You know we always talk about eating cats spayed/neutered?

[StuffezLaBouche]

And there's a very strong feeling about letting cats have unnecessary litters, when there are loads of unwanted kittens without homes?

Well I've found this site called pets4homes and there are HUNDREDS of pedigree cats on there selling for enormous sums of money. Some of the sellers obviously breed on a larger scale "I will have another litter due on 25th" etc.

I'm just wondering what the "general view" is on this kind of thing. My baby boy is just a little moggie and I absolutely adore him. I can see why people love pure breeds... But when I get number two he will be a rescue, without doubt. Is breeding seen as more acceptable if they're pure breds?

[FossilMum]

Yes, they taste loads better that way?

(check the spelling in your title !)

[StuffezLaBouche]

Oh for GOD'S sake!! I am utterly rubbish tonight. :-(

[cozietoesie]

Drop a quick message to MNHQ - I think they can edit it. Or if not, copy the content and repost, asking them to delete. I think it's an interesting subject to discuss.

[Booyhoo]

[pepperrabbit]

Not a dish I've seen yet on Masterchef

[thecatneuterer]

No, all the rescue charities/animal welfare charities are strongly against all breeding. 'Don't breed or buy while strays die' is one of our mottos. If people who buy pedigree cats were instead to give a home to a rescue cat or two, that would mean less unwanted cats in the world and the consequent reduction in demand would mean breeders would hopefully stop breeding. And not only do breeders bring yet more cats into a world where there are already not enough homes to go round and many, many unwanted cats are put to sleep every day, many also do so in appalling conditions causing suffering to the mother cats and resulting in very ill kittens which often die. Furthermore the breeding of persians for example encourages very unhealthy traits in these cats giving them life long breathing problems etc etc. There will doubtless always be some demand for pedigrees, so the breeds are unlikely to die out, but even if they did that would in my opinion be a small price to pay to avoid yet more cats being brought into this world where so many are unwanted.

A few years ago a pair of one year old bengals (I think - i don't know a lot about breeds) where handed into our rescue centre as they were unwanted. They came with all their papers showing they had cost thousands of pounds each. The charity is always desperately short of money and we could have bred them and sold the kittens for thousands. However that would have been so against our principals and ethics that we couldn't have possibly considered it. We instead neutered them and rehomed them as moggies.

[thecatneuterer]

I didn't even notice the typo :)

[StuffezLaBouche]

Thanks catneuterer, that's a really interesting viewpoint and I totally agree. Some of the breeds are undeniably stunning, but I see so many adverts online that upset me (unable to keep him, don't have the time, etc).
I'm considering another kitten to keep Scabbers company and not sure where to start. Do I rehome a slightly older kitten where the owners have decided they don't want him any more? Do I go to a rescue centre? Can't work it all out.

[StuffezLaBouche]

And I'm too embarrassed to email MNHQ as I've already had to have one of my own threads deleted this evening due to my fat fingered rubbishness!

[cozietoesie]

I'm ambivalent about this one for myself only - because I've had Siamese as my 'personal cats' since I was a kiddy. (Although the family has had rescue moggies or found cats as well.) I don't think I could sleep now without a Siamese lying purring alongside me in bed of a night and moggies just seem plain uninterested in that. I appreciate everything that thecatneuterer says though.

When Seniorboy goes I think I would probably go for a breed rescue. This wouldn't be a compromise just that I've seen many pedigree cats who still have happy years potentially ahead of them but have been left alone - and older Siamese for example can be a bit cranky and not everyone's cup of tea. Seniorboy himself came to me at 13 and while no-one thought he'd last 3 months, he's now 18 and still going reasonably strong.

[TheNebulousBoojum]

I was wondering if some cat-haters had decided to solve the problems of cats pooing in gardens and the high price of meat in one fell swoop.

[StuffezLaBouche]

I'm glad you commented cozie, was interested in your take on it. It seems from what people say on here that certain breeds have such endearing personalities - I can see why people go for them. Also, at risk of being a hypocrite, my family have always kept black labs and if I were ever to get a dog, it would most definitely be a black lab. Hmmm.

[Booyhoo]

cozie

ive had moggies all my life and they all wanted/want to sleep right beside me at night. my favourite boy (now deceased) used to lie either on my tummy or my back. i loved it.

