What kind of cat to get?

My husband and I are about ready to look for new kitties after
Victor's death a few months ago. We know the basics, like not to look
for "lookalike" kitties...I was very disappointed with our other cat,
Ashley because she looked just like a greatly loved cat I had before
but wasn't the same in personality. It took years for me to warm up
to her and finally it was my husband who really took to her.

We want 2 kittens. (well, I'd be happy with a young adult, a year or
so old, but my husband is adamant about a kitten and I don't want to
get an adult and a kitten cause maybe the adult will pick on the
baby.)

Usually I've always gone to the shelter and rescued kitties, or taken
them off the street. (Like to save animal lives.) But this time I'm
thinking about getting a purebred cat, maybe a Bombay or a Manx, cause
you supposedly know what you're getting in temperament and disease
susceptibility.

Our last cats chose each of us as "theirs" and it worked out well
cause we don't sleep in the same bed (sleep problems, better separate
than tired and cranky). Each of us got a cat to sleep with, each cat
was really possessive of us and we loved them back.

We were thinking litter mates but I'm worried they may stick together
and both pick one over the other of us. Any experience with this?

We want snuggly "lap cats", very affectionate, friendly to kids, long
lived, not at high risk of health problems and preferably short
haired. Clingy cats would be good in our opinion. These will be
indoor cats only and I'm home all day with illness, so they won't be
alone, although I sleep a lot.

We got spoiled with Ashley going at 22 so when Victor died of cancer
at 14 we were shocked.

The Cat Fancier website had information about various breeds...I know
it's hard to predict a cat's life span. We thought Manx cause of
temperament and long life span, and also considered Siamese for life
span, although the Siamese I've had before were kind of high strung.

I liked the Bombays the best from their site. Bombays seem real
affectionate, not aggressive and very stuck to their humans. Plus
they look so cool. We don't want to display cats, so not-show quality
is fine with us, probably better in terms of money.

Any opinions? Anyone here had a Bombay? I imagine Bombays cost an
arm and a leg. How much are they? Are there problems the websites
don't tell us about?

AND: Do you REALLY have a better idea what you're getting with a
purebred than a shelter kitty? Are there other breeds you'd
recommend?

Thanks.
__________________________________________________ _

Camilla Cracchiolo
Registered Nurse
Los Angeles, California

webpage temporarily down

in article , Camilla Cracchiolo at
wrote on 8/26/04 5:15AM:

We want snuggly "lap cats", very affectionate, friendly to kids, long
lived, not at high risk of health problems and preferably short
haired.

If you are going to be this picky, you need to go for at least a young adult
pair that have already a developed personality to have a chance at getting
the snuggly temperment. If you want to be sure of health, well, ain't no
such guarantee, especially if you go for a purebred, each of which ususually
have some illness or problem possibility that run in the line. Please
reconsider looking for two loving cats that had to be given up and should be
kept together.

in article , Camilla Cracchiolo at
wrote on 8/26/04 5:15AM:

We want snuggly "lap cats", very affectionate, friendly to kids, long
lived, not at high risk of health problems and preferably short
haired.

If you are going to be this picky, you need to go for at least a young adult
pair that have already a developed personality to have a chance at getting
the snuggly temperment. If you want to be sure of health, well, ain't no
such guarantee, especially if you go for a purebred, each of which ususually
have some illness or problem possibility that run in the line. Please
reconsider looking for two loving cats that had to be given up and should be
kept together.

"Camilla Cracchiolo" wrote in message
...

My husband and I are about ready to look for new kitties after
Victor's death a few months ago. We know the basics, like not to look
for "lookalike" kitties...I was very disappointed with our other cat,
Ashley because she looked just like a greatly loved cat I had before
but wasn't the same in personality. It took years for me to warm up
to her and finally it was my husband who really took to her.

We want 2 kittens. (well, I'd be happy with a young adult, a year or
so old, but my husband is adamant about a kitten and I don't want to
get an adult and a kitten cause maybe the adult will pick on the
baby.)

Usually I've always gone to the shelter and rescued kitties, or taken
them off the street. (Like to save animal lives.) But this time I'm
thinking about getting a purebred cat, maybe a Bombay or a Manx, cause
you supposedly know what you're getting in temperament and disease
susceptibility.

Our last cats chose each of us as "theirs" and it worked out well
cause we don't sleep in the same bed (sleep problems, better separate
than tired and cranky). Each of us got a cat to sleep with, each cat
was really possessive of us and we loved them back.

