Rescue cat or pedigree?

[mummymermaid]

Has anyone got experience on adopting rescue cats and how they adapted to young children? Or would it be better to have a kitten? I understand cats scratch occasionally and that's fine but obviously one that doesn't get stressed out by young children as that would be unfair to everyone involved, especially to a rescue cat who possibly already has had a bad start in life.

A rescue cat - speak to the rescue and they will find one that suits your circumstances. We enquired about a particular cat at Cats Protection but when we said we had an 11 month old and a 3 year old they said that wasn't the cat for us. A weeks or so later she called us and said 'I have the perfect cat for you' and 8 years later that cat is currently sitting on my 11 year olds knee while he plays on the Xbox.

Rescue cat. Any good cat shelter will do a pre-assessment on your situation so they can match you to a cat that they think will be suited to your home based on their observations while the cat has been in a foster home/the shelter.

We got our cat at 18mo from the Cats Protection - she was neutered, up to date on her vaccinations etc and had just had a full health check from a vet so we knew she was in great health. And she was £70, which is far cheaper than buying a kitten and having to pay to get them sorted yourself.

A lot of the cats haven't had a bad start in life in that they've been abused, a lot of them are given up by people who either don't feel able to/aren't able to look after them any more, or who move and their new accommodation isn't suitable for a cat.

Good luck with your search!

Rescue. Always.

And kittens are but always best option for young family - but a good rescue will match you with the right cat.

We adopted a rescue cat and she is fab.

She was three when she arrived and probably better with younger children than a kitten who can bite and scratch.

When we went to a homing day we chatted with the volunteers and explained that we didn’t mind what the cat looked like we just wanted a friendly and laidback cat. They recommended Shadow (renamed) and it was a really good choice for us.

She wasn’t mistreated so no anti social behaviour but was abandoned. Some naughtiness around food but has never bitten or scratched.

^aren’t always!

Also not all rescue animals have had a bad start in life - some are stray, some are lovely things who’s owners got too elderly or unwell. It doesn’t mean they have issues.

Mine was found in a bin with his siblings but is the happiest little creature, super confident, and loves children.

That's good if they match us with the perfect cat, all we want is a laid back friendly and preferably a very cuddly cat! We don't care about the looks etc. Our DD is nearly 5 years old and she's very sensitive and shy so I'm hoping her and the cat would become best of friends.

What about a pedigree rescue. I have two ex breeding queens rescued in terrible condition from a kitten farm. They are an absolute joy.

I got a couple of two year old British Shorthair cats from a breeder. They were returned (to the breeder) due to allergies. They are the best cats I've ever owned, they are so chilled and affectionate I couldn't be without them and as a bonus didn't have to go through the annoying kitten stage.

I wouldn't get a kitten. Ours were biting scratching monsters who thundered round the house, attacked everyone and stopped us sleeping!
Our first cats were a mum and son. 2 years and 18 months. Yep. That's why cats should be neutered. They were rescued but hadn't had a bad start at all. Perfectly happy family home. Weren't ill treated. Family broke up and they couldn't keep them. Lovely and cuddly pair.
A slightly older cat from a rescue would be my vote. You will also have more idea of the character of the cats. Our kittens are adults now and still batshit. They really wouldn't do well with very young children.
TBH some pedigree cats can be harder work. I grew up with Burmese. Stunning. But not an easy option!!

Rescue adult- either pedigree or moggy.

I have had kittens and they are needle sharp! I was covered in scratches from normally playing and cuddling. They were very friendly but they still hurt!
When I had children and lost my beautiful soppy old boy we adopted a cat who's owner had just died. She was used to his grandchildren and not at all phased by our 3 children. She was passed the manic kitten stage, no curtain climbing or landing on heads from the cupboards, but still happy to play and cuddle.

You have some idea of their nature if you adopt an adult too. Ours is too lazy to hunt and a real home body, which suits our family well. I would worry about a wandering cat and am very happy to not have to remove tiny corpses every morning!

Rescue every time, get two cats/kittens together because they keep each other company. I wouldn't exclude kittens - I love the thundering round the house like mad things phase (sitting in the living room as I type - playing with the two latest Battersea arrivals ).
My children have grown up with cats/kittens and I'm sure are better for it.
Good luck OP and let us know what you do.

OP your local shelter with find you the perfect pet, an older one might be best as they tend to be a lot more comfy cats, want to cuddle and get cuddles but can still be playful when need be.

You would be a shelters ideal adopter with "do not care what a cat looks like" as you would be surprised how superficial people can be even when adopting.

None of my kittens, (I've had three, two were born here), have bitten or scratched, the furniture/carpets/shoes/bags, yes, but not people.

They all thunder round the house though, even now and they are 6, and three 5yr olds.

can i be a champion for rescuing an "oldie" (7+)? They are toilet-trained, and generally much calmer than a cat under the age of 2. OlGrumpy is 20 this year, so you will be able to give a nice home for many years to an older cat.

you will also have a much better idea of the the temperament of the cat.

if i fail to persuade you to get an oldie........
....... please consider a rescue !!

Rescue

We got ours as a kitten from local rescue centre. He’s 8 now - the DC were 3 & 7 when we got him - and he’s never bitten or scratched them, even as a kitten.

He’s the gentlest cat I’ve ever met, a dream family pet. Everyone loves him.

And he looks like a pedigree!

Rescue. Very few rescue cats are feral. Not sure why you think a rescue cat would be a problem.

Taffeta, one of mine is half pedigree so a mog, just like his sister but has all the looks and traits of his Dad's breed, everyone wants him.

Rescue and like Queen, I'd also recommend an older cat.

Think about what you want out of a catch, with children we wanted a cat that would sit on my lap and enjoy cuddles, rather than something to play too much.... so we ended up with an 8 year old cat. We've had her 3 years now, and she fitted right in from day one. The benefits of an older cat is that you know their personality, and so we have the daftest, softest cat you've ever met, who loves nothing more than sleep and cuddles. Perfect for us!

I think there is an argument for getting a breed. You can pick the breed, which has a temperament, which would suit you. I have a Persian who is an absolute delight. I would almost certainly go for another Persian but would be open to a rescue as long as the cat had been well socialised. I would also be very happy to take an older cat because they are much easier to manage.

Silent. I got my Persians from a specialist Persian rescue. I had no idea they existed. Took a lot of patience to gain their trust. But it was worth it. They were five when I got them. Persians are just the best breed!!

I adopted a Persian kitten this year, even though I have never wanted a Persian (found them ugly tbh) and I certainly was not after a kitten at the moment as I have a dog and work full time. The kitten was dumped on us and I fully intended rehoming her. I am now a Persian convert as she is the sweetest little thing, so affectionate and playful. She loves a god wrestle and my hands are scratched from that, but that’s because I initiate it. She arrived fully litter trained and has been no trouble.

Obviously I meant a GOOD wrestle. She’s no expert on religion 😂

Rescue cat. You can get a cat of any age including kitten, any temperament (you'll know more if the cat is older), - there are so many to choose from. Bred kittens can also have behavioural problems - purebreeds are if anything more likely to have "extreme" personalities, and some breeders wean and separate kittens much too fast. At the very least, give rescue a look. It's a lot cheaper and doing a good deed.