cat?

[Rafa]

After reading the 'dog' thread, it got me thinking. Does anyone have any experience with owning a cat, or thoughts about the possibility of keeping one in med school? I've had a dog before, but never a cat, so I'm not sure how they behave. I've heard they're more independent than dogs, but I don't know if having one during M1-M4 (and beyond) would be a good idea for the cat, or for me. But I wouldn't mind having one. I've been growing curious about the little buggers for some years now.

Any thoughts?

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[novawildcat]

I love cats. Cats are 20x's more easier to take care of than dogs. The only thing you have to do for a cat is feed it. If you let it outside it will go to the bathroom and bury it (but if you want an indoor cat you will obviously have to clean the litter box). All of the cats that I have had were extremely intelligent and very playful. Depending on the breed and how you raise a kitten, they can be very social and friendly unlike their stereotypes suggest. Kittens/new cats also can be house broken in literally a few days or a little over a week. Puppies on the other hand usually take a lot longer.

 

[BlinkyCat]

After reading the 'dog' thread, it got me thinking. Does anyone have any experience with owning a cat, or thoughts about the possibility of keeping one in med school? I've had a dog before, but never a cat, so I'm not sure how they behave. I've heard they're more independent than dogs, but I don't know if having one during M1-M4 (and beyond) would be a good idea for the cat, or for me. But I wouldn't mind having one. I've been growing curious about the little buggers for some years now.

Any thoughts?

I think cats are less high-maintenance. They potty on their own, play on their own, and don't smell. I am thinking of getting a kitten during med school. Although, I have to warn you, cats are less emotionally needy...so if you're looking for a furry friend to be at your feet 24/7, then cat may not suffice. If you're just looking for a furry friend to snuggle with you when you sleep...or when it feels like it...then cats are the best!

I think if you leave a kitten at home while you're in class, it's ok..but if you leave a puppy at home, it might start to get really depressed...and sad...

 

[Kimka83]

Yes! I love cats!
I have two cats that I adopted from the Humane Society when I got an apartment. Seriously, cats are the perfect pet. They are really independent, so they won't get depressed if you are gone all day at class/rotations. But they aren't totally antisocial. My cats come to the door when they hear my keys in the lock, and they meow like crazy . . . they really do adore affection when I am home. Honestly, if you go out of town for a few days, you can just leave extra food and water out, and they are fine and happy when you return. No yard necessary. They are really great pets. I would suggest, if you are going to get a kitten and anticipate being gone a lot, you should get two kittens. It really isn't any extra work to take care of two . . . and that way they have each other to play with. They are so great!
(Can you tell I'm a cat person?!?)

 

[MEG@COOL]

The cat should be fine while you are gone during the day if given food and water. Just give it attention at night and it will probably be happy.

 

[oneaat]

i had a cat for 8 years (then he died). cats typically don't require any attention - in fact if you get one from a shelter that was abused, they can be very shy. basically, as long as you give it food and water and pet it while you're watching tv, you can own a cat! the only thing is cats are expensive - count on a couple hundred dollar vet visits at least 2 or 3 times a year. but i'm hoping to get one this summer if/when i move to school

 

[oneaat]

posted x 2

 

[Doctormo24]

LOL, when i saw the thread cats? I started laughing a bit. For a minute i thought about coming on SDN tmrw and seeing Bird? Iguana? Rabbit? I dont know about any of you all but I would love to bring my cockatiel with me to Med School. I had to give her away 2 years ago to a friend because my mom got allergies something that I thought I would never have to do, it was so hard, she was my first pet, my best friend, and I LOVED HER SO MUCH, AND I STILL DO. ONE DAY she will be back with me and then I WILL NEVER LET HER GO AGAIN.

 

[cadilakgrl]

go for it!! i love my cat (see my avatar he is so cute)! he requires a lot of attention when i get home because he is still a kitten, but he is fine by himself during the day. i seriously think cats can be great stress-relievers. the only worry i have is that some student housing apartments don't allow animals.

