What makes you choose a certain breed of cat?

[angieh]

Of course this is the purrrfect place to ask this question that's been bugging me for a while!

What makes you choose a certain breed of cat, always assuming in the first place that you have a pedigree cat and not a dear old lovely moggie (like mine!). The variety in types is astounding I think, from the slightly built very short haired orientals to the powder puffs that are persians and, it seems all sorts in between.

Did you choose your particular breed just because their look appealed to you (all a matter of taste) or did you look for particular breed qualities such as temperament, robust health, etc.

Of course I have my own "favourites" but I'm not going to let on until you've told me your reasons..............

:lol: :lol: :lol: ;) ;) ;) :-D

[dandysmom]

Growing up I enjoyed a series of detective novels about a couple who had a brilliant Siamese; they just struck me as very elegant and sophisticated; not the coolest reason to get a cat, but hey, I was young! After my lovely Su-ling went to the bridge I got my second pedigree: an Aby. Why? Because the neighborhood pet shop had Aby kittens, and I fell in love! Didn't know way back then that a pet shop was one of the worst places to get a cat; I lucked out. Sultan was in magnificent health, a super smart cat and a real love! My last pedigree was Dandy, a Singapura, simply because I'd read an article in Cat Fancy about them and thought they were a stunning breed, coloring similar to Abys (ticked) but a different personality type completely. They were all wonderful cats, loved then dearly, but also dearly loved and love my moggies!

[Moli]

I have had Siamese for the past 20 years, and initially picked the breed because a friend of mine had one, I love their personalities, they are very intelligent almost dog like, they understand what you are saying to them, and, most of all they are full of mischief!!
The exotics were chosen because I love Persians, but thier coats put me off....So got the short haired variety instead, they are very laid back, very easy cats to live with, but can also be very, very vocal,..:D

[babycakes]

Of course this is the purrrfect place to ask this question that's been bugging me for a while!

What makes you choose a certain breed of cat, always assuming in the first place that you have a pedigree cat and not a dear old lovely moggie (like mine!). The variety in types is astounding I think, from the slightly built very short haired orientals to the powder puffs that are persians and, it seems all sorts in between.

Did you choose your particular breed just because their look appealed to you (all a matter of taste) or did you look for particular breed qualities such as temperament, robust health, etc.

Of course I have my own "favourites" but I'm not going to let on until you've told me your reasons..............

:lol: :lol: :lol: ;) ;) ;) :-D

For me that would be exactly it, simply having a favourite, liking what you see. So if I did choose a pedigree it would be British blue firstly (I have always loved them, their colour, coat, eyes) Secondly a Bengal, because I love tabbies and lastly a Siamese as long as it looked like Mildred or Delilah, again because of my love of tabbies. (and the ears and being vocal and full of mischief)

[Fran]

I have Siamese & Orientals (which of course are infact the same breed really) and moggies. I had moggies for over 20 years and had always fancied a pedigree cat at some point. I really liked Bengals purely down to their coat patterns but on looking into the breed further, I realised they would not be a great breed to introduce into a multicat household. I have friends that have Siamese and was really stunned by their personality, more like dogs than cats. I also knew I preferred the look of the more extreme typey Siamese and started to hanker after one. Further investigation into the breed and I discovered Orientals, whom I actually prefer to Siamese. They have the same temperament as the Siamese but I prefer the solid colours rather than the colourpoint pattern of the Siamese. If I were to have another breed, I'd love a Maine Coon or a British Shorthair, purely on looks more than temperament if I'm honest.

Thank you BC for your lovely comment about Mildred & Delilah :-)

[angieh]

Since I started this thread, I have been looking up different breeds on the web and I am now more confused that ever about how anyone could choose one breed over another!

Practical considerations first, I think my first criteria would be a short haired cat (because I am asthmatic) and I have lived with a short haired cat and don't find it a problem. So that rules out all the long haired breeds. I haven't looked at exotics yet Moli - don't know yet what they look like.

Then (please don't take offense lovers of Persians) I prefer cats with noses that stick out!

