Category: Animal House
Hi all,
I've been thinking about getting a cat for a long time, and after reading a few threads on here, I think it's time to bite the bullet. So, I thought I'd ask all of you lovely cat lovers for any reckermendations on what breed I should be on the lookout for.
I'd love a cat who loves a fuss, but is also an indipendant cat who could be trainable to do a few things (I don't know how easy that can be with cats). Just a cat with a playful, loving, relaxed temprament really.
I don't know if I'm going about this the wrong way by thinking it comes down to breed, I'm sure there are other factors to take into acount as well, so any help on the subject would be apreciated.
Thanks,
Dwight
Well, when I got my cat, I wanted one with short hair, since long hair is a problem for me. I also wanted a female, since I heard that males spray even after their nootered, though I don't know how true that is. I guess breed can be important for some, but you might want to think in to looking in to rescuing a cat like I did. I can tell you, that a cat who is rescued is very greatful. I'm not discouraging you from getting one from a breeder, but that can be costly. Though I'm not an expert by any means, I hoped that helped a bit.
Look into Havana Browns and Maine Coones. But I think a Heinz 57 would be jut fine. Go to the shelters, tell the people what you are looking for and spend time interacting with the kitties.
If you do a breed, deinitely seek out a reputable breeder. This can be expensive, but breeders are often looking for homes for older cats they can no longer breed and want a good home.
I think my last cat was a Maine Coon. He was big and fluffy and, until one of my significant others got hold of him, just about the sweetest cat you could hope to meet. He didn't have the love of water that Maine Coons are supposed to have though. LOL.
oops lots of typos in my first post! forgot to mention that rehomed breed cats will not cost like breed kittens, but any good breeder will ask you questions to ensure the right home for the kitty
I have some experience with cats. Here's my advice, for what it's worth:
1. With a rescue cat, you may not be made aware of its health concerns, if it has any. You might be given a cat or kitten that's HCM or PKD-positive, and may deal with sudden death from those or any of several other conditions. This alone shouldn't make you go for a pedigree cat, but it's worth mentioning.
2. As stated,,purebred cats are often significantly more expensive to buy, but in many instances you end up with a lifetime of support from a breeder. I've recently gotten hold of a ragdoll kitten from a local breeder, and she's agreed to help me learn how to clip its claws. She's also said she'd come over pretty much anytime if I needed help, and will help transport my kitten to the vet in a pinch if I have no other way. Not only that, but even for everyday questions about the breed or the cat in specific, I now have anew source of info. So, I paid more, but I got something for it; arguably worthwhile, in other words. For a 15-20 year commitment, that extra money spent early on might not look so scary. I should note that some rescue agencies are really good about support as well, but many, lovely as they are about thhoming the cats themselves, are in a hurry to ensure their animals get a new place to live and put that desire alone above all else.
3. As for whether or not a certain cat breed is good for you, my answer is mixed. You can probably get a rescue or "mutt" cat with no specific breed which, raised from a kitten, has a lot of the benefits you want in an animal. If you want to be a bit more sure, though, getting a purebred is the way to go. I'll outline a couple of likely candidates below:
Persian: Very fluffy, fairly placid, not terribly talkative. Some have flat faces and fairly minor eye and mouth problems that might require extra attention, but they really are beautiful, friendly cats. I've heard them called the "perfect apartment cat" before.
Ragdoll: Big, somewhat fluffy, even-tempered and somewhat doglike in that they will often learn to play fetch and such. They aren't too vocal and they do enjoy jumping now and then, but they're not super active. These cats do thrive on human attention a bit.
Siamese: Very vocal, very people-oriented, slim and short-haired. They're active, curious and sometimes downright loud.
Maine Coon: Large, soft, active, talkative (they make all kinds of little noises sometimes) and somewhat independent. This is the sort of animal that might well jump up on the couch beside you, but probably won't be a true lap cat.
There's a lot of info here, and you don't have an easy choice ahead of you, but try not to overthink it too much. Do let us know how things go, and write back if you have further questions.
One further note, and I should've added this yesterday:
By and large, good cat-breeders are the norm. These are people who are both passionate and honest about the sort of cats they raise. However, even some of the good ones - and not just a few of the not-so-good ones - may intimidate you a little if you're a first-time cat owner. Just remember to do your research and ask the right questions. Also, take care not to be ashamed if you don't uphold every iota of advice they give you. If a cat breeder tells you that only one type of diet will work for your new cat, and if the reason is not medical in nature, you aren't a horrible person if you decide to go up a different route because the suggested diet is simply too expensive. If a breeder tries shaming you, directly or indirectly, because you don't have four dozen toys on the go at all times, just remember that no cat can play with all four dozen at once, and that the fair majority of cats can do with just a few. Even simple things like pipe-cleaners, Ping-Pong balls or large bottlecaps can provide some entertainment.
In a nutshell, what I'm saying is this. Please treat your cat well, but there's no need to be ashamed or to feel bullied if your idea of good raising differs a little from a breeder's concept of the same. As long as your kitty gets a healthy diet, a good place to live, some stuff to keep it entertained and pain-free, and the love it deserves, you'll very likely be doing all right.
