6 Reasons Cats Are the Perfect (Purrfect!) Pet

Whether you’re a college student or recent grad living on your own, you’re bound to get lonely sometimes. Friends and significant others who visit occasionally are great, but there’s something about those evenings alone that doesn’t feel right. If this sounds like you, you might want to look into getting a pet. But which one to get? Dogs need a lot of attention, bunnies chew on wires, hermit crabs aren’t the cuddliest, and fish… Well, you might as well just get a pet rock at that point. As someone who was brought up in a family with a strong love of cats, I can vouch for the fact that while cats are a major commitment, they’re also the perfect (dare I say… purrfect?) pet! Let me show you why.

1. Cats are relatively low maintenance animals. Unlike dogs who need to be walked several times a day, or rabbits who are difficult to potty train, cats are relatively low maintenance animals. You need to feed them and clean their litter box, but that’s about it. No need to worry about walking your cat enough, regardless of whether you let it live indoors or outdoors! There are some cat breeds that are more low maintenance than others, and you can read more about that here to help you pick the perfect cat for you.

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2. They like to be clean. Cats are super clean animals. They love to be clean, and if they’re not clean, they’ll fix that. This isn’t the case for many fluffy animals. Dogs need to be bathed regularly (and if you live in a place where it often gets rainy, you’ll have a fluffy ball of mud to clean every single day). If you like to keep your house without anyone or anything ruining the level of cleanliness you enjoy, a cat is the pet for you.

3. They’re happy when you’re around, but they’re fine on their own. Independent and selectively social, cats are creatures who are happy to be with you, but also happy to enjoy their alone time. You don’t need to play with your cat constantly, and you don’t need to make sure they’re staying busy. You also don’t have to worry about coming home late from a party, or waking up early after a long night to keep your cat entertained. When you’re there, your cat will decide if it wants to spend time with you. When you’re not there, your cat will find a way to entertain itself.

4. Leaving them alone while you’re on vacation is easy. As I said before, cats are relatively low maintenance animals. Because of that, they’re quite easy to leave alone when you’re going away for up to a week or so. If you invest in a self-cleaning litter box and self-refilling food and water bowls, your cat will be good to go on its own for a while. In fact, most cats get more stressed when they have to stay outside of their home for a period of time, as opposed to just staying in the home that they’re used to without their owner present.

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5. They like to play, but they also like to just relax. Cats are super chill animals. They sleep for about 13-16 hours a day, so they’re bound to give you a lot of time to yourself. That being said, they’re still awake for 8-11 hours a day. That means they’ll still want to play, and they’ll still want your attention at some point when they’re awake. But at least you know they’re unlikely to keep you from doing your work unless they’re trying to sit on your laptop or distract you with their cuteness!

6. They’re an amazing companion for 12-20 years of your life. Just because cats are mostly low maintenance animals, it doesn’t mean it’s not a commitment to get one. Cats can live anywhere from about 12 to 20 years of age, so if you adopt a baby, that baby will spend much of your own life with you. Don’t get a cat if you want a companion for a year or two, because no animal deserves to be abandoned when their owner gets bored. However, a great alternative to adoption is fostering. If you’re not ready to commit to a cat for the duration of its lifetime, consider fostering a cat or two. This means you’ll be providing a home for kitties who aren’t yet adopted but can be adopted at any time. And if you change your mind along the way and decide you do want to commit to a cat permanently after all, most fostering agencies will allow you to make that permanent switch to adoption.

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While I hope that I’ve convinced you that cats are the purrfect pet, do keep in mind that just as with any living thing, problems do happen. Your cat could get sick or into an accident, and it will be your responsibility to care for it, even though doing so may be costly. Please don’t get a cat (or any pet, for that matter) unless you’re ready to commit fully to giving that animal a worthwhile life! And if you think you’re ready for that responsibility, then go for it: give that kitty the wonderful life it deserves.