Which Breed is for me?

I agree 100% with that.
I do not think a Russian Blue will work for you either.
Sasha and Cleo act a lot alike.
This is how Sasha is.
The Russian Blue is known for being a very intelligent and active animal. They have been known to open doors/windows, play fetch, and are sensitive to basic human emotions. They enjoy playing with a variety of toys and develop extremely loyal bonds to their loved ones. The Russian Blue is also known for getting along very well with other pets and children in a household. They are known also for being quiet and clean animals that are normally reserved around strangers, unless they are brought up in a very active household.

Originally Posted by mews2much

I agree 100% with that.
I do not think a Russian Blue will work for you either.
Sasha and Cleo act a lot alike.
This is how Sasha is.
The Russian Blue is known for being a very intelligent and active animal. They have been known to open doors/windows, play fetch, and are sensitive to basic human emotions. They enjoy playing with a variety of toys and develop extremely loyal bonds to their loved ones. The Russian Blue is also known for getting along very well with other pets and children in a household. They are known also for being quiet and clean animals that are normally reserved around strangers, unless they are brought up in a very active household.

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But why? Most of those traits are what I'm looking for.

Not sure why you're crossing the bengal off your list.

The bengal is independent, yet friendly. Very intelligent and athletic but not overly dependent on you to provide playtime, so long as you provide toys.

They love attention and adore their humans, but it is ok for you to go to work and be gone for 10 hours per day, give or take a few hours. Your bengal will sleep during that time and be wide awake and expect your attention when you return from work. Not unlike a dog. This is the time you'll need to play with your bengal. They need at least an hour per day of "human" interaction.

Some bengals are vocal, others aren't, but most bengals are only vocal when their owners are near and something needs to be communicated....at least in their minds.

Don't discount the bengal yet!

I think you need 2 cats. I know people freak at the idea of 2 cats rather than one, thinking they're twice as much work, but they really aren't. If anything, owning two is easier than owning one. If they have a friend, they can play together, and keep each other company when you're gone, therefore being less likely to get bored. They snuggle together as well as with you, so you get the best of both worlds.

I would go to cat rescues, or breed rescues where they foster cats in their homes. That way you can get an idea of what a cat is like in a home environment, and you can spend time with them in a less stressful environment than a shelter. Not only that, but the foster parent can spend time with you answering any questions you have about owning cats, figure out what you're specifically looking for, and generally finding the perfect match/es for you.

Maybe look at some of these groups in MA:

http://thecatconnection.org/
http://www.straypetsinneed.info/index.htm
http://angelcathaven.com/

Good luck!

Hmmm, ok Bengal's still in the list.

I am hesitant about 2 cats, first I am also one of those people who think it is twice work, Second I'm afraid they will bond to each other instead of me.

BTW I am planning to provide lots of toys and a cat friendly environment so I think this will prevent it to be destructive don't you think ?

If you have two cats, then yes they will bond with each other, but cats still love human companionship and will come to you for love.

I have 3 cats and they all come to us for attention. They all want it in different ways and times, but providing friends for them has not diminished their love of us.

Originally Posted by sarahp

If you have two cats, then yes they will bond with each other, but cats still love human companionship and will come to you for love.

I have 3 cats and they all come to us for attention. They all want it in different ways and times, but providing friends for them has not diminished their love of us.

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We have had bonded cats in rescue - mother and child, birth siblings, adoptive siblings surrended to us, cats that didn't know ea. other who bonded in the foster home - they all still want/love people time. You just have to check it out. Chances are the cat or cats will pick YOU!

Getting 2 cats together is wonderful - it is great fun watching them play together, and cats do not form exclusive bonds, so it won't detract at all from their relationship with you - you'll just get twice the love and attention

The main issue can be making enough lap space so they can both sit on you:

- that is a very near future picture of our two Ocicats - Charlie is 11 lbs and Jackie Sparrow is 8 lbs!

Not every cat of a specific breed will behave as expected. Bijou is only vocal when my husband is around and Bijou wants to go outside. Bijou is smart enough to know that I won't let him outside but my hubby used to so he still tries to convince hubby to let him out.

Bijou and Mika loved to sleep cuddled together during the day, but at night Bijou sleeps curled up with me and Mika with our daughter (Mika is our daughter's cat). I am another advocate for 2 cats.

I also believe that cats pick you and not the other way around. Spend some time at a shelter and the cat that is right for you will find you and you'll know it immediately.

My next cats (if I live that long) will be from a shelter. Bijou was my dream kitty and now that I'm living that dream, if Bijou pre-deceases me, I would give a shelter kitty a chance next time.

What you need are two Abys!

Hi,

I'd say go visit a cat show and talk to the breeders present there, then go to your local shelter and have a look at the cats there (or vice versa). You'll either fall in love with a kitty on the spot or know which breed you really want.

