Cats

[RosePaladin]

I love cats. I've just about been living with them all my life. I had three cats when I was born. Sadly, though, all three of them have died, and it doesn't feel the same living in a house without cats. I probably won't be getting another until July. I love all kinds of cats, and I can't choose a favorite. They're all just so unique, so I don't have a favorite kind of cat.

[lulubelle00]

I have three cats. Sockee, a male 11 year old tuxedo mix. Weebulle, a male, 10 year old, cubby tabby runt. And Blackie, a insane female bombay.

[boscodelta]

She only got fleas twice, after the second time I ended up getting a new matress because they gross me out so much.

After using Hartz ultraGuard and getting her a flea collar I havent had flea problems since.

[Red_Rose87]

This is my cat :

[hazeh]

I thought 2 months was the normal age to neuter? That's the age they fix the kittens at the shelter before they're adopted out... :B But anyway, cats who develop habits like that should have been fixed earlier. The longer you wait, the worse it gets for you and the cat.

 

There was a tom at the shelter who wasn't fixed until he was 8 years old, so he has some issues. -shakes head-

[marhawkman]

I have a cat named Clover<3 Shes a calico and she's my first.

Shes an outside/inside cat so she comes from outside with fleas and sleeps in my bed

 

And then theres the whole bringing dead animals into the house and putting them on our plates

 

And eating my fish

 

But I still love her.

Sounds like Quik-Sak. She was a Maine Coon (I think) tabby/calico. Who was a ferocious predator that would pounce on anything that moved. She Hated dogs and got a really weird look in her eyes when she saw a dog smaller than she was. My best guess is that she was trying to decide whether it counted as food or not. Needless to say the owner of said dog decided it was a bad idea to leave them together. she didn't want to explain to her toddler son that his dog got hurt(or worse) because the cat decided to eat it.

[7Deadly$ins]

I thought 2 months was the normal age to neuter? That's the age they fix the kittens at the shelter before they're adopted out... :B But anyway, cats who develop habits like that should have been fixed earlier. The longer you wait, the worse it gets for you and the cat.

 

There was a tom at the shelter who wasn't fixed until he was 8 years old, so he has some issues. -shakes head-

Tikindi is in the UK, where the norm is six months. Personally I think that's too late, because many cats DO reach maturity before then. In the US the norm is eight weeks, but part of the reason shelters spay so earlier is that they can't deal with the overpopulation of pets from people who thought their cat/kids/whatever needed to experience "the miracle of life."

[Silence2]

Tikindi is in the UK, where the norm is six months. Personally I think that's too late, because many cats DO reach maturity before then. In the US the norm is eight weeks, but part of the reason shelters spay so earlier is that they can't deal with the overpopulation of pets from people who thought their cat/kids/whatever needed to experience "the miracle of life."

The clinics I've been to in Illinois castrate cats at 5-6 months (spays too). Shelters often wanted it done early to be sure it is done when the pet is adopted (as they were required to).

[CDM]

We have two cats. Sin, our short-haired black, and Ali, our long-haired Ragdoll cross. They are NUTS!!

 

Ali (short for Altair, yes from Assassin's Creed ) loves to help me do the dishes and will even stand in the water up to his elbows. He also loves to box the dogs' ears or roll around on the couch wrestling with them. He is also a complete clutz, but couldn't care less if he gets a plastic bag wrapped around himself or knocks things off of the counter.

 

Sin (assasSIN,) is just Sin, lol. He does a great head twist that makes all of us laugh and is a ninja. He can jump onto the middle of a table that is cluttered with things and not move one item!

 

As for neutering...at the farm we always had the male barn cats neutered before four months of age, but yes, shelters will do it earlier for many reasons. Ali we left a little longer so that he could develop his gorgeous mane and since both of our cats are strictly indoor cats, we knew we could leave it for a bit. Luckily, neither of them developed into sprayers.

[TikindiDragon]

I thought 2 months was the normal age to neuter? That's the age they fix the kittens at the shelter before they're adopted out... :B But anyway, cats who develop habits like that should have been fixed earlier. The longer you wait, the worse it gets for you and the cat.

 

There was a tom at the shelter who wasn't fixed until he was 8 years old, so he has some issues. -shakes head-

Shelters spay/neuter as early as the vet says they can get away with it, even in the UK. We've always had ours done around 3/4 months of age, but 6 is the standard.

[Nerendier]

My mother just got yet another cat. I'll show you guys the pics when I go home for thanksgivings. Gotta tell you though, if I was filthy rich, I'd totally have a Savannah Cat (Serval mixed with domestic cat).

[hazeh]

I want a Savannah Cat so bad ;A; My co-worker almost got a black one, since those colors aren't valued in the breed and thus the animals are cheaper from breeders.

It'd be like having a mini panther :B

[7Deadly$ins]

You don't have to be filthy rich to own a Savannah. As I understand it they aren't much more expensive than Bengals.

[hazeh]

You don't have to be filthy rich to own a Savannah. As I understand it they aren't much more expensive than Bengals.

