Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Warm Welcome to Purrs! => Welcome to Newbies :) => Topic started by: Beth82 on March 18, 2011, 18:39:49 PM
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Hi All
Hope your week has treated you well?
My name is Beth, I have a 3 and a half yr old boy, who is autistic and I am expecting my 2nd child in June this year.
I've always been a 'cat person'. My first cats were a pair of moggie brothers from a cat rescue place in Middlex, when I was 7. Mordred and Galahad (mum had a thing for english folklore names lol). They couldn't have been more opposite in personalities, if they tried. Mordred loved to lounge about inside, adored the heat and making the family all coey and cuddly. Where as Galahad was more of a vagrant, would prefer to be outside in the wet/cold, would disappear for 3-4 days at a time and would reappear with a rabbit or prize :shify:
Unfortunately, when they were 5, Galahad was runover by a lorry :( Mordred pined for him for a good 2 months or maybe more. I remember my dad having to get up at 2am, to drag Mordred in from the end of the cul-de-sac, as he was meowing for his brother :( My mum being mum, decided that Mordred was lonely and off she went to a cat rescue and brought home a maine coon cross, named Jack. Safe to say, neither took to eachother but after 3 odd months, they tolerated sharing. Years went by of the odd sly paw slash, when no one was looking and episodes of 'which cat can sit the highest' :evillaugh:
When I was 17, Mordred became ill and was eventually put to sleep, due to a tumor, the vet said there was less of a chance of him pulling through an op at his age and that he would still need meds for the rest of his life. So we, as a family, decided it was better for him to sleep, he had a good old life with us. Jack carried on, he is now about 13 and prefers his 'alone time', not a social cat at all.
I moved to Cyprus in my early 20's, my 1st year out there, I adopted a Turkish Van cat, he was hilarious. White and ginger, with the bushiest tale I have ever seen, reminded me of a fox! He became an indoors only cat, due to locals putting out poison, to harm other cats, it was the safest option. Although, if I ran the bath/shower, I would have to always check the bathroom door was closed, or he'd be straight in there :rofl: I had him for 4yrs but due to the fact that I had to move back, after my son was born, I had to rehome him. He was a lovely cat but extremely nervous with traveling. Couldn't get him into a cat box, without him taking a hand off, let alone a car, he would pee/poo himself :( so a good friend said she would home him.
It's been nearly 3 and a half years without a cat and I am missing having a companion. My son adores cats, only thing that will make him use his vocals, as he doesn't talk. My neighbour has a ragdoll, which he loves spending time with and a friend has 2 Bengals, that seem to be besotted with my son, whenever we go round theirs. It's surprising, as he is very gentle with cats and when they purr, he will place a hand on their chests and sit there for ages, giggling.
So, I decided that I would start a search now, research breeds, what's best, also having a look at rescue homes etc. I wouldn't home a cat/kitten, until this new baby is a year old.
Sorry for my extra long rambling post! Hope I haven't sent you all to sleep x
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:welcome: :welcome: :welcome:
As we are a "resuce" forum you will find the majority opinion will be rescue a "moggy" as we don't really promote pedigrees. Of course you can rescue a pedigree and everyone will be happy ;).
I know they aren't to everyones taste but Devon Rexs are supposed to be incredably people friendly cats. I guess it all depends on what you are looking for as to which breed you choose ... long hair, shorted haired, vocal, quiet, laid back or full on ... have a look at this site it describes the main characteristics of each breed http://www.catsinfo.com/profiles.html (FYI I am currently owned by 2 Abyssinians and the description of them is pretty spot on!).
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:welcome: to Purrs ;D
Glad you've found us, I'm sure you'll enjoy it here. It really is a very friendly forum with lots of friendly helpful advice, if ever needed, and of course lots of fun.
I do feel it my public duty to warn you though that it can be a teensy bit addictive :Crazy: You have been warned :evillaugh:
I don't know that there are any particular breeds which are specifically recommended to live with young kids but I think any confident rescue kitten who can grow up with the kids or a young rescue cat who has lived with kids would be ideal ;D
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Oh god, I sounded a tad heartless :(
Of course I would take on a rescue kitten, I know it sounds mean but I would prefer a rescue 'moggie' kitten, to an adult. Mainly due to the reason that it would have time to grow with children. I've put my name down with a couple of local breeders who take in rescues too, I've hit a wall with the local RSPCA though. See, my son is Autistic and it usually makes people think twice :(
I'm hoping though, in a year's time, when he's older and in full time school, their outlook will be different.
All my cats have been rescues and they were all pretty unique :rofl: sad though, with Merlin (turkish van), we stopped a couple of kids drowning 7 kittens in bin bags, weighed down with stones. Unfortunately, Merlin was the only survivor. Cypriots can be very cruel to cats, see them as vermin, than anything else.
Hope you're all having a good weekend x
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Oh god, I sounded a tad heartless :(
No you didnt :)
:welcome: :hug: :hug:
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:welcome: also from Berkshire :)
:Luv2:
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hi and welcome I'm in Buckinghamshire so not far either - Kelly-Joy on here rescues pedigree cats so always worth looking out for her posts
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Oh god, I sounded a tad heartless :(
Not at all :hug: Obviously rescue kittens are undoubtedly the best :naughty:, but if you have your heart set on a particular breed then a cat is a cat and as long as it gets a safe loving home that is what matters :)
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:welcome: also from Berkshire :)
:Luv2:
I will keep an eye out!
Thank you everyone for the warm welcomes x
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Hiya and :welcome: ;D
Whereabouts in Berks are you?
I'm a Surrey gal :)
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Hiya and :welcome: ;D
Whereabouts in Berks are you?
I'm a Surrey gal :)
I live in Twyford, it's halfway between Maidenhead and Reading x
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welcome to the forum :)
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Hi Beth and :welcome: to Purrs
Why would a rescue need to know that you son is autistic? I do not recall that question being on the application form that I filled in only how many children do you have and what are their ages.
Good luck in finding a new companion for your puss.
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:welcome: to Purrs ;D
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ASD kids can have violent tendecies, so for example, my son will throw things, slap, kick and it doesn't matter who or what is in the way. At a home visit, a rep would want to meet my son, you can tell he is different from the norm.
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Hello Beth. Welcome to Purrs! ;D
I hope that you enjoy the forum and you'll find loads of useful information and contacts on here.
No, you didn't sound heartless. :hug: :hug: Whatever your fancy is in terms of a cat companion, may you find what you're looking for (or even be surprised by something you weren't looking for which finds you anyway ;) )
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After speaking to local breeders, mainly about putting my name down as an adopter for rescue cats coming in, I am defo not paying £300 plus for a cat, it's just not something I can do, mainly for moral reasons, when there are cats out there that need a good home.
As for rescues, most have said a donation is fine (usually £50 plus if they've had to take the cat to vets for jabs etc) or a small donation for those who just need to find a nice home.
Thank you for the warm welcomes :hug: