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If you are wondering what is the right cat for you, this is the place to be. In this introductory forum we talk about topics such as breed vs. mix, size, age, grooming, breeders, shelters, rescues as well as requirements for exercise, space and care. No question is too silly here. This particular forum is for getting and giving helpful, nice advice. It is definitely not a forum for criticizing someone else's opinion, knowledge or advice. This forum is all about purring and learning.
(Page 2 of 6: Viewing entries 11 to 20) 1 2 3 4 5 6 
Annabelle
Roly-poly baby- kitty! |
 | | Purred: Thu Aug 21, '08 9:54pm PST | |  | |  | | I have to agree. My dad is really allergic to cats, so can only have certain breeds. Instead of going to a breeder, my parents waited till the perfect cat to fall into their laps from a shelter or foster home instead. And there I was, at a Petco adoption event from a local shelter!  |  |  | |  |
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Philbert
Snort! |
| | Purred: Fri Aug 29, '08 12:56pm PST | | | | | | I got good old Phil from a shelter. He's got some tummy problems so no one wanted him for months and i jsut couldn't stand not having him. hes my big sweety now. I don't have any kind of special need to get a special cat, but i have a cousin who LOVES cats but is horribly allergic so he got a Siberian from a breeder. Sure he was pricey, but my cousin couldn't get a cat any other way, and now he has a good home. I would love it if anyone who could would get a kitty from a shelter, but I understand when someone gets one because their life style can't handle the chance you take with a shelter kitty. I also do get Atrus' point about knowing you have a healthy kitty and thier background. I see a lot of people on this site get cats and then they apparetnly can't afford the care they need when something happens, so the poo cat is left to suffer. which is also very sad. Like I mentioned. Phil has food allergies and has required some tests, MANY different kinds of food changes and expensive food chioces as well as vitamins and pills. Luckily I can afford that for him, so he can live as if he's a fancy cat. He is a Pure Bred pain in the butt. | | | | |
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GOSMOT
I'M FINE WHERE I- AM THANK YOU |
| | Purred: Fri Aug 29, '08 2:04pm PST | | | | | | We think any way you adopt a kitty that needs a good home is a good way. Each way has it good points and bad points. Thought we still would perfer that instead of selling pets pet shops would direct people to shelters.
Our Mommy says that she is as her daddy calls her a "PURE BREAD MUTT" so she likes mutt kitties.
She addopted me from the SPCA, She bought Desert from a pet shop (she doesn't plan to do that anymore), and got Forest from an add on the internet.
Which ever way works for you works for you  | | | | |
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Leila
Waiting to- become a mother- again!
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| | Purred: Sat Sep 6, '08 6:32am PST | | | | | | >"I have been wondering why, everyone trys to choose a really high pricey Cat? When you can get a cat out of a shelter.. Cats, are needing homes to, my family helps alot of people in "Choosing the Right Dog", but thats a dog, sometimes you gotta get a sertian breed of dog for something you wanna do. But, a cat, I'm not trying to say that I don't like cats, cause I love them. But couldn't you just get one out of the shelter that needs a home, instead of buying one that could stay with the breeder."
(1) You seem concerned about price. Some people find it worth it to pay for a purebred cat, because they like its look and personality traits, or because, on the whole, a cat from a decent cattery is more likely to be physically and emotionally healthy than a rescue cat. (Notice that I qualified this with "decent" cattery and "more likely.") I have both rescues and purebred cats, and my most recent rescue has cost me almost as much money in medical bills as the price of each of my purebreds. He's also got some incurable health problems stemming from lack of medical care when he was a kitten that will continue to cost money.)
(2) I find it curious that many people think that wanting/owning a certain breed of dog is acceptable, but that all cats should be mutts adopted from shelters. As I wrote above, I love both, but I do think that people should be able to choose, say, a Siamese, the same way a dog person would choose a Labrador. Yes, there are breed cats in shelters, but purebred cats are rare.
