Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

The litter tray

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

Flip

1 2 3 4

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:

kazzawazzawoo · 30/03/2014 13:35

Ah, Bengals are beautiful. But then so are all cats

NearTheWindymill · 30/03/2014 13:37

Actually the reason I wouldn't buy a pedigree cat is because they are valuable and you couldn't just let them out without fear of them being stolen. I think a cat should have access to the outside world and to hunt and exercise and have fun. You know, all the things cats should be able to do.

GerundTheBehemoth · 30/03/2014 13:44

My local rescue has just rehomed a young female Bengal - she was with them for more than six months. And now they have two adult male Bengals seeking homes... all the other cats they have at present are moggies, but Bengals seem to come into rescues quite frequently. One of the males they have at the moment needs a home with no other cats living anywhere nearby because he is so strongly territorial (but lovely and fine with people and dogs).

RandomMess · 30/03/2014 14:01

My cats love everybody and anybody - even when the dc were very young still - weirdos

mrsnec · 30/03/2014 14:28

Hi, our mog just turned up one day but when a friend asked me if she was Bengal I researched them and she does have Bengal traits. If you could get a rescue that is part Bengal it'd be ideal for you. Ours has a fairly short coat. She's not very big, at 3 years old shes 4.5kg. She still looks a bit kitten like at times and definitely behaves like one. She doesn't like being handled but she does jump onto laps when she wants attention and she greets us when we come home. Bengals can be very lively and are climbers which isn't a problem for us but I wonder if that's why they're rehomed frequently?

Madratlady · 30/03/2014 14:44

It's ok he just admitted that actually I am right and we should get another rescue. It won't be till next year anyway. We are probably going to end up with a kitten because I'm pretty sure our cats would take a new adult cat arriving in their home quite badly. Maybe he'll change his mind when we're actually at rescue and agree to a young adult cat.

OP we aren't 'ideal' adopters on paper either, we rent our house which is the main problem for most rescues. We do have permission for 'a' cat, I'm not sure whether the letting agents realise we have 2 since they are both black cats and almost identical! We found our pair via a vets who take in and rehome strays. They weren't anywhere as picky as most rescues, they asked us a few questions and seemed happy that we would take care of them, we paid the adoption fee and took them home that day. We will make sure we have written permission for dcat3 so that we can go to a proper rescue since there's a couple nearby.

Manchesterhistorygirl · 30/03/2014 14:45

Our rescue boy came to us at 9 months old, he's the most loyal cat ever! Please, please get a rescue.

GerundTheBehemoth · 30/03/2014 14:53

I think Bengals can be just very full-on in lots of ways, because of their wild ancestry I suppose, although pet Bengals are supposed to be F4 at least (ie only 1/16th Asian leopard cat genes). My local rescue points people to this website for advice on living with Bengals.

mrsnec · 30/03/2014 16:54

That's a very interesting link Gerund, our cat fits the description in the behaviour section except for the violent aspects that it says Bengals are prone to yet my dh insists those things are traits of any domestic cat not just a Bengal, so the climbing over furniture knocking over ornaments, constant chatty noises, needing to play every 5 minutes, hiding in the cupboards and the car, rummaging through the shopping etc you could get from any cat? I've only ever had this one so I wouldn't know but I wonder what other owners would say and if ours is a Bengal mix is this why she isn't aggressive? So if you have a Bengal mix its like having a Bengal light! Either that or we just trained her well!

thecatneuterer · 30/03/2014 18:26

Just to comment on the assumption that most rescues don't want renters - I've no idea about other rescues, but Celia Hammond's doesn't mind at all. After all so many people in London rent that it would be very unwise to exclude them all when there are so many cats needing homes. I suppose we would just need to feel that the adopters would take the needs of their cats into account whenever they moved house.

Fluffycloudland77 · 30/03/2014 19:46

I've got a bengal, I've had 3 Persians, one rescue longhair & a tortie.

