help me pick out a kitty to adopt

[The Wanderer]

http://www.washhumane.org/adopt/avlcats.htm

I want to get a kitty, what do you think of these? (I say kitty, but it doesn't necceasarily have to be a kitten), right now I think I like the looks of Sasquatch, but the two below him (Love-A-Lot and Bashful) are adorable too... and there's Lizzy and Stanley (he's 2 years old, hey, how the fuck do you just dump your pet out in the middle of a parking lot??? no, you're not a bad mum AH, that a-hole was)

anyway, I really don't see the point in paying hundreds of dollars for a pet, when there are abandoned pets in desperate need of a home

God I'm such a wuss... don't hate me because I like kittens and puppies (getting a puppy is not out of the question right now, but I figured I'd start with a cat, since I want a boxer or german shepherd pup and that is more complicated since again, I would rather find an abandoned one that needs a home)

yeah yeah, I know... I could be the next T.S. Eliot
here kitty kitty!

 

[~LadyLemon~]

Sasquatch (cos of the name and he's so cute) and Arnie cos he's part Maine Coon (I love them--that's what I have).

Just my two cents...

If you get one are you going to keep the name or call it something else?

 

[The Wanderer]

hmmm... well I don't know, depends on the name of course, but I would probably keep the name

this Maine Coon is a nice breed I take it?

 

[Calluna]

I think you might like a girl-kitty.

Love-a-lot has sweet eyes.

The best advice is to go down to the shelter yourself and visit the different cats. You will get a better idea of their personalities and which cat responds to you that way. You can tell alot about their intelligence level by looking in their eyes.


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We plants are happy plants.

 

[~LadyLemon~]

Yeah, Maine Coons are really sweet cats, but what I love most about them is how big they are. My cat is bigger than a lot of dogs...he's 22 poounds and like 3 feet long when stretched out! Plus coons are really pretty...long hair with the fluffy racoon like tail (hence the name coon).

 

[mocool12]

Haha, I have a maine coon back at home! He's adorable, but soo hairy. It's great when he comes in from outside and there's twigs and leaves hanging from him. He's a sweetie though.


[This message has been edited by mocool12 (edited 05-05-2002).]

 

[The Wanderer]

oh, thanks for the tip Calluna, the final decision will definitely be based on who I like after visiting with them, but I wanted to get an idea what I should look for from some more experienced cat lovers! (I do love that kitty you highlighted Calluna)

what are the personality differences between male and female cats?

 

[brettig]

im no help with cats, but call me when youre getting a puppy!

 

[Calluna]

Well, male cats can be real sweethearts when they are fixed. Im sure all the cats that come from the shelter will be fixed as a prerequisite so thats not really an issue. A male cat would likely be your buddy and that can be nice too. They are generally larger in size and they like to monitor their territory. Sometimes they still spray even if they are fixed. My male cat still gets in brawls with a neighborhood bully and I have to run out and break up many a fight in the middle of the night.

Female cats are usually smaller and tend to stay closer to home. They dont fight with other cats as much but they are likely to be good huntresses. I have witnessed some nice relationships between male friends of mine and their female cats. The girls tend to look up at them with adoring eyes follow them around asking for lots of love and attention.

Alot depends on the individual cat's personality whether it is male or female. The right decision will become apparent to you when you visit the shelter. Be sure to let us know what you decide in the end.

 

[Sicy]

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww ! That's great Craig.. I dont think you're a wuss. I think its a great thing to adopt a pet.

I like Stanley.

Extra friendly cats kick ass... !

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Sexy poshin' sugar snarlin' rock and roll ...

My Lair

 

[Zooropa]

Originally posted by ~LadyLemon~:
Yeah, Maine Coons are really sweet cats, but what I love most about them is how big they are. My cat is bigger than a lot of dogs...he's 22 poounds and like 3 feet long when stretched out! Plus coons are really pretty...long hair with the fluffy racoon like tail (hence the name coon).

YES! YES! Maine Coones rule!! I have two orange ones (Scooter and Archibald) and they are like 24-25 pounds each!! One of these days I'll post pics when I figure out how.

My girlfriend and I just celebrated their 4th birthdays (don't laugh!! We have lives, I just LOVE my cats WAY TOO MUCH!!!!)

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Don't let the bastards grind you down.

