I feel that the common alley (like the mongrel dog) cat is really the best cat..smart and affectionate. (my favorite is the grey tabby)
The most beautiful cat I ever had (Silver Chinchilla Persian)
The smartest and most affectionate cat I ever had:
Posted on 10/11/2013 6:58:47 PM PDT by Perdogg
I am thinking about getting a cat when I move into a permanent place (condo or Townhouse). I know some people think it is strange for a guy to like cats, well, I like all animals. So let's not draw any inferences from this thank you.
I was thinking about getting one of the rarer breeds, but if I do get a cat I am going to love the animal no matter what. I would get a rescue.
I was thinking getting a Bengal, Mau, or an Abby. I know people, including Freepers, have said that Bengals require a lot of attention and is probably for a more experienced cat owner. I also heard that it is not good to leave them alone for 9 hours a day.
Does any one have any experience with Maus or Abbys? Does anyone have a Peterbald? I am not opposed to getting a non-pure bred, in fact, the most loving pets I had as a child were mixed. And they tend to live longer.
Any thoughts or good advice?
We have a bookcase right by our front door. This is where we can find our boy cat when we come home.
You’ve gotten a lot of great advice here. Posts #63 and 83 are especially good.
I want to emphasize the importance of getting a pair of WELL-SOCIALIZED kittens or cats who get along with each other. Then give your cats lots of love daily to make sure they bond with you, especially during the first few months.
Please do not adopt cats unless you have a chance to handle and interact with them first. If a cat doesn’t relax and enjoy your affection after a brief introduction period, don’t adopt it. A traumatized or half-wild cat is a recipe for misery for a novice owner. Socializing such a cat can be difficult or impossible.
I had the unpleasant experience of adopting two kittens (litter mates) from a friend. These kittens that were skittish of people when I got them. I should have known better. Even after years, they only got along with each other. They were never affectionate, and mostly avoided people their whole lives - and they were indoor cats!
Having a pair of cats who get along with each other is really important. They will amuse each other and give each other affection when you’re gone. Since they won’t be bored or lonely, they will have far fewer destructive and annoying behaviors. Cats that have been cooped up alone all day generally sleep all day due to boredom, then want to play with their people all night rather than letting them sleep. I can say from experience that a smart cat can find many creative ways to wake you up! (After a few exhausting months I got a companion for my bored cat, and luckily they did accept each other. That pair was a joy to me for many years.)
It’s crucial to spay or neuter your cats as soon as they are old enough. You may not think it’s important if they are going to be inside all the time, but it is. Female cats will go to great lengths to escape when in heat...and they smell bad. Male cats will mark territory by spraying urine everywhere, and will want to fight other male cats. They will also want to escape to find female cats. These problems are completely avoided by a prompt visit to the vet. Your cats will be happier, live longer, and be better companions, too.
The advice about food is great, for your sanity as well as your cats’ health. If you are tempted to cheap out on cat food, realize that cats don’t properly digest food with plant-based proteins and fillers. The result: your cats’ stool will stink to high heaven. I’m not saying that a properly-fed cat’s stool has no odor, but it’s minor and inoffensive compared to the horrors that come out of a cat’s bottom as a result of a poor diet.
Good luck - with a little care I am sure you can find wonderful cats who will give you many years of joy.
Our boy likes water. He drinks it out of the sink, when he thinks we’re not looking. I have him convinced that I have magical powers because I can make water appear and disappear. (It’s called a faucet.)
All active and intelligent breeds, and somewhat more doglike than average. If you want a cool cat who relishes playing with you, perfect choices. If you want a lap ornament...not so much.
CATalities!
These days, pretty much the only thing our two have to be disciplined for is fighting with each other.
And get one that has a top where they can sit.
Sometimes ours will be sitting on the scratching post and notice what's on TV (especially if it's the ballgame.) They'll give me distressed looks as if to say, "Do you see what's happening there? There are these little people running around and you're just sitting there!"
A friend of ours used to deliver glass. The triangular cardboard used to hold it in place is a GREAT scratcher.
Korats are wonderful, smart, amazing cats. I still miss mine!
How you raise a cat is a lot of it, too. We had a one in a million kitty with the Korat mix and his sweet, loving, completely tolerant of anything temperament, and then we managed to train one of our next kitties (a pair of brothers) into a very similar way. His brother’s about 80% of the way there but skittish...still has the same underlying gentle trustworthiness, tho.
I respect a man that loves cats!
I feel that the common alley (like the mongrel dog) cat is really the best cat..smart and affectionate. (my favorite is the grey tabby)
The most beautiful cat I ever had (Silver Chinchilla Persian)
The smartest and most affectionate cat I ever had:
I am surprised that nobody has yet mentioned Tuxedo cats! (not actually a breed, they are mutts of a certain mix of breeds, there are 3 or 4 that will combine to make them). I have known two, one that belonged to my aunt for 17 years, who had wandered into her house one day and never left, and always acted like a cat. He was the smartest and most affectionate cat I’ve ever met, and would sleep with my cousin every night, waking her each morning with chin rubs on her chin and loud purrs. Awesome cat!
The second Tuxedo is one I have now, and he was a rescue kitty. I literally offered to foster him and another shelter cat the day they were to be put down, to save their lives. He chose me as his mommy, and I have fallen in love with him. He is also super affectionate, super smart, and very playful and fun to be around. Sleeps on the foot of my bed every night.
That all being said, I now have one cat which showed up in our furnace in a snowstorm, and chose my son as her person, the Tuxedo cat, and then three other shelter rescues. Out of all 5 cats, there is not a stinker in the bunch! Each of them has a very unique personality, but all of them are very interactive with the members of our family, they’ve all learned to have a relationship with each other and have worked out playtime, windowsill sharing, litter box and food bowl sharing, etc. Each one has a great personality uniquely its own. We all love all 5 of our cats and foster cats, and will only allow them to be adopted by people we can be reasontably certain will appreciate the special companions they are! BTW only one climbs on counters lol!
Anyway, the point being, shelter cats can be absolutely amazing pets. The Tuxedo I am keeping had a dynamite personality from day 1, rolling over on his back like a puppy within minutes of meeting me so I could pet his belly. Spend a few minutes with them, and one or two will pick you! And you will be saving a life, or even two!
Another thing I would advise you is don’t rule out black domestic kitties! We have three under our roof right now, and they are all fantastic, and are looking gorgeous in my windows with my Halloween decorations hahahaha! Seriously, they are so strikingly beautiful with their glowing green eyes and glossy black fur, and they are all super affectionate, loving, well behaved babies.
Also, as has been said before, please please please keep your new cat(s) indoors for their health and safety!
Good luck and I wish you a wonderful life with your new companion!
Get ready to have a stinky home. You will get used to it but everyone that comes to visit will immediately smell cat urine. Do yourself a favor and get a toy stuffed animal instead.
I agree, except that cats are NOT solitary at all. They like to live in a group. Please do get two, they need each other.
Awww! that brought a smile to my face:) He lived to be very old if over 18 years!
The behavior you describe of your calico is that of a cat with a health problem. If there was a stupid mammal in the house it probably wasn’t the cat.
Have you tried housebreaking a cat and a dog? The cat gets it immediately, whereas it’s quite a process for the dog.
http://cats.about.com/od/coatcolorpatternstypes/tp/Tuxedo-Facts.htm
Most people know that Tuxedo cats are 200% smarter than average cats.
Over time they're high maintenance, you're better off getting a Kenworth.....
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