Never owned a cat - advice needed on breeds

[Jiskefet]

I can only advise you to go to a rescue, watch all the cats they have, and see how they react to you and the family. Do ask the rescue what the cat is like, how he or she is with people, with children, and have them introduce you to cats that match your lifestyle.

Most of the cats that I really bonded with chose ME, not the other way round.
I would apply for the job, and just waited to see which cat would accept me as a servant.....

[Furry Friend]

  I have a bengal and a maine coon.
My bengal doesnt stop meowing, and if left alone she will go mad!
Maine coons are very laid back and placid, they love attention, but like independence. All cats have different natures. Toffee and Ziggy are the first pedigree cats weve had, used to have a moggie, moggies rule!  You cant really go wrong with a moggie, but its whatever suits you really
GOOD LUCK

[tab]

I grew up with dogs but always wanted a cat. It wasnt sensible until I moved into a flat where dogs werent allowed. I went to a rescue centre who said I was cruel to adopt a cat which would have no outdoor access as I was 4 floors up. Went to another and found a cat described as 'old, doesnt like people, doesnt like animals, doesnt like being outside and would cost a fortune in vet bills and not live long' Needless to say as a soppy sod I adopted that cat.
I let HER teach me what she liked and didnt like which was a very steep learning curve for me....I grew up with dogs and had no idea cats didnt like being slapped on the ribs and offered a corner of bread....but I soon learned gentle stroking and prawns meant I didnt get thumped and bit!!

That old cat came to me ages around 6 and died 12 yrs later aged around 18. She was always an indoor cat and gave to me so much more than I feel I gave to her
love
Tab

[Liz]

Speaking as someone who has indoor only, indoor/outdoor but in every night and my outdoor only crew mine come in all shapes sizes and colours longhaired and shorthaired and some in between

Mine all use litter trays even my garage cats as last winter we had over 4 foot of snow for 4 months and they lived in the garage and had litter trays provided and cleaned by me, they moved in to the rafters when the human kept coming in

I work very hard to keep my lot entertained and have more toys, games, scratching posts and of course cats to play with

[Rosella moggy]

Also, we need to decide on the sex. I assume that female cats are smaller and more docile than male cats. Is that true?

Err............. no!    Our little Boris is really .....well ..... not big and wouldn't say docile altho utterly fab  .  His big bro Groucho is hoooge and very docile  .  Millie and Ruby are sisters about the same size and could not have more different purrsonalities.  Both fab but very different.  Millie quite self assured and Ruby not at all....

From reading others experiences on this site over time, sex and size are not necessarily indicators of how docile a cat may be. 

How can I put this?  Think of people you know.... male, female, fat, thin, tall,small, loud, quiet etc  cats are just as varied 

[Sootyca]

My sister has 2 cats that she has had from kittens and were brought up with her children - one hates children, the other loves them.  I would definitely go for an older kitten or young adult so you have a better idea of personality.

Of my 2 (well 3 if you count outdoor stray cat) - stray won't come in unless it is pouring down and only then for food, boycat is indoor/outdoor depending on weather and his mood, girlcat is indoor by her choice.  She will sometimes go in the garden but doesn't beg to go out and is happy sleeping and eating the day away with an occasional wake up for attention or play.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Yes indoor cats need more attention and more stimulation than cats that go outside.

Some cats that go outside come in to use a litter tray, and litter trays are needed even if your cat goes outside.

As said some cats stay in for safety reasons, either their health of due to roads close and my one year old birman is not allowed out due to him being a maniac and the road at the front and a nasty neighbour.

Its not good for a cat to be outside on the streets with no garden because its life is likely to be shortened.

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

Some cats need to be indoor only becuase they may be special needs (ie they may be deaf, or 3 legged etc).  It is also recommend that FIV+ cats are indoor only.

[vans]

Thanks for the reply, I should have been more specific with my question. Does an indoor cat need to be cared for differently from other cats. For example, does it need its litter tray changed more often, does it need more attention etc? I am wondering what makes a cat stay in all the time. Is this driven by the owners needs or the personality of the cat?

[Angiew]

an indoor cat is usually indoor only. most cats are both and use a cat flap/ window opener (human).

