Purina isn't merely a pet food company. If you visit their website you'll see the tagline, "Your pets, our passion," and having worked with the company for over two years now, I can honestly say the people I know at Purina are all about that tagline.

So, when I found this page on their website, "Becoming a Cat Owner" - I thought I'd share it because it really covers the reality of being a cat owner. Understand that I love cats (and dogs, and turtles...but Purina doesn't make turtle food so we don't do turtles here - LOL), but I think they are often misunderstood.

Cats, for the uninitiated, are warm, loving, and playful. Cats are cuddly, funny, and interesting. Cats are every bit as dear to those of us who own them, as dogs are. The are just divine!

So, on the Purina site, where they talk cats, their call-out says, "Can you provide a minimum of two 20-minute play sessions every day?"

And, they complete their advice as follows, with my comments in brackets...[please visit site for complete info, and consider adopting an adult cat, too]

Are you ready for the commitment of caring for a full-time pet for the next 15 years or so? Cats are generally long-lived and many reach their 20's. [my cat, Wabby Wibby, seen here, is already 14  and likely to last at least another 4-5 years; I hope]

Do you have time to groom them regularly? Most moggies are quick and easy to care for but if you want a long-coated breed, daily hair care is necessary and can be very time consuming. [Indeed - cat owners I know who have long-haired darlings roll their eyes about this, but they do it! When I worked at a Cat Hospital, we routinely had long-haired cats admitted for the day, for dematting. Not a pleasant task, I can assure you!]

Can you afford a cat? Providing a bed, scratching post, toys, bowls, collar, etc. can be quite costly and vet fees can sometimes make for an unpleasant surprise. Pet insurance can help spread the cost as well as offering peace of mind. [Do provide toys and climbing/hiding furniture; do remember that cats are stalkers so some wind-up toys can provide a lot of fun; and do consider the pet health insurance suggestion. Be prepared - you do it for yourself, do it for your cat, too.]

And that's the most important part of the being a Cat Owner page on Purina's site. IMHO. You should hop over and choose the most important bullets for you, on your own.