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Cat at home

Does a Cat Fit My Lifestyle?

Test yourself with our '30-day cat challenge'

29.12.2020

Cats are incredible! They make great pets, especially for people who are home a lot and can therefore spend a lot of time with their cat. Whilst they are more independent than dogs, cats do still need a lot of care and attention and this should not be underestimated. Cats love to spend time with their humans and being home alone all day is not a very exciting life for them. 

It is often said that cats do not have owners but butlers, and sometimes it can feel like that! To get a little insight into what life with a cat might be like, we invite you to take up the 30-day cat challenge to see if life with a feline is for you. Your challenge, should you wish to accept it:

This article is part of the Responsible Pet Ownership series

IMAGINE that you are already a Cat owner:

Day 1:

Have an hour-long play session with your cat chasing a piece of string

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7 days a week 

It’s important to encourage natural behaviour through enrichment. Test out your play endurance.

Reade more about 'How to keep your pets occupied during the coronavirus lockdown'

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Day 2:

Remove 'cat hair' from your clothes

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Get prepared 

Cats’ fur loves to stick to clothing; removing it before going out is part of a cat owner’s life. Do you have a lint brush at home?

Read more about 'Removing cat hair'

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Day 3:

Regularly clean out the 'cat food bowl'

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7 days a week 

You don't like to eat from dirty dishes; your cat won't either.

Read more about 'Cat-friendly water bowl'

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Day 4:

Don't leave the house for longer than 8 hours

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Get prepared 

If you are out, make sure your cat has access to food and water, as well as a litter tray or outside.

Read more about 'New Year's Eve –  Minimising your pet's stress'

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Day 5:

Weekend? Get up early!

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Get prepared

Your cat needs food and a change of the cat litter tray.

Read more about 'A cat-friendly home'

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Day 6:

Read a book on cat behaviour

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Learn more 

Cat behaviour is fascinating: from how they develop and communicate, to what enriches their play, there is a lot to learn.

Read more about 'Spring is here – and it’s mating time for cats'

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Day 7:

Talk to other cat owners about their cats

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Get prepared 

They can tell you about their experiences and they may be able to answer your questions.

Read more about 'Living Together – Cats & Humans'

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Day 8:

Miss a weekend trip because your cat sitter has let you down

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Get prepared 

Sometimes you will miss out on fun because your pet needs you.

Read more about 'The purr-fect vacation'

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Day 9:

Calculate the cost of a cat hotel/cattery as you are going away for the weekend

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Get prepared 

You can take a break, but you need to make sure your cat is well taken care of. Do you have a good cattery nearby?

Read more about 'Financial aspects of pet ownership'

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Day 10:

Put some cash into your pet emergency fund/pet insurance

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Better safe than sorry 

If your cat gets ill it can be expensive; having a bit of cash stored away offers some security. Calculate how much of your pay check you can put aside.

Read more about 'Financial aspects of pet ownership'

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Day 11:

Train your cat to use a transport box

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Learn more

For vet visits and emergencies, it is helpful to have your cat trained to go happily into the crate. Read up on the best training techniques.

Read more about 'Clicker training for pets'

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Day 12:

Read your rental agreement on pet keeping

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Better safe than sorry 

Are you allowed to keep a pet in your rented home/apartment?

Read more about 'A cat-friendly home'

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Day 13:

Make your home cat secure

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Get prepared 

Poisonous plants and tilting windows can be dangerous. Go through every room and evaluate the dangers and remove them.

Read more about 'A cat-friendly home'

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Day 14:

Go to a pet shop and calculate the cost of everything your cat needs

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Get prepared 

The initial cost can be quite high. Can you afford the initial costs?

Read more about 'Financial aspects of pet ownership'

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Day 15:

Imagine your cat wees on the couch

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Get prepared 

Removing the stain and the smell are difficult; a lot of scrubbing is involved. Do a test run. 

