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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Reasons not to buy a pedigree kitten......

81 replies

KatyMac · 29/03/2014 11:20

Yes I am whinging about not getting a cat again; so persuade me I can't have one

There are plenty of rescue cats

You shouldn't encourage people to breed kittens (because of all the rescue cats)

Pedigree cats are over bred & it's bad for them

They are very expensive

DH doesn't want one

There must be more & better reasons not to buy one........

OP posts:
Original poster
KatyMac · 29/03/2014 22:10

Some Rex are fluffy aren't they? I suggested a sphinx - but DD said urgh!

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 29/03/2014 22:16

I transported Oneago (also a Siamese) about 500 miles in two stages. I think his only problem was whether he would run out of willing slaves to adore his baby blues. (He spent both journeys preening in the back of his carrying case while his adoring public Oooh'd and Aah'd.)

Even Seniorboy had to undergo a 250 mile journey to go to our first house. He was 10 times more relaxed about it than I was.

BerylStreep · 29/03/2014 22:19

We have 2 Burmese and they are the nicest cats I have ever had. Fabulous, friendly, tolerant personalities.

I am slightly allergic to cats and have asthma, and they don't seem to affect it at all.

Strangely, I brought them to the vets last week, and was very wheezy after I had been - it must be all the other cat and dog hair there that did it.

kazzawazzawoo · 29/03/2014 22:23

I adore my Siamese, but he moults like other cats so not sure he would be suitable if there are allergies in the family.

I agree a house should never be without a cat though.

Original poster
KatyMac · 29/03/2014 22:51

kazzawazzawoo, my Siamese's moult was more like hair than fur

But we might find one he is allergic to Sad let's hope not

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Madratlady · 29/03/2014 23:13

I am very pro rescue and our 2 cats are both rescues, as are most of our other pets. Dh keeps saying he qants a 3rd cat which I agree with, but that he really wants a specific pedigree breed. I will keep an eye out in rescues but it is likely that we'd need to go to a breeder to get this specific breed. Not sure what I'm going to do, although we have agreed to wait until next year to get dcat3 so hopefully he'll have gone off the pedigree idea by then anyway.

kazzawazzawoo · 29/03/2014 23:33

ooh what breed does dh want, madratlady?

I would love a maine coon one day, but tbh I just love siamese and orientals too much to be without one.

Our current siamese is a rescue too, but he was only 13 weeks old when he came to us - his previous owner very quickly found out her little boy was allergic to cat fur.

Original poster
KatyMac · 29/03/2014 23:39

With the stubbornness DH is showing I will have time to wait for a rescue one

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cozietoesie · 29/03/2014 23:53

Does he really not want one though or does he just not want to be 'seen to be disloyal' ? The men in our family have sometimes poo poo'd getting other cats - and have always been their most devoted slaves as soon as they arrived. ('Shall Daddy's wee boy come to get his prawnie-prawnie then?' (I kid you not - sickening.))

ravenAK · 30/03/2014 00:15

I have a Siamese & an Oriental Shorthair tabby (brother & sister) - if you're going for an allergy friendly cat, the OS has a much higher proportion of stiff guard hairs than a typical British cat - she's sleek rather than fluffy. I know one friend with a cat allergy whom she doesn't set off at all, but who starts wheezing the minute the Siamese or our other cat enter the room.

Having said that, I react myself to other people's cats, & whenever we've had a new cat in the house I sneeze & wheeze for a couple of weeks, then find they don't trouble me after that. So if it's not a severe allergy it can be manageable IME.

The Siamese & OS were a gift from dh after my elderly half Siamese, half moggy died - he was a very vocal character & I missed having a cat that talks. I wasn't altogether comfortable with encouraging breeding then & am less so now, having read up on it more; our third cat was a kitten in need of a home, & when these three have gone my next cat(s) is definitely going to be a rescue.