 

[BaylorGuy]

LOL, when i saw the thread cats? I started laughing a bit. For a minute i thought about coming on SDN tmrw and seeing Bird? Iguana? Rabbit? I dont know about any of you all but I would love to bring my cockatiel with me to Med School. I had to give her away 2 years ago to a friend because my mom got allergies something that I thought I would never have to do, it was so hard, she was my first pet, my best friend, and I LOVED HER SO MUCH, AND I STILL DO. ONE DAY she will be back with me and then I WILL NEVER LET HER GO AGAIN.

Hahahaha, nice, i'm just waiting for it now.

I've definitely considered getting a cat for all the reasons stated above....less needy, relatively clean, personally i like the mystique.

I've also considered a hedgehog for pretty much the same reasons. Something that is low maintenance, but still cute to hang around with for a while when it is needed. I think the biggest thing would be the smell, especially if its a naughty cat.

 

[Rafa]

Wow - thanks you guys. This is starting to look feasible :^)

Any recommendations on getting a kitten v. an already grown cat? And yeah, I'd go with a shelter in either case. About how expensive is it to have, and to take care of a cat? Do they need shots? Spaying? Neutering? Food? (jk about the last one)

 

[lattimer13]

very easy to take care of...basically their day includes sleeping, eating, pooping, and lots more sleeping. i'm an MS3 and i can leave for 12 hours and come back and find the cat looking like it hasn't moved all day...they are very independent and would be much eaiser to have than a dog while in med school. just give it a litter box, bowl of food and some water and change/refill each once a day and you're golden.

 

[BlinkyCat]

Wow - thanks you guys. This is starting to look feasible :^)

Any recommendations on getting a kitten v. an already grown cat? And yeah, I'd go with a shelter in either case. About how expensive is it to have, and to take care of a cat? Do they need shots? Spaying? Neutering? Food? (jk about the last one)

Well, it's not so expensive if you don't want it to be... I adopt my kitten at Petco, and it was only about $100 but only because they did all the shots and spaying already... Food is not bad at all... We got a HUGE bag of food that would last like several months for only $12 bucks...

I think it is better to adopt a kitten as oppose to a cat because you can train your kitten easier than a grown cat. Also, kittens can get use to all your weird habits and such so that it can adapt to you alot easier. If you are noisy or have dogs or anything potentially scary objects, a kitten gets use to these things easily. Big cats seem to freak out and hide under the couch... Aww I miss my cats...

I got a kitten in November, and he's so cute. At night when you're sleeping, he'll come and push his little paws on your face to wake you up to play... My other cat, she knows how to fetch.. just like a dog! (minus the smell of a dog)
ok..i'll stop now..

 

[DORocksMySocks]

I have two cats, they were strays and my grandfather's house and I have taken them in. Their names are Mork and Mindy...and they are lovely. They are strictly indoors...so I have to clean the litters. I don't mind, that is part of my am and pm ritual. I have had cats all of my life...my parents always kept at least three indoors when I was growing up. I really think that they have advantages over dogs, since you don't have to take tons of time out of your day for them. Most of the time, you can even leave cat food out all day (dry) and they can graze! I think you should get one....and look into a Humane Society...great place to adopt great animals.

 

[McPoyle]

get cats, get two if you have the option so that they can play, it is fairly amusing to watch them fight...
I grew up with cats however and am pretty partial to them. Each one has its own attitude too, usually a defiant attitude. m I dunno, I like cats, they're fun, low maintanance...

 

[the alchemist]

