lol. He took very nice care of them when he and rabbits were all alone home. He would pamper them like his own kids so yeah animals can melt anyone's heart. Just keep patience till they melt the heart of your boyfriend. But it is better to say instead of sneaking because your boyfriend will think you are not respecting his decision. You can just convince him like I convinced my dad by bringing full marks in maths.
If you live together you can't make decisions by yourself. It's not right.
I like cats, but I understand why many don't. Many cats are extremely strong-willed. They are not like dogs. Cats seem closer to their wilder, independent, roots.
Plus, dogs are by nature pack animals. Only some cats are. (Lions, for instance.) Many live solitary lives by choice. It's not in their nature to conform to humans.
I respect them for that, but it's also infuriating at times. They do as they please.
Opinion
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Not everyone is a cat person. Or dog person.
But funny thing? I snuck in a dog once when I was a teen. My mom absolutely didn't want to keep it. The doggy grew on her after a few weeks. Then she'd be the one asking if he had been walked, fed, cleaned, played with, etc.
Take your time in getting a cat. Try to find one with a good temperament. It'll be a lot easier. You may have to take care of the cat by yourself for a bit, though. Be prepared for that. Hopefully the same thing happens here and the cat will grow on him.
u I would usually say no, because this is a bad idea... however
his response was "I am not going to help to care for it"
I don't see that as a clear NO, I see that as the start of a negotiation... lol
(besides, cat's don't actually need that much of being taken care of, they can be very independent and self-sufficient, not all cats though)
it sounds to me like he does not actually HATE cats, he just doesn't like the idea of one and probably never had one so... I see this as an entry point, keep negotiating
Every morning.
Can i have a cat?
No
Can I have a cat?
No
Can I have a cat?
No
Can I have a cat?
No
Keep going 3 months plus if you have to
Can I have a cat?
No
Can I have a cat?
FFS
Can I have a cat?
No!👎
Can I have a Cat
No
Can I have a cat?
Pick what you want a cat or me?
Leave him for about a month with some peace. Like your thinking about what he said. Fall back.
Then after a month
Can I have a cat?
Men can't deal with this kind of headache your get his permission and your get your cat.
Win win
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
People that don't like cats are very insecure. Cats are independent creatures, but if you're going to have a cat, you need to assure they are healthy, so vet visits are part of the deal. Nourishment is important, particularly if your cat is indoor. Finding mice, while nice for eliminating rodents, is not nourishment. I feed my two cats a quarter can each of Nine Lives Pate' or Shreds, leave out a self-feeder of IAMS dry, and once a day they get a treat of Whiskers or some other tasty treat. They demand clean cat boxes, I have two, once for each of them. But the single most important thing you can do for your cat (s) is love them. They will return it tenfold.
u In the first picture the neighbors cat looks like that she comes over every night and she jumps up in the office chair that we have outside by the door we feed her and pet her and she sits on our lap, she looks like a squirrel but she’s fluffy hair. So the next-door neighbor actually named her squirrel
Because I don't care much I'd be fine if my girl had a cat, with agreed upon boundaries. But if I hated cats, she knew I hated cats, then she snuck one in behind my back years later. We would have a problem.
Less about the cat, more about behind my back, and trying to force something on me she knows I wouldn't want. Which if you're honest with yourself is exactly what you'd be doing
I definitely do not recommend "sneaking a cat in" when you know your boyfriend doesn't want a cat. Unconsensual pets are kind of like unconsensual children. It's deeply immoral to try and force responsibility on people like that in my opinion.
Instead talk to him about why. If you two can talk it out and consensually agree to get a cat together, that's when you get a cat.
Cats are a hit or a miss mostly a miss in my opinion I’ve only know of to cool cats and both had huge personalities and were very social where most cats aren’t and they stink up your house bad. I’d rather a dog attack me then a cat if a dog growls at me I face them and tell them to knock it off if a cat starts tripping I back away. A cat will mess you up it don’t care who you are or how many times you scratched it’s back or fed it
As much as I would love to say yes, get that cat, it can go horribly wrong if your partner doesn't want a cat. It can become difficult to take care of by yourself if he won't help, and you'd have to be able to be home enough to bond with it and take care of it.
Please, don’t. Animals are not possessions. They are living beings who deserve to be loved where they live, just like the rest of us.
For me it would be a deal breaker because I am deathly allergic to cats. I mean really, really badly to the point of needing to go to the hospital to clear my lungs overnight.
I did not like cats either, but I let my wife get one. It took a while, but I fell in love with the cat. The cat also liked me and jumped on my lap when I had my morning coffee. I still don’t understand cats as they are mysterious.
Cats are wonderful but you absolutely CANNOT sneak a cat into your home if you're living with someone else who doesn't want a cat. Do you know if the cat is good with dogs or will it attack your dog? Do you know if your dog is good with cats or will they attack one? Do you have a budget for litter, food, vet appointments, etc?
Animals are not accessories. Unless you can fully take on the care, not just snuggling but training and monetary too, you should NOT get a cat.
I didn't grow up around cats so I wasn't willing to have cat poo & urine smells stinking up parts/all of my home. Also wasn't interested in cat hair all over kitchen counters and beds. Not saying this stuff can't be avoided with a cat BUT it takes more effort than most people who grew up with cats want to put into it. And if you're the type who wants to baby pets at all costs... it definitely won't work.
Good luck sneaking something that meows and leaves hairs everywhere. If it's kitten probably also pee and poo. Ehhh wouldn't you think it'd be messed up towards the cat if you'd take it home, it being so happy to finally have a family, only for you to return it because the family rejected it? Crushing the little guy's dreams, you know it doesn't deserve that. Don't be selfish at the cost of that cat
At least try to convince them, or promise (AND CARRY OUT) to take care of it yourself.
u If I were in your shoes I’d jettison the boyfriend and get the cat. But that’s just me.
Cats are cool pets and fun to play with, as long as you are not allergic!
Do not get a Persian cat or Norwegian or any long-haired cat, as these can really take a lot of work.
As for the original question, I feel that everybody in the same household should agree to an animal, as it's going to be there for years to come (our last cat lived to be 20+).
You and me both girl! I’ve always wanted a cat but my dad doesn’t like them as much :/ Maybe someday I’ll be able to get my own cat though 😩
I’d try maybe compromising with your boyfriend though, if he finds a cat and he doesn’t know or doesn’t agree to it, the situation could get worse. Just trying to look out for you that’s all :)
Me thinks you need to get a new boyfriend lol. I have two cats. My wife when we met, had never had pets and didn't like cats. She now can't imagine life without them.
Find a cat cafe near you. Ask your boyfriend for a compromise, which is visiting the cat cafe near you with an open mind. Tell him it would be part of a date idea that would mean a lot to you. If after the appointment he still does not like cats, then let it be. I bet he will find at least one cat he likes.
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