Hi! somewhat new and have a question...

reun

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I am pretty new to the site, I share my house with a mixed breed shorthair tabby. Sorry in advance for the long post. Our cat is a few years old now and should be about through growing. We are hoping to move from our 2 bedroom apartment to a large 3 bedroom house in the next year or two.

When we make the move I am planning on getting another cat. I am at work most of the day, my 6 year old daughter is in school, and my wife works swing shift. I keep aquariums as well, but our cat has never been interested in watching the fish and he gets downright bored. He was a indoor/outdoor cat for the first few years of his life and apartment rules changed and now he is indoor all the time, and is alone and bored.

I don't want to add a new addition in this small apartment, but hope when we move I can introduce another room mate. Our cat gets along with other cats really well, and wasn't very territorial even when outside, but because of lack of space and the fact that he hasn't had to share the apartment I figure I will wait for a room mate.

now, with all that backstory, I am wondering what is available for a LARGE breed of cat. Our cat, Beefy(feel free to chuckle at the name) is pretty thin, and still seems to be growing...last weigh in he was over 23 pounds...no fat, and I am very carefull with his diet...he seems very large for a non overweight mixed shorthair. Anyway, I was looking at getting a breed of cat that would reach his size or bigger (not sure why, but I like big cats...and I don't mean overweight). There is a breeder of Savannahs here in the willamete valley, but I am hesitant to spend $1000+ for a F4 or lower that might not even hit 20 pounds. What large breeds are out there and might not cost as much as a savannah? I am fine with a exotic as long as it isnt wild, I don't want my six year old getting chewed on. there aren't any restrictions i know of locally in regards to what you cannot have as a pet cat. My daughter leaves my current cat alone, but I do not want a wild cat that will pounce on her. What is available? are all the larger breeds going to set me back over a grand?

anyway, thanks in advance for anyone willing to offer tips and suggestions, and sorry again for the long post, I just wanted to make sure I explained the situation


EDIT: forgot to mention, I didn't really find any forum on this site that my question of "large breeds and availability" and "if adding a new roommate when moving houses" would fit into.
 

carolina

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Ragdolls (males 15-20lbs) and Maine Coons (males 13-18lbs) are large cats, but not quite 23lbs... They are both gentle, loving cats... I have 2 ragdolls, and love them to death! They are slow maturing, and grown until they are 4yrs old. Lucky is a girl, she is 1yr old, and weigh 11lbs. Bugsy is my boy, he is 2 yrs old, and is currently 15lbs. I think Lucky will be around 13-14lbs, and Bugsy around 18-20lbs...
I am super curious about your cat though - that is HUGE! Can you post a picture of him?
 
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reun

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this was taken a while ago, he has grown a bit since then. he is about four and a half years old, I am guessing he should be done with growth spurts. He has a finicky tummy, so finding good foods has been a challenge, but I found a good dry and a couple wet foods that he does well on(thanks to help from people on this site helping me learn what ingredients to stay away from).

anyway, not only do I like bigger cats, but, I figure if they tussle and play fight later on, being about the same size might help the new addition not feel overpowered ending the tussles in something more.

I may be off on that idea though, I haven't read anywhere that supports my thoughts. Either way, the last few cats we have had over from neighbors and friends, he seems to be more fond of the ones closer to his size, and for some reason stand offish to the smaller cats.

the only concern I have with ragdolls is the fur...I groom beefy daily, but my wife is all but deathly allergic to cats, and while we are going to try the allergy shots method this summer and hope it cures her, if it does not, I want a shorter haired cat prefferably...I was debating on a Siberian as I heard they get somewhat big and do not shed alot, and may even have less of allergic reaction in most people. I do hope the allergy shots work, because even though she is on medication, my wife cannot really pet or play with beefy...which is sad because she loves cats, lol. Beefy was in the house before I even got married to my wife,lol...He bonded with me instantly, because unlike my wife, I am not allergic and can pet and play with him whenever I am home.
 

xocats

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Beefy is so handsome....
I love his sweet belly.


I am sure that more members will have some helpful feedback for you.
 

carolina

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Originally Posted by Reun



this was taken a while ago, he has grown a bit since then. he is about four and a half years old, I am guessing he should be done with growth spurts. He has a finicky tummy, so finding good foods has been a challenge, but I found a good dry and a couple wet foods that he does well on(thanks to help from people on this site helping me learn what ingredients to stay away from).

anyway, not only do I like bigger cats, but, I figure if they tussle and play fight later on, being about the same size might help the new addition not feel overpowered ending the tussles in something more.

