Choosing an affectionate, Stripey Mog

[NoLogo]

After 19 years of togetherness, DH has finally said I can get a cat for my 40th birthday in a couple of weeks.

I have been admiring a neighbourhood cat today and I would like to get a similar one unless I nick this one

It was purring so much, it was bubbling and it looked tabby, but the greys were either very light or very dark, so the stripes were really distinct, like a little grey tiger. It was very sleek and slim.

So cat lovers, is it a breed? An affectionate, attention seeking cat is the most important thing, over the way it looks. I like siamese cats, for the way they seem to "talk" to you. I have never had a cat before, so if I was choosing from cat shelter, how do I pick a softie?

[Hassled]

Pick them up and cuddle them. Some cats just plain don't really like humans, others crave affection and interraction. Their reaction to a stranger in the shelter will tell you a lot. In my experience neutered males tend to be more interested in people than females - I've had cats all my life (3 at the moment) and the neutered males have been/are the loveliest. The "treat the house like a hotel" ones have been the females.

I think you might be describing a silver tabby?

[Polyethyl]

Siamese cats are indeed very friendly, very talkative. My father's two are so utterly devoted to him they follow him round the house and garden, and go on holiday with him (within UK). If he leaves them they go into hiding. Spend time with the mother cat. Sit quietly with the litter of kittens and see which uses you as a climbing frame, or warm sleeping place.

[cozietoesie]

I've had siamese (neutered males) for many, many years and they're quite wonderful. Incredibly affectionate, talkative, real companions. They have a down side of course. They usually like (require!) to sleep in bed with their 'person', they demand attention and can become quite upset if they're ignored ....so your days of sitting at the computer with nothing on your lap would be over. They're not often that sociable to people outside their family and they're often permanently not that keen on other cats. Lots of other little foibles as well.

They make extremely good house cats because their attention is so focussed on humans that they'd rather stay inside with them and have cuddles than go out on a cold or wet day.

I'd still rather have one of them any day of the week even with all their attention seeking.

If you were to want a rescue Siamese there are plenty breed rescues - just google 'siamese rescue' and have a chat to one of the contacts. They'd likely want an experienced Siamese owner to take a rescue cat because many of them are older, a bit set in their ways, or sometimes (and sadly) emotionally scarred by bad treatment or bereavement. (They fixate on their 'people' so much that they can take longer to bring round than a standard rescue cat. A month or two sometimes - until they fall in love with their new person.) Still. You could have a chat and see.

Best of luck whatever you decide.

[issey6cats]

i work at a cat rescue and when someone comes to look for a cat we ask some basic questions to assertain which of the cats in the center are the most suitable, ie friendly or aloof, male or female, age range kitten cat or oldie, this narrows down showing someone an unsuitable cat,

we then show them round the pens and let them spend as much time as they want in the pen with the cat, and usually one or two will stand out, either the cat will come to the person and do a charm offensive or theres something about the cat the person likes, you will find that if you go to a rescue this will happen you will either fall tatally for one cat or there will be no cats you like, you can always do a couple of visits to be sure you are getting the one for you,

just one thing please dont fixate on a particular colour as rescues come in all clours and people will sometimes dismiss the perfect cat for them cos they want a tabby or a black one

if you decide to go for a breed cat other people will be more help as all mine are moggies

[seeker]

Could you be describing a British Blue?

The trouble with cats is that it's hard to be sure your cat going to be cuddly. One of the most important factors (IMHO) is whether they have been handled loads as kittens- which cats from breeders often aren't. And cats that have hard starts in life often (not always) stay a bit aloof.

Could you find where your friendly neighbour cat lives and ask it's owner what sort he is?

[out2lunch]

another siamese fan here - they are barmy though and need a lot of attention maybe not best choice for first cat unless you have a lot of time but on the other hand so much more friendly and interactive than my other mogs

good luck

[kitsonkittykat]

Im not saying you won't find a lovely affectionate kitty in a shelter, but if you want more chance of the cat behaving in a way that you would like/looking how you want, then perhaps you might consider a breeder? That way you will know they have been properly socialised, and will be able to see the kitten's parents and have some idea of how they will look in adulthood.

