€74.82 spent and I don't even have the blasted cat yet!!

I went shopping online the other night for cat supplies.  I mean, I need a litter tray and some litter, a bowl for its food and another for its water.  Oh, and a container to transport it in.  Maybe some toys.  Twenty euro at most, right?  Wrong!
First, I did a little research.  On trusted websites - I don't tend to believe advertisers' claims! - such as those run by animal societies and the like which give what I assume to be sensible advice to prospective pet owners.  Blimey! Cats are fussy little buggers, aren't they?  You chuck a blanket and and bowl of crud (or whatever passes for dog food) on the ground for a dog and it would crawl through a mile of shite and broken glass for you.  Not cats.  No, they need drinking fountains to keep the water oxygenated otherwise they won't drink the damned stuff, end up dehydrated and need a trip to the vets, and scratching posts so they don't shred your furniture like a cheese grater, and ceramic bowls  because apparently they don't do plastic.  Then there's the poop factor.  They need a litter tray.  But if it's an open one there's the issue of the litter spilling over the side when Frisky is burying its business.  Barf!  So it's a closed litter tray.  But then Frisky may not like the smell of the litter in the enclosed space and decide to take a mighty big crap in your bed instead, so you have to get one with a filter to purify the air (I ask you!).  And a mat to trap any loose bits on his paws.  And he may be allergic to the cheapo brand of litter, so best get a mid range brand.  But should I get clumping or non-clumping (I can't bear to think about what's in the clumps), bio-degradable or silica gel?  Bloody hell!  And don't talk to me about the food!  Wet or dry?  Tins or pouches?  High end like Purina Pro Plan (recommended by a suspiciously high number of vets which to me suggests a kick-back in a brown paper envelope), or low end tinned stuff which no doubt is made up of bits of melted plastic and diesel oil mixed with pigeon carcasses.

Head in an absolute tizzy, I went and had a drink of something strong and soothing before venturing back online to make my purchases.  Being a sensible sort, I decided to apply logic to the whole procedure. Thus, I decided on a closed-lid litter with a carbon filter as it means I will only have to look at the poops when cleaning it out each morning.  Though tempted by the ModKat litter box (retailing at a jaw dropping €149.99 on some sites), I decided to slum it down the other end of the price spectrum and get a lime coloured one with a cat flap on the front.  Reason?  The colour goes with my bathroom scheme.  Ah, logic!  You are my mistress!
I chose biodegradable clumping litter as it has the benefit of being flushable so I can dispose of the poo-poo down the toilet rather than having to bag it (barf) and bin it.  And it saves on plastic bags too.  Yay me!
After a ridiculous amount of research I decided to go for a water fountain.  Main reason: I can be a social butterfly and decide on a whim to go for dinner/drinks/cinema/friend's house at the drop of a hat.  The water fountain means I can avoid picturing the cat trying to drink its own urine in a bid to stay alive while I'm out gallivanting about town. 
Cardboard scratching pad: this was easy.  It costs 7.99; the price alone sold it.
Cat litter tray: a cheap one that had good reviews.
The "pet carrier" wasn't too much of an issue when it came down to practicalities - although I was overwhelmed by the choice out there.  I decided on a sports-bag type carrier as it can be folded up and put away in a small space - ideal for apartments. And I can leave the cat in it with the end open when I take it home - that way it can look out the sides and explore its new home in its own time and I won't have to try and extract a hissing fur ball from my car whilst wearing oven gloves and a hockey mask.

Right.  In the end my shopping list was as follows:

1 Trixie Sporty Pet Carrier- Size: 55 x 30 x 30 cm.  Cost: €15.90
1 Catit Design Fresh & Clear Drinking Fountain 3 Litre.  Cost:  €21.99
1 Savic Nestor Covered Litter Tray - light green.  Cost: €16.99  
1 Cat Litter Tray Mat- 50 x 50 cm. Cost: €5.99

1 Wave Cat Scratching Pad. Cost: €7.99

1 Cat's Best Öko Plus cat litter- 10 l.  Cost: €9.90

Total cost so far: €74.82 cents.  Total amount of stress: vein visible on temple. And I still haven't bought any food!

I'd better like this cat. 

Why BooCat?

Well, the cat's got to have a name, right?  And I'm not the sort of person to call an animal 'Twinky' or 'Fluffy' or other daft moniker, so I've decided on Boo Radley which of course is from To Kill A Mockingbird.  If you haven't read it yet, clap your palm over your face and get thee to a book store.  Or suitable website.  Or borrow a copy - there are 30 million copies of it out there, give or take.

Boo Radley, or Boo.  I hope he (or she) lives up to the name.

Boo Cat

So.  I'm getting a cat.  Why would you do that?, I hear you ask.  Are you a cat lover?  Are you enthralled by those tiny minions of Beelzebub? The answer would have to be a no.  I have always had my feet placed firmly in the dog lovers' camp.  I love dogs.  I love their wiggly welcomes, their rascally, devoted, slobbery, snugly selves.  I love taking them out for bracing walks on the beach, rambling the mountains, jogging in the suburbs.  I love their tongue lolling, their stick fetching, their galumphing energy.  I love their sensitivity to your mood, their loyalty and companionship.  


I've never had a cat.  I have, however, shared apartments and houses with people who've had cats, and been duly hissed at, scratched, terrorised, peed on and ambushed in the dark on many occasions by said spawn of Satan.  Suffice to say, I'm nervous around cats.  With dogs, I can take a reasonable stab at assessing their mood.  Their body language is pretty much out there for you to read.  I can generally tell if they're a friendly chap or a bit of a snarly beast.  
With a cat, I draw a blank.  I have no idea if an outstretched hand will be greeted with a purring welcome or left minus several digits.  So I tend to say a friendly "Hello, cat", keep my distance and leave it at that.  Even if a cat approaches me, or - cue heart in mouth - curls up on my lap, I make sure my hands are out of the way lest the white flag be withdrawn and I be destined enemy number one.  


So, why am I getting a cat?  Well, I made a promise that I'd adopt an animal when I bought my own place.  Admittedly, I thought my first place would be a three bed semi with a back garden and room for a dog, but it wasn't.  It's a two bed apartment.  Without a balcony.  I love it though and am loving my first home.  But there is no room for a dog.  And I'm at work all day, so the poor bugger would be locked in all day.  So a dog is a no no.  But a cat is doable. 


I've been contemplating the whole adopt a cat for a quite some time.  I moved in to my new pad in October, and have been keeping an eye on the DSPCA's website.  Fair enough, I've been looking at the dogs somewhat wistfully, but it's into the domain of cats I've decided to venture this time.  I have the space and the time for a cat.  There are so many abandoned pets out there it is shameful.  And I could give a cat a good home.  So, I'm off to the DSPCA on Saturday to meet the cats and see if there's one out there for me.  


I am quietly terrified.