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A Question About Breeding Cats
OK. I have a question. I've tried this before, but really haven't been
satisfied by the answers I've received, but as usual, when checking out these cat groups, I continue to be flummoxed by some of the stuff I read: So some brief background: I adopted my kitty from the Anti-Cruelty Society in Chicago when she was six months old - now she's a year and a half. She's a totally delightful cat, but definitely had some behaviors that were very different from other kitties that I've known. So I did some research and discovered that all of these behaviors, which I'll enumerate below, are characteristic of the Maine Coon cat, a breed I wasn't familiar with prior to the adoption, but one that happily, contains most of the characteristics I really like in a cat. Namely: she's a patched torbie with white, widely set ears and eyes, tufts in the ear and between the toes. Has the glossy coat, longer on the ruff, tummy and hind quarters and the raccoon tail. Never meow's, although our other cat is teaching her LOL, and chirps in her own private language - favorite words being arp-arp and a sound my husband has translated as "per-bap-bop". She sleeps in the famous Maine Coon weird sprawls. Prefers to play dextrous games with her paws and has a horizontal, rather than a vertical orientation. Not a lap cat, except for the occasional belly rub. Loves to play fetch, and adapted instantaneously to the harness. (Sometimes we call her "puppy" for fun). Easy-going, willfull, interested in eveything, loves to explore, sociable and smart as a whip. And she "is" the picture that the CFA has on their website accompanying the breed profile. She is a bit undersized at only 8 lbs, but still growing : So here's the point....I adore this cat, and I'm perfectly happy with her, but it makes me a bit sad that so many people who say they love the breed, don't seem to realize that there are a ton of kitties who have the look, the personality, the temperament that is said to be so valued. And they rot in the shelters under the rubric "domestic long-hair". So what are we valuing: the cat itself or the papers? I don't know what her story is: she was found as a young kitten as a stray with her Mom, got fostered and then I found her - so it may be some backyard breeding thing run amuck as people tend to sell these kitties as pure breeds for $300 to $600 each locally. But I don't really understand how we can claim to value the unique characteristics of a type of cat and yet disassociate from the non-papered cats who so epitomize what we say is so special? She acts and looks more like a Maine Coon than many of the breeder's kitties that are described here, but she's not a "real one"? What does that mean? I guess I'm feeling cynical that this is all about keeping a market intact for the products of breeding programs. That if we told the truth about shelter kitties having all of the genetic material of the various breeds, sometimes in even more wondrous combinations than humans can devise, that perhaps the customer base would dry up for "special" designer kitties produced to order? Anyway, the point of this message is just to tell people that shelter cats can have every bit of the looks, temperament and personality of any breeder's kitten. The genetic material is out there and circulating, the cats ARE in the shelters, and they need loving homes just as much as you need to have an energetic cat, or a lap cat, or a vocal cat or a pointed one or whatever the set of requirements is. There's just no doubt that they are there, maybe not on demand, but sooner or later. Exactly what you're looking for. They just need you to look for them. |
#2
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So here's the point....I adore this cat, and I'm perfectly happy with
her, but it makes me a bit sad that so many people who say they love the breed, don't seem to realize that there are a ton of kitties who have the look, the personality, the temperament that is said to be so valued. And they rot in the shelters under the rubric "domestic long-hair". So what are we valuing: the cat itself or the papers? I don't know what her story is: she was found as a young kitten as a stray with her Mom, got fostered and then I found her - so it may be some backyard breeding thing run amuck as people tend to sell these kitties as pure breeds for $300 to $600 each locally. But I don't really understand how we can claim to value the unique characteristics of a type of cat and yet disassociate from the non-papered cats who so epitomize what we say is so special? She acts and looks more like a Maine Coon than many of the breeder's kitties that are described here, but she's not a "real one"? What does that mean? I guess I'm feeling cynical that this is all about keeping a market intact for the products of breeding programs. That if we told the truth about shelter kitties having all of the genetic material of the various breeds, sometimes in even more wondrous combinations than humans can devise, that perhaps the customer base would dry up for "special" designer kitties produced to order? Anyway, the point of this message is just to tell people that shelter cats can have every bit of the looks, temperament and personality of any breeder's kitten. The genetic material is out there and circulating, the cats ARE in the shelters, and they need loving homes just as much as you need to have an energetic cat, or a lap cat, or a vocal cat or a pointed one or whatever the set of requirements is. There's just no doubt that they are there, maybe not on demand, but sooner or later. Exactly what you're looking for. They just need you to look for them. I agree wholeheartedly with everything you've said, but I don't have the answers. It's sad that people still find excuses to buy purebreds, and that there are so many people who are there to supply them.Enjoy your Maine Coon look-a-like. Remember, she's no less to any of us than a registered, papered, MC. After all, the registry for MC's was created not too long ago, and from "regular" cats. IIRC, Scottish folds originated from a litter of barn cats with folded ears. Sherry |