We were thinking litter mates but I'm worried they may stick together
and both pick one over the other of us. Any experience with this?

We want snuggly "lap cats", very affectionate, friendly to kids, long
lived, not at high risk of health problems and preferably short
haired. Clingy cats would be good in our opinion. These will be
indoor cats only and I'm home all day with illness, so they won't be
alone, although I sleep a lot.

We got spoiled with Ashley going at 22 so when Victor died of cancer
at 14 we were shocked.

The Cat Fancier website had information about various breeds...I know
it's hard to predict a cat's life span. We thought Manx cause of
temperament and long life span, and also considered Siamese for life
span, although the Siamese I've had before were kind of high strung.

I liked the Bombays the best from their site. Bombays seem real
affectionate, not aggressive and very stuck to their humans. Plus
they look so cool. We don't want to display cats, so not-show quality
is fine with us, probably better in terms of money.

Any opinions? Anyone here had a Bombay? I imagine Bombays cost an
arm and a leg. How much are they? Are there problems the websites
don't tell us about?

AND: Do you REALLY have a better idea what you're getting with a
purebred than a shelter kitty? Are there other breeds you'd
recommend?

Thanks.
__________________________________________________ _

Camilla Cracchiolo

You never know what you're going to get with kittens. They can be clingy at
one age and become more independent as they get older.

Kittens are also very active and get into everything. If you're home with an
illness, will you be able to keep tabs on them to keep them out of trouble?

It's almost impossible to get a cat that will behave exactly to your
specifications whether pure bred or shelter cat. I think you might be better
off waiting a little longer until you can just go look for cats that appeals
to you and can accept them just the way they are.

W

"Camilla Cracchiolo" wrote in message
...

My husband and I are about ready to look for new kitties after
Victor's death a few months ago. We know the basics, like not to look
for "lookalike" kitties...I was very disappointed with our other cat,
Ashley because she looked just like a greatly loved cat I had before
but wasn't the same in personality. It took years for me to warm up
to her and finally it was my husband who really took to her.

We want 2 kittens. (well, I'd be happy with a young adult, a year or
so old, but my husband is adamant about a kitten and I don't want to
get an adult and a kitten cause maybe the adult will pick on the
baby.)

Usually I've always gone to the shelter and rescued kitties, or taken
them off the street. (Like to save animal lives.) But this time I'm
thinking about getting a purebred cat, maybe a Bombay or a Manx, cause
you supposedly know what you're getting in temperament and disease
susceptibility.

Our last cats chose each of us as "theirs" and it worked out well
cause we don't sleep in the same bed (sleep problems, better separate
than tired and cranky). Each of us got a cat to sleep with, each cat
was really possessive of us and we loved them back.

We were thinking litter mates but I'm worried they may stick together
and both pick one over the other of us. Any experience with this?

We want snuggly "lap cats", very affectionate, friendly to kids, long
lived, not at high risk of health problems and preferably short
haired. Clingy cats would be good in our opinion. These will be
indoor cats only and I'm home all day with illness, so they won't be
alone, although I sleep a lot.

We got spoiled with Ashley going at 22 so when Victor died of cancer
at 14 we were shocked.

The Cat Fancier website had information about various breeds...I know
it's hard to predict a cat's life span. We thought Manx cause of
temperament and long life span, and also considered Siamese for life
span, although the Siamese I've had before were kind of high strung.

I liked the Bombays the best from their site. Bombays seem real
affectionate, not aggressive and very stuck to their humans. Plus
they look so cool. We don't want to display cats, so not-show quality
is fine with us, probably better in terms of money.

Any opinions? Anyone here had a Bombay? I imagine Bombays cost an
arm and a leg. How much are they? Are there problems the websites
don't tell us about?

AND: Do you REALLY have a better idea what you're getting with a
purebred than a shelter kitty? Are there other breeds you'd
recommend?

Thanks.
__________________________________________________ _

Camilla Cracchiolo

You never know what you're going to get with kittens. They can be clingy at
one age and become more independent as they get older.

Kittens are also very active and get into everything. If you're home with an
illness, will you be able to keep tabs on them to keep them out of trouble?

It's almost impossible to get a cat that will behave exactly to your
specifications whether pure bred or shelter cat. I think you might be better
off waiting a little longer until you can just go look for cats that appeals
to you and can accept them just the way they are.