[vans]

Thanks for all the replies.

I have sent a few emails to local (Berkshire) Cat Rescue organisations.

A term I have read a few times, but I do not fully understand - "an indoor cat". 

I have assumed that a cat will want to spend time inside and outside, roaming around. Therefore I have assumed that I will need a cat flap on the back door. Could someone explain the difference between an indoor and presumably an outdoor cat?

Also, we need to decide on the sex. I assume that female cats are smaller and more docile than male cats. Is that true?

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

 

To find your nearest rescue centre have a look here ... just click on the map for your area and it will  list the rescues near you http://catchat.org/adoption/index.html

 

[Liz]

I have domestic, feral and my pedigree crew, my 2 rescue ragdolls Minmin and Caspurr, Miss Porsche the unhandled Bengal who is only 5 months old and was in a PTS situation bt having spent nearly 3 full weeks taming and showing her humans are nice is now purring and being a poppet but was so thin and so tiny but safe here and finally I have an adult Norwegian forest cat on foster, his previous owners never groomed him, he is nearly 3kgs underweight and is half shaved but after shredding me he was in so much pain from his knots and the mess he was in is now my new Best friend

Any cat short haired or long does need brushing, they need to be speyed/neutered, ID Chipped and fed and most of all loved, sadly with some of my ferals this doesn't happen but here they are all of the above even if they don't love us

I would personally recommend a pair of rescue kittens or cats as they will keep each other occupied when the humans are busy, All mine a rescues and lifes rejects even my pedigrees although U do have my Raggies papers and know where the NFC's are as he is only here cause his Breeders daughter is seriously ill in hospital and I said we would have Star for however long she needed

They will also rule your life, but need a cattery or pet sitter when you go on holiday and thats an expense most folks forget about

Still all in all I am devoted to my rather large odd family and their pets my 3 Border Collies Adults Sky and Sunny and puppy Mistral

 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I am the owner of two pedigrees and two moggies and I agree with Angie to go for a moggie first. Also agree with Bryony and Rosella, there are so many fabulous cats of the moggie purrrrsuation out there and go to a good rescue and just fall in love 

What area are you in.

Going back to breeds, I had two wonderful birmans of senior years who were brothers. Napoleon who sadly went to the Bridge in May was absolutely fabulous but both brothers although litter brothers were very different in purrrrrsonality, Napoleon a cuddle lapcat and Ducha his brother not.

I now have a one year old birman who is totally loopy and I wouldnt trust him with children and suspect his behaviour stems from how he has grown up. He is very differnet in temperment to the other two.

My moggies both had very bad starts in life and are terrified of people, Misa loves me though and like Rosellas Boris looks jiust gorgeous and is a very big and longhaired. Sasa however is a semi feral and I cant touch her, also looks gorgeous and she wouldnt hurt me but distrusts everything and everyone except Misa.

So the moral of this story is to make sure that at a rescue to see loads of cats of differing ages and types and see which ones come to you for love and affection and how they handle.

I knew what I was taking on with Sasa and Misa, so no problem but they would not be the right cats for a family.

Also think about long and shorthaired cats cos although stunning lonhaired cats need loads of grooming and attention to their coats.

A cat is for life and thats about 15 to 20 years so also please think of your future and whether a cat will fit in with this.

[Rosella moggy]

You will in time realise that there is no such creature as an ugly cat  .  Having said that, it's just possible you may think cat rescues do not have top notch cats/kittens in their care 

To show you just how wrong such an assumption would be, here is a pic of Boris who came to us from Coventry Cat Group recently .....  He is very loving and frightened of nothing so would easily get on with children.  I hasten to add he is going nowhere    Moggies rock 

[Bryony84]

Hi, just to add to what has been said, I would recommend going for a older kitten if you are looking to bring a younger cat into your home. The reason I say this is that by around 4-6 months their personalities are more developed and you can get more of an idea of what they will be like when they are older. We got our family cat (who still lives with my parents) when he was 10 weeks old, cute little bundle of fur all playful etc. As he grew, he became a gorgeous cat, but he will not sit on laps and will only take fuss when he wants it, and preferably from my Dad, who he loves. We are all grown ups now and respect that, but he isn't great with children.
My 2 girls on the other hand were 6 months old when I adopted them from rescue. When I first saw them in their pen, all they wanted was fuss and to be close to people and they are still just the same now. They love visitors, their children, the cat sitter - pretty much anyone and are quite happy to take any amount of fuss without any complaint.

