Should You Own a Cat as a Student?

New Zealand loves cats. We have one of the highest rates of cat ownership in the world. But is owning one realistic for students?

Iona Anderson, president of Cats Protection Wellington, says there is a lot to consider before adopting a cat. 

“There are some things we’d want to talk through with a student wanting to adopt,” says Anderson. “How long will they be a student for? Are they intending to travel at the end of uni—a lot of people want to get out of the country, and a cat’s not going to fit easily into that—and how secure is their accommodation?

“A good third of the cats which come to us come because people cannot find rentals which accept pets.” 

Beyond housing security, the length of your tenancy is another important consideration as cats can live for 16 to 18 years. 

“Some cats are happy as long as they are with their human. But a lot of cats find constant movement really stressful because they depend on routine and stability. The change of environment, flatmates, and so forth may not be a happy environment for the cat.

“Equally, if you have an indoor cat, are your flatmates prepared to help keep the cat indoors? It’s incredibly easy to leave a door or window open once, and then the cat is gone.”

That leads to one of the more contentious debates about cat ownership: should your cat live indoors? 

An indoor cat will not be run over, prey on native wildlife, or fight other cats. Anderson says kittens that have not completed their vaccinations should always be kept indoors. For older cats, indoor living is still worth considering. 

“Naturally, cats are predators. So we need to limit their need for prey. If a cat has indoor space, height, and interaction, then they can burn off that energy. But a fully-indoor cat will need more time playing with wand toys and prey toys so they can use their natural energy and not get bound up with anxiety.”If keeping a cat fully indoors is impractical, Anderson suggests keeping the cat inside at night. This can improve the cat's safety while helping to protect  nocturnal wildlife. 

A recent study, using New Zealand cats, published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science, found transitioning an outdoor cat to an indoor cat took the majority of cats just a few weeks. Anderson cautions, however, against assuming every cat will adapt: cats are all individuals with different personalities.

Brightly coloured collars and bells can also help protect wildlife, although Anderson advises against buying the cheapest collar available. The safest option is a breakaway collar, which is designed to release if it becomes caught on something. A non-breakaway collar can pose a strangulation risk. 

There are also expenses to consider. Cats require annual vaccinations, good-quality food and, for indoor cats, litter. An unexpected trip to the vet can also be costly. Anderson gives unexpected dental work as an example, saying it could cost up to $1,200. 

One option is Cats Protection League’s Care for Life programme. For senior cats, which can be harder to rehome, the league covers veterinary costs and charges no adoption fee. Foster carers pay only for food, litter, and transport to veterinary appointments. 

“When I’m saying have you thought about this and this and that, it sounds as if we’d never send a student home with a cat,” Anderson says.“But we have a lot of students fostering under our Care for Life programme and those cats have the best homes.” Cats Protection League Wellington is located at 29 Vancouver Street, Kingston. Visits are by appointment only. All cats pictured are current residents.