Hello,after much thought and deliberation Ihave decided to get a pedigree cat.I was thinking about getting a dog,but a cat will fit into my lifestyle far better than a dog.I have always liked cats,and I am now able to please myself in getting one.What pedigree cat is good for a first time owner? I do like the look and personality of Russian Blue(from what I have read)also British Shorthair. I also have a couple of basic questions,do kittens teeth like puppies,do you have to give them chews like kongs etc?also how do you housetrain a cat,do they behave in a similar way to a pup eg sniffing and whatnot before they pee and poop?It will be a housecat it is far to precious to let it roam,plus I don't want it to kill the local wildlife and mess other people garden up.Sorry for the ramble I just want to get it right.
StormyWind
I have a BSH, his name is Arthur. He is also my first cat and is now 9 months old.
Have a look at these threads to makes sure you're actually going to get a pedigree, please don't look on Pets4Homes or Gumtree or anything like that! https://www.petforums.co.uk/threads/finding-a-pedigree-cat.447723/ Find a breed you like and
have a look at the specific breed cat club for a list of breeders. There are also a number of breeders on here. Kittens shouldn't leave their mum until they are at least 12 weeks old, by this time they are litter trained (learnt from mum). I have never given Arthur any chew toys, he hasn't gone round a chewed any furniture!
Have a look at these threads to makes sure you're actually going to get a pedigree, please don't look on Pets4Homes or Gumtree or anything like that! https://www.petforums.co.uk/threads/finding-a-pedigree-cat.447723/ Find a breed you like and
have a look at the specific breed cat club for a list of breeders. There are also a number of breeders on here. Kittens shouldn't leave their mum until they are at least 12 weeks old, by this time they are litter trained (learnt from mum). I have never given Arthur any chew toys, he hasn't gone round a chewed any furniture!
Why not look at adopting an older cat from a rescue centre. I think if you have never had a cat before then an adult cat is a good option.
You will know what their personality and temperament is like and the staff will help match a cat to your needs and situation.
Kittens are gorgeous BUT they are hard work and if you are at work all day they will not be happy being left alone.
Please dont think I am trying to put you off! Finding a pedigree cat from a reputable breeder isnt always as easy as you might think either.
Good luck
You will know what their personality and temperament is like and the staff will help match a cat to your needs and situation.
Kittens are gorgeous BUT they are hard work and if you are at work all day they will not be happy being left alone.
Please dont think I am trying to put you off! Finding a pedigree cat from a reputable breeder isnt always as easy as you might think either.
Good luck
When they are little they need feeding at least 4 times a day. You can use autofeeders but it doesnt replace having a human for company.
They also need plenty of play sessions - so before and after work.
As to how long they can be left, thats difficult. You could go on the same principle as that of a puppy, which is no more than 4hrs.
No animal really likes being left alone for long periods of time.
You can get 2 kittens so they have each other for company - bearing on mind its double the cost. Or as I said look an an older cat in a rescue centre
They also need plenty of play sessions - so before and after work.
As to how long they can be left, thats difficult. You could go on the same principle as that of a puppy, which is no more than 4hrs.
No animal really likes being left alone for long periods of time.
You can get 2 kittens so they have each other for company - bearing on mind its double the cost. Or as I said look an an older cat in a rescue centre
I have a BSH 16 week old kitten bred by my daughter and he's absolutely lovely. He licks like a dog and follows you around like a dog. He'll play games with you and loves to lay on his back and have his tummy rubbed while he's licking you...probably the most loving cat you could ever wish for! He just loves his ears and toes stroked when he's about to fall asleep.
He was fully litter trained by 8 weeks old and we've never had a problem with him that way whatsoever or any other part of his behaviour. He is exclusively a house cat and now even travels with us to our caravan and loves it. Probably the only downside to him if you can call it that is he won't leave our side and is forever wanting to play which believe it or not can be demanding at times but I can live with that!
I would say he's the perfect breed for a house cat and his temperament is superb and he's never once shown any aggression whatsoever.
The advice I would give as a new kitten owner myself is don't rush into picking the first one you find, you have to look beyond the cuteness and observe the cat and its behaviour and you may have to look at several before you find the one which is right for you!
I was very fortunate in that my daughter gave me the pick of the litter and we made several visits to observe all the kittens in the litter before my OH and I chose him and he turned to be perfect for us! If possible try to observe them at least more than once before making your final decision as to the particular characteristics you prefer. All kittens are cute and adorable but they grow into cats and they could be with you for 20 years so it's better that you choose wisely.
From past experience, I found found for instance if they don't like being picked up as kittens, there's a fair chance they will not like that as adults which could be restrictive if you want an affectionate cat. Some of Jasper's siblings clearly didn't warm to being handled to some degree and a couple even showed slight disapproval at that young age which was something for us to consider but Jasper was the exception and together with his general affectionate disposition, he stood out from the rest.
