Being a cat parent is a beautiful experience filled with love and joy, but it’s not all sunshine and rainbows all the time. Everyone who has a little fluff roaming around their home can tell you that the list of disadvantages of having a cat can be quite long.
We’re not saying that there are more cons than pros when it comes to being a cat parent. I wouldn’t change the life I have with my fluff for anything in the world. However, having a kitty brings a lot of challenges, too. She’s like a toddler who relies on her mother for everything.
There’s nothing more beautiful than watching cute cat videos and reading about all the wonderful experiences cat parents have with their furbabies. However, before blessing your life with a new fluff, it’s essential to read the not-so-lovely details about the life you’re about to live.
The worst thing you can do once adopting a kitty is to change your mind and put her up for adoption again. It would put your poor fluff through a lot of stress and anxiety. It’s not easy for your kitty to get used to her new home, and having to change it once she does would be heartbreaking.
So, to avoid this from happening, it’s important to realize what are some things you’ll have to go through as a cat parent. We’ve gathered a list, so you know what to prepare for and what to expect.
Disadvantages of having a cat
As much as we love being cat parents, we have to be honest. Sometimes, it can be a pain in the neck. And it’s completely okay to feel this way. It doesn’t mean you love your kitty any less if you admit how annoying she can be sometimes.
Your fluff is a living being with her own needs, emotions, natural body reactions, and behavior changes. You should never adopt a cat just because you’ve seen a cute video that made you fall in love with the idea of having your own cuddle buddy. We hate to say it, but, you might regret it. Here’s why.
1. You’ll find cat hair EVERYWHERE
If you like having your home spotless, we have some bad news for you. In case you decide to adopt a feline bestie, get ready to find her hair everywhere. And I mean EVERYWHERE.
Your clothes, dishes, bedding, furniture, carpets, tables, countertops, candles… You wouldn’t believe the places I’ve found my buddy’s fur.
That’s the thing about cats – they shed. All the time. Yes, there are seasons when your kitty will shed more, but this is something that happens throughout the whole year. Once you adopt your new cat, this will become your new reality.
This is especially true for cats who spend most of their life indoors. Since they’re exposed to artificial light, their body rhythm and internal clocks change; which, as a result, has them shedding all year around.
There are some things you can do to reduce your kitty’s hair loss, such as regular brushing and bathing. Nonetheless, dealing with cat hair will become your daily challenge.
2. Say goodbye to your furniture
If you plan on keeping your kitty indoors, everything will become a place where she can sharpen her claws, including the beautiful sofa you’re so proud of. Although a cat can bring a lot of warmth and character into your home, you might have to say goodbye to a lot of nice things.
There are a variety of reasons why cats scratch things. Sometimes, they do it to sharpen their claws, other times they need a good stretch. Or they’re simply bored and scratching your carpet suddenly seems like a lot of fun. Whatever it is, it’s definitely one of the advantages of having a cat.
Do you know what else cats find particularly exciting? Knocking things off your shelves and tables. Why? Because they can, and no one can stop them. Keeping fancy decor around your home usually becomes a thing of the past for people who adopt cats.
3. Their litter boxes smell and require regular cleaning
Another nightmare for people who like to keep their home clean is their kitty’s litter box. Don’t get me wrong, being able to train your feline to use her toilet space is one of the biggest advantages of having a cat. However, the smell of it can be a big problem, especially if you don’t clean it every day.
Getting rid of your cat’s litter or simply cleaning it isn’t the most pleasant chore, but it’s essential that you do it regularly. Not only will it help with the smell, but it’s important for your kitty’s health and well-being.
4. Sometimes they find their own pee spot
Finding your lovely fluff peed on your carpet is definitely one of the bigger disadvantages of having a cat. Our feline buddies are known for being clean freaks. If you forget to clean their litter box, they’d rather pee somewhere else than use it as it is.
Sometimes, it takes a bit of time for your new fluff to learn how to use her litter box, so prepare yourself for quite a few cleaning sessions. Even if she’s trained to use her toilet, stress and anxiety can cause your cat to pee and poop outside of it. That’s quite a disadvantage in our books.
5. They’re little fluff balls of stress and anxiety
Don’t get me wrong, stress and anxiety aren’t bad on their own. They’re normal and simply something we all have to deal with, including our furbabies. However, the behavioral changes they bring in our felines made their way to our list of disadvantages of having a cat.
On top of that, it doesn’t take much to make your kitty stressed out. Taking her to the vet, moving to a new house, hosting parties, changing a partner, new family members, or even new furniture can make your cat anxious. Sometimes, it might seem like you have to adjust your life to your feline purrincess’ needs.
6. Allergies and sniffles
If you have a runny nose or your eyes become itchy whenever you’re near kitties, we’ve got some bad news… you’re probably allergic to our dear feline buddies. If that’s the case, then allergies are definitely one of the main disadvantages of having a cat for you.
Roughly a third of the American population is allergic to cats and dogs, and our feline friends are the most common culprit. So, even if you’re not one of those people, there’s a high chance that some of your friends who visit you might be.
Because of that, people might avoid visiting you altogether. Listen, we get it, sometimes it’s easier to meet somewhere else than have a full-on asthma attack. On the other hand, if you’re someone who’s not a huge fan of having people over, having a cat might be the purrfect excuse.
7. They can be pretty hard to train
If you plan on adopting a cat and teaching her some cool tricks or to behave a certain way, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. Our feline friends are a lot harder to train than dogs. Don’t get us wrong, it’s not an impossible thing to do, but it’s hard.
Cats are divas who know their worth. If they think the reward for their efforts isn’t enough, they won’t even bother to respond to your attempts to train them. In contrast to dogs, cats have a wild side that wasn’t fully domesticated.