He is the most full on cat I've ever had and I literally begged the vets to neuter him at 20 weeks.

Their life is a constant quest to get into trouble & miaow loudly whilst doing it.

When we first moved into this house cats were walking up and down this street all day, he's fought with all of them & scared them off. Only the bsh over the road stands up to him.

Much as I love him I would have a rescue adult next time.

Terrortree · 31/03/2014 11:04

That website is a bit disturbing! I have a bengal cuddled up on my lap as we speak. Yes, she is demanding and chatty and curious and always up for a game of something.

Aggressive - no. Knows how to play with her claws unsheathed. Never attacks my ankles. Weary of guests but does come out of her shell after a few hours.

I've never met an aggressive Bengal. I do know a fiesty Tortoiseshell and have had a terrorising Ginger Tom in my time. Bengals are just cats like everyone else's.

BerylStreep · 31/03/2014 17:39

Did I mention Burmese?

Original poster

KatyMac · 31/03/2014 17:46

Are they thin coated Beryl?

OP posts:

BerylStreep · 31/03/2014 17:56

Yes, like silk.

And very sociable and good with children.

Mine don't moult, and unless I rub my eyes after touching them, they don't set off an allergic reaction.

Original poster

KatyMac · 31/03/2014 22:34

I'll add it to my list

Oriental, Siamese, Bengal, Burmese & Sphynx

OP posts:

catameringue · 01/04/2014 06:01

I think you have to take breed info with a pinch of salt.
I have a Russian Blue.
She is meant to be quiet - her nickname is Banshee. She howls for attention outside the bedroom door.
She has very short hair that is quite course and not fluffy. But is difficult to groom and more prone to hairballs than my other felines. Though she moults less in general I think.
She is not the brightest.
She is incredibly anxious and hides when strangers visit particularly children.
Her breed is considered to be better for allergy sufferers. We had a friend visit with a cat allergy after we vacuumed thoroughly. His face swelled up and he looked like he was crying whilst munching on antihistamines. He has never visited again.

Obviously despite this I love her to bits and can list her qualities of awesomeness too.

RussianBlu · 15/04/2014 19:47

How strange catameringue. As you can probably guess I also have a Russian Blue :) She is a pedigree. I have never had any health issues or vet trips to deal with, so not sure what earlier posters are taking about there.
My Russian Blue will literally run to visitors and throw herself on the floor in front of them demanding attention (unless they are noisy or small children where she tends to run and hide). She is generally very quiet. When she wants something (mainly to get through a closed door) she will not give up. I love that she has short dense hair, it isn't coarse, its lovely and soft and I can go weeks without having to brush it. Never gets knotted or tangled and I have never seen a hairball. She rather likes attention and to be next to someone. If it wasn't for her carpet interest she would be pretty much perfect as a cat!

Original poster

KatyMac · 15/04/2014 21:35

I still want a kitten

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 15/04/2014 21:41

\link{http://www.catchat.org/adoption/norfolk.html\Here} you go then.

Original poster

KatyMac · 15/04/2014 22:04

I'm looking

I want one

But DH......

OP posts:

Fluffycloudland77 · 15/04/2014 22:10

Have you tried banging on about it 24/7 until he explodes and says "get a bloody kitten then".

ParkingFred · 15/04/2014 22:12

My friend has 2 Ragdolls and they are the most gorgeous, friendly, characterful cats I have ever known.

Another friend has a pedigree Abyssinian, who I am slightly frightened of, but he is gorgeous.

I bought a pedigree puppy because I love the breed. And will do so again.

Original poster

KatyMac · 15/04/2014 22:12

Duh! That was my first idea (I work with children)

Then I tried woeful looks everytime he looked at me

Currently I am doing 'My mum is in hospital & I need a kitten' but he is standing firm

OP posts:

Fluffycloudland77 · 15/04/2014 22:16

He's going to be harder to crack than my dh then.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Swipe left for the next trending thread