[thecatneuterer]

OP - you could go either to a rescue centre or direct to someone who can't keep a kitten. If you go to a rescue they will be able to point you towards kittens/young cats who have the sort of personality that would fit in with yours (who appears to like other cats for example). If you get one direct make sure that you are not taking someone's unwanted litter unless you can be very sure that they have had the mother cat neutered. Otherwise you may encourage them to think that it's relatively easy to get rid of kittens so there's no hurry to get the mother spayed.

Cozietoesie: I've had/have many moggies that sleep with me purring next to me/on my legs/round my head. I took in a totally feral old cat a few years ago. In six months she went from being totally feral to sleeping at my feet under the covers like a purry, furry hot water bottle. So siamese don't have the monopoly on that sort of thing.

[cozietoesie]

Strange isn't it - I've never experienced that except with Siamese. Perhaps my personality 'fits' with orientals and not with other cats. I'm certainly always the one in any house that the resident Siamese chooses as their person.

[cozietoesie]

Although to be fair, any moggie trying to get into bed around me would have a Siamese problem. Perhaps they recognised the inevitable and didn't even bother.

[Booyhoo]

yes that might have something to do with the lack of moggie in your bed!

[StuffezLaBouche]

My little moggie used to climb into my bed when I first got him. I remember barely getting any sleep as I was so aware he was there and I didn't want to crush him. Now though, he goes to sleep on top of the duvet but during the nights i hear him roaming the house/bombing down the stairs... Then in the morning I will wake to find him either on my chest, back or head. If I have the nerve to try and sleep in past bloody 7am he will guilt trip me by teeth chattering forlornly in the window. Bloody manipulative little bugger!

[cozietoesie]

'teeth chattering in the window' sounds more like bird watching, Stuffez.

[StuffezLaBouche]

Oh it is, but HE KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING!!!

[tabulahrasa]

I've a moggie and a Siamese - my moggie is sweet and friendly and affectionate, she'll sleep on me and she is very lovely... But, it's not at all the same as having my Siamese.

I'm pretty sure I'm the centre of the siamese's universe, I didn't even get her, it was my DP that wanted her and I wasn't even allowed to feed her for the first two years she was here so that she would bond with him - turns out I'm better than cat food, lol.

But, there are loads of breed specific rescues, pedigrees turn up in normal rescues too and if you check places like gumtree there are almost as many people trying to sell pedigree cats that they've got bored with as there is moggies.

I'm not anti-breeding for dogs or cats, but there are an awful lot of irresponsible breeders of both and it's very easy to find anything you might want in a rescue.

[sashh]

Siamese lying purring alongside me in bed of a night and moggies just seem plain uninterested in that.

Mine sleeps on a pillow next to my head if I dare to sleep in what she considers to be her bed.

Charlie also liked to sleep on my bed.

Some of the foster cats did too. Spike used to lie on my back when I was reading in bed. It felt like he was reading over my shoulder.

[Lovethesea]

We've a rescue moggie who chose our bed the first day and hasn't shifted since. He sleeps on my feet or alongside my legs, if I stir he comes up and purrs for attention and snuggles next to my arms. Once I stop stroking he'll eventually wander to the end of the bed again.

For a change he occasionally sleeps on DD's feet instead. (She is 4). He has yet to think sharing with DS (2) is a plan. Wonder why!

[Snoopingforsoup]

I love my moggies and I love my breeds.
My last kitty was killed on the road. When we could no longer bear being without a feline friend, we looked to breeds who are content to be indoors. It all depends on circumstances. I want to get a companion kitty and would like a rescue cat. A lot will depend on whether said rescue is happy to be indoors as in our current home, the road is a no no.
I don't condone shabby breeders, but there are some very loving considerate and knowledgable catteries out there. Most wouldn't be breeding litters if they didn't have the customers. A lot on the cat ads are advertising pedigrees that are not actually pure breeds and demanding extortionate money for moggies, which bothers me greatly! Responsible cat ownership would be better for cats generally.

[VenusRising]

Well, I love cats but I'm allergic to every cat except orientals.
I love Siamese and Burmese, and have a little tonkinese who I practically inhale every night. (I don't eat her though!)

Not all moggies cause me allergies, but if they have any under hair, or long hair I start to sneeze and wheeze within minutes. With oriental pedigree cats I'm fine.