Cats

[PoppyD]

Does anybody have a knowledge of cat breeds. I adopted two rescue cats before Christmas. But they were crazy. And the owners turned up recently. So they’ve gone home now to destroy their old house. I want a nice placid breed. One that doesn’t go out and kill everything and prefers home. I have a nice garden away from main roads, but I want one that won’t stray too far. Mom had a Persian which had access to the outdoors, but found it beneath himself to get his paws wet and his cat beans dirty. That would be perfect. There is conflicting data out there. And people on cat forums all seem a bit weird and give non answers.

 

[CLEM]

Does anybody have a knowledge of cat breeds. I adopted two rescue cats before Christmas. But they were crazy. And the owners turned up recently. So they’ve gone home now to destroy their old house. I want a nice placid breed. One that doesn’t go out and kill everything and prefers home. I have a nice garden away from main roads, but I want one that won’t stray too far. Mom had a Persian which had access to the outdoors, but found it beneath himself to get his paws wet and his cat beans dirty. That would be perfect. There is conflicting data out there. And people on cat forums all seem a bit weird and give non answers.

British Shorthair, very chilled puddy tats

 

[HorseGuy]

I'm no expert but I've always found Tuxedo cats to have friendly laid back personalities.

Good on you for taking on a rescue cat. An admirable thing to do. Of course with a rescue cat you can never be totally sure what previous life experiences or psychological baggage they might have. However if you ask the people at the rescue center what kind of life the cat has had and what their personality is like you will probably get a fair indication of what to expect.

 

[PoppyD]

British Shorthair, very chilled puddy tats

They aren’t snuggly cats though. And too independent. I would like one a bit more affectionate than that. And a load of cat hairs as well going on all the time. Laughing Gravy is one of those and we hardly ever see him.

 

[PoppyD]

I'm no expert but I've always found Tuxedo cats to have friendly laid back personalities.

Good on you for taking on a rescue cat. An admirable thing to do. Of course with a rescue cat you can never be totally sure what previous life experiences or psychological baggage they might have. However if you ask the people at the rescue center what kind of life the cat has had and what their personality is like you will probably get a fair indication of what to expect.

Marmaduke and Shnoopsy were tuxedo cats and they were as mad as all things. I don’t want to go down the rescue cat route again as it’s upsetting having to let them go. Even if they were crazy. I want to start with a kitten.

 

[Nice65]

And people on cat forums all seem a bit weird and give non answers.

That figures . Sent me off looking for the cat meme. "If your cat could text, it wouldn't".

 

[HorseGuy]

Marmaduke and Shnoopsy were tuxedo cats and they were as mad as all things.

So much for my theory then.

We've had two rescue cats and a few rescue horses. Not all of them had issues but some did and requires extra time and work. One of the rescue cat lives almost feral in our tack room (we feed and water her and she has somewhere comfortable to sleep). She is very happy and healthy living there and gives off all of the friendly loving body language cues. But if we ever try and touch or stroke her she panics and viciously attacks us. Even after several years!

 

[trashcanman1984]

I have my mum's British longhair cat, she is cute and loves to cuddle, but my experience of cats is that they all want to destroy wildlife..

...my advice, get a dog

 

[PoppyD]

So much for my theory then.

We've had two rescue cats and a few rescue horses. Not all of them had issues but some did and requires extra time and work. One of the rescue cat lives almost feral in our tack room (we feed and water her and she has somewhere comfortable to sleep). She is very happy and healthy living there and gives off all of the friendly loving body language cues. But if we ever try and touch or stroke her she panics and viciously attacks us. Even after several years!

We had rescue horses as well. Much easier than rescue cats. M&S were very affectionate. But it was like living with two road runners that enjoyed breaking stuff just to be dicks.

 

[PoppyD]

I have my mum's British longhair cat, she is cute and loves to cuddle, but my experience of cats is that they all want to destroy wildlife..

...my advice, get a dog

View attachment 105073

Clive, our Persian would never attack wildlife. We had a free range budgie that lived in a bamboo tree in the living room and had his water and seeds on the tray next to Clive’s and they got along great. Sometimes the budgie would bath in Clive’s water and he’d just watch with mild disgust. It wouldn’t even hurt spiders but just sit and watch them. Maybe it’s just how you bring them up. I don’t want a dog. They are just too needy and wipe their bums on the carpet. Need constant walks. Would have to come with me to the woods and I’d see no wildlife. They make a load of noise. And make smells.

 

[Tengu]

One word. Ragdoll. Friend two doors down breeds the horrid things.

Soft, needy and not interested in cat mayhem.