I may be off on that idea though, I haven't read anywhere that supports my thoughts. Either way, the last few cats we have had over from neighbors and friends, he seems to be more fond of the ones closer to his size, and for some reason stand offish to the smaller cats.

the only concern I have with ragdolls is the fur...I groom beefy daily, but my wife is all but deathly allergic to cats, and while we are going to try the allergy shots method this summer and hope it cures her, if it does not, I want a shorter haired cat prefferably...I was debating on a Siberian as I heard they get somewhat big and do not shed alot, and may even have less of allergic reaction in most people. I do hope the allergy shots work, because even though she is on medication, my wife cannot really pet or play with beefy...which is sad because she loves cats, lol. Beefy was in the house before I even got married to my wife,lol...He bonded with me instantly, because unlike my wife, I am not allergic and can pet and play with him whenever I am home.
He is beautiful!
FYI Allergies are caused by dander, not so much by the fur. Ragdolls shed like any other cat, short or long hair. My Lucky barely sheds, Bugsy does a little more, but not too much...
 
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reun

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heh, well, she seems to be allergic to the saliva, not allergic to anything else really. beefy drops a coat in summer, and my wifes allergies are really bad even when i groom him multiple times per day. usually around this time of year my wife gets bronchidus(cant spell) and sinus infections, which she has right at the moment.

but yeah, as far as the dander, I am just worried about the ammount of hair that could be shed off of longer haired cats, I suppose thats why I was looking at the shorter haired large breeds. The Siberians are longer haired, but I read that they rarely shed except twice a year, but beefy does that already!

anyway, I am very gratefull for the help everyone is offering! I am not in a rush to choose a new addition to the house as it will be another year before I can move anyway. I want to make sure I make the right choice, figure if I get some help from here and do some more research on breeds, by the time we are ready to move I will have a good idea on choosing a new room mate
 

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No advice, sorry but oh....my....gosh! Look at his coloring! He is so handsome with his cute little belly lol. Love his color, hes gorgeous.

I have three cats. One is *cough* big boned *cough* at 20 pounds, one is 8.5 pounds and one is just a kitten at maybe 6 or 7 pounds. The bigboned guy (Capone) will sometimes hurt the smaller cats in my house. He loves my other cats but does not know his weight. We have to be careful if we need to lock them up (yesterday we had an electrician over all day) we wont lock Capone up with another cat in case they want to play and we are not there to watch. They play so rough and hard sometimes you will see Capone mildly hurt them in mid play with his weight.

I know that's not advice, but its a great idea you are trying to get a cat the same size as your big handsome buy. Good luck! I am sure there is great advice on this site.
 

mrblanche

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Oddly enough, cats don't seem to notice size. Sterling, our smallest cat, was definitely alpha until Ella showed up. She's not alpha, but she's not afraid to bully either of the others when she plays.
 

baloneysmom

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Oh, I didn’t mean Capone Bullies. There has never been a fight in our house, bullying, or picking on each other. Its just when Capone backs up, does a running start and pounces on Bugsy or Bonnie… you can hear it. Sometime they will meow out and we will have to make sure Capone knows to stop, but once he realizes he hurt one of the cats he backs off and gets upset.

They have never gotten really hurt or anything, he’s just a lot bigger then them so its got to hurts a little bit when they get into hardcore playing.
 

mews2much

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My sphynx is way smaller then my other cats and she knocks them over when she plays.
I do not think size really matters.
If you want a
Savannah you need to make sure it comes from a good breeder.
Your cat is cute.
I am allergic to cats also and have 5.
My 5.12 pound cat can jump higher then all my cats except my sphynx.
My sphynx is a very strong cat.
Saliva does cause allergies and the dander can also.

 
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reun

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Well, my cat really has never been a bully, I just notice he is less comfertable around cats smaller than him, and I have noticed in the play tussles the smaller cats seem to feel overwhelmed by Beefy's size...hence why I was looking at a breed that will hopefully get somewhere close to his size.

I would love a savannah, but, I don't think I will be able to justify spending over $1,000 on a cat when there are thousands of cats in shelters looking for a home for free...the only reason I am looking at a pure bred versus a rescued cat is because I won't be able to gauge even a rough size of what the kitten will grow to...and I would adopt a grown cat, but I really would prefer being able to raise the cat because of being able to curb bad habits from the start, also, it seems most cats are less threatened by a kitten.

so, I was hoping to find a shorter haired breed that would get close to beefy's size, but with short hair or a breed thats known to not shed as much...I was just hoping to spend less than the $1,000+ savannahs go for.
 

addiebee

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Here are some suggestions regarding allergies. First to clear something up: The cat allergen is a protein found in the cat's saliva and sometimes comes through the skin and can be in the urine. So when a cat grooms himself and the saliva dries, it forms dander. Also dander can come from the skin - again a source of allergen. It is a sticky allergen and can be difficult to manage.

First if you can - Keep Beefy out of the sleeping area.