Zooropa FTP

 

[Angela Harlem]

Oh wow Wanderer, they are all so beautiful!
You are going to have a tough time picking.
Its great you dont care if it is a kitten or not too, as most shelters can get rid of kittens really quickly, too many people have a slight issue with getting a fully grown cat.
A couple of things I'd be keeping in mind if I were you is, basically what Calluna said about males v females, I have found to be true as well. Males are like any animal, slightly more agressive, not as placid, although all cats generally are. One thing I have noticed over the years also is that a male cat with ginger colouring will tend to be more of a fighter. This may have absolutely no scientific basis at all, but genetically they are slightly different anyway as it is rare to find a ginger female, and even though they are neutered, they tend to be sterile anyway. I dont know how accurate the sterile bit is, one vet once told me this, but it may be wrong.
Maine Coons have a fantastic reputation. If only klodomir was still here, she'd rave for hours about them. They are fantastic cats, but like all the other Coon fans have stated, they are massive.
Im personally biased toward Hymalayns. I own my second one now, a blue point female. She is the most beautiful girl ever. We had a male before her, also a blue point and he was the sweetest most affectionate and amusing cat you could ever meet. Pure breds can tend to be hot house orchids though. Breeders these days work very hard to get rid of genetic faults, but buying from a shelter, you may not be able to check bloodlines. With any short nosed cat, check very carefully their eye area. Any infection like a cold when they are a kitten can lead to ongoing health problems in the future as the tear ducts tend to not work very well in keeping mucus and crap out if they get sick. We have to get Zoe's ducts drained now she is big enough, as she was sick when she was little. Check what grooming any long haired cat will need. Persians or Hymalayans are prone to bad knots if you dont keep up with some kind of grooming ritual, it may be the same with a Coon. Persians and Hymalayans are also prone to liver and kidney trouble. Check this with the shelter.
Calluna may have already stated this, but females will be cleaner and less smelly than males. They will use their tray more if its kept clean, although, due to their fussy cleanliness traits, they may not if you are a bit slack with keeping their areas clean.
Obe more thing, lol, I'll shut up after this, keep in mind you wont really know their full health status until you get a thorough check up from your vet. The shelter will only be able to tell you what they know, and looking at the histories of some of these cats I doubt the owners would care enough to pass on this info on. Our dog was an orphan, we still dont know his age, and only when it came time to get his heart worm tablets did we find out exactly what was wrong with him.
Oh, one more. Consider your circumstances and the personality of the cat. If you are leaning toward a cat with a very spunky attitude, and you are not able to give it a lot of attention, it will make its own fun when you aren't home. Be prepared for ripped furniture and general chaos. Cats despite their size can be destructive little crap heads as you probably know.

Good luck and let us all know which one you pick! You will adore it no matter which one you take home. And thanks for saying I'm not a bad mum! I feel awful when I think of the things the adorable lil bugger has done.

 

[Zoomerang96]

wanderer just get one that doesnt have malaise.

and really, go after kittens. get em while theyre small, theyre the cutuest things ever at a young age.

*jumps up and down excitedly

"i just want to eat them or something!!!!"

"i cant breathe!!"

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-deathbear

 

[Diemen]

I like Twilight, Taz and Glory - no other reason than they look good and their eyes show some depth (I agree with what Calluna said about eyes and intelligence).

Stanley sounds like he'd be a really cool cat too - sure of himself and friendly (it's annoying when cats shy away from human contact).

And Misty has that whole "I'm cool and I know it" look going for her.

 

[meegannie]

I like all the black ones.

I want a cat soooo badly, but unfortunately, I can't have one in my apartment and I'm probably going to grad school in a little over a year anyway.

I especially want one after seeing Ed Harcourt's video for "Apple of My Eye" for the thousandth time this morning.

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"There's a danger in every story and every smile" - South

 

[jezebel]

Originally posted by The Wanderer:


anyway, I really don't see the point in paying hundreds of dollars for a pet, when there are abandoned pets in desperate need of a home

God I'm such a wuss...