I am amazed at Bengals and Abyssinians - they are just lovely wild looking animals. I would love to try cuddling them to see how friendly they are! (Come on, get on with it - make a decision!) OK - at the moment it's a toss up between a Burmese (I knew a lovely Burmese once) and a Siamese (sorry Fran, I like the look of those light coloured ones with dark points - although I do love little Rudi). The Burmese is calling to me at the moment - do we have any Burmese owners on Catsey?????? Like to know more about them.

Thanks for your comments - it is, after all, just a matter of what you like the look of! :lol: :lol: :lol: :cool:

[Moli]

Since I started this thread, I have been looking up different breeds on the web and I am now more confused that ever about how anyone could choose one breed over another!

Practical considerations first, I think my first criteria would be a short haired cat (because I am asthmatic) and I have lived with a short haired cat and don't find it a problem. So that rules out all the long haired breeds. I haven't looked at exotics yet Moli - don't know yet what they look like.

Then (please don't take offense lovers of Persians) I prefer cats with noses that stick out!

I am amazed at Bengals and Abyssinians - they are just lovely wild looking animals. I would love to try cuddling them to see how friendly they are! (Come on, get on with it - make a decision!) OK - at the moment it's a toss up between a Burmese (I knew a lovely Burmese once) and a Siamese (sorry Fran, I like the look of those light coloured ones with dark points - although I do love little Rudi). The Burmese is calling to me at the moment - do we have any Burmese owners on Catsey?????? Like to know more about them.

Thanks for your comments - it is, after all, just a matter of what you like the look of! :lol: :lol: :lol: :cool:My Merlin an an exotic Angela...;)

[babycakes]

Are you looking for a new edition Angieh????

[Mags]

One of our members, Shadowdh has a Burmese, Angie ........ he hasn't been on for a while unfortunately :?

Here's his thread when he introduced his beautiful cat to us..........

http://www.catsey.com/showthread.php?t=18736&highlight=Burmese

[angieh]

Thanks for the link Mags - that's one stunning looking cat! My heart did a pitty-pat looking at him!

I'm not looking for the moment BC - my Merlin is much too old to be troubled with a newcomer. Just thinking of the future perhaps!

Moli - do you know if there is historical connection between the BSH and exotic?

[yola]

I chose my Persians because OH was always on about how a house needed a cat to make it a home. I wasn't so sure, never having lived with a cat before. When we bought our house (after renting), he kept on about it and finally I said, well if I have to have a cat, I will have an ultimate 'designer' cat (I too was high maintenance in those days), and chose persians.

I wanted a blue, and we got Baliero 3 months after moving in. Then we wanted a chum for him and I had my heart set on a red persian. The one we went to see (a baby) tood a massive chunk out of my hand, so I chose his beautiful lilac-cream sister . . . Fifi :D

Ferdy our big, black, ugly brute of a stray (RIP) chose us but refusing to move out of our garden, and persian Darcy (also RIP :( ) was rescued from Reading CP coz he was ahem . . . a 'character' and they were finding it impossible to rehome him because of his fur length and his quirky looks.

I will stick with persians as there are many rescues out there who have been bought on impulse and who need a home that understands them once they've been thrown out and rescued.

Oh, Angie, absolutely no offence taken about the flat faces. Each to their own . . . I just happen to adore them :-D

[dandysmom]

Angie, I agree Burms are stunning cats; never knew one personally but loved the ones I saw at shows. Give Abys another look: they do look "wild" but aren't; very people oriented, as smart as Siamese, and much, much less vocal! This week's avatar is my Sultan!

[Moli]

Origins of the Exotic....

