Thinking of buying a kitten!
- Thread starter Sharan
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BARE BEAUTY
Well-Known Member
Just coming at it from a different perspective sometimes there are situations where you may be best with a pedigree.
We have had rescue kittens in the past and have had the odd 'wild' one. We didn't want to deal with a 'wild' one this time as we decided it would be indoors ALL the time; we have a very busy road behind us, also had a neighbour many years ago who hated cats and he would catch them and dispose of them - very upsetting, we also have lots of native birds and animals in our area. Add to this that we have also recently renovated and refurbished (I know my hubby would not tolerate any cat destroying the new furniture or electronics from chewing cords) so it was very important to us to have a nice calm, mellow and lazy cat (we believe animals are for life so you pick what fits your lifestyle not what appeals to the eye). I did lots of research based on what breed was the laziest being top priority, short hair the second and came up with the the Scottish Fold and British Shorthair, we ended up with a British shorthair (the scot folds are very hard to get here) and his personality is exactly as his breed description says it should be, he is actually the laziest kitten I have ever met and that is just what we were after.
We have had rescue kittens in the past and have had the odd 'wild' one. We didn't want to deal with a 'wild' one this time as we decided it would be indoors ALL the time; we have a very busy road behind us, also had a neighbour many years ago who hated cats and he would catch them and dispose of them - very upsetting, we also have lots of native birds and animals in our area. Add to this that we have also recently renovated and refurbished (I know my hubby would not tolerate any cat destroying the new furniture or electronics from chewing cords) so it was very important to us to have a nice calm, mellow and lazy cat (we believe animals are for life so you pick what fits your lifestyle not what appeals to the eye). I did lots of research based on what breed was the laziest being top priority, short hair the second and came up with the the Scottish Fold and British Shorthair, we ended up with a British shorthair (the scot folds are very hard to get here) and his personality is exactly as his breed description says it should be, he is actually the laziest kitten I have ever met and that is just what we were after.
Aphrodite26
Well-Known Member
The ragdolls are meant to be laid back, quiet and cuddly.
Ours is bat**** crazy lol x
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Ours is bat**** crazy lol x
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little voyce
Well-Known Member
Jeeps! You live in one of the largest countries on earth - and still have an animal that can't go outside. (Yes, I know most of it is uninhabitable). If I lived on a busy road AND had houseproud partner, I wouldn't have a pet. Can't imagine how mind numbingly boring it must be. Nothing to sniff, scratch, roll in....
If we kept a human indoors all day, every day, we would call that imprisonment. I just couldn't bear the look in its eyes every time I went out the door....
If we kept a human indoors all day, every day, we would call that imprisonment. I just couldn't bear the look in its eyes every time I went out the door....
virtues2011
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Jeeps! You live in one of the largest countries on earth - and still have an animal that can't go outside. (Yes, I know most of it is uninhabitable). If I lived on a busy road AND had houseproud partner, I wouldn't have a pet. Can't imagine how mind numbingly boring it must be. Nothing to sniff, scratch, roll in....
If we kept a human indoors all day, every day, we would call that imprisonment. I just couldn't bear the look in its eyes every time I went out the door....
I agree. Cats are hunters, they were not bred to be kept in doors. It is cruel to the animal just because we feel we want one, but that's my opinion. I'm not great with birds in cages or Guinea pigs left forever in hutches. ..
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BARE BEAUTY
Well-Known Member
Jeeps! You live in one of the largest countries on earth - and still have an animal that can't go outside. (Yes, I know most of it is uninhabitable). If I lived on a busy road AND had houseproud partner, I wouldn't have a pet. Can't imagine how mind numbingly boring it must be. Nothing to sniff, scratch, roll in....
If we kept a human indoors all day, every day, we would call that imprisonment. I just couldn't bear the look in its eyes every time I went out the door....
A lot of our native animals have been driven to extinction by introduced animals - especially the cat!
Our councils have laws in regards to animals that kill wildlife. I can capture a cat that is causing property damage or damage to another animal and hand it in to the council for them to deal with. I have also read numerous times during my research that an indoor cats life expectancy is about 7 years more than that of an outdoor one.