Amen to the first part, wanderer,

and, who would have thought? I thought you were such a tough guy

 

[elevatedmole]

One thing about Maine Coons: they can be VERY, VERY tempermental. It's just a breed trait. I have one myself (rescued

my family picks up any stray cats that are injured or in need of a home, thus we have a lot but they are great and all doing well) and he can be the sweetest thing in the world one minute, with rubbing his head on your face and purring and such, and the next second he hisses, scratches, and bites you. It's not just my cat -- I've met other Maine Coons who are easily irritated too.

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"You must not look down on someone just 'cos they are 14 years old. When I was that age I listened to the music of John Lennon and it changed my way of seeing things, so I'm just glad that 14 year olds are coming to see U2 rather than group X." - Bono, 1988

Popheart.org

 

[muh2o]

I agree with going out and finding one from a shelter, or similar.

I got mine from a Pet store (Pet Smart or Petco, I believe). Every Saturday they would have a pet adoption. It cost around $60, but that covered the costs of shots, etc.

The kitten was supposed to be a surprise Valentine's gift for my then-fiance, until the lady left a message on the answering machine to say that I could pick her up sooner than expected. I even wrote on the adoption papers that the cat was a gift. Of course my wife got to the machine before I did, so the surprise was blown, but it was still a pretty good experience to go through the Pet Store.

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

Good for you that you are going to adopt a cat that needs a home. I adopted three of my own. It breaks my heart to go into the local humane society. I adopted a cat that was a little older and he is the sweetest thing. He follows me everywhere. I have three male cats and they all have good temperments. The last one I brought home did spray for a few days but he stopped when he got used to the other two cats.
My parents have three female cats and while I did grow up with these kitties I have to say that they are bitches. They are good girls but they picked their favorite person in the family and I was not one of them so I am bitter.

Okay, really, I don't think it matters boy or girl. Just make sure to buy it plenty of Kluckers or Gobblers (my cats favorite treats

)

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

Oh yeah, I changed the names of two of the cats I adopted but my first one was named Will and I just couldn't think of a name so Will it is til this day.

Sorry, I had to post him!

 

[Se7en]

I like Silver the best...although I'm not a big fan of cats in the first place. Gotta love the K9s.

[This message has been edited by Se7en (edited 05-06-2002).]

 

[Peaseblossom]

I like Blink and Bashful. They're prescious!

 

[forbonou2]

I love cats! Why don't you just take them All home? lol;> ) just teasin'! And it's not that I don't like dogs, I Do, but cats DO entertain themselves!

 

[U2girl]

That's so SWEET!

You're not a wuss.

Grady, Scratch, Mellony from the poster page and grom the opening page my faves are
Bashful, Sasquatch, Blink and Nod.

If i had to pick just one... LOVE-a-LOT!!! Too precious!

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

i looooooooooooooooove

cucumber

and twilight

if i lived near there i would get them myself. maybe if they're still there in a month and a half cuz i'll be in maryland.

 

[The Possum Queen]

Whoever you pick will be real lucky. It's a great thing you're doin' I hope you and your kitty will be very happy!

 

[Lemon Meringue]

If you haven't picked one yet....TOP CAT looks like a cool cat. The best cats I've ever known were black and white like him.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

Originally posted by Calluna:
I think you might like a girl-kitty.

Love-a-lot has sweet eyes.

The best advice is to go down to the shelter yourself and visit the different cats. You will get a better idea of their personalities and which cat responds to you that way. You can tell alot about their intelligence level by looking in their eyes.

Awww, melikes Love-a-lot too. She's very pretty.

I'm so happy for you, kitties are the bestest!

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Bend me, break me, anyway you need me
All I want is you

 

[The Wanderer]

thanks everyone for your input, I've been investigating things and there is a good chance I will end up taking Sabrina from this page:
http://www.washhumane.org/adopt/fostcats.htm

I looked after a cat (last year) for a friend that was part siamese, part calico and absolutely loved her company, it was the first cat I ever had and converted me to a cat-lover (not that I dont like dogs anymore, but I have a great appreciation for cats now), and because this cat is part siamese it attracted my attention, even though I would love a kitty, I don't know, we'll see, I go to see Sabrina saturday

anyway, I only had her for 6 months, and it was extremely difficult giving her back to her owner, I talked to the person looking after this cat today and her description of Sabrina was very similar to the characteristics of the cat I had last year, but had to give up

 

[senrab]

Here is my cat, Muffin....he wandered into our garage 4 years ago.

PS. I like Cucumber