(3) Moggies are healthier than purebreds. Yes, cattery cats often have health problems. Mine came to me complete with roundworms and a tendency toward hyperplastic gingiva. However, from what I've read on Catster, and from my own experience with rescued ferals, many shelter cats are/have been sick (herpes, calicivirus, mites, fleas, not to mention FIV and FeLV). Moggies are probably, in general, stronger genetically than purebred cats, due to natural selection, but that doesn't mean that all cattery cats have inbred health problems. In fact, conscientious breeders are constantly trying to improve the health of the cats they breed.
(4) "But couldn't you just get one out of the shelter that needs a home, instead of buying one that could stay with the breeder." Well, cats who come from breeders also deserve homes. The worst nightmare for a breeder is not to be able to sell his cats--not so much because he loses money as because the chances of finding a home for a kitten decrease the older it gets, and sometimes a breeder with perfectly fine cats finds himself unable to find homes for them. Hobby breeders usually can only manage between 10-20 cats at one time; the last thing they want is a cat that they can't find a home for. My Harvey was almost six months old when I adopted him from his breeder, and there was certainly nothing wrong with him that caused him not to find an owner--it was just karma. He's now a prize-winning cat on the show circuit.
(5) One could ask the same kinds of questions about almost anything. Why buy a big, expensive gas-guzzling car when you could buy a cheaper, more environmentally-friendly one? Why do so many people think their DNA is so special that it must be replicated, when they could save the lives of children who need to be adopted? When you carry the argument to its extreme, it gets ridiculous.
(6) Although this is not part of the original post, I continue to be intrigued and amused by people on Catster constantly asking, "What breed is my cat?" It is estimated that only around 2-3% of all cats in the U.S. are purebred cats, i.e. cats with a recognizable breed. People seem to long to be able to say that their cat is a certain breed, yet at the same time are quick to criticize breeders and the acquisition of cats through any process but rescue. Without breeders, there would be no purebred cats. Or is this a manifestation of the American love of getting a bargain, something for nothing--"Hey, I went to the Humane Society and got a Birman!" Which brings us back to my original comment--that I am struck by how concerned you seem to be about the fact that purebred cats cost money. Any cat costs money, if you care for it properly, especially when it comes to food and medical bills. | | | | |
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GOSMOT
I'M FINE WHERE I- AM THANK YOU |
| | Purred: Sat Sep 6, '08 12:21pm PST | | | | | | Hi Leila,
I agree with most of what you just posted. I'm a big one to say what I think my three DSH are as far a pure breeds.
However I do have one bone to pick. With regards to breeders (please remember I live in the world capital for mills so this sentiment could be a reginal reflextion).
When I had My Desert up for adoption wanting to give him the best chance possible I spoke with a local rescue. While speaking with the lady ( she specifically does pure breed rescues) she instructed me to list him as a Siamese mix ( focusing on his personality not so much his looks) when I did I got the nastiest e-mail stating that i am not allowed to list him as such as he "does not look like a siamese" and that no breed other than siamese have that kind of character, thet they were "professional Siamese breeders". I am not stupid person and do not trust everything that some one tells me and was especially warry when they mentioned the different colorations of thier cats. For those that don't know it siamese can olny be points and there are only 4 color points chocolate and seal being the most common. These profesional breeders were taling about torties and flame points.
So of course I did my reasearch and found out that in all of Canada there are only 2 registered siamese breeders with the CCA - this is the only way I will consider someone a professional cat breed - YOU MUST BE ACCOCIATED WITH AN ASSOCIATION AND SHOWING. Otherwise you are most likley a mill or in it for the money. These "Professsional Breeders" were not listed also when I spoke with one of the listed breeders she indicated that if it looks like a siamese and does not have one of the 4 point then it is an ORIENTAL.
My point is that the average person out there does not know what a "GOOD CATTERY" is and most good catteries will have all the babies sold before they are even born - unless of course they want a queen or studd. These catteries are only interested in the welfare of the cats and were as yes it is a buisness they do not have money as thier finall goal and most have secular jobs regardless.
It is for those that are mills, inexperianced and unkowladgeable that I do not like the purebreeds. It are those that have the higher # of defects and genetical problems. They do not know the finer points of breeeding they don't understand that you can't just take 2 cats of the same breed and breed them.