Their wild instincts make them hard to train and can be one of the disadvantages of having a cat. Sometimes, it’s like sharing a home with a fluffy, cuddly predator.
8. Get ready for some weird gifts on your doorstep
If you plan on letting your kitty outside, her bringing her prey to your doorstep is one of the pretty big disadvantages of having a cat. Although she’s not doing it out of spite, it’s still not the most enjoyable thing to experience.
Once your furry friend bonds with you, she’ll consider you a part of her pack. Although that may seem heartwarming at first, it means she’ll treat you like one of her own, with a couple of gifts here and there. She’ll show you her wild side, including bringing you mice, rats, cockroaches, or whatever else she finds…
She wants to bring you the fruit of her hunt and teach you how to do it yourself. There’s little you can do about this wild instinct, but maybe try and reduce it by incorporating more playtime.
9. They’re picky eaters
Although cats are huge gourmets and it seems like they’ll eat just about anything, that’s not really the case. Sometimes it feels like they’d rather eat a plastic bag or your plant than the perfectly fine canned food you bought just for them. That’s cat logic for you.
Finding the food your fluff likes can be tricky, and it’s definitely one of the disadvantages of having a cat. Not only is it super frustrating, but it can also cost a lot. Our divas love that costly can of food you try to avoid, and most of the time you won’t have any other options but to obey her wishes.
This can especially be tricky if you try to follow a healthy diet and incorporate different food groups in your feline’s meals. Because of that, you can try cooking her homemade ones and see if she likes the treats you made for her. Although it takes a lot more work, it might save you some money.
Not only are they tricky when it comes to flavors, but they’re big on texture, as well. Their food has to FEEL good, not only taste good. Because they’re natural hunters, they prefer the feeling of fresh meat, which is why your diva might want her food warm. Finicky little eaters, we tell you.
10. Our feline divas can be pretty costly
Cat food isn’t the only thing you might have to splurge on. After adoption, a lot of cat parents realize that they underestimated just how much it can cost to have a kitty. Our feline friends might seem like a small addition to the family, but they come with their own needs that can be pretty costly.
Having a cat is a long-term and serious commitment. She’s a living being that you have to take care of just like you’d take care of a child.
Among other things, that means regularly buying her food, which can be pretty expensive. Especially if you have to buy it every few days because your big fluff simply can’t get enough.
Cats can have a lot of energy that they have to use somewhere. If you plan on keeping your fluffy companion inside, then you’ll have to provide her with enough toys and scratching posts that will keep her entertained.
On top of that, keeping your fluff healthy means you’ll have to make visits to the vet a regular thing. Vaccinations, check-ups, and injuries can cost a small fortune. Although it’s all for the sake of your furbaby living a long and healthy life, it’s still one of the disadvantages of having a cat.
11. You may start missing some good night’s sleep
Every cat parent knows how annoying it can be when you’re deep in your sleep, all warm and snuggled up, when someone decides to start meowing in your face. That’s probably the last thing you’d want after coming home from a long day at work, but you fluff doesn’t care.
Cats usually sleep during the day and then go crazy at night. Because our sleeping cycles are so different, they get bored roaming around the home all by themselves. No, they won’t stay quiet and peacefully wait for you to wake up. Your fluff will do her best to do it herself.
If you think, “I’ll just wait for her to stop meowing”, you’re in for a treat. Not only will she refuse to stop, but she’ll get even louder until she gets what she wants. And that’s usually food. So, not only will she wake you up, but you’ll have to leave your warm bed completely.
You’d be lucky if this happens only once during bedtime. Sometimes, she’ll want different things, so she’ll wake you up a couple of times throughout the night. In the morning, you’ll probably wake up more tired than you were before you went to sleep.
12. They make sure they get their revenge
Listen, no matter how affectionate your feline might be, she has a wild side that makes her particularly enjoy biting and scratching. If you notice your kitty’s in a bad mood, stay away from her if you don’t want to end up with her teeth and claws in your skin.
Even if you’re not the reason she’s angry, there’s this thing called redirected aggression that our dear felines are huge fans of. No matter what it is that upsets her, if you’re the first thing she sees, you’ll end up paying for it. No questions asked.
On top of that, make sure to treat your purrincess with respect. If you hurt or annoy her in any way, she’ll remember it. Even long after you forgot about it, she’ll be sneaking around your home waiting to attack your leg. They never fur-get, and they always get their revenge.
Although you keep your kitty clean, there’s still a risk of infection if she bites or scratches you. Because of that, it’s important to clean your wound with a disinfection spray as soon as possible. That way you’ll avoid any further complications, and your wound might heal faster.
13. Travelling with your cat or saying goodbye to her can be hard
Now, no matter how annoying your small fluff can be, it’s still hard to tell your little rebel goodbye. They make it pretty easy to fall in love with them, and once it’s time to leave your house, they are somehow even cuter. It makes you want to go back inside and cuddle your furry friend all day long.
It doesn’t help that a lot of felines suffer from separation anxiety, and they make it even harder to leave them when you know how much they’ll miss having you around.
If you decide that it’s too much for you to leave her, you might consider traveling with her. Although that seems like a great idea, it brings its own set of challenges. In the end, it’s up to you to decide what’s the best option for you and your fluff.
14. Renting an apartment can be difficult
If you’re looking for a new home to rent, that can be quite a challenge when you have a cat. A lot of landlords are pretty skeptical about pets in their homes, so they’ll rather give the keys to someone who doesn’t have one.
Even though it doesn’t seem fair, consider everything we’ve mentioned so far. They can make quite a bit of mess, so some people might want to avoid it for the sake of keeping their rentals nice and clean.