i have 2 cats (2.5 yo female and a 10 month old male kitten). ppl might say that cats r more independent or aloof than dogs, and that *might* b true in a general sense, but it really depends on the individual cat. my female is skittish and afraid of all males - probably was abused by a man as a stray - while my younger male was born in a house and is not afraid of anyone. he's also friendly with the older cat cuz he grew up in a rat shelter / house with other cats and pet rats whereas my older one, she hissed and hit the younger one 4 about 2 weeks every day so he had 2 b locked in his own room during the day when we weren't home. i was worried that the 1st time i let him stay out with the older one when i was at work, that she would've hurt him by the time i got home, but no one killed anyone so since that day, they have been friends (though she won't let him sleep with her) and both sleep in my room at night (she in her bed and he in mine). so it really depends on the cat - i suggest playing with ur potential kitty 2 get a feel 4 his/her personality (though animals might b shyer in a shelter than at home). sometimes kittens r more work and needy than older cats (and they'll always b adopted at a shelter whereas older cats get overlooked). so i wouldn't suggest getting a kitten unless u have some bulk of time 2 b with them (or maybe adopt 2 siblings) - cuz i had 2 train my cats 2 not do certain things like jump on the kitchen table and counter and not 2 drink out the toilet (not so successful with this one so we have 2 put the lid down), chew on wires (like on the TV and computer), not 2 scratch inappropriate things and 2 use the board, etc. u can usually adopt from a shelter from anywhere around $25 to $100+ but most r closer 2 the $100 end if they've fixed the animal and given shots. cats need distemper and rabies shots every 1 or 3 yrs depending on the vaccine the vet uses and an office visit with shots can run from $50-80 usually. though u can usually find mobile vet clinics or go 2 ur local shelter if they have a clinic and get the shots 4 around $10. getting an animal fixed will run around $50 for a spay and $35 for a neutering from shelter clinics but around $100 at a vet. even if u're going 2 have an indoor cat, u should fix ur cat - males will spray if u don't and females can get an inflammatory uterine disease called pyometra if they successively go into heat and do not get pregnant and the hysterectomy 2 save her will cost way more than the spay. plus fixing the animal usually makes them behave better. usually if the cat is young and healthy, a vet visit once a year 4 shots is all u'll need but keep in mind that when they get older, u might need 2 visit the vet more often and it might get more costly. if ur cat will b outdoor, u might have 2 give them a monthly flea topical (usually costs $30-50 for a 4 or 6 month package) - never use the hartz flea collar (u can check out www.hartzvictims.org 2 c why not). cost 4 food depends on what u choose 2 feed them. i think cats r great so if u really have the time and commitment, i say go 4 it.

 

[Messerschmitts]

I thought I was a dog person until I adopted two abandonned kittens I found in a park (male=Coltrane, female=Meowth). If I had never found those kittens, the thought of raising a cat would have never even crossed my mind; and now I have two of them! My cats are the best pets I have ever owned, truly the "busy person's pet". Since I raise them in the yard and never let them in the house, they are the most low-maintence pets you can possibly imagine. However, despite being low-maintence, they are extremely affectionate towards me, and only me. If the neighbours want to pet them, they run away. However, if I call them from anywhere in the yard they'll come running up to me.

Most cat-owners recommend raising indoor cats, because they have less opportunity to "get into trouble" (viz., run over by car, mauled by neighbour's dog, etc.) However, I actually recommend raising cats in the yard if you have one, since it gives them more freedom, and more importantly there's no possibility of them scratching up your furniture. De-clawing cats is absurd and cruel. Be sure to neuter/spay them though. I like the idea that my cats are my "guests". I don't like keeping a "prisoner"/slave. My cats are free to leave at any time, there are no barriers or fences. And yet, they are smart enough to know what's best for them, and choose to stay. Gives me a good feeling to be raising "freecats".

Be sure to build/buy them a "cathouse" though for shelter if you raise outdoor cats. Also it's imperative you don't declaw an outdoor cat; they would be defenseless against neighbourhood cats, racoons, oppossums, etc.

I buy Meow Mix, Friskies, or any other medium quality dry cat food that are available at the 99-cent store. They also get canned food as a treat twice a week.

 

[dr.z]

The cat should be fine while you are gone during the day if given food and water. Just give it attention at night and it will probably be happy.

I'm hardly home, and my cat does well. I'm sure she misses me a lot during the day, but she takes care of herself.

 

[Syranope2]

i have two cats that i've had for 10 years at home but just brought to school last month (i'm an ms2). it's been great having them around again. since there's two, they can play with each other when i'm not around.

i am getting a bit of experience with the whole money issue, though. my older cat (13 yo) was just diagnosed with diabetes, so now i'm buying insulin at about $40 a month and special diabetic cat food at $30 a bag. it's more expensive than i'm used to, but definitely worth it. i've had several people tell me i should just put her to sleep, but i could never do that. it's actually been educational to brush up on my endocrine stuff. and now i'm getting tons of experience in giving shots (albeit in the scruff of the neck of a cat. still, though, it's something ).

point of this post, though, was to reeeeeally strongly encourage you to get some cats. you will love them to death and they will love you to death, too (but only when they feel like it and they're not asleep).