Unfortunatly there are too many people out there who think well they say the are professional breeders so they must be. There are too many trusting people who don't do thier reasearch who I have an issue with.
I personally would never get a pure breed unless it was at a shelter but that is just because I am cheep. I happen to love well bread prue breeds. But only if it comes from a good cattery. | | | | |
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Maggie
Princess Snow- Belle
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| | Purred: Sat Sep 6, '08 5:25pm PST | | | | | | I saw Leila's post earlier and she has it right on. I wasn't going to post anything in response.
We love our cats very, very much, both the purebred Maine Coons Maggie and Loki and "moggies" Kiwi and Abby. I happen to adore the breed Maine Coon and always wanted one so we got Loki, and then I was drawn back to get Maggie. She and Loki were meant to be in our family, just as Abby and Kiwi were.
Anyway I decided to post because of something my husband ( the cat daddy!) said today.
He had a couple of dollars in his hand and was waving it around Maggie to get her attention, it startled her a bit and he jokingly said " well she's not a money cat" to which I responded " well she was an expensive cat" and he looked at her , reached down and ruffled her fur as she looked adoringly up at him and he said "and she was worth every penny" | | | | |
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Sally- ♥- Sweet Angel
Hmmm, what's in- that cabinet?
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| | Purred: Sat Sep 6, '08 11:45pm PST | | | | | | From Leila's post: "Although this is not part of the original post, I continue to be intrigued and amused by people on Catster constantly asking, "What breed is my cat?" It is estimated that only around 2-3% of all cats in the U.S. are purebred cats, i.e. cats with a recognizable breed. People seem to long to be able to say that their cat is a certain breed, yet at the same time are quick to criticize breeders and the acquisition of cats through any process but rescue. Without breeders, there would be no purebred cats. Or is this a manifestation of the American love of getting a bargain, something for nothing--"Hey, I went to the Humane Society and got a Birman!" "
I am one of those catsters curious about the breed of my kitty (and thank you for your insightful post to me about her). I honestly am just learning about breeds and DSH, DLH, etc. I find posts about this (particularly yours, Leila) very interesting as I just really don't know much about it.
With my dog, she is a beautiful aussie mix from the humane society. Instead of identifying her as a 'mutt,' I've always referred to her as an australian shepard mix. I kind of thought it was the same with kitties (i.e., siamese mix, himalayan mix, etc) ~ but have learned here on catster that if you don't have papers, the kitty is either considered a DLH, DSH, or DMH. I think that's how it works? I truly didn't know!
So, I can't speak for others who ask about their kitty's breed but I can say that for me, it is not about getting a bargain or even a longing to say Sally was a certain breed. It was mostly based on my interest in knowing more about my sweet girl. Knowing more about where her sweet little white paws might have come from and her overall coloring. I will admit, the possiblity that this little kitty that was born and abandoned in a tough neighborhood with the cards stacked against her may have been a descendent of a rare breed of kitty made me smile. But not because I thought I got her for a bargain (I actually probably paid more in emergency vet bills the night I brought her home than I would have if I had adopted a purebred from a breeder). It made me smile because I always thought she was really special (whatever her 'breed') and I feel so lucky to have found her. The truth is, obviously, that it doesn't matter. We were meant for each other no matter what breed she was or the fact that I found her as an abandoned kitty rather than from a breeder or even in a shelter. I guess she was a purebred Sally cat. Edited by author Sat Sep 6, '08 11:53pm PST
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Sally- ♥- Sweet Angel
Hmmm, what's in- that cabinet?
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| | Purred: Sat Sep 6, '08 11:48pm PST | | | | | | As to the questions raised by the OP ~ I agree with Athena. Some do search for a certain breed of cat just like some search for a certain breed of dog. All three of my animals are adopted from a shelter (or, in Sally's case, rescued) and without a doubt, there are so many amazing dogs and cats (including purebreds) in shelters, needing loving, forever homes. It's really up to each person to make the decision themselves on what will work for them in terms of adopting from a shelter or finding a purebred through a responsible breeder.
I think the most important thing is that everyone who takes in a pet is responsible and provides the love and care (including medical care) that their animals need. | | | | |
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