Good luck with your choice.
He was fully litter trained by 8 weeks old and we've never had a problem with him that way whatsoever or any other part of his behaviour. He is exclusively a house cat and now even travels with us to our caravan and loves it. Probably the only downside to him if you can call it that is he won't leave our side and is forever wanting to play which believe it or not can be demanding at times but I can live with that!
I would say he's the perfect breed for a house cat and his temperament is superb and he's never once shown any aggression whatsoever.
The advice I would give as a new kitten owner myself is don't rush into picking the first one you find, you have to look beyond the cuteness and observe the cat and its behaviour and you may have to look at several before you find the one which is right for you!
I was very fortunate in that my daughter gave me the pick of the litter and we made several visits to observe all the kittens in the litter before my OH and I chose him and he turned to be perfect for us! If possible try to observe them at least more than once before making your final decision as to the particular characteristics you prefer. All kittens are cute and adorable but they grow into cats and they could be with you for 20 years so it's better that you choose wisely.
From past experience, I found found for instance if they don't like being picked up as kittens, there's a fair chance they will not like that as adults which could be restrictive if you want an affectionate cat. Some of Jasper's siblings clearly didn't warm to being handled to some degree and a couple even showed slight disapproval at that young age which was something for us to consider but Jasper was the exception and together with his general affectionate disposition, he stood out from the rest.
Good luck with your choice.
thankyou for the info,Ihave set my heart on a pedigree kitten,if I did a rescue I would be worried about inheriting either a problem cat or illness,though I do like the idea of a rehome.As a first time owner I don't know if I could cope with a problem cat.They are not usually in rescues for nothing are they?
oh dear
Cats are in rescue for a number of reasons, none which is ever the cats fault. Its sad that you would think this.
People fail to neuter their cats and then cant cope with a pregnant cat and a litter of kittens.
Owners fail to microchip their cats so cant be reunited if they go missing and end up in rescue.
Owners die, go into care homes, safe houses, temporary accomodation, struggle with personal problems or do not provide adequate care.
Having a pedigree cat does not guarentee a problem free healthy cat. I've had rescued cats ever since I was a child and never had a health or behavioural problem.
I'd love to see more people adopting, sadly some people dont want to
Cats are in rescue for a number of reasons, none which is ever the cats fault. Its sad that you would think this.
People fail to neuter their cats and then cant cope with a pregnant cat and a litter of kittens.
Owners fail to microchip their cats so cant be reunited if they go missing and end up in rescue.
Owners die, go into care homes, safe houses, temporary accomodation, struggle with personal problems or do not provide adequate care.
Having a pedigree cat does not guarentee a problem free healthy cat. I've had rescued cats ever since I was a child and never had a health or behavioural problem.
I'd love to see more people adopting, sadly some people dont want to
* cross posted with Clare*
Actually a lot of the time cats are in rescue through no fault of their own. Often careless owners will let them out unchipped and un-neutered and then the pregnant female and their litter will wind up at a shelter. Or someone will buy a cat then a boyfriend/girlfriend/ new job/ kid will come along and they decide the poor kitty doesn't fit with their life anymore. Or a cat has ended up getting lost and is brought in as a stray, or has been in an RTA, brought to a vets, and was never chipped so doesn't get reunited with their owner so ends up at a shelter. It isn't necessarily a behavioural issue.
Actually a lot of the time cats are in rescue through no fault of their own. Often careless owners will let them out unchipped and un-neutered and then the pregnant female and their litter will wind up at a shelter. Or someone will buy a cat then a boyfriend/girlfriend/ new job/ kid will come along and they decide the poor kitty doesn't fit with their life anymore. Or a cat has ended up getting lost and is brought in as a stray, or has been in an RTA, brought to a vets, and was never chipped so doesn't get reunited with their owner so ends up at a shelter. It isn't necessarily a behavioural issue.
I have two rescue cats and they are the sweetest natured cats! I thought I was incredibly lucky to grow up with a softie cat as a child, but it seems I have lucked out and managed to find two more.
Margot had been brought to the shelter by a neighbour after her owners had been neglecting her. She has a short tail with a kink in the end where they shut it in a door, I am assuming the end had to be amputated. She is so affectionate, extremely well behaved and very mild mannered.
Meg had been brought to the shelter by a man who found her living in his shed with 4 kittens (she was still a kitten herself). Sadly all her kittens were unwell and died at the rescue centre. She has clearly been part of a family at some point as she is extremely friendly and affectionate. I assume that her owners didn't bother to spay her, then discovered she was pregnant and wanted nothing more to do with her and shut her out in the streets to fend for herself, whilst pregnant, giving birth and trying to keep her kittens alive.
She is very playful and energetic but very sweet, every time I greet her I get big headbutts and, bless her, she really wants to be friends with Margot! She is a lovely soul.
