Do you have to be 18 to buy a cat from petsmart?
PetSmart doesn't sell cats. They provide space for shelters to display adoptable animals. And I don't know of any shelter that adopts out animals to anyone under 21.
Do you have to be 18+ to buy from a cat shelter?
you do have to be an adult to adopt a cat from a shelter. i do believe that it means 18 and over. anyone younger than that, must have an adult with them when adopting the pet. without your parents permission, it wouldn't be a good idea. if you have a friend over 18 help you get it. it would be a bad idea for you and the cat. you wouldn't want to bond with the animal and him/her bond with you, then have to return it and both you and the cat be devastated. that would be painful for the both of you. if you plan to adopt a cat, then i would suggest asking your parents before doing so. good luck
Should I get a pedigree pet or shelter animal?
Both! If you have a specific breed you want, find a rescue that specializes in that breed. Contrary to popular belief, many purebreds can be found through rescues. All you need to do is google whatever breed you have in mind along with “rescue”.Keep in mind that rescues might not often have young puppies or kittens (unless they happen to rescue a pregnant or nursing mother). But getting a nine-month old or one year old cat or dog is very common as that’s about the age most breeds are “teenagers” and get a little obnoxious, which in turn causes irresponsible owners to give them up to a shelter or rescue.A big plus is that a pet from a rescue, whether purebred or not, is going to be spayed or neutered already AND be up-to-date on their shots AND likely has already received any needed medical care (dental cleaning, treatment for any parasites, treatment for any infections, etc.) Do keep in mind that purebred rescues may cost a little more than your average shelter since they often have to spend more in order to rescue their animals in the first place (purebreds often need more care to recover from neglect or breed-specific issues).
What should I do when my cat of 18 years that I have had since she was 4 days old passes? I am 72 years old I don't want to be alone.
I’m so very sorry for your loss. Forgive my hluntness, please, but at your age, getting another kitten is probably a bad idea. If the new kitten also lives to be 18, you’ll be 90 by the time it dies, and who knows if you’ll still be living independently and able to take care of your cat by 90. You might, but you also might not. I have 3 alternate suggestions (after a decent period of mourning for the cat you just lost, that is):adopt a middle aged or senior cat from a shelter or a rescue charity. If you adopt a cat with a shorter projected lifespan (because the cat is older to begin with), then even if it lives to be 18 like your cat who just died, you’ll have many years of companionship ahead of you. Say you adopt a 9 year old cat shortly. By the time it’s 18 and ready to shuffle off this mortal coil, you’ll only be 81. Obviously there are no guarantees in life, but I know loads of 81 year olds who still live independently and are pretty hale and hearty. Several of them in my own apartment building.Rather than formally adopting again, offer your services as a foster home to a local animal shelter or rescue charity. This is a great option if money is tight, because the shelter will provide you with cat food, kitten milk replacer and bottles if you’re fostering orphaned kittens, and also take care of any vet bills your foster cats or kittens incur. You just look after them and pay for the litter and toys. The problem, alas, is that you’ll get attached, and then the cats and/or kittens will find forever homes.Consider looking into a long term fostering situation with a fixed end date. It usually involves someone going abroad, being unable to take their cat or cats, but not wanting to re-home them altogether because the human knows they’ll be back eventually. A friend, shortly after losing her cat, heard through the local pet supply store grapevine that an academic couple living in the same neighbourhood as her, were planning on going on sabbatical for a year to some distant corner of the globe where they couldn’t take their two pampered pets. She had to provide them with references, obviously, and yeah, she did get attached over the course or that year. But it was a great stopgap measure that was good for everybody. The married couple of professors got their sabbatical, she had two lovely cats for a year, and once again, vet visits and food were paid for by the owners.Good luck, and once again, my condolences.
What can I do to prepare an outside cat for the winter ahead? I can't bring him in because I have 3 cats that won’t accept a newcomer. I feel horrible with him out there.
(above: real photo of two of my ferals. This is not a Halloween decoration )All is not lost. depending on your budget, you can do your outside cat well. Shelter: There are really nice ‘cat houses’ available online from any shopping site or, specifically, any pet supply chain.Some are heated!Can you afford the additional electricity on your bill?You can also buy a separate heating pad made especially for outside cat houses.If you’re feeling adventurous, try building a shelter.There are many different techniques. Styrofoam coolers are easy to customize. I use to build shelters out of cardboard boxes, with weatherproofing and heat reflective lining and any other ideas I can come up with as I got more creative.I would prefer using mylar (space blanket) instead of foil, if possible. Available at sporting goods and camping supply stores.Important: Don’t line it with towels. They get too damp too easily and end up getting cold and actually draw heat away from the cats.Straw (not hay) is the most highly suggested filling. You can find a lot this time of year as everybody takes down their Halloween decorations. Offer to cart it away for them.You can also get ready-made cage lining straw from many pet shops.Place the shelter, whatever version, out of direct elements, if possible (overhang, porch etc). It will add to the durability and effectiveness of the shelter.If the cat is that friendly, keep the house near yours.Where do you live? Is this cat visiting your backyard or are you on a city block?Hopefully, if you have to place the shelter out in an alley or somewhere further away, nobody will be inhumane and mess it up just for ‘kicks’.Food and as warm a shelter as possible will get your poor buddy through the winter. Maybe you’ll have better luck getting him socialized with your other cats when spring returns.Good luck! Thank you for caring about this cat!
What age can you buy a dog?