This caused quite a furor between American Shorthair and Persian breeders in CFA. Because the look was appealing, the breeders working with the hybrid lines decided to work on a new breed to be called the Exotic Shorthair. The name originally proposed for this new breed was to be "Sterling," because of their beautiful silver colour. These cats were to look like Persians, but with a short, plush coat. American Shorthair breeders were given a choice of registering the kittens as Americans or Exotics, but once registered as Exotics they could not return to American.
The discussion over this new breed resulted in the development of the standard for the Exotic Shorthair. The standard was the same as that for the Persian except that, in the beginning, the cat did not need to have a nose break. Although originally the standard was intended to be written just for the silver colour, all Persian colours were accepted into the new Exotic Shorthair breed right from the beginning. Although the outcross was originally conceived as being a hybrid American Shorthair with Persian, the rules were broadly interpreted at first, and any CFA-registered shorthair could be used as a cross. Early breeders used American Shorthair and Burmese for their excellent body and moderate head; a few breeders used outcrosses to the Russian Blue for the plush double coat.

[dandysmom]

That was very interesting, Moli! I never knew the story of the Exotic before....always something to learn on Catsey!

[Fran]

Siamese (sorry Fran, I like the look of those light coloured ones with dark points - although I do love little Rudi).

No problem! I do keep Siamese myself ;) and they do have the same personality as the Orientals, its just for me I prefer 'solid' coloured cats :-)

[angieh]

Ah Moli - so the origins of the exotic was American Shorthair and Persian, rather than British Shorthair and Persian cross - am I right? I am assuming (maybe wrongly) that American and British Shorthair are separate breeds? :?

Dandysmom - I will certainly give Abys another look - I could look at your Sultan for ages and he'd still be a stunner! :D

[PoshPuss]

Well, I didn't choose my furry friend but since I've had her she has been my pride and joy. I always thought that persians were very aloof but Posh is a very tactile puss, she loves cuddling and being stroked, she wants human company all the time. She has to be in the same room as you, next to you on the sofa, and she talks a lot too!

As for looks, I 'm biased but, she is puuuurrrrrfect :-)

I like looking at other breeds since I joined Catsey. The multi-coloured cats are pretty and the solid black cats with those vivid green eyes, they turn heads. Sorry I'm just learning breeds, but I love a bit of Eye Candy! hahaha!

[swerv]

british shorthair.

temprament and looks was the main reason, also got asthma so short hair was a must.

[sammy]

I've always had moggies - mainly because they've chosen me rather than the other way round, and because I've always had rescues :roll: :lol:

But I have in my life known a X-Absynnian and 2 X-Maine Coons, so if I were to have a pedigree it would probably be one of those because they were so gorgeous! The Maine Coon character particularly appealed to me..........:D

[Kay]

I have always admired the Persian. I love the long coat, and I am asthmatic but I have got immune to them, and the short noses and compact body. Their temperment is gorgeous they are so loving and adore company.
Having said that I love all cats and hopefully will be getting a Siamese or Oriental this year but Persians will always be my first love.

[Hreow]

My Abyssinian is a complete flannel face-cloth. He's only wild to the lawn-flies. :-)


http://www.catsey.com/showthread.php?t=19830

[Soupie]

Well I've had various moggies over the years since I was knee high to a grasshopper and my current moggie has been with me a year and I chose her from the rescue because she was in a tough situation coming up 13 and not a cat everyone would want. I adored her on sight and she did a dance in the cage and that was that :D

She is part siamese and has all the appeal of their temprament but has the oldfashioned look which I prefer.

My first pedigree was Quando and I rehomed him from a friend - not because he was a ped but because I thought he would suit the household and Pousse.

Then having got one Selkirk I was hooked! They have the most amazing personalities IMO - they are fab because they are cuddly, will play for hours and are affectionate and chatty - in fact I don't think I have found any "dodgy" traits ;) They make the best children's pets as well.

Now I have two selkirks I am even more hooked and I will definitely have more in the future :D

I do like other breeds but not many are calling out to me at the moment other than the Oriental Blacks - they are stunning although I prefer again the less typey ones :D

I do love character and temprament but I do have quite obvious aesthetic tastes and some breeds do nothing for me as I am quite sure Selkirks do nothing for some other people.

[angieh]

Thanks SO MUCH for linking these threads Hreow! I am in love truely, madly, deeply................

[Hreow]

Any reason to spread the Aby fame. :mrgreen: Rover demands admiration :roll: :D He's supervising (ok, fast asleep) from my lap.