Ok so my boyfriend really would love a cat and after me saying 'no we live in a flat' I've looked at some of the indoor cat care guides, and some pedigrees it says are better off living inside, so I can't use that excuse anymore

We do have a 6 year old staffie that loves cats, but I need to get a cat that will cope well with a dog in the house, is there any breeds NOT to get first of all?

I'd love a bengal and have PM'd about rehoming one as I'd rather a rescue, but if I bought one how much should I expect to pay?

I'm a clicker trainer and have clicker trained my Mum's cats to do simple things like paw lifts. I'd like to clicker train any future cats I get, (if that cat's choose too )so would want something that's fairly intelligent.

I've always owned cats and am fairly well read: got all the Vicky Halls books (who made me feel that despite owning cats for 20 years I really knew nothing about them ) and I'm always learning more and more. I know about environmental enrichment for animals so would make sure there was plenty of things to occupy the scamp.

So any tips for a newbie regarding the above?

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You have pretty much exactly described a Maine Coon. "Dog like" personality, very clever, will fetch balls & do tricks, will even go on walks if you want. They are very big, however, & would cost in the region of £350 to £450 for a well bred kitten. They are hard to come by in rescues so a rescue MC who is used to dogs would be a bit of a tall order. Plenty of breeders socialise kittens with dogs, however. My Maine Coon play wrestles with my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

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Yes Maine Coon's is the other option to Bengals I think, or I like Norweigan forest cats.

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NFCs are meant to be similar to Maine Coons in a lot of ways. Not sure how closely, however.

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Yeh I know they're big as I know a lady with one and he is huge!

Now the other thing....I woulnd't know where to look for cat breeders, all the previous ones have been moggies from the pet shop advert window!

Open to any advice, I also have no idea what I'd like to feed them on, preferably wet, Almo is good but any others?

Sorry if this thread sounds at all arrogant, I hope I don't come across as a know it all, 'cos I don't.

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Try the breed clubs in the first instance. Google the breed you like & add "club" in the search box & it should come up with them. They will have lists of breeders & lists of available kittens/litters.

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Thanks, I think we're going to try and go to some cat shows, my boyfriend is excited!

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