W

writes

My husband and I are about ready to look for new kitties after
Victor's death a few months ago. We know the basics, like not to look
for "lookalike" kitties...I was very disappointed with our other cat,
Ashley because she looked just like a greatly loved cat I had before
but wasn't the same in personality. It took years for me to warm up
to her and finally it was my husband who really took to her...

You can either go visit local shelters or do like I did (since it was hard to
pick one and leave others behind)..i went to petfinder.com and typed in my
locale (and pet desire). You will see the photo and specifics of the cats
available.

You mention two kitties. That would be wonderful. You wouldn't have to split
up a team! Good luck to you.

writes

My husband and I are about ready to look for new kitties after
Victor's death a few months ago. We know the basics, like not to look
for "lookalike" kitties...I was very disappointed with our other cat,
Ashley because she looked just like a greatly loved cat I had before
but wasn't the same in personality. It took years for me to warm up
to her and finally it was my husband who really took to her...

You can either go visit local shelters or do like I did (since it was hard to
pick one and leave others behind)..i went to petfinder.com and typed in my
locale (and pet desire). You will see the photo and specifics of the cats
available.

You mention two kitties. That would be wonderful. You wouldn't have to split
up a team! Good luck to you.

AND: Do you REALLY have a better idea what you're getting with a
purebred than a shelter kitty? Are there other breeds you'd
recommend?

Thanks.

This story is simply what happened to me. YMMV. I have always loved Siamese.
Their "breed characteristics" were everything I wanted in a cat: smart,
people-oriented, vocal. I had the opportunity to be involved in a kitten mill
rescue, and there was one particularly beautiful Siamese kitten among those
seized. All I ever had were foundlings and rescues, mostly with health &
behavior problems, and I justified adopting him by saying to myself, "I
*deserve* to have a beautiful kitten like that." Funny how it sounds now.
Anyway, seven or eight years later, I still have that cat. He is the most
un-Siamese cat I've ever seen. He never talks. He runs under the bed at the
slightest noise. He hates everybody except me, and even I can't pick him up. He
is also, quite frankly, dumb compared to the others.
It's not environmental. He was tiny when I got him. It's just his individual
personality.
Poor breeding practices, maybe. But the point of the story is, they're just all
different. There aren't any guarantees.
IMO, the best way to get the cat with the personality you want, is to spend
*lots* of time with it. If it runs from you, it's not going to grow up to be a
lap cat, for instance. I think you can learn a lot more about what kind of
adult cat that way, than putting trust in the breed standards.

Sherry

AND: Do you REALLY have a better idea what you're getting with a
purebred than a shelter kitty? Are there other breeds you'd
recommend?

Thanks.

This story is simply what happened to me. YMMV. I have always loved Siamese.
Their "breed characteristics" were everything I wanted in a cat: smart,
people-oriented, vocal. I had the opportunity to be involved in a kitten mill
rescue, and there was one particularly beautiful Siamese kitten among those
seized. All I ever had were foundlings and rescues, mostly with health &
behavior problems, and I justified adopting him by saying to myself, "I
*deserve* to have a beautiful kitten like that." Funny how it sounds now.
Anyway, seven or eight years later, I still have that cat. He is the most
un-Siamese cat I've ever seen. He never talks. He runs under the bed at the
slightest noise. He hates everybody except me, and even I can't pick him up. He
is also, quite frankly, dumb compared to the others.
It's not environmental. He was tiny when I got him. It's just his individual
personality.
Poor breeding practices, maybe. But the point of the story is, they're just all
different. There aren't any guarantees.
IMO, the best way to get the cat with the personality you want, is to spend
*lots* of time with it. If it runs from you, it's not going to grow up to be a
lap cat, for instance. I think you can learn a lot more about what kind of
adult cat that way, than putting trust in the breed standards.

Sherry

He is the most
un-Siamese cat I've ever seen. He never talks. He runs under the bed at the
slightest noise. He hates everybody except me, and even I can't pick him up.
He
is also, quite frankly, dumb compared to the others.

Oh dear. This sounds harsh. I ought to add, he is the sweetest cat I ever had.
Just not Siamese-ish. All he wants is to be petted and kissed on top of the
head. Just don't ever pick him up. He's also the most accepting of new cats of
my whole lot. He loves new cats immediately. He even "mothers" the kittens.
Sherry