Personally I love ragdolls, they are wonderfully affectionate as a breed characteristic, and very pretty. You can even get grey (blue) stripey ones (lynx) <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=www.floppycats.com/wp-content/uploads/HLIC/3b630c3b4a884166e609fdc5879873d7.jpg&imgrefurl=www.floppycats.com/blue-ragdolls.html&h=336&w=377&sz=18&tbnid=nU6B1dFS5m8qpM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=101&zoom=1&usg=__CTvGS_tPztEaJPiFfGkKA5YZQ1M=&docid=XTzaitfWlNTFtM&sa=X&ei=b44jULrfJMrOmAWN7YBo&ved=0CF4Q9QEwAQ&dur=386" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=www.floppycats.com/wp-content/uploads/HLIC/3b630c3b4a884166e609fdc5879873d7.jpg&imgrefurl=www.floppycats.com/blue-ragdolls.html&h=336&w=377&sz=18&tbnid=nU6B1dFS5m8qpM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=101&zoom=1&usg=__CTvGS_tPztEaJPiFfGkKA5YZQ1M=&docid=XTzaitfWlNTFtM&sa=X&ei=b44jULrfJMrOmAWN7YBo&ved=0CF4Q9QEwAQ&dur=386 Sorry about the long link! I cant work out how to make it look pretty!

[Polyethyl]

Or you could get a tabby point siamese.

I've heard people say that males are friendlier than females, but that hasn't been my experience at all. (After 4 females & 1 male)

[catsrus]

my previous males were soppy buggers, and my current little prince is affectionate - but he is a wanderer not a home boy. When he hears the car arriving home he comes rushing down the street to say 'hi' but then declines to come in - unless he thinks there's a chance of some food and then he's back out again, patrolling his domain, once fed.

I've got a tabby female that thinks she's a scarf - and the tabbies I've had have all been affectionate. Some cats like to cuddle and some react to cuddles like a prim childless elderly aunt faced with a snotty toddler . I don't think you can always tell when they are kittens which way they'll turn out - cos by default all kittens are adorable.

I would say go to a shelter and ask them which are the snugglers of the adult cats, they'll know. If you bond with one go for it!

[NoLogo]

Thanks for all the advice, it is really helpful.

I am not on the market for a kitten, as they need "bringing up" and there is more demand for them. Ideally, although I like Siamese cats and the tabby I have seen, I would rather like to lighten the load of a cat shelter and give a homeless pussy a home, rather than buy a new cat.

Also, another question: we live on a fairly busy road: is it possible to persuade a puss to go out through the back? We are just before a corner where the road turns, so alongside us is a quiet road which leads right onto the local nature reserve.

I really don't want to get a cat and then be heartbroken if it is run over. I accept it could happen, but if it is really not fair, I would just do without.

[Meowmi]

kitson Can i point out if you do go to a breeder you wont nessecarily get a cat that is true to thier breed profile.
Each cat has a different personalty regardless of whether its pedifree or not.

We had a ragdoll, chosen for the breed profile and in truth turned out to be the total opposite. He was a right a grumpy bugger. He hated to be picked up, wouldn't tolerate the other cats. Would swipe at you as you walked past him, would growl at you if you dared to get in his space.
God help you if you took a brush to him, that would be a full on attack. We had to book him in at the vet every march to have him de-matted because of this as i couldn't get near him
I did love him and still miss him but i didn't realise how stressful it was until he was no longer here.

IME out of all the cats we have had the soppiest & purriest have been the moggy neutered males. We have 3 at the moment. They all love cuddles and purr for England.

Issey gives some fantastic advice and i agree wholeheartedly not to fixate on one colour as every cat is different.

[workshy]

yes you can teach a cat which door to go out of, but you can't stop them scooting round the side of the house anyway

I've got a ginger moggie that used to be male but sadly for him, no longer!

he is the soppiest lump I have ever met, will happily go to new people, likes to sit on or next to people the whole time, trots behind me when I go down to the corner shop etc -he is like my shaddow!

[cozietoesie]

NoLogo

My Mum lived front on to a country road which became busy at night when people used it as a 'cut through' for fast cars. She had a wonderful big back garden backing onto open countryside and trees but every cat she had was hit by a car at the front at a young age until she became too distraught with losing them and brought the last one (my current old boy whom I took when she died) up as a house cat.

