When investing in a forever companion, a variety of people will choose to adopt a new cat into their family. One reason for doing this is the popular opinion that a kitten or cat is easier to maintain than a puppy or a dog--cats are able to potty train themselves, clean themselves and, honestly, they sleep about 22 hours of the day. Sounds pretty easy, huh? Well, you're wrong. Cats, although they do have their perks, can really be a pain.
1. They're incredibly entitled.
I have never met a cat that doesn't think it deserves everything it wants at the exact moment it wants it. Oh, you want to read the newspaper? No way, it's the cat's new favorite seat. If you're expecting to walk into your bedroom and have the bed to yourself, you're in the wrong. That bed, and all the other items of furniture in the house, belong to your cat and only your cat. If you forget, don't worry. They'll remind you.
2. Privacy? Forget it.
The cat will shamelessly bust into the room whether you're changing or using the bathroom. If you want a moment of alone time where you can just hang out and not worry about anything, you might as well plan to leave your home completely. Otherwise, you should expect to share even the most intimate moments, including showering, with your feline friend. Your time is their time. They're entitled to every minute of every day, remember?
3. Cat fur. Cat fur everywhere.
Cats can't control the amount of fur they shed, but I doubt they'd try even if they could. Owning a cat should come with a pamphlet explaining where you should expect to find the copious amounts of fur your adorable little pet will bring: in your food, on your clothes, on your body, on your toilet paper, coating your pillow and bedspread, in your eyes, nose and in your mouth. Even places where you'd never expect it, such as within the pages of your textbook or the fabric of your book bag. Escaping cat fur is basically impossible, so you might as well not even try. However, if you want to put in the futile effort, invest in lint rollers. Lots and lots of lint rollers.
4. You'll never sleep for seven hours straight peacefully again.
For some reason, cats always want to play and cuddle as soon as the clock strikes 2:30 in the morning. If your cat has access to your bedroom, you better prepare for things to come crashing to the floor, the tinkling of the cat toy as they swat it around pointlessly and the jolting feeling of the cat landing on your body as it pounces onto your fidgeting feet. Peace is out of reach at this point. If the cat doesn't have access to your bedroom, you should expect yowling and cries of abandonment in the living room at 4:30 in the morning. Your cat doesn't care if you have an exam in the morning--night time is the time it feels alive.
5. Your personal belongings are the cat's playthings.
Whether it's a book or a coffee mug your Great Aunt Berta got you for your eighteenth birthday, the cat will find a way to destroy it and then innocently act as if it has done nothing wrong. That picture of you and your mom on graduation day? The cat will bite it until its unrecognizable. It is not above swatting everything important to you off the desk and onto the floor. It will paw your earring under the bed where you could never even hope to reach it. Oh, and that childhood stuffed animal that you hold so dear is basically doomed from the moment you bring your cute, adorable little fur ball home.
6. They refuse to cuddle with you when you want them to, and only want to when it's inconvenient for you.
If you want round-the-clock affection from your animal companion, the cat is not the right fit for you. Unless they see fit, they will duck away from your hand as if you are infected with a fatal disease. Oftentimes, upon hearing you call their name, they will come and sit just out of your reach, staring at you with innocent, but secretly mocking, eyes. If you pick them up when they are in a mood where they hate your very existence, they will cry and moan as if you are squeezing out their very soul. You can forget about having a cuddly pal, unless it is while you are doing your homework or trying to go to the bathroom.
7. Bringing in another pet is out of the question.
Once your cat has made your home its kingdom where it reigns over all the inhabitants, it's almost impossible to bring in another animal without wreaking havoc or causing a war for the ages. Your cat will hiss, growl, spit and make noises that you honestly never imagined would come out of your sweet, purring little buddy. Their bodies will distort and become something that seems almost unearthly. It takes time, and lots of patience and love, for anyone to introduce a new animal to a cat. In their minds, they are the only worthy animal to step foot in their kingdom, and how dare anyone think of challenging this?
However, even though they are some of the most high-maintenance and inconvenient individuals on the planet, cats do make perfect companions who never stop being adorable. Adopting a cat was the best decision I could have ever made. They really do love you, even if it seems like most of the time they hate you. Bringing a cat home to be part of your family forever will be something you'll never regret.