 

[novawildcat]

If you do decide to get a cat please rescue one from the humane society or better yet the SPCA (which puts animals to sleep if no one takes them in).

 

[the alchemist]

De-clawing cats is absurd and cruel. Be sure to neuter/spay them though.

i agree. actually when u declaw a cat, the vet is cutting off their 1st knuckle. after all, when u lose a nail, doesn't it always grow back? same 4 the cat if they lose a claw, it'll grow back. that's why if u look at declawed cats, their feet look different than not declawed cats.

outdoor cats r ok (although i chose 2 keep my strictly indoors and they don't have an interest in outside anyway - my older one that was a stray is afraid of outdoors and even peed on me when i took her out, ran up the steps and back into the house) but remember 2 give them a monthly flea topical if u plan on ever letting them in ur house - or u might get some unwelcome guests! and def, give them shelter of some sort, maybe with a body warming thermal blanket inside cuz outside cats r prone 2 upper respiratory infections in the winter. they also r more prone 2 intestinal worms, so u might want 2 give them drontal every couple of months. most kittens born from strays need 2 b dewormed - i found out when my older cat (though she had been dewormed but not with strong enough meds) vomited on the carpet and there were LIVE roundworms moving around in it. totally nasty! u should suspect worms, especially if they have a bloated belly area.

 

[annamarie]

An alternative to declawing is Softpaws--they are little fake nails for cats! My cat had pink ones on all summer and now has red nails. They glue on really easily with superglue (included) and aren't too hard to apply. I usually wrap my cat up in a towel, then pull one paw out at a time. So cute

http://www.softpaws.com/

 

[masterMood]

if its an older cat it may not be wise to get it neutered because it could result in massive bleeding.

and all cat owners will like this
http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/kittycat.php

 

[BlinkyCat]

An alternative to declawing is Softpaws--they are little fake nails for cats! My cat had pink ones on all summer and now has red nails. They glue on really easily with superglue (included) and aren't too hard to apply. I usually wrap my cat up in a towel, then pull one paw out at a time. So cute

http://www.softpaws.com/

awww so cute!! will it come off if your cat tries to lick it? My cat likes to lick everything even medication...

 

[LucidSplash]

I agree cats are the way to go if you are looking for the lesser maintenance option (as compared to dogs). I do recommend getting two, especially if you get a kitten, because they do like company. Being in med school, you won't feel guilty that your cat is not getting the exercise or companionship it needs because it has a friend.

I just had to put down my cat that I have had since the day he was born, 10 years ago. We were going to wait a few more months to get another, but our remaining cat was driving us CRAZY. She had never been without a cat companion before and she was so needy and bored. So we just got a new kitten to be her friend.

If you are looking for the easiest route possible and are willing to take on a little more cost up front, I totally recommend the littermaid automatic litterbox (with the tent) and a programmable automatic feeder and a water dish that filters the water. With these items, I can go away for the weekend and I don't need to worry about my cats having the essentials. Also, I like the programmable feeder because they don't get fat that way. The cat I just put down was 15 lbs, but he was VERY long and completely within the body weight range for a healthy cat of his size. HOWEVER, he used to be a fatty at like 18 lbs before I got that feeder and put him on a regimented diet.

These are the products I have for super low maintenance cats:
AutoPetOasis
AutoPetFeeder
Littermaid

Good luck!

 

[masterMood]

get a ragdoll cat.
they're know for their docility and when you pick them up, they become limp and relax. Many cats however don't like to be picked up but this cat is amazing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragdoll_cat

 

[annamarie]

awww so cute!! will it come off if your cat tries to lick it? My cat likes to lick everything even medication...

