(Newbie) Could you help me choose a breed please?

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Broons Bane - 04 Sep 2005 12:25 GMT

Hi there, I live in the UK and am thinking of getting a cat.

crossbreed or mongrel is fine, but I would also consider single breed.

The main thing is that I don't want a cat that will grow big and fat.
Although I realise diet plays a big part in this, some cats seem to grow big
anyway.

I wouldn't want one that was super-skinny with long pointed ears and
triangular face

medium-short haired would be better than long haired.

Thanks in anticipation :)

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Ted Davis - 04 Sep 2005 18:21 GMT

>Hi there, I live in the UK and am thinking of getting a cat.
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
>medium-short haired would be better than long haired.

Get an cat instead of a kitten - you can tell everything about how
they will grow up by looking since they are already grown up. Then
don't underfeed or overfeed. Two females or a male and a female would
be better since they would tend to keep each other occupied and
interested rather than lounging around and eating all the time.

Of all the adult - or nearly adult - cats I have taken in, only one
really surprised me: he kept growing for two years instead of just one
- going by his looks, he has a lot of Maine Coon Cat in him, but you
probably don't need to be concerned by that in the UK.

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T.E.D. (tdavis@gearbox.maem.umr.edu)

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Me Myself and I - 05 Sep 2005 00:59 GMT

> Get an cat instead of a kitten - you can tell everything about how
> they will grow up by looking since they are already grown up. Then
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> - going by his looks, he has a lot of Maine Coon Cat in him, but you
> probably don't need to be concerned by that in the UK.

We have Main Coons in the UK, however I wouldnt buy a grown cat myself. I
prefer to get a kitten so I can train him and get to know him completely as
he grows. Have had a cat before from rescue and no one warned me of its
personality. It didnt get on with kids and wrecked and peed all over my
home. Just my preference!

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150905 - 15 Sep 2005 20:52 GMT

>> Get an cat instead of a kitten - you can tell everything about how
>> they will grow up by looking since they are already grown up. Then
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> personality. It didnt get on with kids and wrecked and peed all over my
> home. Just my preference!

I have a maine coon. Is it usual for the breed to spray all over the place
then? Mine's been doing it for 12 years now. :v(

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Ivor Jones - 18 Sep 2005 23:51 GMT

[snip]

> We have Main Coons in the UK, however I wouldnt buy a
> grown cat myself. I prefer to get a kitten so I can train
> him and get to know him completely as he grows. Have had
> a cat before from rescue and no one warned me of its
> personality. It didnt get on with kids and wrecked and
> peed all over my home. Just my preference!

Where did you get this cat..? I volunteer for Cats Protection and we
always do as much as we can to find out about a cat's personality before
rehoming. It's not always possible though, if a cat comes in as a stray
rather than from an owner we simply don't *know* how they will react to
other cats, dogs, children etc. plus it's not easy to determine in a
shelter environment how a cat will behave once in a home.

We have lots of cases where a cat really hates being in a pen (not
surprising) and is very moody and temperamental as a result. As soon as
they get out of there and into a house their personality can change almost
instantly. I recall one cat who was sometimes very nasty towards people in
the shelter, in fact he once sunk his famgs into my hand causing me to
need a visit to hospital for a tetanus injection (!) but the people who
finally gave him a home told us he stepped out of the carrier basket and
started walking around purring his head off as if he'd always lived there
and hasn't given a shred of trouble since..!

It's stories like that that make the pain of a fully grown cat hanging off
your hand by his teeth worthwhile <g>

Ivor

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Ivor Jones - 04 Sep 2005 18:56 GMT

> Hi there, I live in the UK and am thinking of getting a
> cat.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Thanks in anticipation :)

Get yourself down to your nearest Cats Protection rescue shelter
www.cats.org.uk - the right cat will choose *you* :-)

Ivor

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Martin - 04 Sep 2005 19:34 GMT

Visit your local RSPCA shelter - I'd suggest a female (these are less fuss &
wander less) - about a year old (these will be fully grown so you know what
you're getting - plus available as so many people dump kittens).

Just pick one out that you like the look of - if you are a complete newbie -
bear in mind that white fur (like mine has) can be a nuisance. That said I'd
still recommend a calico.

90% of cats in the UK are moggies rather than 'breeds'.

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rpl - 04 Sep 2005 20:13 GMT

> Hi there, I live in the UK and am thinking of getting a cat.
>
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Thanks in anticipation :)

Very little "breed" stuff when it comes to cats. Just go to your
handy-dandy shelter and pick out an adult cat. If you absolutely have
to have a kitten then give your requirements to the people at the shelter.

pat

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kate - 05 Sep 2005 01:27 GMT

Hi,

Whatever you end up you will love him/her to distraction. However, if
you want a purebred you can't go past a burmese. They are fairly small
and muscular with a tendancy not to gain weight (although of course any
cat has the potential). They also don't have the exagerated features of
some of the other oriental breeds - not too pointy. Short hair, very
low maintenance physically. Emotionally they like to be with you,
*helping* with whatever you're doing but mine also copes very well with
being left alone when I am at work - no destructive behaviour or
evidence of fretting - he eats and plays and I am usually greeted by a
very bleary-eyed little guy who has just tottered out of bed to greet
me at the door. As I said, I am biased but my family have had 2 lovely
moggies with some burmese in them and I now have a purebred, Angus, who
is just a delight.

All the best with it and, as I said, I'm sure you'll love whomever you
end up with.

Kate

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