Please please don't rule out shelters. They are bursting at the seams with beautiful cats with lovely natures. They have got to know the cats' personalities; just go and let them know your lifestyle, what you want from a cat and they will be able to introduce you to a lifelong companion.
Good luck :Cat
Margot had been brought to the shelter by a neighbour after her owners had been neglecting her. She has a short tail with a kink in the end where they shut it in a door, I am assuming the end had to be amputated. She is so affectionate, extremely well behaved and very mild mannered.
Meg had been brought to the shelter by a man who found her living in his shed with 4 kittens (she was still a kitten herself). Sadly all her kittens were unwell and died at the rescue centre. She has clearly been part of a family at some point as she is extremely friendly and affectionate. I assume that her owners didn't bother to spay her, then discovered she was pregnant and wanted nothing more to do with her and shut her out in the streets to fend for herself, whilst pregnant, giving birth and trying to keep her kittens alive.
She is very playful and energetic but very sweet, every time I greet her I get big headbutts and, bless her, she really wants to be friends with Margot! She is a lovely soul.
Please please don't rule out shelters. They are bursting at the seams with beautiful cats with lovely natures. They have got to know the cats' personalities; just go and let them know your lifestyle, what you want from a cat and they will be able to introduce you to a lifelong companion.
Good luck :Cat
Not at all. If you go and say that you want an indoor only cat they will let you know which of their cats will be happy to live with you.
At the centre I went to they conducted a home visit to ensure my suitability, and also to check the proximity of my house to any main roads as both of my cats have lived a mainly outdoor existence for most of their lives.
Just pop along, speak to the staff and greet some of the cats, you might just get chosen as a slave if you are lucky
One thing to bear in mind is: depending on the type of accommodation at the centre, the cats will most likely be in some level of stress. You need to trust the staff when they tell you about the cat's personality. For example, they told me Meg is very friendly and affectionate. At the centre she had only just been moved into the outdoor (communal) pen, and it took a LOT of coaxing with food for her to even come anywhere near me. I was not able to touch her, she ran and hid. However, when I brought her home she was straight out of the carrier and confident and affectionate, a completely different cat because she was somewhere calm, quiet and she obviously felt much safer. They know the cats well, so once you have considered what kind of cat will best suit your lifestyle then just pass on the information and they will be able to help
At the centre I went to they conducted a home visit to ensure my suitability, and also to check the proximity of my house to any main roads as both of my cats have lived a mainly outdoor existence for most of their lives.
Just pop along, speak to the staff and greet some of the cats, you might just get chosen as a slave if you are lucky
One thing to bear in mind is: depending on the type of accommodation at the centre, the cats will most likely be in some level of stress. You need to trust the staff when they tell you about the cat's personality. For example, they told me Meg is very friendly and affectionate. At the centre she had only just been moved into the outdoor (communal) pen, and it took a LOT of coaxing with food for her to even come anywhere near me. I was not able to touch her, she ran and hid. However, when I brought her home she was straight out of the carrier and confident and affectionate, a completely different cat because she was somewhere calm, quiet and she obviously felt much safer. They know the cats well, so once you have considered what kind of cat will best suit your lifestyle then just pass on the information and they will be able to help
It isn't always as simple as going to a rescue seeing an animal you like and bringing it home, each rescue has its own rehoming criteria, I have owned cats for almost 40 years but I am not a suitable cat owner according to our local rescue. I don't even bother looking at rescues now.
If you want a pedigree kitten, pop down to a local cat show, take a look at the pedigree cats and speak to the owner/breeder ask questions, some breeds are more vocal than others, some require regular grooming, some breeds are more destructive that others etc. etc..
I would invest in a good cat tree, kittens will go to a clean litter tray. I always put a litter tray in the living room close to the kittens, touch wood I have never had an accident. You can buy cat toys but a rolled up piece of newspaper is simple and cheap and a kitten will have a lot of fun with that. A cardboard box with a hole in the top and a hole in the side will keep a kitten amused for hours.
Whilst I usually have two cats or more cats, one can live happily on its own, cats sleep most of the time and when you are home that's the time I spend quality time with my pets.
If you want a pedigree kitten, pop down to a local cat show, take a look at the pedigree cats and speak to the owner/breeder ask questions, some breeds are more vocal than others, some require regular grooming, some breeds are more destructive that others etc. etc..
I would invest in a good cat tree, kittens will go to a clean litter tray. I always put a litter tray in the living room close to the kittens, touch wood I have never had an accident. You can buy cat toys but a rolled up piece of newspaper is simple and cheap and a kitten will have a lot of fun with that. A cardboard box with a hole in the top and a hole in the side will keep a kitten amused for hours.
Whilst I usually have two cats or more cats, one can live happily on its own, cats sleep most of the time and when you are home that's the time I spend quality time with my pets.
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