Should I rescue an older kitty or get a kitten instead?

[FawkesFyre]

Yeah, either way, any cat needs to not have free access to your rats.


You might want to avoid giving the new kitty any furry toy mousies too...

[Shandriz]

Definitely a cat! It is so much harder to find someone who wants an adult cat-- kittens are easy to find homes for. The funny thing is, though, that most people who want a kitten should really get a cat (IE: people with small children).

I know when Chris and I start looking in earnest, we're definitely not going to be too picky about age. I'm leaning towards older-kitten (not teeny-tiny, but not full adult) only because I'm worried about how he/she will adapt to the dogs, but if we can find an adult cat that does well with dogs, that'll be just as good. ^^

Edit: I should also mention that older cats tend to be slightly more affectionate, because they've already grown out of the kitten aloofness. ^^ Separating the rats from the cats is probably your best bet either way, though, because even a kitten will try to get into the rat cage and cats are difficult to train at best. xD

Edit2: ... Yeah, I think that male/female tend to get along better than male/male, but female/female would probably work well too, for cats. For dogs, it's almost always better to have male/female because of subliminal dominance stuffies.

[Silver Adept]

I'd go with a cat, myself, because they're not as easy to adopt and they'll be less work integrating into the household, on average.

[Akuko]

Wow, such an overwhelming response! Thanks so much for all the info! I think I will get a cat and since the rats are in the bedroom, I will just close off the bedroom when I am not home to avoid all unpleasantness.

I do like the idea of adopting an older cat, maybe like a year old or something so it is still young, but not too young that I have to worry.

I will actually go see the Munchkin that I applied for, but if his purrsonality doesn't mesh with mine, I will go to the humane society and see if I can adopt an older cat there.

Thanks everybody!!

[Stingdragon]

If you pick a cat that is two years or older it might have problem getting adjusted.
A younger cat can still be "trained" to fit your daily life and to you smell and other personal things.

A little kitten is just so much fun because you can se it grow into its personality.

Damn... Now I want to go home and hug my four cats.

[Akuko]

I finally met the Munchkin cat that I wanted to adopt and he warmed up to me instantly. There was a connection and man oh man is he adorable!! He looks like an eternal kitten with an adult head. SO CUTE!!

I am adopting him on Wednesday after getting some supplies.

[Akuko]

Update!!

Fergus (three year old Munchkin) is now adjusting to his new home and is doing wonderfully! He cried mercilessly in the cat carrier on the drive back to the house, but thankfully home was just a few minutes away.

He is so adorable and follows me around like a little puppy whereever I go, even to the bathroom!

I have him cordoned off in one room while I am not there just to make sure he doesn't get into too much while I am at work and soon, next couple of days, I will give him more space to roam, like the living room, kitchen and bathroom.

Bedroom will have to wait, as that is where the rats are, but he is such a lover that I don't think it will be too much of an issue.

[FawkesFyre]

[Akuko]

[FawkesFyre]

One thing i've done is to send a text to my email account then save the pics onto my computer...then go from there.

Just be careful and dont kick da kitty if he sleeps with you. Ours sleep with us at their convenience...and have at times been launched off the bed from an accidental punt.