And if you read my post you will see that is why I researched for a breed that would suit that particular lifestyle - both the scot and british being perfect matches for it. In fact ALL the breeders I spoke to specified they would NOT let a kitten go to a home that would enable their cats to go outside. Our cat has showed NO interest in going outside, you can stand with the door wide open and he just sits there and looks out, this is exactly what the breeder told us - they generally aren't interested.
Our lifestyle over here is very different to yours our houses and properties are much larger (our house, that he freely roams is probably a lot larger that your yard) and it is quite common to have cats (sometimes numerous) that live indoors.
As for nothing to sniff, scratch or roll in he is provided with things that enable him to do this, he has the most ridiculously large cat tower I have ever seen, he has numerous interactive toys that are rotated so that he does not bore of them, catnip at his disposal - it just takes a little effort.
Just because something is new to your mindset does not mean it is bad.
jade_brooke
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Aphrodite26
Well-Known Member
At the shelter I volunteer at a lot of the cats are only suitable to indoor only homes. Various reasons such as being timid, terrified of other people, no road awareness, FIV disease etc
After loosing my last cat when he was ran over I initially said the twins would be indoor only, however they wanted to be out so I trained them on a harness to go only to certain areas and they do stick to these places.
They are not allowed out after dark or when I am not home.
My aunts cat is 11 and refuses to go outside at all. He has a cat flap and ignores it. You can leave all the doors and windows open and he just lays by the entrance now and again.
A cat won't do anything it doesn't want 2. Like mine don't want to be indoors so they guilted me in to letting them out
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After loosing my last cat when he was ran over I initially said the twins would be indoor only, however they wanted to be out so I trained them on a harness to go only to certain areas and they do stick to these places.
They are not allowed out after dark or when I am not home.
My aunts cat is 11 and refuses to go outside at all. He has a cat flap and ignores it. You can leave all the doors and windows open and he just lays by the entrance now and again.
A cat won't do anything it doesn't want 2. Like mine don't want to be indoors so they guilted me in to letting them out
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BARE BEAUTY
Well-Known Member
Another thing I forgot to mention, we have this horrid little creature called a paralysis tick over here, it injects venom into its host (cats, dogs etc) and it slowly paralyses it's host until it dies, if you are lucky and catch it early you can try the antivenin but it does not always work (we have actually experienced this). There is currently preventative paralysis tick treatments for dogs that are toxic to cats, there is however no preventative that is safe for use on cats.
BARE BEAUTY
Well-Known Member
*Anti venom
KayaPapaya
Well-Known Member
Is this a ragdoll cross?
It's very pretty - but all the ragdolls I've seen are cream possibly with shadow colours?
BARE BEAUTY
Well-Known Member
I notice earlier you said she was hand reared. The first six weeks is key in the development of their personality and temperament and this comes from mum - just a thought, the fact she lost her mum may have something to do with her non standard breed behaviour??
Aphrodite26
Well-Known Member
No she is a full ragdoll. British blue non pointed solid raggy. X
http://www.ragdoll.co.at/breed.htm
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Aphrodite26
Well-Known Member
She was only hand reared from 7 weeks. But you could be right.
We are very experienced owners though but always seem to get the crazy ones
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KayaPapaya
Well-Known Member
Lovely I'll look into blues next time
Aphrodite26
Well-Known Member
Lovely I'll look into blues next time
In the sunlight she is a stunning colour
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T
tonicj
Guest
Gorgeous! I have one exactly the same Aphro. He's 13 now and still gorgeous.
T
tonicj
Guest
Mine comes and goes through the cat flap as he pleases. I too have difficulty with birds in cages or anything locked up. I can't stand it!:sad: Don't like crates either.
The vets asked me if I was going to let mine be an outdoor cat, and I think they have a better life if they choose to go outside. She sat under the bush outside the kitchen window for hours and hours when I she first ventured out just watching everything and feeling the wind .