Alternativly- why don't you simply foster for a local rescue group? Sooner or later you'll stumble across that special cat you simply can't re-home anymore

regards,

christine

I am the owner of two Siamese cats. One of them (the female) is extremely vocal. At least once a day, if not more often, she will wander up and down the hallway meowling at whatever she yowls at. She likes it when you talk to her while she is meowing. She always talks back. My other cat (the male) meows very rarely, and only when he feels he has something very important to say. Both cats are very affectionate. We acquired them both as kittens, at the same time, and they are bonded to each other. They sleep together sometimes and bathe each other, and play together regularly. However, they are also EXTREMELY bonded to my husband and I. The female does her own thing (usually sleeping) a lot, but once or twice a day, sometimes more often, she will climb up into my lap or my husband's lap or between us on the bed and purr up a storm, kneading biscuits with her paws on whatever surface she can reach. The male doesn't like to be picked up, but he follows us wherever we go. We can just wander through the apartment aimlessly and he will follow us from room to room, and jump up into the air to "bunt" our hands when we hold them out to him. He purrs almost every time we pet him. The female does not like strangers until she has met them a few times (so not on their first visit) and the male cat is very friendly, allowing practically anyone to pet him and sniffing everyone's shoes. They also love to play!

So basically what I am saying by telling this story are these things:

Getting two cats or kittens together should not, in my experience, diminish the bond that they will have with you. Instead, it will give you two cats who love you instead of just one.

Siamese cats can be very affectionate and friendly. Particularly with two cats, they are very good at entertaining themselves when you are busy or away, but they also enjoy your petting, attention, and playtime.

Also, in my experience, having two cats is not much more expensive or much more trouble than having one cat. Also, it is twice the fun and silly antics.


If you want to get a purebred cat, it really would be a good idea, in my opinion, for you to visit a cat show in your area. If you live in or near Boston, you will probably be able to find a CFA or TICA cat show fairly easily. At the cat show you can meet many different types of purebred cats as well as breeders of these cats and find out a LOT about what types of cats you might be interested in.

However, there is ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with visiting an animal shelter and adopting from there. Rescued cats are very very special. The attitude and temperment of a purebred cat isn't always guaranteed, any more than the personality of a child would be the same as its parents every time. If you adopt a cat or cats from an animal shelter or rescue/foster facility, the volunteers there will generally already have an idea about the personalities of the cats. They will be able to tell you which cats there are not too aloof and want affection, have short coats that don't shed too badly, and are social enough to want to spend time with another cat (and therefore entertain themselves), and aren't particularly loud in the meow department. The volunteers will know about the cats there and will be able to help you find the perfect kitties for you.


Good luck with whatever you decide!!!! I hope you stay at The Cat Site and show us pictures of your new kitties when you decide and bring them home. We love cat pictures!

I will second two cats are easier than 1. I have 3 girls and one boy.
Pre breeding days we had 2 cats. I got one when I went in the military (Angel) whom was a kitten we adopted from an elderly lady who had an oopsy litter out of Maine coon and turkish Angora. Anyhow, he was too clingy to us. We loved him but he was lonely and we knew it. So we went to the shelter and got him a buddy, a black solid 8 month old poly girl. She was more Angels buddy than ours but she was still the purr queen and so my point is, there are different ways of 2 cats together but most often 2 is better than 1.

Angel wanted the attention and was jeolous of anyone else getting it while Sid enjoyed angel but still came around. It wasn't overwhelming, Angel wasn't as lonely nor destructive, he played with Sid who was older and calmed him down and it worked well.

Now we have Rajjah and Zenny (my one boy) who are like a married couple. Gladys and my youngest girl Bluebell are bonded. All 4 want attention but they can amuse themselves without overwhelming us and tend to just do a kitty pile. lol.

Daisy

Wow , I will think about getting two cats instead of one. You all have very nice experience with two kittens.

But still since it will be my first cat I am in favour of a single kitten. Is it a good idea to bring the second cat after sime time I get my first kitten?

I think it's good quite getting them at the same time. I got a kitten in 2007 that I kept isolated from my other cats - I didn't think it was doing her any harm but at the start of this year I put her in to live with 2 of her daughters and it's amazing how much happier she is now. I think most cats really enjoy other cats company.

ETA: The cat I am talking about is Flutterby - who you can see below in my signature

I would get them both at once, you could get one purebred and one shelter cat around the same age.

The only problem I have with owning more than one is my lap is not big enough for them all at once!

Originally Posted by Amateur

Wow , I will think about getting two cats instead of one. You all have very nice experience with two kittens.

But still since it will be my first cat I am in favour of a single kitten. Is it a good idea to bring the second cat after sime time I get my first kitten?

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I don't know. I can see how you would be hesitant, since it is your first cat, but I think it would be alright for you to get them both at once. Actually, it might be easier, since the two kittens would keep each other company when you were away and would not be lonely.

However, we have one member here (Lawguy) who rescued one little kitten and about a month later adopted another kitten to keep his first kitten company, and both of his kittens have bonded very well and love him to bits. So surely it is possible to adopt one and then later adopt another.

You will have to go with what seems best to you. Who knows, maybe when you visit the cat show or animal shelter, you will find two perfect kittens or only one. You will just have to go look!