[Angiew]

I also would go for the moggie for a first cat. You local rescue centre will be bursting at the seams with plenty of cats and kittens and will be able to advise you on which cats they have in that will suit your home environment.
A pair, if you can afford it, is good as a bonded pair will be company for each other.

Rescues vary in 'donation fees' and to some extent it will depend on what comes with the cat/kitten but expect to pay around £60 - £80. We currently ask for £75 , but then that does include the vaccinations (need a second booster first time round), micro chipping and neutering - all of which costs us more to have done.
You can pick kittens us for nothing on the intenet, but then if you plan to do it properly will have to pay that anyway.
If you go through a rescue, then they are always on hand to advise you if you have problems and even take the cat back if things go wrong. If you 'get' from other sources and have problems then you are on your own.

Pedigree cats - pedigrees do tend to have types of characters. Siameses being very intelligent and clingy, Bengals being the same but also possibly quite aggressive for example. If you do go down the pedigree route do your research on the breeder. A lot of 'breeders' just churn them out and are breeding from unlicenced stock - you may think this a bit snobbish, but I say this with good reasons.

Firstly they cause rescues no end of problems by over breeding. The cats may look pedigree but may have a dubious pedigree - pedigree certificates are easy enough for anyone to print off.

Very often the animals are over bred so there can be genuine animal welfare concerns.

Also there can be health problems, sometimes animals are sold as pet quality not only because they do not look right on the outside but there are problems on the inside. For instance PKD in persians. We've had some orientals in that died early. Heart and Liver problems the pair of them and died at 2 years. We heard later the breeder had withdrawn the father from breeding. A good breeder will have tests done and will also insist in having the animal back if things go wrong.
Price of pedigrees will vary - anytihng under £200 - 300 will come from a non-licensed breeder and you can expect to pay a lot for a show quality cat (depending on rarity as well but think up to £1000).

Bear in mind that if the cat looks expensive and goes outside, there is a lot of pet theft going on.

Go and have a look around some rescues, even if you don't fall for something there, it might help you decide on the type of cat you are looking for.

[Jiji]

Hello and    to Purrs. I am afraid I can't help on the pedigree cat front as I have always had moggies and can thoroughly recommend them     

[Rosella moggy]

Ah I see 

I just found this which may help fill in some gaps in your cat knowledge and help you better understand what to expect ....

http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,4790.0.html

[vans]

Thanks for the quick replies. Just a point of clarification, currently there is someone home all the time, but this might change in a year or two.

[JackSpratt]

First things first - you don't own a cat....have you heard the saying "Dogs have masters, cats have staff?" It came about for a reason....

If your family aren't too concerned about what breed you give a home to, I'd say contact the local rescues. There's a lot of moggies out there that are stunning, in genuine need of a home and under guidance from rescues who do personality assessment it's likely you'll be able to find one (or possibly two - sometimes a bonded pair come into rescue and if you work full time that can be the solution to worrying about them getting lonely) that would fit into your family dynamic.

[Rosella moggy]

  to Purrs

A cat can be a truly wonderful addition to any family and I wish you well.  I don't believe you can ever guarantee a particular purrsonality going by breed and I would encourage you and your family to visit local cat rescues to chat and have a look see 

You won't want to be rehoming a kitten, if no one is at home during the day, that's for sure as I cannot think of any breed of kitten that would thrive being left alone throughout the day   

[vans]

The females of the family want a cat, but having never owned a cat or even had any pets, except for a guinea pig we are starting from a very low level of knowledge.

My question is, can anyone recommend a breed that is good with children, likes affection, but will be OK if left on there own when we are out at work/school.

Also I have no idea how much kittens cost, so a very approximate indication would be helpful.

Using Google I thought a Manx would be a good idea but that was rejected by the rest of the family; it seems a tail is a very important prerequisite.

Thanks