Originally posted by DoggiesAreTheBest
1. Do only male cats spray or do females do that too?
Females can spray... ours sometime 'pretend' to spray (do the funky tail movement but don't actually release any urine) but this is only when they are REALLY excited --esp. when there's raw hamburger meat (a beloved treat of our kitties) involved!

2. Does nutering/spaying them take care of that problem?
My guess is almost always. We had our male kitties neutered before they began to spray. Tom never sprayed in his lifetime (that we know of). Max sprayed the front porch a couple of times, but I believe this was because an un-altered male was hanging around.

3. Do cats shed alot?
Yes and no. I would have to say that our girls (all but one are longhaired) shed more than the dog but less than my bunny.

4. On average for a healthy cat, how much does it cost to get their annual shots and check up?
Keep in mind the first couple of vet visits will be the most expensive but yearly (assuming nothing out of the oridinary happens) our girls probably cost us 50-75.00 a piece for shots. There's been debate about whether yearly shots actually help or hurt indoor cats. I know it's been discussed on PT too... I'll see if I can find the link...

5. Dogs go on Heartworm Meds every month, is there something that Cats have to take every month to prevent something?
Not that I'm aware of... unless you use advantage or the equivalent.


6. On average, how much worth of food does a cat consume per month? (I am not sure what brands are the best, but they would be interested in giving it the price equivalence of Nutro or Eukanuba)
Depending on the cat's size and appetite (is s/he still growing?) this will vary. Right now, K'Cee (6mnths) is averaging about 4-6 pounds of Science Diet's Kitten Growth Formula per month. She also sneeks in a couple of bites from the other cats' dishes (Science Diet Hairball Control--Senior Formula ) and vice versa. I'm a die-hard Science Diet Fan--so that's my recommendation!

K'Cee's 4lb bag of Science Diet usually runs about $6-7.00.


7. Do cats claw at furniture, bedding, etc... because they are bored?
*sigh* unfortunatley, no! lol let me suggest SOFT PAWS... greatest invention under the sun!!! www.softpaws.com
I would like to say that the clawing instinct--although it doesn't completely disappear--does seem to lessen with age (and after spaying/neutering)!

8. How easy is it to train your cat to use the litterbox?
We didn't train any of our cats... just showed 'em where the box was! Smart cookies!