Ah and this is why you should be talking to new parents, Shepherdwolf. Same stuff happens to parents raising human children as well. Very sound advice.
If I was in such a position I'd likely give the same advice, Leo. I'm not a parent, don't really wish to be one, but it's how I've been pretty much from day 1. You do as well by your child, or your pet, as you can reasonably manage. Maybe you dont' give them the best food or the best opportunities all the time, even when maybe you have the means to do it more often, but you give them far more than just the minimum requirements, and by and large they're happy with that. I didn't get the best growing up but I'll tell you that I had good parents who screwed up sometimes and loved me a hell of a lot. Their occasional mistakes were more than made up for by the rest. Unless you're making your animal or your child sick, miserable or unsafe, then you shouldn't really feel ashamed, no matter what others tell you. For a first-time parent, or cat-owner for that matter, this can be big enough pressure to dissuade. That's the only reason I mentioned it; if you're not a bit of a stiff-necked type, you may struggle with this.
Whatever you end up doing, best of luck.
Very good advice. I love my cat very much, and try to give her the best I can with what I have. Though she's a "mut", she's very loving, though she won't lay in my lap unless I have a blanket on me. lol She's not to vocal, however she's gotten a little more vocal as she's gotten older. I like that depending on the cat, their mostly simple to take care of. Though with any pet, if you go on vacation, you have to find someone to take care of them while your gone. I like the companionship of a cat, and like that you can cuddle with them if they'll allow it. When I'm sick, Cassie will curl up on my bed and sleep with me.
Whatever you decide, I hope you find the right cat for you.
Kim
Wow... Thanks for the advice guys and gals! I would have replied earlier, but I forgot to hit subscribe when I created the topic and so didn't see all of this fantastic feedback! I'm going to start looking for breeders in my area and getting this ball rolling next week, and will definitely keep you posted. Thanks again!
Dwight :)
My cat's not very vocal either,not that she really has much of a voice to speak of. In fact when she does meow it's usually a very scratchy sort of sound, especially when she tries to yell at me LOL. Of course she's never had much of a meow and now that she's almost sixteen it's even less of one. But she'll get in my lap blanket or no, and when I crawl into bed for the night she'll either crawl up and lay on my back or just lay next to me and use me as a pillow. I don't think she's any particular breed but she's very fluffy. My only real complaint is she likes to bite and always has.
I've found a few siamese breeders who are selling kittens for about $600 (I'm converting from pounds). The ones in particular are 11 weeks exactly. There are some more expected next month, and I'm about to email the breeder to see what his rates will be.
That sounds like a bit of a high price for a Siamese cat, but then I'm not an expert.
Bear in mind that Siamese cats are often loud, sometimes demanding. They have short hair, which is nice, and they can be wonderful cats. My only experiences with these cats, however, gave me the impression that they're a little moody. Maybe I just had badly-socialized ones, I'm not sure.
I'm not trying to warn you off the Siamese, if that's what you're after. If it's hair you worry about, though, let me dispel, or partially dispel, one myth. Allergies aside, cat hair isn't a huge deal. Many long-haired cats shed, but assuming you pass a vacuum cleaner over the places where they most like to lay, then you probably won't have serious issues. Also, brush them semi-regularly, which is something most cats enjoy, and you'll control shedding a little. Once a week for brushing, say.
Just some thoughts.
$600 is an awful lot for a Siamese, unless things are different in Europe. And I'd agree that Siamese are rather moody critters. But boy, it seems when they love, they love.
You'd get away with brushing a Siamese once a week, but not, for example a Persian or Himalayan. At least, not the ones I've been around. Gorgeous fur, but lots of work if you don't keep up with it. Unless your heart is absolutely set on Siamese, look around for breeders of other cats just to see what you like. And ask about rehoming an older (not old) cat who is getting past safe breeding age (probably age six years or so).
Good luck and keep us posted.
I have a ragdoll kitten, as I think I said in a previous post. I brush mine about once a week. A true long-haired cat like a Persian probably needs more grooming, but a ragdoll is also considered a long-haired cat (though not by much) and once a week generally suffices.
Siamese are short-haired cats. I've had short-haired cats in the past, mutts every one, and never brushed them because I never really had to. I probably could've, and brushing won't hurt if you're gentle and not too obsessive about it, but I'd not say that brushing once a week for a short-haired cat is a must.
In any case, please don't let me warn you off things, especially not when it specifically relates to things like cat breeds. I know what I like, personally, and I know a few breeds that probably aren't wonderful for the blind and visually impaired, but that's about it. Beyond that, it's largely up to personal preference.
Oh, and if you do get to speak to or visit a breeder, don't buy before you try, whatever you do. Get a chance to either go to your breeder, or have your breeder bring a potential new pet to you if going to them is not at all possible. Get a feel for what your cat will look like, how it reacts, how tolerant it is. I'm used to cats and so I don't mind doing things like this, but I'll often flip cats on their back, pick them up, rub their belly a bit, gently grab their front paws, in order to see how they will tolerate it. I've gotten my share of annoyed nips for my trouble, but it's a good way to see how placid or permissive your kitty may be. If you're comfortable pushing boundaries in such fashion, I'd do it, if only just a little, when you go to meet cats. You're not disadvantaged if you don't, not really, but you'll get more feedback if you manage it, that's all.