#3
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So here's the point....I adore this cat, and I'm perfectly happy with
her, but it makes me a bit sad that so many people who say they love the breed, don't seem to realize that there are a ton of kitties who have the look, the personality, the temperament that is said to be so valued. And they rot in the shelters under the rubric "domestic long-hair". So what are we valuing: the cat itself or the papers? I don't know what her story is: she was found as a young kitten as a stray with her Mom, got fostered and then I found her - so it may be some backyard breeding thing run amuck as people tend to sell these kitties as pure breeds for $300 to $600 each locally. But I don't really understand how we can claim to value the unique characteristics of a type of cat and yet disassociate from the non-papered cats who so epitomize what we say is so special? She acts and looks more like a Maine Coon than many of the breeder's kitties that are described here, but she's not a "real one"? What does that mean? I guess I'm feeling cynical that this is all about keeping a market intact for the products of breeding programs. That if we told the truth about shelter kitties having all of the genetic material of the various breeds, sometimes in even more wondrous combinations than humans can devise, that perhaps the customer base would dry up for "special" designer kitties produced to order? Anyway, the point of this message is just to tell people that shelter cats can have every bit of the looks, temperament and personality of any breeder's kitten. The genetic material is out there and circulating, the cats ARE in the shelters, and they need loving homes just as much as you need to have an energetic cat, or a lap cat, or a vocal cat or a pointed one or whatever the set of requirements is. There's just no doubt that they are there, maybe not on demand, but sooner or later. Exactly what you're looking for. They just need you to look for them. I agree wholeheartedly with everything you've said, but I don't have the answers. It's sad that people still find excuses to buy purebreds, and that there are so many people who are there to supply them.Enjoy your Maine Coon look-a-like. Remember, she's no less to any of us than a registered, papered, MC. After all, the registry for MC's was created not too long ago, and from "regular" cats. IIRC, Scottish folds originated from a litter of barn cats with folded ears. Sherry |
#5
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From: (Tracy)
Anyway, the point of this message is just to tell people that shelter cats can have every bit of the looks, temperament and personality of any breeder's kitten. Oh absolutely! I've never bought a cat myself because I just think there are just as special ones available and in need of homes from local rescue. Lauren ________ See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html Declawing Info: http://www.wholecat.com/articles/claws.htm |
#6
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In ,
PawsForThought composed with style: From: (Tracy) Anyway, the point of this message is just to tell people that shelter cats can have every bit of the looks, temperament and personality of any breeder's kitten. Oh absolutely! I've never bought a cat myself because I just think there are just as special ones available and in need of homes from local rescue. And sometimes right in your back yard. For Bonnie, who is Siamese-like with her thin legs and triangle shaped face and solid black body (no points on her, and no blue eyes), thin tail and whiney voice, for Jake, the huge MC-like stray who is now someones fantastic pet, his twin who may one day become domesticated enough to be a pet, for Lightning who is solid dark gray and with his vibrant green eyes and appears to be a Russian Blue. |
#7
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In ,
PawsForThought composed with style: From: (Tracy) Anyway, the point of this message is just to tell people that shelter cats can have every bit of the looks, temperament and personality of any breeder's kitten. Oh absolutely! I've never bought a cat myself because I just think there are just as special ones available and in need of homes from local rescue. And sometimes right in your back yard. For Bonnie, who is Siamese-like with her thin legs and triangle shaped face and solid black body (no points on her, and no blue eyes), thin tail and whiney voice, for Jake, the huge MC-like stray who is now someones fantastic pet, his twin who may one day become domesticated enough to be a pet, for Lightning who is solid dark gray and with his vibrant green eyes and appears to be a Russian Blue. |
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