- Joined
- Aug 13, 2017
- Messages
- 222
- Purraise
- 252
I adopted a kitten last April and have discovered I like talking about cats, hearing everyone's cat stories, telling stories about my kitten and and showing everyone kitten pictures and videos, so I think it will be fun participating here.
My last cat showed up with a homeless teenager and stayed when the teenager moved on. He turned out to be an amazing sensitive friend, shy of everyone but me, but he found ways to let me know every day he was appreciative of having a stable predictable home. He died 10 years ago of kidney disease and old age and I couldn't even look at a grey cat or kitten for a few years without starting to cry.
I had been feeling ready for another cat for a few years, but having taken care of abandoned older cats for decades, one I was never even able to touch, I wanted to get a kitten and have a fresh start. Spay and neuter programs here seem to have been very successful and kittens are scarce, especially as I live in a remote location.
Anyways, at first I thought I might like a Russian Blue or maybe a British Short Hair. My last cat was very plush, grey and white and his loyal and shy personality made me guess maybe he had some Russian Blue in him. But none seemed to be available anywhere nearby, and the cost seemed kind of extravagant and unnecessary as I would be happy with any short haired gray or black or tabby cat. So then, as a compromise, not knowing anything about the rules legitimate breeders are supposed to follow, I began looking for a Russian Blue cross. I just about fell for a scam. Someone with kittens that looked exactly like what I wanted, that were supposedly Russian Blue Ragdoll cross. They were $450, but I was in love and was making arrangements to go get a kitten, when I got told they were all already gone except the 1 they had saved for themselves, that they would let me have. That kitten didn't look anything like the kittens in the pictures, and had long hair, so I said no. Later I found the same pictures I had fallen in love with on a UK website and they were several years old.
So, then I decided to just try and find an ordinary black or grey or tabby kitten, but even that was difficult. After a few months of chasing down kittens only to find they had already gone, I saw an ad showing just the back of a grey and black tabby kitten which supposedly had already had it's first vaccinations, for only $25! I contacted the seller, and after seeing pictures of his face and saying I wanted him, I was told I could come and get him. But it was also mentioned his Mom was a specific breed of cat that I did not know much about, and when I read up on this it sounded like they can be high energy to the point they get into trouble without a lot of supervision. I was worried this might not work with my lifestyle, and just about backed out of going to get my kitten, but I was assured the influence of the Mom's breed would be watered down enough in my kitten would just be a more active and social cat than normal.
I never even got to meet the Mom and did not think to ask to see papers showing she was the breed claimed, and the person I got him from has not been responsive to my questions. I have since found out people involved with maintaining this breed really do not like people saying a cat is this specific breed if it isn't registered with papers and a proven pedigree. With all the scams out there I can understand that, but I wasn't looking for a cat of this breed...And the person I got him from was not advertising him as being of this breed though their other litters of kittens are advertised as a particular breed, and cost more than $25. Supposedly the Mom got out and got pregnant with a cat who was unknown and not the intended stud.
Anyways, he is a sweet heart but very head strong and definitely a handful, though as he matures it is getting less stressful.
I live in a rural area with few roads and cars, and no major dangers to cats. I have lived here a few decades and except for occasional run ins with other cats, peoples cats do fine being outside as much as they want. Cats are an important factor here in rat control and I spend a lot of time working in my yard and garden so an indoor cat is not at all practical. Instead, I have been being a helicopter parent, thinking my kitten may need special guidance. Probably being over dramatic... He was 6 months old yesterday and seems to be doing well. He was neutered at 4 months and is staying close to home and out of trouble! And the rats living under my house have all moved somewhere safer!
Um and he is an insanely picky eater when it comes to wet food, and has fleas even though he was treated with Revolution 2 weeks ago, and has been monthly since May.
This is him and his wrestling buddy Tiger Tiger
My last cat showed up with a homeless teenager and stayed when the teenager moved on. He turned out to be an amazing sensitive friend, shy of everyone but me, but he found ways to let me know every day he was appreciative of having a stable predictable home. He died 10 years ago of kidney disease and old age and I couldn't even look at a grey cat or kitten for a few years without starting to cry.
I had been feeling ready for another cat for a few years, but having taken care of abandoned older cats for decades, one I was never even able to touch, I wanted to get a kitten and have a fresh start. Spay and neuter programs here seem to have been very successful and kittens are scarce, especially as I live in a remote location.
Anyways, at first I thought I might like a Russian Blue or maybe a British Short Hair. My last cat was very plush, grey and white and his loyal and shy personality made me guess maybe he had some Russian Blue in him. But none seemed to be available anywhere nearby, and the cost seemed kind of extravagant and unnecessary as I would be happy with any short haired gray or black or tabby cat. So then, as a compromise, not knowing anything about the rules legitimate breeders are supposed to follow, I began looking for a Russian Blue cross. I just about fell for a scam. Someone with kittens that looked exactly like what I wanted, that were supposedly Russian Blue Ragdoll cross. They were $450, but I was in love and was making arrangements to go get a kitten, when I got told they were all already gone except the 1 they had saved for themselves, that they would let me have. That kitten didn't look anything like the kittens in the pictures, and had long hair, so I said no. Later I found the same pictures I had fallen in love with on a UK website and they were several years old.
So, then I decided to just try and find an ordinary black or grey or tabby kitten, but even that was difficult. After a few months of chasing down kittens only to find they had already gone, I saw an ad showing just the back of a grey and black tabby kitten which supposedly had already had it's first vaccinations, for only $25! I contacted the seller, and after seeing pictures of his face and saying I wanted him, I was told I could come and get him. But it was also mentioned his Mom was a specific breed of cat that I did not know much about, and when I read up on this it sounded like they can be high energy to the point they get into trouble without a lot of supervision. I was worried this might not work with my lifestyle, and just about backed out of going to get my kitten, but I was assured the influence of the Mom's breed would be watered down enough in my kitten would just be a more active and social cat than normal.
I never even got to meet the Mom and did not think to ask to see papers showing she was the breed claimed, and the person I got him from has not been responsive to my questions. I have since found out people involved with maintaining this breed really do not like people saying a cat is this specific breed if it isn't registered with papers and a proven pedigree. With all the scams out there I can understand that, but I wasn't looking for a cat of this breed...And the person I got him from was not advertising him as being of this breed though their other litters of kittens are advertised as a particular breed, and cost more than $25. Supposedly the Mom got out and got pregnant with a cat who was unknown and not the intended stud.
Anyways, he is a sweet heart but very head strong and definitely a handful, though as he matures it is getting less stressful.
I live in a rural area with few roads and cars, and no major dangers to cats. I have lived here a few decades and except for occasional run ins with other cats, peoples cats do fine being outside as much as they want. Cats are an important factor here in rat control and I spend a lot of time working in my yard and garden so an indoor cat is not at all practical. Instead, I have been being a helicopter parent, thinking my kitten may need special guidance. Probably being over dramatic... He was 6 months old yesterday and seems to be doing well. He was neutered at 4 months and is staying close to home and out of trouble! And the rats living under my house have all moved somewhere safer!
Um and he is an insanely picky eater when it comes to wet food, and has fleas even though he was treated with Revolution 2 weeks ago, and has been monthly since May.
This is him and his wrestling buddy Tiger Tiger
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and did I miss his name?
I named my kitten Moggie.
I''d love to see a video of Moggle playing with the deer in your yard. Keep posting pics, we love them too. 