Sorry, another ramble. I do that a lot.
Oh don't worry about rambling, it's fine! The more info I have, the better. Interaction is definitely something I need to find out about before I buy. I'll be sre to shop around, and pick the right one. This is all rather exciting.
pretty interesting hearing about the different breeds of cat as myself don't know them and most cats will like being groomed but not all as I have experienced, smiles.
Hi Dwight! I recently got my cat from my local humaine society---she's a 2 year old Tabby... I'd recommend getting it from a local shelter/humaine society--just because getting it from a breeder like most have said can be very costly, and+your saving a cats life if you go the shelter rout... most shelters--mine in particular will give them tests as far as temperment/etc goes so that when you go there, you can tell them what your looking for, and they usually can recommend one... they'll always tell you if they have other health issues--or at least the shelter where I got Sara from did... luckly, my cat was 100% healthy, although when I brought her home, she did have a little eye infection... which cleared up after we got her some meds from the VCA.... anyways good luck, and I hope you find what your looking for. My cat is a short haired cat, not really a lap cat--although like Kim if I have a blanket on, she'll climb on my lap... I do have tons of toys for her, and I just bought her a drinking fountain so that she'd stop drinking out of the fossit lol.. she so far loves it, and has stopped drinking out of the fossit because of the continuous run of the fountain... anyways, sorry for the long ramblefest lol.. definitely let us know how things go, and good luck!!!
If a shelter is a kill shelter, then you're saving a cat's life. If it's not, then all you're doing is giving a cat a home. Still a very good thing, I just wanted to make that distinction, is all.
Also, in the UK especially, many shelters from what I hear are fixing cats, making sure they can't procreate, then releasing them wild. This means they can't make more cats and, because they're natural predators, at least have a fighting chance. It's better by far than straight-up killing them.
As far as tests for temperament go, that's a bit of a murky subject. You can often get a decent idea of how a cat will behave within the first few days of their being brought to a shelter. However, a breeder definitely knows a good deal more about general profiling than the average society will. If you want a real lap-cat, a breeder of lap-cats probably has a better chance of getting you a lap-cat. That doesn't mean shelters are stupid or wrong though, because they aren't. I'm not trying to dissuade you getting a kitty from a shelter. Just know what you're up against.
Sorry to rain on the parade, but releasing cats into the wild is a death sentence for native bird populations. Cats are an invasive species, made worse by the fact people feed and give medical care to feral cats. Nobody gives this care to the species they displace. If your pet cat lives inside, it doesn't count as invasive because it doesn't hunt and eat local songbirds.
People say cats have been in Europe and North America for hundreds of years, so what's the big deal? They get better medical care, a requirement of the trap-neuter-release lobbyists in the U.S. Better care, certainly, than the species they dispossess, like all your songbirds. So, which should get killed, the invasive species or the local wildlife? The invasive species gets put to sleep, while the local wildlife dies a slow, horrible death, which it would not at the hands of natural predators like raptors.
Thank you all for all the advice and opinions! Without you, I'd have been clueless. My situation as it stands:
I've been doing alittle research into what I thought would be the best cat breed for me, and the few kittens that were up for sale have now been bought. I'm going to look at cat shelters next week, and check out each cat's personality, as suggested. Hopefully this will end the search for me :)
Dwight
Good luck to you.
And Leo, I never thought of it that way. I will say that the couple of domestic cats I've had who even bothered hunting didn't exactly kill their prey slowly and horribly, but that may not be the case across the board.
People don't often think of songbirds as endangered. Sparrows, bluejays, starlings, robins and the like are all over the place. If you go outside, you're almost certain to hear birds. Cats hunt mice probably as often as or more often than they hunt birds, I believe (correct me if I'm wrong), so it would seem to me that unless literally tens of millions of cats were released every year, the songbird population isn't exactly on the edge of serious threat.
In a sense, though, you're right. Numbers aside, even if one released cat kills one songbird brutally, then it makes the argument on the ground.
Since mice, rats and other vermin of that nature are often viewed as pests, and since cats can help keep them down, I think there's a lot of complication to the issue.
Birds"' natural predators are aerial, so they haven't evolved to evade land predators.
Where TNR programs abound, wrens, house finches, bluebirds and other native species disappear. FYI, starlings in North America are a nest-invading invasive species with no natural predators. They're not normally caught by cats, unlike other birds whose main foraging location is on the ground.
City sparrows, or English sparrows, are also invasive.
And a hawk or an owl in its prime will do more to control rodents in a day than a cat will in a week.
well i wish you all the best of luck in finding one and it is nice to hear that they are gotten from a shelter as they defently need homes and over here if you get one from the cattery they have been fixed, had all vaccinations so not much is needed to be done except to be cared for and loved, smiles.