RandomMess · 30/03/2014 08:25

I can never remember which has the shortest fur Devon or Cornish Rex. TBH it's usually the cat saliva people are allergic to? I'm very allergic to cats but when we have our own I get "allergy masking" which means the reaction you get from being high dosed with your allergin actually means you have very few symptoms.

I think sphinx look ugly but they are goregous to stroke, I was very surprised!

We've only ever had rescue cats too, having a kitten really doesn't appeal to me.

cozietoesie · 30/03/2014 08:34

I've had kittens and cats and I've found that with kittens, the personality quickly shines through so that you can sometimes forget how young they are. There's something pretty special, though, about taking on a mature cat - maybe with some problems - and getting it to trust you and see your house as its home.

Smile
Shhthebabyisasleep · 30/03/2014 08:43

I am looking at my rescue moggy snoozing on the kitchen windowsill and trying to imagine wanting a pedigree more than her... Nope... Love her so much and can't imagine a better cat exists than my funny little girl. She loves us so hard, I sometimes think she knows we were her last chance.

feelinlucky · 30/03/2014 08:44

Rescues can be incredibly cute too :)

Reasons not to buy a pedigree kitten......
Original poster
KatyMac · 30/03/2014 08:48

Way too fluffy Grin

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RandomMess · 30/03/2014 08:51

My rescues are pedigrees and we transported them 270 miles to get here!!! Fortunately their previous owners did most of the journey and we only did the last hour. They were in a cage together rather than a cat basket and didn't complain once!!!! However put boy in a cat basket and OMG the racket he makes, again a very vocal breed.

cozietoesie · 30/03/2014 09:41

Yes - I don't worry about travel if the cat is reasonably healthy. They've got a very roomy basket - more dog sized - and I just treat it matter of factly. (No love words or cooing these days.) They soon realize there's no point in yowling and settle down for the duration.

Terrortree · 30/03/2014 10:19

Bengals are often very outgoing sociable cats who love energetic homes. They are also an oriental breed so no underhair (just the overcoat). A silver bengal will have Siamese breed into them somewhere in their heritage.

Some are very chatty cats - and demand a lot of stimulation and attention. Also very loyal.

I brought my cats around the world - but better than leaving them behind so don't worry about the travel!

Oh, perhaps a rescue Bengal?

www.bengalcatforums.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=19&sid=96ebdd120212a77df3506e566fd69a2c

AintNobodyHereButUsKittens · 30/03/2014 10:30

How old are your DC? Rescues like to place kittens in pairs - but if DH is home all day that might be less of an issue.

I'm on the CHAT waiting list for kitten fostering again this year - I should really have heard something by now. I WANT MY KITTENS. Although practically speaking, waiting until after the inlaws have visited next week would be better.

cozietoesie · 30/03/2014 10:51

Oh I should imagine they'll be in touch pretty soon, Aint. From what TCN said, they're already stowed out with cats and main kitten season is just about here. (If not here already.)

Original poster
KatyMac · 30/03/2014 12:15

Not sure a rescue would have us; I run a nursery from home with 9 under 5s everyday

Our own DD is 16 & leaves home in September

There is a Bengal with Asthma - DH was interested when mentioned him

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 30/03/2014 12:41

I can't comment on taking on a Bengal so I'll leave that to the Bengal owners on the board. As I said, though, another cat would, I have thought, be OK with your situation as long as they could get away from it all to a quiet warm place while the mayhem was going on - upstairs in a bedroom, say.

Original poster
KatyMac · 30/03/2014 13:27

So Bengal are smooth too; their fur is quite different really

That's 4 breeds I wonder if there are others

Oriental, Siamese, Bengal & Sphynx

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Original poster
KatyMac · 30/03/2014 13:28

Oh cozietoesie I'm sure the cat will be fine; but the rescue will look & on paper we aren't 'ideal'

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Madratlady · 30/03/2014 13:32

kazza my dh wants a bengal. I can see why but I'd prefer a rescue moggie.