Wash/bathe or wipe him down with cat wipes or distilled water often. (Don't fully bathe too often b/c that will dry out his skin.)

Vacuum carpeting, flooring and soft furniture with a good pet vacuum with a HEPA filter on it so it is not throwing the dust and allergens back into the house. Change that filter as often as the vac manufacturer recommends. More often if necessary.

Dust often with something that really picks up the dust.

Wash down his bedding often.

Keep the air filter on the furnace/air conditioner changed. Upgrade to one that works better with micro allergens like the dander.

In addition to the allergy meds, hope this helps.
 
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reun

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thanks for the tips! sleeping area is a no go though, our computers are in the bedroom, its impossible to ensure he never ventures near the bed.

unfortunately, by the time I was in the picture, he was a year old, and had not been accustomed to baths. Because of his size, it takes two of us to get him clean, he is a VERY strong cat, and next to impossible to hang onto and clean at the same time. sometimes my wife will help bathe him, but her allergies flare up when she does, so that is rarely an option. I have been trying to find a reputable groomer in the area tho, so far no luck.

I also use a HEPA certified 4 filter cannister vacuum 1-2 times per week, it does help. I keep the house clean, and I have covers on the sofa so that I can wash them. He doesn't have his own bed, he sleeps all over the house...generally he follows me from room to room when I am home, and if he is unable to claim my lap or a seat next to me, he finds somewhere to lounge within a few feet of me.

also i am in a crummy apartment with no central heating, baseboards...yuck.

I just hope the allergy shots work...in case they don't I am trying to find a larger cat that wont shed as much, which is why I was considering siberians or a shorter haired larger breed, perhaps and exotic mix if I can afford it...again, was hoping to spend less than $1,000 tho.
 

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A caring Mod moved your thread to our Behavior forum...
possibly here, you will receive even more feedback from members about your important questions.
 

ldg

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As others have pointed out, I really wouldn't worry about the length of the fur, because that really has nothing to do with the allergies. It's hit or miss, really, and totally depends upon the individual cat - I am amazingly allergic to cats, and our cat, Tuxedo I hardly have a reaction to, but Ming Loy I cannot pet without breaking into hives. (We have seven).

I didn't have the time or money to follow-through with allergy shots, but I take Zyrtec daily (it is now available OTC and there are generics that are less expensive), and it TOTALLY WORKS for me. I still get the hives sometimes, and for that I have a prescription steroid cream called Ultravete. It also totally works. Just a thought for your wife, if she wants to interact more with the cat(s). ...and our bedroom is not a no-go zone, and the kitties sleep with us.


Maine Coons and Norweigan Forest cats are the largest breeds I'm aware of.

There's a lot of Maine Coon rescues: http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...ne+coon+rescue

Norwegian Forest Cat Rescues: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&e...rescue&spell=1

Savannah Cat Rescue: http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...nah+cat+rescue

Laurie
 
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reun

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well, I have been doing more research, and I am leaning towards a few differant breeds...I am looking at Siberians, Norwegian Forest Cats, or Ragdolls.

They all seem to get larger, and would be a good fit in the house. I personally would love a bengal, ocicat, savannah, siamese, or abby...my wife on the otherhand not so much. we have been looking at videos describing the breeds, and while I love mischevious, boustrus, large, vocal cats...my wife prefers calm and quiet...that pretty much narrows out what I would love as a new addition to our house.

Beefy is a big kitty, very vocal and loud, and often finding his way into trouble...playing with things he isnt supposed to, play attacking our feet, and other things I find cute that my wife isn't as thrilled about,lol.

So, I am starting to think a ragdoll might not be that bad...also, found out today, Beefy is older than I had thought, my wife says he is almost 5 years old. by the time we are able to move into another house, he will be almost 7 more than likely...while I might want a more active cat, it might not be best for him to get a cat that will be active and harrassing him for years to come,lol. also, sometimes Beefy is naughty when playing with us or other cats and he uses claws...the thicker hair of the breeds I am looking at might be a good thing.

Anyway, I may not even go with a purebred. A friend of my parents for years has rescued strays and ferals, and helps with adoption for unwanted cats and kittens. I may just try to find a half grown kitten thats very large for his age, and adopt rather than buying a purebred...like I said, I feel almost bad looking to spend $500 or more on a purebred that would most likely find a good home anyway than adopting a cat that might not have a home otherwise...

EDIT: I finally got around to measuring beefy tonight...he is a little over 29" from nose to tail, 19" body length, and 14" tall at the shoulders. current weigh in is at 23 pounds. not the biggest cat I have seen, but he is pretty large for a domestic short hair mix...one of his kittens he sired that a neighbor has turned out almost the same size, and was from a mother about half his size,lol.
 

xocats

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Beefy certainly is a big boy...
so much more to love.
 
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