Thank you Nope, they don't come off until about 6 weeks or so after you put them on. Then, they start coming off one by one over the course of the next few weeks, and you can just replace them one at a time. I usually push on her paw to extend her nail while I'm putting the nail on, then keep pushing on her paw to keep the nail extended for about 15 seconds or so to let the glue dry. She can lick/chew all she wants, and they won't come off till they're ready!

Honestly, they are so great. If you check out the website, they even have some "french manicure" looks! Let me know if you have any more questions!

 

[LucidSplash]

awww so cute!! will it come off if your cat tries to lick it? My cat likes to lick everything even medication...

They are superglued on. I had them for my kitten a couple of years ago and she used to chew them off eventually and we'd have to replace a couple (although not all of them) a week. I stopped using them as she got older so I don't know if they work better on older cats who are not growing and might be a little less active than a young kitten.

But I want to get new furniture soon so I may try them again for the older cats.

 

[masterMood]

can you have leather furniture (i.e. leather chairs, leather coaches, etc.) or will the cat pierce through it with its claws of doomdom

 

[the alchemist]

get a ragdoll cat.
they're know for their docility and when you pick them up, they become limp and relax. Many cats however don't like to be picked up but this cat is amazing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragdoll_cat

ragdolls r sweet (someone i know has 2) but can b very expensive if u get them from a breeder. and also btw, they can grow up 2 weigh 20-25 lbs sometimes, like a maine coon cat - they can get pretty heavy

 

[medworm]

I second the getting two cats, otherwise your single cat gets depressed. You gotta pick wisely though. (My fun kitten became neurotic, and the neurotic one became kinda fun.) Look for bright, clear eyes and clean coat when selecting a healthy cat.

Your cat will naturally pick his/her hang out places and sleep pod -- don't force it. DO NOT DECLAW your cat, or they won't survive on the streets if they accidentally run away or get lost. Get them used to a scratching post and trim their nails every 2-3 weeks, and your Pottery Barn furniture will be saved.

It's not much work at all, the hard part is the litter scooping (3x a week, daily is preferred)! Even short-haired cats shed a lot, and lint rollers are a quick fix. In all, cats are cute and fun roommates.

I plan to teach mine how to read med school textbooks! Good luck!

 

[dr.kicia]

i absolutely love cats. I have 2 and they are the best thing i ever got.
They give me so much love. If anything i recomend a "blue russian" bread. They are very inteligent and affectionate
here is the picture of my Gaudi
http://uic.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30195484

 

[relema]

I would hate to not have my cat. She is not too hard to take care of and she always tries to get in the middle of my notes when i study I am actually home more now that i am in med school then when i worked last year so i think having a cat in med school is A ok.

 

[Rafa]

Um...are cat fleas/lice transferable to humans?

 

[the alchemist]

Um...are cat fleas/lice transferable to humans?

i dunno about lice but most fleas and ticks will also bite humans. some of the flea topicals (like frontline plus, revolution) also keep away ticks. however, fleas and ticks do like more fur 2 hide in so if its b/t u and the cat, they'll go 4 the cat anyday.

an ex-roommate with 2 cats and a dog had 1 cat get out and come back pregnant and with fleas. he picked at least 75 fleas off of one kitten alone, they had 2 treat all 3 animals 4 fleas at the vet's and call an exterminator. my other friend's roommate brought home stray kittens and within a short period of time, they also had to exterminate their apt. and just b/c u keep ur pets indoors doesn't mean they can't get fleas/ticks. my house is in a woody area and one of my indoor kitties got fleas cuz i found "flea dirt" (dried blood/feces from the fleas, looks like little commas) in his light colored bed....and he used 2 also sleep in my bed and i started getting little really itchy bites on my ankles. problem was solved once i started giving them a monthly topical. no more flea dirt, no more ankle bites

 

[mantraman1010]

I owned a pet cat once. It came to the front of our porch and we gave it some bread and milk to eat and stayed with us for like almost six months. The only drawbacks to having cats is that they need to be carefully watched for fleas (being true for any furry animal), and those nasty worms that develop over time. Also make sure you get your get neutered becasue I hear they can have litters like rabbits. Other than that, I agree cats are the way to go, requires much less care than a dog. Unfortunately we let the cat out to play in the yard once and it ran away and we could not find it since. Hope its still alive and doing well. Even less care required is fish, I want fish as pets. Get a self-monitoring take and you are good to go.