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Day 16:

Plan a cat-friendly vacation

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Get prepared 

Would you stay home for your vacation instead of travelling the world? Cats like it best at home so you’d have to consider it sometimes.

Read more about 'The purr-fect vacation'

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Day 17:

Get educated about cat overpopulation

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Learn more 

Getting your cat neutered is part of being a responsible owner; there are already too many cats in shelters and on the streets. 
Read up on the issue of cat/dog overpopulation.

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Day 18:

Imagine claw marks on your couch

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Get prepared 

A scratching pole is a good investment, even if they’re not the most attractive addition to your living room.

Read more about 'A cat-friendly home' 

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Day 19:

Clean out a cat litter tray twice a day

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7 days a week 

Cats are very clean and like to have clean litter tray. Also imaging having to carry the bag of cat litter home… quite a workout! 

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Day 20:

Buy lots of different brands of cat food

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Get prepared 

Lots of cats are fussy eaters and it takes a lot of testing to find the 'right' cat food. 

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Day 21:

Try to eat when a fresh can of cat food is open

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Get prepared 

The smell can be overpowering, urgh! Test out if you can handle this.

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Day 22:

Outdoor cat and no cat flap? Get used to playing doorman

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7 days a week 

Open the door, close the door, open the door, close the door… Cats cannot decide if they want to come in or not. Spend an hour playing the 'come in or not game'.

Read more about 'How to design a Garden for your Cat'

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Day 23:

Groom your 'cat'

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7 days a week 

Especially in summer your cat will appreciate help to get rid of excess fur. Test it out by grooming a toy cat.

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Day 24:

Imagine being 'disturbed' for cuddles while reading or watching a good movie

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Get prepared 

Cats seem to have a sixth sense about coming for cuddles just when the movie or book is getting really exciting. 

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Day 25:

Move your furniture around to make space for a scratching pole

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Get prepared 

The poles can prevent damage to furniture or walls. Find the perfect spot in your home for the pole.

Read more about 'A cat-friendly home'

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Day 26:

Take an allergy test

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Better safe than sorry 

Cat hair may lead to an allergic reaction; make sure in advance that you do not have an allergy. Make an appointment at your doctor and get tested. 

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Day 27:

Get up every couple of hours in the night as your cat is ill

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Get prepared 

Clean the litter tray in the night and offer comfort to your poorly pet. Set your alarm and do a test run.

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Day 28:

Imagine the dead birds and mice your cat might bring into the house

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Learn more 

Playing with your cat a lot and offering good nutrition can limit her hunting instincts. Watch a video on cat hunting behaviour.

Read more about 'How to create a cat-proof garden that is safe for birds and fishes' 

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Day 29:

Visit an animal shelter

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Get prepared 

Managed to stick to the challenge this far? The animal shelter is the best place to look for a new companion. Take trip to the shelter and have a look around.

Tip: Read more about 'What makes a good shelter'

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Day 30:

Take a walk through a pet cemetery

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Better safe than sorry 

Come to terms with the fact that at some point you will have to say goodbye… 

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We challenged you to take on a 30-day test run of pet ownership, to 'try before you buy'. 

Download and Share

Here you can download our '30-day cat challenge' and share it on your social media channels.

FOUR PAWS 30-day cat challenge

FOUR PAWS 30-day cat challenge

Do you feel Ready to take care of a Pet?

Find out more: How to become a responsible pet owner 

Why do you want to have a pet?

Discover the motivations behind pet ownership HERE!

What pet best suits my lifestyle?

To help you best pet for your lifestyle and preferences, FOUR PAWS has created this quiz, to give you an insight into what pet might be perfect for you. Find out more HERE!

Can you afford a pet?

Owning a pet is not a short-term commitment – some of our companions have a long lifespan, which allows for many years of enjoyment, but also expense so it is important to consider the long-term costs as well as the short-term ones. Find out more HERE!

Where should you purchase your pet from? 

There are many ways where you can acquire a pet, make sure that you find the best solution for yourself and one where the animal’s welfare is put first. Read more HERE!

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