I just adopted my 5 month old pit/lab two weeks ago...everywhere I researched was 18 and over, some places even 25...so you're going to have to get your parents support on this one otherwise, you may have to wait a year. Make sure you do your research on the breed before you make your final decision, and remember, dogs are not just something you get to have fun with, they are your children, discipline, training, love, and everything else is a must, or else you will have problems!
How long can a cat survive without food and water before dying?
Cats can last a short while without food and can potentially survive for weeks without eating. Water is far more necessary to their health and physical well-being however, and a cat that goes more than a few days without anything to drink might not survive. If you're worried that a cat hasn't been eating or drinking, and it's not showing any signs of being starved or dehydrated, then try offering it a can of tuna water - don't buy the tuna in oil - and see if you can encourage them to drink that way. Not only the water will hydrate them, it'll also contain some much-needed nutrients from the fish. Otherwise, you should take the animal to a vet. The consequences of inadequate food and water can be dire.Why? A cat who hasn't eaten for a while is considered to be starving, and starvation may have a damning physical effect on the cat's entire system. The same is true of dehydration, only the onset of dehydration is much quicker - and far more severe - than that of starvation. Every organ in the feline body relies on water and the nutritional content of food to properly function. Every single one. Starved and dehydrated organs will steal energy and water from the rest of the cat's body, a process that slows as the cat's bloodstream becomes less liquid itself. When feline organs lack sufficient food and fluids to function on the most basic level, they dry up and begin to shut down. Not only could this send the body into shock, it might cause irreversible damage to the cat's organs. If a starving and/or dehydrated cat does not receive swift treatment, it may face permanent health issues - if it survives at all. These are uncomfortable thoughts. They're scary. But it's important to state them as blankly as possible because you never want to take chances with a cat's intake of food and water.
Can a minor buy a rat as a pet from petco or petsmart?
my last 'feeder rat' that i got from the store you mentioned came to me sick and it turned into pneumonia. it was such a horrible experience for me and she was only about 6 months max when she died, i vowed never again to buy a feeder rat from a big store. they are bread to be feeders, not pets typically. my next two were babies of feeders from my friends daughter who bought a pregnant rat. my white one recently died at only 1 1/2 years old. i still have one from that pair and she has taken to her new siblings well. suggestion: look in the local classified ads like craigslist or ebay classifieds. my newest 2 additions actually came from a breeder. although this lady is new to breeding rats, the parents came from a breeder who moved to another state. they pick the parents based on lack of illness, longevity, etc. when it comes to dogs or cats or anything else i would never say go to a breeder! i think breeding animals is cruel when there are so many homeless animals who need love and a new home! but, when it comes to rats i believe it is ok to buy from a breeder. why? because rats are so cool and special. kind of like little puppies. you will love them as much as any other animal. unfortunately, they do not live very long to begin with. i have found the average to be somewhere between 2 - 3 years. you become so attached to them it is hard to let go so soon. so, i suggest finding a breeder. they will let you know if they have a litter ready to find new homes. you can have your parents talk to them and agree with your plans and then you can arrange to pick your new rat. i suggest researching on the sites tips to raising a healthy rat and signs to look for and pick up if for some reason it is sick...very rare, but you should know. i wish you a wonderful time as a rat owner. i am so glad your parents agreed. rats are by far the best of all of the rodents. they are very smart and trainable too. check out sites on how to do that too. your rat will love you and wish for you to pay attention to it every day. last tip: i bought this neck thing on a site called etsy. the lady calls them ratoobs. it is a fleece collar i can wear around my neck and carry around my rat or rats and do other things at the same time. they love it and they love getting to spend extra time with me...and me with them! happy new year. peace.
What's the best age for a cat for being adopted by a human family?
Thanks for the A2A.The question asked is: What's the best age for a cat for being adopted by a human family?I have adopted cats of many different ages, and they have all been good pets. That being said, I think your best bet is to adopt a grown cat, at least a year old but not too elderly: no older than about eight. Get it from a shelter, not a breeder.The problem with kittens (aside from the fact that they are demons in feline form) is that their personalities haven’t become evident yet. People sometimes think that if they get a very young kitten they can mold its personality so it grows up the way they want it to. But cats, like humans, are individuals. There are things about them that you will never be able to change.Kittens are very much alike. Every kitten is cute, playful, and snuggly. They are also hyperactive little terrors. (If you want some examples of that from my own experience, see my answer to What are some things that surprised you about owning a kitten?) Most of them are prepared to love anyone who is kind to them.Once a cat is past its kittenhood its true personality begins to show itself. Pandora, the younger of my two Siamese Cats, was a typical rambunctious little furball who loved everyone, feline or human. Now that she is grown she has made it quite clear that she would prefer to be an only cat. Our little (now deceased) tabby Sonia was also a typical kitten, but she grew up to be more of a cat’s cat than a people cat. She would have been miserable without other cats around.That’s just one example. The point is that with an adult cat you know what you are getting. Tell the folks at the shelter what sort of cat you are looking for. If there are young children in the house, for example, you will need an easygoing cat who can deal with kids. Not all cats can. You don’t want to end up with a pet that spends all its days hiding under the bed. (Though you shouldn’t worry if any cat you get is timid at first. It can take them a while to get used to new surroundings. Give it time.)There are times, though, that a cat will just pick you out and you will know that it is your cat. We went to the local shelter once looking specifically for a young female cat and then we saw a big tomcat of indeterminate age. He instantly knew we were his humans and after a few minutes with him we knew he was our kitty. We called him Gus. He was one of the best cats ever.