 

[BaylorGuy]

What cats that are either hairless or dont shed (or if they do, they do it miniminally).

Other breeds of cats that are cool: Bengal, Serval, Maine coon, abyssinian...check out google pictures

 

[All4MyDaughter]

I have three cats and one dog, all rescues.

Keep your car exclusively indoors. It is better for the animal's health and safety and you won't have to worry about fleas/parasites at all.

Don't de-claw. You can learn how to clip your cat's claws or try those claw covers. We clip our three cats' claws - it is cheaper.

Get several scratching posts and have enough toys lying around for the cat to play with. This should cut down on problem behaviors

ALWAYS spay or neuter your pet. No exceptions, no excuses. If you adopt from a reputable animal rescue organization it will already be altered when you leave with it.

I now prefer adopting an adult animal over a kitten. Two of my cats I raised from kittens and it was a much bigger PITA than just getting an adult cat. I don't think I'll ever get another juvenile animal. There are more adult animals needing homes anyway.

Cats are awesome!

 

[pagemmapants]

I have a kitty named Skid (his "formal" name is Skedaddle the Bandit) and now I can't imagine how I ever lived for so long without a pet. Picked him up at a pound for $35 with all his shots and post-fixing so I didn't even have to do any of that (in fact, we haven't even been to the vet at all yet since he's an indoor cat and the worst malady he's ever gotten is ear mites) and he's relatively cheap to maintain except that for some reason growing kitties poop a whole lot. Yeah, sometimes he wakes me up early on weekends because he wants to play, but I can spend a whole hour just playing fetch with him and there's nothing nicer than a fat kitty curled up in your lap when you're reading a book on the couch or something. Plus when they're young they do completely ******ed things like run into the wall or fall off things or make ridiculous noises. Skid can jump 4 feet straight up!

 

[xTiggerx]

I have a kitty named Skid (his "formal" name is Skedaddle the Bandit) and now I can't imagine how I ever lived for so long without a pet. Picked him up at a pound for $35 with all his shots and post-fixing so I didn't even have to do any of that (in fact, we haven't even been to the vet at all yet since he's an indoor cat and the worst malady he's ever gotten is ear mites) and he's relatively cheap to maintain except that for some reason growing kitties poop a whole lot. Yeah, sometimes he wakes me up early on weekends because he wants to play, but I can spend a whole hour just playing fetch with him and there's nothing nicer than a fat kitty curled up in your lap when you're reading a book on the couch or something. Plus when they're young they do completely ******ed things like run into the wall or fall off things or make ridiculous noises. Skid can jump 4 feet straight up!

aww your post brought a smile to my face because it reminded me of my cat that I recently had to surrender to the local shelter (apartment didn't allow cats) cats can be such good companions and so low maintenance... and i totally agree about the whole growing and pooping alot. i never really had a problem with raising a kitten and after you adopt a cat from an organization and keep them indoors, they really hardly ever have to go to the vet. I only had to take my cat to get the remainder of his vaccinations (i didnt get him a rabies shot since he never ventured outside) and he stayed really healthy, clean and got really fat. I cried when I had to give him away but I think he was adopted really quick and found a good forever-home.

 

[geekOCD]

What cats that are either hairless or dont shed (or if they do, they do it miniminally).

There's two types of "hairless" cats - the sphynx (more like a normal cat, but "hairless" and the peterbald (like a "hairless" siamese). I say they're hairless in quotation marks b/c they actually have very fine, short fur, like velvet. I actually love hairless cats and hope to get one one day =)

 

[jrae]

I love cats and would get one over a dog except for:
1) my 17 year old tabby who I got in the 2nd grade died this past fall and it just seems wrong to get a new cat right now.

2) I've developed increasingly worse allergies since high school when I was no longer exposed every day. Now when I go home (4 cats and 4 dogs!!) I am luck to come back able to see and breath. Also my bf is pretty allergic to cats.

3) I like being able to have an excercise buddy. With the exception of my other childhood cat, Kerouac, who was leash trained, they are less likely to force you into a good run every day.

Just make sure you get your pet fixed and keep up on its shots. Also, know that cats, unlike some dog breeds, are a very long term commitment. Most of the cats my family has have lived to be 15-18 yrs old. It's unfair to get a pet then get rid of it when your lifestyle no loger allows you to keep it. Lastly they get more expensive to maintain as they get older. Tabby (my cat the just died) went from weighing 12lbs to just under 5 in less than 6 months due to kidney failure. It was a sad day wehn I had to put her to sleep.......crap now I'm all teary eyed at work.

 

[sanford_w/o_son]

So I'm about to apply to schools, but in the meantime I would really like to bring a couple cats back into my life. But I can't do this if they are not allowed in the housing that certain schools offer (namely, schools in expensive areas with subsidized housing). Can anyone tell me what the pet policy is at any of the NY-area schools' housing? I'm specifically interested in learning about housing pet policies at AECOM, Cornell, NYU, and MSSM, and I can't find anything about this on their websites. Thanks.

 

[geekOCD]

As far as I know, cats aren't allowed at either AECOM or MSSM. But someone I asked about it at AECOM said that they knew someone who had one secretly...basically you just need to work it out w/ your roommate and don't show up carrying large bags of cat food. They didn't make it sound very common though.

 

[sanford_w/o_son]

As far as I know, cats aren't allowed at either AECOM or MSSM. But someone I asked about it at AECOM said that they knew someone who had one secretly...basically you just need to work it out w/ your roommate and don't show up carrying large bags of cat food. They didn't make it sound very common though.

sad to hear. i guess i could volunteer as a foster home in the meantime. anyone else hear anything about these schools?

 

[gossmer]

Best advice I can give you - get a water gun. A big whoopass water gun. Not some sissy spray bottle. If you squirt them with water when they're kittens, they will be so well trained it's silly. I did that with mine and they are the best behaved cats you'll ever see. It sounds mean, but it doesn't hurt them. And they never go after the furniture, the curtains, etc. Of course they are so spoiled otherwise with cat trees, etc, they have no need to claw other things. And I keep their nails clipped short (I would never declaw them)

 

[Rafa]

I'm still a bit nervous about the whole flea deal. The thought of having crawly critters working their way through my clothes and bedsheets isn't a comforting one at all. Apart from that, I would *love* to have a cat. I've never had one before, but I think I'm at a point in my life where this feels possible, feels right. I'm just...this whole flea thing.

 

[sanford_w/o_son]

the severity of the flea thing depends on where you live (was this discussed earlier? too lazy to see). down south it's a big deal, and this is a big reason not to let your cats outside. up north it doesn't seem to be that big of a deal.

but even down south, my experience living with flea-infested animals was that the fleas mostly wanted to stay on the animals. it seems to be a nicer environment for them. and the cats had smaller fleas than our dog. they're more like "jumpy" critters, and too small to appear disgusting. and they don't sting or give any unpleasant sensation. just itch.

 

[cadilakgrl]

So I'm about to apply to schools, but in the meantime I would really like to bring a couple cats back into my life. But I can't do this if they are not allowed in the housing that certain schools offer (namely, schools in expensive areas with subsidized housing). Can anyone tell me what the pet policy is at any of the NY-area schools' housing? I'm specifically interested in learning about housing pet policies at AECOM, Cornell, NYU, and MSSM, and I can't find anything about this on their websites. Thanks.

I think Cornell doesn't allow cats. Housing for first years is a very small dorm room and I don't think a cat would be very happy there. It seems a little tough to find campus housing that will allow pets UCSD couples/family housing is the only one I have come across in my interviews.

 

[medhacker]

After reading the 'dog' thread, it got me thinking. Does anyone have any experience with owning a cat, or thoughts about the possibility of keeping one in med school? I've had a dog before, but never a cat, so I'm not sure how they behave. I've heard they're more independent than dogs, but I don't know if having one during M1-M4 (and beyond) would be a good idea for the cat, or for me. But I wouldn't mind having one. I've been growing curious about the little buggers for some years now.

Any thoughts?

It is much easier to find rental places with a cat as opposed to a dog, that's for sure