[blparent] Adopting a Pet

[Barbara Hammel]

As far as introducing the cat and the dog, it depends on the animals.  If 
they're both laid back you may want to just let them be together at first. 
I think probably the best thing to do, though, would be to put them in 
different rooms where they can smell each other under a door or give them 
each something to lay on to put their scent on it then give it to the other 
one to get familiar with that smell.
The cat will probably be hissy at first but like Michael said, cats usually 
pick their owners.  We have declawed our cats and so when doors are most 
likely to be opened to the outside, they are kept in the basememt.  Mind 
you, it's not as cruel as it sounds, we let them out in the evenings and all 
night and on days when no one is coming or going, they stay out all day. 
One of them would dearly love to go out and when he has gotten out, he's a 
tiger to get back in.
Cats can also be taught to be careful with their claws.  You'd want to have 
a scratching post or something because they do love to scratch, it helps 
keep their claws sharp.  Our cats do it even without claws.  One loves to do 
it on my Braillewriter case.  Where ever it is, he finds it.  It's kind of 
funny.

As far as Sarah, I'd just tell her the cat's visiting.  She's probably going 
to have a cry if you decide not to keep it just because she wanted it.
The cat is going to spray or not spray regardless if he's fixed or not.  We 
had one who sprayed quite a bit and he was fixed.  The two we have now have 
never done it.

If you've any more questions, you can write me off list and I'll try to 
help.
Barbara




Let every nation know whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay 
any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose 
any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.--John 
F. Kennedy
-----Original Message----- 
From: Jo Elizabeth Pinto
Sent: Thursday, October 06, 2011 11:57 AM
To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
Subject: [blparent] Adopting a Pet

Hello.  Gerald and I are considering in taking a stray cat who needs a home. 
The cat is healthy, has had his shots, been checked for worms and leukemia. 
He's not fixed or de-clawed.  I don't know much about cats, so I have a few 
questions.

What do I need to know before trying to introduce the cat to my guide dog?

I'd like to take the cat on a trial basis for a few days.  How can I make it 
clear to my three-year-old that the kitty is going to stay through the 
weekend, and then we'll see from there?  Would that idea be too hard on her?

I know de-clawing is beyond the scope of this list, but is it something I 
should consider doing because of Sarah?

Jo Elizabeth

"How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, 
compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of 
the weak and the strong.  Because someday in life you will have been all of 
these."--George Washington Carver, 1864-1943, American scientist
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