 

[trashcanman1984]

....I don’t want a dog. They are just too needy and wipe their bums on the carpet. Need constant walks. Would have to come with me to the woods and I’d see no wildlife. They make a load of noise. And make smells.

Sounds very much like human males...

 

[FerlasDave]

Would have to come with me to the woods and I’d see no wildlife. They make a load of noise.

Myself, and other stalkers, wild fowlers and rough shooters would beg to differ. A dog can be the perfect companion in the woods depending on the breed and training.

I should probably add, I am also allergic to cats!

 

[JonathanD]

I’m with you there. Dogs can be trained for that. But for up close wildlife observation and study, a dog isn’t an option. Try getting within two foot of a badger sett with a dog for prolonged observation. Not a chance. I wouldn’t want a dog with me on my wanderings either, you certainly can’t observe snakes naturally with a dog in tow. And hornets and wasps react considerably to predatory animals like dogs within the nest vicinity.

Personally, I’d go for a budgie. I’d love a parrot again, but as it would now outlive me, that would be awful to think about its life after I died. Really unfair.

Emm gave you great advice Pops. Persian. It won’t ever replace Clive, and it will have its own completely different personality.

Marmaduke and Snupsy were idiots and deranged. Probably in retaliation to the ridiculous names you gave them.

 

[HorseGuy]

We had rescue horses as well. Much easier than rescue cats. M&S were very affectionate. But it was like living with two road runners that enjoyed breaking stuff just to be dicks.

Some of our rescue horses required a lot of time and care for their injuries and the other physical ailments they had. But psychologically the two cats were more difficult.

Clive, our Persian would never attack wildlife. We had a free range budgie that lived in a bamboo tree in the living room and had his water and seeds on the tray next to Clive’s and they got along great. Sometimes the budgie would bath in Clive’s water and he’d just watch with mild disgust. It wouldn’t even hurt spiders but just sit and watch them.

It's wonderful to see different species getting along like that. We once had an injured seagull which couldn't fly live in our back yard with a rabbit. They were the best of friends and for several years were never more than a meter distance away from each other.

We fed the seagull things like tinned sardines in tomato sauce. Normally seagulls are very aggressive around food but when we put sardines out for it it would stand back and wait calmly while the rabbit had a few licks of tomato sauce first and would only start eating once the rabbit had finished.

Maybe it’s just how you bring them up.

Yes I agree. I think it often does have a lot to do with how they are brought up.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Personally I think the Persians with flat faces are an abomination. Horrible thing for people to do to a cat breed.
If you must get a Persian, get one with a proper cat’s face (doll)

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Good that you are getting a kitten, because many traits are influenced by how small kittens are treated. Look into this. Early handling and the type of handling are important. Teaching about using claws when playing with people, the acceptability of climbing things, calmness when picked up, all can be influenced early, but then seem to largely become set.

The reason for varying answers is that a lot can ride on individual personalities which are driven by the cat’s experience and innate character. My neighbour’s plain black male shorthair is a little bit of a hunter, but not much. He doesn’t wander far. He is needy, loves attention and follows me around to the point of being annoying. Most gentle cat I have met, loves being on laps…but does not like being picked up and has no idea how to sit on a shoulder. Doesn’t like my neighbour’s dog (who is scared of the cat) or being around their young girls…which is why he uses my place like a gentleman’s club for the day! He doesn’t much mind being laughed at, but I have known other cats that really don’t like that.

 

[FerlasDave]

What about a Manx?

Sorry @JonathanD

 

[Toddy]

Honestly ? I think all breeds have outliers.
My last wee British short haired tabby was the calmest, gentlest and most cuddly cat on the planet....my previous one was a true template for Greebo. He was my big soft pet, but he attacked everything else. Stole my neighbours just roasted chicken lunch, regularly terrorised the alsations two houses along, chased the fox from the garden and squared off agin the badgers. Didn't hunt birds though, I didn't teach him to play 'up', I kept all his toys down low. He did take mice and rats, and squirrels.

I have to admit I fancy a Maine Coone....something not inbred, maybe a cross with something big, calm, laid back too.

I confess, I am a firm believer that if you have a cat-shaped space in life, then a cat will appear to fill it

 

[Falstaff]

I've habituated (not tamed) a couple of wild'uns, but it can take literally years, and a lot work socialising them and their gaining trust. Working on the neighbour's feral one now.
Sometimes you need the gloves!
But once the prey drive has been switched on nothing seems to switch it off. Bit like bush craft then....

 

[JonathanD]

What about a Manx?

Sorry @JonathanD

Fine by me. She doesn’t live here anymore now she’s at uni