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Finding The Right Cat Breed For You
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| November 10,2002
| teve Duno
Posted on 11/10/2002 6:47:09 PM PST by Lady In Blue
"Picture of a siamese cat."
Finding the Right Cat Breed for You
By Steve Duno
I can still remember well the weekend that my friend and neighbor, Mary, decided she needed some feline company at home. She opened up the classifieds and a day later was the proud owner of a 10-month-old, male Siamese cat, whom she named Bandit. He took to her quickly and meowed adoringly whenever Mary petted him.
Then Monday came. Mary left for work, saying good-bye to Bandit. Ten hours later, she came home to find her apartment turned upside down: vases broken on the carpet, cupboards ajar, garbage strewn everywhere. The sofa had long tears along one side, and her bedspread, balled up atop the bed, smelled strongly of cat urine. Tacked to her front door was a note from another neighbor, which read "Please keep that cat quiet!" When I stopped by to say hello, I found her sitting down with the note in hand, looking exhausted and unsure of what to do. Bandit was sauntering around her and meowing loudly in her ear.
Let's face it: All kittens are irresistible, but if you're looking for a purebred cat, not all breeds are built the same. Some breeds just might not be for you.
Look honestly at your lifestyle

The lifestyle of the potential owner plays a big role in deciding what breed to consider. A stay-at-home retiree is better able than a busier person to care for attention-craving, social breeds such as the Siamese, Burmese, Tonkinese, and Abyssinian. A longhaired breed such as the Persian, though not as demanding of attention as the Oriental breeds, requires plenty of grooming time, something else a busy owner might not be able to provide.
A family with several active, young children should choose a breed with a high tolerance for handling and commotion, such as an American or British Shorthair, Tonkinese, or Scottish Fold. My close friend Christy made the mistake of trying to bring a Persian kitten into her home. With four active children on the order of Bart Simpson all roaming throughout the house, the activity level was too high for almost any cat to take, let alone a laid-back Persian, who spent most of her time beneath Christy's bed in a state of terror. On my advice, Christy found a quieter home for the cat and replaced her with a Golden Retriever puppy, who adored the commotion.
Generally, the shorthaired breeds, being more gregarious than the longhaired breeds, match up better with children. Longhaired breeds also tend to get their hair pulled by toddlers, something that can quickly incite a cat. A client in my animal behavior practice once called me for help with her Persian, a normally serene, reserved pet who had just badly scratched her sister's 3-year-old daughter. When pressed, she admitted that the toddler had been chasing the shy cat around the house and pulling on her lustrous coat. A shorthaired tabby mix would have had much less hair to grab and more tolerance toward the child's playful behavior.
A single person working long hours each day needs a cat breed requiring little maintenance and attention. The cat should be able to amuse himself during the day without becoming stressed at being left alone. The American Wirehair and the Russian Blue both deal well with this type of on-the-go owner yet are still loving and affectionate once the owner comes home.
The following three lists give general selection guidelines for choosing a cat breed to best fit your lifestyle. I have based these lists upon my own experience; you might find other sources that position certain breeds differently.
Good choices for busy families:
- Abyssinian
- American and British Shorthair
- Birman
- Burmese
- Chartreux
- Exotic Shorthair
- Japanese Bobtail
- Maine Coon
- Manx
- Munchkin
- Norwegian Forest Cat
- Scottish Fold
- Sphynx
- Turkish Van
Good choices for busy singles:
- American and British Shorthair
- American Wirehair
- Bombay
- Chartreux
- Egyptian Mau
- Exotic Shorthair
- Korat
- Maine Coon
- Manx
- Russian Blue
- Scottish Fold
Good choices for stay-at-home owners and calm families:
- Abyssinian
- Balinese
- Birman
- Burmese
- Cornish Rex
- Devon Rex
- Havana Brown
- Himalayan
- Korat
- Maine Coon
- Norwegian Forest Cat
- Ocicat
- Persian
- Ragdoll
- Siamese
- Tonkinese
- Turkish Angora
Do your homework Before considering a particular cat breed, be sure to attend several cat shows to familiarize yourself with the breeds and their temperaments, and to meet responsible breeders. Feel free to ask them questions about their catsparticularly how they think their respective breeds would fare in your unique situation.
Regardless of the breed you choose, be sure to select your kitten very carefully. Observe the mother and her entire litter, and choose a kitten with a calm, curious, confident demeanor.
If you do your homework before selecting a purebred catand are honest about your lifestyle restrictionsyou stand a great chance of ending up with a special little kitten.
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To: Lady In Blue
I actually saw a piece on TV in NZ on how to cat proof your home for a Cornish Rex because they're so mischievious and get into so much trouble. Like Siamese, they're "talkers," too. We have to confine our cat to a small room at night to keep her out of trouble. Best cat I ever had though- not aloof, playful, affectionate, and scarily, I can often read her mind. It dawned on me one day why I get tuna cravings every evening when I'm not even hungry. A Rex is definately not the type of cat you can leave at home unsupervised while you're at work.
2
posted on
11/10/2002 7:00:51 PM PST
by
pops88
To: Lady In Blue
We had a few cats growing up, all mixed-breeds from the animal shelter, and they were all great pets, well-adjusted and affectionate. But I think if I were going to buy a purebred cat, it'd be a British Shorthair. They just look really robust, with a pleasing roundness to their face and a stocky build, and I've read that they have laid-back, friendly personalities.
