How to Convince Your Mom to Get a Cat (The Best Way)
Here’s the thing, I’m going to be upfront about this from the start. We had a mom who would never in our wild dreams let us adopt a pet, and when I moved out of the house, the purrfect little kitty came into my life.
He was a stray that came ’round my husband Thomas and my house, and we took in that cat after falling in love with him, and after seeing how epic having a cat was (he already knew but it was now stupid obvious), my brother grew annoyed to the point where he just gave up on getting approval and adopted a cat from a shelter himself (Walker, the cat in the image below), while living under my mother’s roof.
Catit Design Senses Play Circuit Light Up Ball Track Cat Toy – Amazon / Chewy
Now? This cat is my mom’s cat. She literally became obsessed with him and when my brother moved out, he didn’t have the heart to take him with him because my mother was so attached to the cat.
So he lives with her, and my brother has had a number of cats since.
I tell you think because I think it’s important to note that there are some incredibly happy endings with parents who are not pet people.
They may not understand pets, may not see “the point” of them the way that you do because they just don’t understand what it’s like to have a pet, even though you can imagine it yourself.
Truth be told, having a pet is very different from how I imagined it, but it’s also better than I imagined, if I’m honest. It just jives with me.
Petmaker Kitty Cat Condo with Overhead Balcony – Amazon
And cats are so much less work than dogs that it’s insane.
To the point where taking care of my 3 cats is still I’m certain far easier than taking care of even one dog.
But anyways that’s not what you’re here for. You’re hear to learn how to convince your mom to let you get a cat in the best way possible.
And as you know these tips are written by someone with a mom who never let her (or her brother!) have a cat, but ended up loving the cat that her son brought into her life to the point where he was more hers than her own son’s.
Not every story is going to end up like this, but I hope these tips will help you get the approval you’re after, and honestly I think they would have likely worked on my mom if I had done them, but now I know more than I did then about cats and people’s pet aversions.
Anyways let’s do this!
The Best Ways to Convince Your Mom to Let You Get a Cat
1. Show you’re responsible, do your research.
This is the most important thing ever, and cannot be stressed more. Do your research. Figure out everything there is to life with a cat.
What food will you feed him or her? What litter will you use? What cat bag are you going to bring your pet home in and what will vet bills cost?
Where’s the litter box going to go? Are you going to get a kitten from a pet store (who’s hyperactive and a handful) or an adult cat from a shelter (who’s more chill and down to earth – highly recommend for parents that don’t want more on their plate!).
What do you have to do to make sure he or she doesn’t scratch up a couch? Are you able to pay for all this with a part time job? Can you do chores and errands around the house to make up for the cost?
What are the sticking point your mom has with the cat? Can you research the answers to those and make your parent feel you’re actually quite responsible? Okay next step…
Amazon Basics Soft-Sided Mesh Pet Travel Carrier, Small – Amazon
2. Ask your parents if you can volunteer at a shelter (even for a day!).
If you do this, it not only shows responsibility, but understanding of the type of animal you’re bringing in.
And it can go a long way in convincing your parent you’re learning to do exactly what you need to so this pet will be your responsibility and not your parents’.
3. If you have a friend with a cat, volunteer to cat sit for a day or two.
Ask your friends who have cats if they are going on vacation any time soon or if there’s a day on the weekend that they might need a cat sitter because they aren’t around as often.
This will give you experience with cats without hassle, and the more you understand how it will be to have cats in your house, the better.
If you can introduce your parents to the cat who you are cat sitting to and show them all the things you’re doing to care for that cat – even better!
If your parents agree to let you keep the cat in your house so you can cat sit from your own home, all the better again!
Because then your parents can see you being a responsible pet caretaker for themselves, can see how objectively little work cats take to maintain a healthy lifestyle for them, and can have more confidence in your ability to take care of your own pet without them needing to take on extra work themselves.
Interpet Pet Love Kat Tikkler Feather Wand Cat Toy – Amazon / eBay
4. Try to get your mom to meet cats that you think are friendly and nice. At a friend’s house or by visiting a shelter or pet store.
There’s a high chance that visiting a shelter will really help educate your mom or dad on how simple it is to care for a cat, and how chill and low-key they can be, especially when you adopt adults and not kittens.
If you would like your parent to realize just how incredible cats can be, in my opinion, sharing a bunch of videos online doesn’t do as well as actually meeting incredible cats in person, and you never know if your parent will fall in love with one in a shelter and allow you to take one home after all your hard work.
But if you have friends and family with cats, in the meantime you can and should also be trying to get your parent to somewhat watch and interact with those cats.
Because a lot of times people have perceptions of cats that aren’t true (like that they’re unpredictable or even scratch humans a lot).
You can’t dispel these concerns by just telling your parent otherwise, I think one-on-one experience with real cats is the only thing that can alleviate these fears. So the more face-to-face time you can get with your parent and a cat, the better.
Trixie Pet Products Minou Cuddly Cave – Amazon / Chewy
Your Thoughts on Convincing Moms to Get Cats?
Have you ever met a person who successfully convinced a parent to let them adopt a pet?
Have you ever had a parent who started out against having pets who changed their mind, like I did?
What other tips would you suggest trying for those who want a pet, but who’s mom is not on the same page?
And if you ever do try these tips, would love to know how any of them went with your own parent!
Would love to hear your thoughts, stories, and experiences in the comments down below!
Elise Xavier
Have three pet cats, Avery, Bjorn, & Athos whom I love to bits. Obsessed with cats. Figured I might as well blog about ’em.
Fond of my fluffies? See more of them on my personal blog, E&T. Dig KittyClysm? Check out all the other blogs I pen & photograph.
Elise’s Favourite Tip
One of the most frustrating problems I’ve had to deal with as a pet parent is staying on top of my cats’ desire to play. While this is typically hard to do, toys like these that allow cats to play by themselves make the job one heck of a lot easier.
The hits in my household are ridiculously affordable: cat springs, ball track toys, & kick sticks. I have a slew scattered around the house, so when my cats get bored, even if I’m busy or not even home, my furries are able to actively play.
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Hi, I’m Elise! Welcome to KittyClysm – a blog for cat lovers & kitty keepers. Join me & my three grumpy-lookin’ old man cats – Avery, Bjorn, & Athos – as I discuss cat topics like funny cat behaviours, cat training tips, feline facts, pet care advice and so much more!
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