You can't persuade them - they do as they wish if they go outside I'm afraid. Unless, that is, you have 9 foot walls round the garden. (Let me make that 11 foot walls with some of the cats I've known !)

I saw an article by an animal psychologist once on the subject of house cats and her considered view was that they're completely content as long as they've never been outdoor cats. (And some are content even after being outdoor cats.) You need to play with them of course and entertain them - and have a large enough house for them to get around.

My current boy has always thought that outside was a nasty cruel place with cold, snow and driving rain (trying very occasionally to get them to go outside the front door in foul weather is a good tactic - they always dive back in with horror on their faces) whereas inside has central heating, sunshine, carpets, clean litter trays, constant food and water and .......'his person'! He's happy as a sandboy.

That was really why I mentioned Siamese - who make great housecats. And don't think that the 'breeds' don't need rescuing as well. Many of them have eg elderly owners who die and the cats are left without a home. Like my old boy would have been if I hadn't had a lucky vacancy.

[seeker]

Still bitter that we weren't allowed a rescue cat by anyone because we live on a boat- even though we are a mile from a main road qns surrounded by fields and cat hunting grounds........

[cozietoesie]

You're absolutely right TirednessKills if they're breeding (unneutered) animals. The females can be temperamental and the males are only interested in 3 things. (Food, fighting and ....procreation: not necessarily in that order!)

[Hassled]

seeker - you live on a boat? Am very jealous. A houseboat?

Re the busy road thing - we live on a very busy road but, as you describe, on the corner with a much quieter one. The cats just never go near the busy road and never have - we've been here 10 years +. Obviously there are no guarantees but ours have always had the sense to keep well away.

[Wolfiefan]

We lived on a fairly busy road and puss went out to the back garden. Where are you? Can anyone on here suggest a rescue?
Our two cats chose us. You are deluding yourself if you think you'll have a say.

[kitsonkittykat]

Meowmi (great name!), whilst there is always the exception to the rule, generally most raggies will be affectionate and calm, and it is a characteristic of the breed to have such behaviour. Mine certainly are absolute snugglebugs, follow me round the house all day, and both have very sweet voices. I generally get a "woowww" in response to my "Hello darlings" and always know when dinner is being demanded asked for!

Just a quick google shows quite a few mature siamese cats for adoption

www.siameserescue.info/Siamese_Rescue/For_Adoption.html though there is an adorable Havana brown here, who needs a home. Also some gorgeous cats here www.ragdoll-rescue.co.uk/available/ who need love, and are all indoor cats. biased

Good luck with finding your new friend!

[NoLogo]

Thanks for all your advice.

I am very excited to announce that we shall soon be the proud parents of a six month old tabby and white moggy. He will be called "Sausage" (kids choice) and was chosen because he is very affectionate and put his little paw through the bars to try to draw us closer. He also purrs alot and my hubby who doesn't enthuse about animals, said he is a lovely cat.

He is from a rescue centre for cats and dogs and the ones who have been left longest have heart rending special "pleas". I was nearly crying after seeing and reading about "Jasmine" a half Akita, half great dane who is gorgeous and gentle (and huge) and has been there for ages. Oh well, can't take them all home I suppose.
Anyway, there is no danger "Sausage" will cahnge when we get him home and become all aloof is there?

[cozietoesie]

Aw, nice. And well done for taking a rescue cat.

He might have future aloof 'moments' - as all cats do - but his behaviour in the rescue centre is likely a good indication of his basic nature.

Good luck with him.

[issey6cats]

aww well done for picking a rescue cat and his behaviour in the center is a good indication of what his temprement will be friendly cats are friendly cats and dont change at home if any thing he will be friendlier

[NoLogo]

I am very excited.

The bonus is, the rescue centre neuter and vacc him so we don't have to be the bad people in the cat's eyes.

I have borrowed my sister's cat carrier and have her old litter tray. It is a bit like gettting a pram for the new baby

[slothprincess]

That's lovely NoLogo. I hope you and Sausage will have many years of happiness together :)