3
posted on
11/10/2002 7:02:03 PM PST
by
Yardstick
To: Lady In Blue
I just got a cat. I'm really a dog person (I also have an Irish Wolfhound) and was worried about how I'd do with a cat. Casey fits right in, he thinks he's a dog. He comes when he's called, he eats dog treats (I gave him one as a joke one day because he refused cat treats and always looked so forelorn when I have the dog a treat). He and the dog get along great and he is still a great mouser :o)
To: phasma proeliator
Ping
To: pops88
I have a "Ragdoll" and they're talkers too and demanding! They have Siamese blood so maybe that's why. Thanks for the info on Cornish Rex.I didn't know that they're mischievious.What's their bloodline? Do they have any Siamese in them?
To: Yardstick
One of my cats,she's gone now,was from the shelter. She was a long haired Siamese.YOKO was a gorgeous cat.Blue point with large deep blue eyes and what a personality! I still miss her after all of these years.
To: McGavin999
How cute! What kind of cat is he? One thing about cats is they're so nosey! Really curious.I find them a lot easier to care for than dogs.Both animals are good.Apples and oranges.
To: Lady In Blue
The Cornish Rex was a breed that mutated from an English barn cat. The Rex has big ("alien") ears, a long tail and only the short undercoat hair. They are incredibly soft. My cat's name is Kalika which is Hawaiian for "black silk." There is also a breed called Si Rex which is a cross between a Rex and Siamese, but they loose the silky, soft coat :(
http://www.cfainc.org/breeds/profiles/cornish.html
9
posted on
11/10/2002 8:49:34 PM PST
by
pops88
To: Lady In Blue
10
posted on
11/10/2002 9:03:54 PM PST
by
pops88
To: Lady In Blue
I have a male grey cat who is identical to pictures of British Shorthair, but is not pedigreed. He is delightful but does not care for our grandchildren, who came after we had him for a couple of years. He runs and hides from them, as he does all strangers, even though they are here frequently in our home.
But, I have always wanted another cat, now especially that I want my grandkids to be able to enjoy knowing a pet. They are forbidden by their landlord to have pets in their residence.
I am confident of choosing a good kitten, but I am wary of how to introduce her to our cat. And to the grandchildren, fot that matter.
Any tips? By the way, our cat is named Conservative Cat, CC for short. LOL
To: Conservababe
He runs and hides from them, as he does all strangers, even though they are here frequently in our home.
My cat could use a little of that trait. She sees company as a new lap or shoulder to try!
12
posted on
11/10/2002 10:02:49 PM PST
by
pops88
To: Lady In Blue
The proper cat selection depends on which of the song birds you wish to rid your neighborhood of.
Abyssinian: prefers to kill Carolina Wrens
Balinese: prefers to kill Cardinals
Birman: prefers to kill Gold Finches
Burmese: prefers to kill Nut Hatches
Cornish Rex: prefers to kill all varieties of Wrens
Devon Rex: prefers to kill Fly Catchers
Havana Brown: prefers to kill Baltimore Orioles
Do the research for your particular area, select the cat which favors hunting the most prevalent song birds to your particular geographical location. Unfortunatley for those who live in urban areas, no breed known will bother a pidgeon.
Also, if you really hate your neighbors, select a male cat so they will go spray all over their houses.
Flame away, It always happens for some reason when I get on cat related thread.
13
posted on
11/11/2002 3:13:04 AM PST
by
putupon
To: putupon
Hmmmm, most Rex cats prefer to stay inside where it's warm since they have so little hair. Mine sleeps on a heating pad at night, and naps on top of the computer monitor where it's warm. They are not out door cats. Now, if you have wrens flying around inside, that's different ;)
14
posted on
11/11/2002 4:34:36 AM PST
by
pops88
To: pops88
Now, if you have wrens flying around inside, that's different ;) now i'm sad. i always wanted a cat and when starting to read your reply, thought you had the answer for a suitable breed, but Taco, my Blue Fronted Amazon Parrot would be in danger. then again, maybe not. does this breed weigh more than 10 lb.s? if not, i think Taco could take one out.
15
posted on
11/11/2002 5:42:12 AM PST
by
putupon
To: da_toolman
me f'n ow
To: putupon
does this breed weigh more than 10 lb.s? if not, i think Taco could take one out.
They tend to be on the skinny side. If my cat is any indication, it's because they puke if they eat anything other than the same cat food everyday. I've been told that they can have a tendency to get fat because they forget they've eaten. The cat would be most likely to kill itself chasing after the bird when it jumps off a banister or something. They love playing games though- hide and seek, sneak attack, and race up the stairs. They've also got mutant paws that allow them to pick stuff up, hold it, then toss it. Can you tell I love my cat :)
17
posted on
11/11/2002 6:10:21 AM PST
by
pops88

The world's greatest cat.
To: phasma proeliator
me f'n ow
LOL
To: Lady In Blue
Sorry, but this piece reads like an ad for the organized crime syndicate of the "pedigreed" pet industry. The world does need any more cats or dogs being bred for sale to all the suckers who think that "papers" mean a better pet. Choosing a suitable pet for your household involves going to the local shelters and picking out an animal that meets your needs.
Educate yourself a bit first: Siamese (which includes any cat that LOOKS like a Siamese) are notoriously rambunctious and noisy; long-haired cats in general are pretty laid back, short-haired cats are generally not; the flat-faced Persian types are not only laid-back, but also subject to serious respiratory and eye ailments, due to the deformity the breeders of "pedigreed" cats have given them.
If aggression (within the normal range) and large size would not be suitable for your household, do NOT get a puppy or kitten -- they all act just about the same, and with young puppies ultimate size can be hard to gauge. The long-term suitability of an adult animal will be much easier to evaluate.
Millions of unwanted pets are euthanized every year, all while the money-hungry breeders of "purebred", "pedigreed" animals (who are often neither, despite their "papers") deliberately produce more and more of them, and stage shows and other publicity designed to make people think they have to have a designated "breed" when they choose a pet. The whole thing is sick and fraud-ridden -- please don't feed the system.
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