Which kitten? Help me decide!

[BeeKeeping]

Please forgive this long and rambling question.. I just need to get my thoughts down on paper to help me decide!

Background - busy household with two young children, lots of rural outdoor space, chickens, bees yadda yadda yada. We recently lost our beloved big dog. She has left an enourmous void and I feel sick every time I walk through the door etc and she’s not there. I would love another dog, but the reality with two small kids is that I just wouldn’t have the time to exercise and train one properly. Old dog was immaculately behaved (after being a nightmare puppy, but we put the time and work in and it really paid off). I think getting another dog I would probably compair them, to the new dogs detriment.

I think the kids would love a rabbit or hamster etc but I hate animals in cages and really feel that pets should be free to roam and choose you. We have two cats, one 7yo outdoor mouser who is never in and one 17yo grumpy cat who isn’t into playing. I love the cats and how low maintenance they are, the kids love the cats but don’t get a lot from them. Both original cats are rescues but a rescue wouldn’t consider us till the kids are older.

I’d like a kitten who is actually a dog in a cats body, who would play and give cuddles but also go outside sometime to help to control the rodent population! There are a couple of folks on gumtree selling kittens for around the 250-300 mark. Which seems crazy but apparently is the going rate for kittens nowadays. Both ready in about a month, kittens all gorgous stripy grey floof balls from both households. Both have boys availible which is what I would prefer.

First option - kittens are quite far away, but drivable in a day there and back. Coming from a busy household with young kids, other cats and a dog. The guy who’s selling them claims that they’re bengal x. cross main coon cross. Does that make sense? Full bengal dad, main coon cross mum. I’m very sceptical of this given the price. If it were true I think that mix would be fantastic and lend itself to a ‘dog in a cats body’ bombproof kind of kitten. Downsides are that it may not be truthful and kittens may be aloof and frightened no matter what.

Second option - local kittens, slightly cheaper. Upfront about just a moggy mum and dad, accidental pregnancy now dad has been snipped etc. But….. Quiet household.

Do you think a quiet/noisy household pre 9 weeks matters? Which would you go for?

We went for a local moggy. Lovely ginger Tom. Hard to predict what they will be like.

Oh thank you. Yes that's the problem- so hard to know what the kittens will be like as adults!

My understanding is that Bengals need a lot of stimulation - they are very intelligent, active cats.

If the Bengal cross really is one... they’re um, possibly not what you’re after tbh.

I had a Siamese, they’re pretty much dogs in a cat body, harder to find though and not cheap.

Local rescue and get 2 dkittens?
My dd paid 30 each including neutering cost. I got 1 for 30 including costs.
Look on your local fb page.

I have a grey striped boy and he is definitely a dog in a cats body. He is also absolutely massive!

@Antarcticant yes I've done a bilt of reading and they do seem full on! I think we can provide a really stimulating home, two very willing children playmates (and me! 😆) and lots going on outdoors.... a worrysom rat population to control etc 😬

@Easterbunnyiswindowshopping I've checked with local reduces and they won't consider us because we have children under 4 and other pets

@tabulahrasa do you really think it would be a bad idea? Like having a tiger with small children?!...

I would definitely get the moggie.

Neither of those will guarantee what you are after. They might be but they might not, no way of telling.
If you absolutely want a dog type replacement you need to go for a pedigree. Siamese or Birman or Maine coon or burmese. All will be in your face type family pets.
Bengals can be standoffish
Rag dolls can be a bit iffy
Moggies fab but you just can’t predict
I run a Cattery so lots of personal experience !

And you want one from a family home
Not reared in a shed or upstairs under the bed

Ours was from a feral colony. Dm had been hit by a car..

Have you checked all your local rescues? I adopted a mum & nursing kitten pair whilst pregnant and with a 3 yo and they were fine. The cats got used to us quickly, and the kitten was an angel, kept in line by mum. If I ever adopt again, I'd love that same experience. Kitten has grown up utterly bomb proof, sleeps in the middle of hubbub and noise, and loves the dc. I know it's luck of the draw of course, but I can't help thinking that getting the 2 of them as a pair helped.

I have 3 orientals and they are just like dogs, vocal, loving and quite naughty.

“do you really think it would be a bad idea? Like having a tiger with small children?!...”

Well they’re not tiger sized, but, um... other than that a bit, lol. I mean, rag dolls are usually fairly placid so it might balance out, but a bit of a gamble.

Well one is technically a Siamese but orientals and Siamese are essentially the same beeed apart from colouring.

You can never be guaranteed personality. My cat is really timid - avoids everyone but me. A good mouser - but runs away from the kids.

My cat is part Bengal, part Moggie...she is quite dog adjecent if that's what's you're after.

Cheeky, active, intelligent and incredibly loyal and loving...oh, and super cute!

If you can shop around id thoroughly recomend getting a ginger boy. Ginger cats are notorious for being extra friendly.

I have 3 ginger cats, 2 male, 1 female. Their all so friendly. One of my boys is literally like a dog, he follows us to school, comes to the shop with me, their all lovely with my children too who are only 7 and 5 and very boisterous. All mine are rescue cats too so we're not raised with my children, we got them all as adults

Thoroughly recomend holding out and getting a ginger, you won't regret it

I would see if other local rescues could help and look for an adult cat with the personality you want. A kitten is always going to be a gamble. My dog like cat's description on his cage was 'loves cuddles, needs more space'. He is a great mouser, loves a lap and is pretty tolerant of our children.

Bengal crossed with Maine Coon is a really dumb cross. A first cross between registered pedigrees would all be short haired as the long hair is recessive. They are quite likely to be tabbies or black rather than interesting dilutes. Pedigree cats cost high hundreds so why would you breed crosses unless these are not really pedigrees and just something with stripes crossed with something fluffy and sold on to make hard cash.

The local accidental mating would be a better bet. Hopefully the owners will know their kittens and suggest which ones are more extrovert and confident. Kittens do vary greatly in character but by 9-10 weeks a pet owner knows which ones are shy or bold or pushy, or food motivated or cuddly. One of my fosters went to a house where he now rules the roost with two huge retrievers and an older cat. We knew the litter really well and he was the right one for that home. The kitten season will be on us shortly. There should be lots of kittens soon. Please steer clear of crossbreed that are probably farmed. I had Maine Coons. They were full pedigree from a top breeder. They both developed serious illness that cost thousands in vets fees aged around 10. If that happens with good breeders I dread to think what a kitten farmed Maine coon cross is like.

Two of mine are part Birman part local ginger Tom. They are gorgeous cats which I got from our local rescue. Slightly nervous of strangers but absolute cuddle monsters with us. We got them when they were 5 months old and they would have been perfect for a young family. Such a shame that Rescues won't consider you.

This is mine, I want to get one of them pet dna tests done to see what breed he is.

IMO I’d go for the Moggy!

I personally think puppies and kittens brought up with children are sometimes great and sometimes not if they have been over handled by the children and it can have the opposite effect to what your looking for! Better for your children to build a good relationship with a kitten that isn’t so used to children than trying to repair one where the damage has been done.

I hope you find your perfect kitten

Thank you all so much! And thank you for the beautiful pictures- stunning!

I'm still on the fence.... might have to visit both before deciding but that would probably require payment of deposits for both... aargh