A good bengal could cost 1000 dollars, however. Someone tried to sell a champion kitten to us a few months back for that price. And the price likely depends on the generation and coat color.

[7Deadly$ins]

A good bengal could cost 1000 dollars, however. Someone tried to sell a champion kitten to us a few months back for that price. And the price likely depends on the generation and coat color.

That's true, but I honestly think you get what you pay for if you do your research right. I don't know, but I think that if you tally up electronics like computers, cell phones, cable TV, etc., you reach $1000 pretty quickly. A healthy cat is going to outlive any computer or cell phone.

 

Also, your average pet owner shouldn't be interested in anything higher than an F4.

[StraVir]

Love cats. I have an american short hair cat with the neatest black and white markings. And one black blotch on the pad of her left front paw.

 

My favorite wild cat would have to be a mountain lion.

[Nerendier]

You don't have to be filthy rich to own a Savannah. As I understand it they aren't much more expensive than Bengals.

I should probably qualify this, I'm talking first generation. The only way I would consider spending $15000 on an animal is if I had incredible amounts of money. Even if I made 150k a year, I would never spend such a large percent of my income on something like that, I'd have to have a lot more than 150k in income. I guess that's just my personality.

[TLOSpyrogirl]

I like Calicos the most. I know they aren't a 'real' breed, but I love cats with that color pattern.

[earthgirl]

I love European Tabby's most -.- And you can get them for free.

 

Another pattern I really love is white/grey. I used to have a kitten like that - grey with white socks, white belly and a white collar. he was a love. <3

 

I'm dreaming of an Angora one day. A white, bi-colored eyed or creamy lady.

[hazeh]

That's true, but I honestly think you get what you pay for if you do your research right. I don't know, but I think that if you tally up electronics like computers, cell phones, cable TV, etc., you reach $1000 pretty quickly. A healthy cat is going to outlive any computer or cell phone.

 

Also, your average pet owner shouldn't be interested in anything higher than an F4.

True, but electronics typically are more essential than cats are. Plus, I'd spend around that much on a normal cat just for living expenses anyways. I'm not going to pay 1000 dollars on a show champion cat just because I like the breed. I find that a little ridiculous. x)

 

 

And, why's that? I'm more interested in F2s, honestly.

 

 

[7Deadly$ins]

True, but electronics typically are more essential than cats are. Plus, I'd spend around that much on a normal cat just for living expenses anyways. I'm not going to pay 1000 dollars on a show champion cat just because I like the breed. I find that a little ridiculous. x)

 

 

And, why's that? I'm more interested in F2s, honestly.

At least in Bengals, F2s and F1s are a lot more effort than the later generations. A lot. Some of them don't socialize properly despite your best efforts, some of them only bond to one person (which can be very difficult), you may never be able to take vacations or spend time away because they need you, some never use the litter box properly... etc.

 

They make great pets sometimes, and sometimes not. They're a lot more like owning an exotic animal than owning a domestic cat. I have nothing against owning them and they can be great companions for the right people, but they take much more time and effort.

[JaziandCo]

I like my moggies and will continue getting them, but if I were to purposely own a specific breed (aside from Savannahs which are way outside of my wallet and cat experience), I'd get either ragdolls, turkish vans, or japanese bobtails.

 

I love ragdolls especially despite their ploofy fur because when I was younger, I used to stay at an older couples' house from church, and they had a ragdoll and a bombay. The bombay wasn't about to be annoyed by my hyper little kid self, but the ragdoll I could scoop up, twirl around, hug and cuddle, set him back down, and he'd STILL roll around on the floor asking to be loved. I've heard that's a very common characteristic for that breed which makes it perfect for someone like me.

[7Deadly$ins]

I really have my heart set on a Bengal one day, but I'm also interested in Tonkinese. I'm not sure which will be my next cat. I really want both but I don't know if my boyfriend will like me having three cats. Tonks are apparently more cuddly, which is important to me, but I am having a harder time finding good breeders.

[hazeh]

Tonks are also extremely annoying vocalists. There was a purebred Tonk at the shelter once that my mom almost got, except he was SO vocal that he hardly ever STOPPED talking It was cute at first, but we certainly knew that meowing/yowling all through the night was not going to cut it in our house. Tonks are great cats, though.

I'd love to have a Savannah or Bengal, also. Their personalities seem so dreamy. I don't know if I could ever handle a floofy cat beyond a medium hair, but ragdolls are cute. They're like long-haired Snowshoes |D (which I will definitely get more of when I'm older)!

[TikindiDragon]

I'd love to have a Savannah or Bengal, also. Their personalities seem so dreamy.

None of the Bengals I've ever handled could be considered to have a 'dreamy' temperment. They're not easy cats by a long stretch of the imagination. The ones being shown are now much better than they were (anything lower than an F4 can't actualy be registered on the Championship register over here, it has to be registered on the supplemental register) but even so I know several judges that really dislike having to handle them.