Need Parent Convincing Help

[chickenlover09]

Hi everyone!
This post isn't for me, basically my younger brother is breathing over my head watching every word I type. Just kidding.

Basically he needs my help to convince our parents to let him get a pet of his own.
I decided to help him, because I had his troubles way back when I was a kid too. Except apparently my ways of convincing weren't very good and I got in a huge fight with my mom, leaving me a bit unsocial for the rest of my life. That's why I need as much help from everyone here as I can get.

He really wants his own cat. It would be from the shelter. He would feed it and play with it and blah blah blah. He's pretty responsible for his age too (he's 12). He feeds,waters, grooms, and excersices his horse every day, and he also feeds the family pets. Also what are the pros and cons of cats? I asked my dad what pet he would get, and he said, "Well, I would NEVER get a cat, it would ruin all the furniture." Do cats really scratch furniture. Do scratching posts stop them from doing that. Would you get 1 or 2 cats?

If you were him, what would you do to convince your parents to get you a cat. What would you say? Would you write a letter.

I'd feel bad if he went through what I went through so any help, and as much help as possible, would be amazing!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Cats do not always destroy furniture, etc - cats, like any animal, can be trained to be very respectable members of a household. I would suggest you/your brother do some looking around at the information on "catification" by Jackson Galaxy with regards to creating cat friendly home environments that address many of the most common behavior complaints people tend to have about cats. It might also help to build points in favor of your brother having "done his homework" when the time comes to discuss the matter with your parents.

 

[NewlyHatchedEgg]

I don't own horses, but my cousin does. And cats are so much easier to care for than a horse. I have two cats, my male cat does tend to claw at the carpet, but my female cat has never destroyed furniture. I built a cat tree house with an area for him to scratch at and I trim his nails regularly, which deters his scratching at the carpets. My parents really didn't want a cat, but I brought him home (and later another cat) and they let me keep them. I don't recommend your brother try at that approach, though.

I agree with Ol Grey Mare. Before bringing home any new animal, you have to do your research, think about all of the things that animal will need, and think about the cost. Will it be an indoor or outdoor cat? Does he want an adult or kitten? Some adult cats do not like other cats. If you get one cat now, and in a year or so decide to get another, it is very similar to introducing new pullets to an established flock. I used to volunteer at an animal shelter, and we screened all cats for temperament, health concerns and if they were litter box trained.

My parents cons (some which I was able to rectify with time or reduce): scratching the carpet, jumping on tables/counters, and fur balls. You can prevent or stop some of this by giving the cat it's own scratching post, putting double sided tape on all counter for a week, and brushing the cat weekly to remove undercoat shedding.

Pros: Cats can be just as loyal and fun as a dog, but they are more independent. My female cat is very food motivated, so I was able to teach her basic tricks like sit, lay down and dance. I can take her for walks around my block alongside my dog. (My male cat is a bit more stubborn). If I'm sitting for more than 5 minutes, most likely I have a cat in my lap. If you play with them for about an hour in the morning and before bed vigorously with a cat toy ( my cats and I like to use a stick with string and feathers tied to it and playing with them daily reduces and prevents bad habits) and give them food and fresh water daily you're set. My cats are older, so they only play for 10-15 minutes a couple times per day now. Litter boxes are easy to clean, especially if you have clumping litter or litter with sweet pdz in it. As far as pets go, they are pretty low maintenance (at least compared to dogs, fish, rabbits, chickens/canaries, and chinchillas, in my opinion).

I wish your brother the best of luck!