Your daily cat and kitten news

[Chz]

If you're looking for something specific, have you tried breed-specific rescues?
The one I know of (being a breed I am into ofc) is the Siamese Welfare Trust, they rehome cats Homes wanted - I mean that might not be for you as Siams/Oris require a lot a lot of attention and are the opposite of a relaxed do their own thing sort of cat, but there are similar organisations for other breeds. A lot of pedigree cats (unless they have been abandoned outdoors to become strays) will not be used to going outside and for those it is fine for them to continue to be indoor cats if a nearby road is an issue.

I'd no idea there was such a thing. I was thinking that it would be nice to have a S'Meese again. I was probably 8 the last time we had one. Though I do mean the olde-fashioned sort and not the freaky bat-things that the breeders have created, so I may be out of luck there.

Edit: Maybe a Burmese would be more appropriate. Though my friend's old Burmese was a complete head-case, but I'll put it down to it just being him. Chewed every electrical cable in the house, and vomited into every electronic device. Ping Pong the Destroyer, we called him.

 

[trabuquera]

^ Burmese also have a reputation (don't know if deserved or not) for being fatally attracted to road traffic iirc ... but lovely personalities - just want to be friends with everyone and everything, unfortunately including cars

 

[Rebecca Riot]

It seems that this one, Sgarba's sister has been returned because her adoptive couldn't cope with her mischievous nature...!

View attachment 434773

What do people taking-on kittens expect..?

What on earth is the matter with people? I'd be worried about a kitten if it WASN'T being naughty in case it was ill.

When I use to do rescue work we had a woman return a lovely little cat because it wouldn't sit on her lap like her old cat use to. We'd also get people phoning up to say they wanted to offer a home to a cat but when you questioned them further it became obvious that they wanted a carbon copy of the cat they had lost. We would try explaining to them that even if the cat looked like their last one, it would have a different personality and they would only end up being disappointed. In the end it was easier not to bother with people like that as you could tell they would be trouble and you'd probably end up having the cat back.

 

[pogofish]

Yup - and any cat with a new owner/environment needs a bit of time to get used to/bond and even then, its personality may not make it a lap cat.

My old Whiskers was one of these, she (a rescue) took a long time to trust before she would come and sit beside/close to me and she only rarely came up on the chair arm (she was better outside/in her element though) - although that was helped a lot when we discovered a shared love of salt and vinegar crisps but she'd never settle on my lap for very long indoors until she was a pretty advanced age. Her sister though, loved people and laps from day one but she was much younger (still a kitten really), so it took a lot less time for her trauma to settle down in a secure/loving/safe environment.

Ironically, I think Mrs Fish was hoping I'd take that little fluffy/tortie-ish kitten instead of Sgarba - she thought she was the sweetest/most sociable/good natured of all those kittens but Sgarba's sleeker coat and grey-tabby markings won me over. And she's a lovely kitten who now loves snuggling up with me - both of them do!.

Two fluffy cats would also probably mean too much fur to deal with, one of the pair of them is enough and black fur is less noticeable than grey/light!

 

[ddraig]

Fluffiest wrist rest ever!
Plonked between me and work laptop, snuggled into me with a view of garden

 

[stavros]

"If you haven't booked an appointment then I'm afraid I can't see you."

 

[May Kasahara]

Viv is driving me mad. She's bored with being stuck indoors, so she meows ALL NIGHT. Everyone else seems able to sleep through it...I can't

Stitches don't come out till Monday

 

[RubyToogood]

Right. I'm broadening the search to other cat charities. Cats Protection League seem to have a wide selection.

I also need to give the other charity a definitive list I think.

The cat world is fucking weird. Some of the charities... Then breeders... I did have a little look at pedigrees but so many shady characters.

Celia Hammond have reassuringly honest listings.

 

[Epona]

Right. I'm broadening the search to other cat charities. Cats Protection League seem to have a wide selection.

I also need to give the other charity a definitive list I think.

The cat world is fucking weird. Some of the charities... Then breeders... I did have a little look at pedigrees but so many shady characters.

Celia Hammond have reassuringly honest listings.

Celia Hammond are ace! They wouldn't let me have a cat because I'm in an upstairs flat with no direct access to the outside but if you can have a cat flap out to a garden you should be fine.

If you wanted a Siamese/OSH kitten (again, soz, can't recall what you were looking for exactly, my issue not yours!!!) then lmk and I might be able to make some recommendations of ethical breeders by PM, I'm aware of a few good'uns but you're definitely right to avoid any you get bad vibes from, there are too many kitten farms about and it is difficult to tell which is which without recommendations and research.

 

[RubyToogood]

Celia Hammond are ace! They wouldn't let me have a cat because I'm in an upstairs flat with no direct access to the outside but if you can have a cat flap out to a garden you should be fine.

If you wanted a Siamese/OSH kitten (again, soz, can't recall what you were looking for exactly, my issue not yours!!!) then lmk and I might be able to make some recommendations of ethical breeders by PM, I'm aware of a few good'uns but you're definitely right to avoid any you get bad vibes from, there are too many kitten farms about and it is difficult to tell which is which without recommendations and research.

I think I'd find a Siamese too clingy. I'd love a British Blue but I'm sure I can find a rescue cat who will satisfy me aesthetically.

I feel weird about articulating this despite the fact that there's a whole massive trade based on feline appearance and for that matter plenty of people select their human partners on the same basis.

 

[Epona]

I think I'd find a Siamese too clingy. I'd love a British Blue but I'm sure I can find a rescue cat who will satisfy me aesthetically.

I feel weird about articulating this despite the fact that there's a whole massive trade based on feline appearance and for that matter plenty of people select their human partners on the same basis.

Was this Facebook BSH rehoming/breeder group one you've already tried?

British shorthair cats rehoming and adoption - UK | Facebook

www.facebook.com

 

[Saul Goodman]

Was this Facebook BSH rehoming/breeder group one you've already tried?

British shorthair cats rehoming and adoption - UK | Facebook

www.facebook.com

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Edit: Maybe a Burmese would be more appropriate. Though my friend's old Burmese was a complete head-case, but I'll put it down to it just being him. Chewed every electrical cable in the house, and vomited into every electronic device. Ping Pong the Destroyer, we called him.

i used to know someone who had burmese kittehs, and is a part time breeder as well now.

kittehs she had when i knew her were very purry and cuddly - although to be honest, they could also be a bunch of gremlins. they would work together - one would be cute and purry as a distraction, then two of them would try and tie my shoelaces together, and the fourth would get in to any bag i'd got with me and throw everything out of it...

they weren't allowed to be free range. but had a maximum security bit of garden.

one of them caused her (then) boyfriend to get pissed off one time i was there - kitty ended up on my lap accepting tummy rubs and purring lots. he said this kitty 'didn't do that' - think kitty was a reasonable judge of character as boyfriend turned out to be a massive twat.

Right. I'm broadening the search to other cat charities. Cats Protection League seem to have a wide selection.

i'm almost certainly stating the obvious, but take it you know cattersea battersea have a feline department?

have heard good things elsewhere about catcuddles, but no personal knowledge of them. they may be a bit out of your area, though.

 

[story]

I think I'd find a Siamese too clingy. I'd love a British Blue but I'm sure I can find a rescue cat who will satisfy me aesthetically.

I feel weird about articulating this despite the fact that there's a whole massive trade based on feline appearance and for that matter plenty of people select their human partners on the same basis.

In my opinion and experience, cats' colouring can indicate their character to some extent. I've had lots of Jellicle cats and black cats. I've known several ginger and tortoiseshell cats.

When my sister brought me Cat as a kitten during lockdown I confess that I was disappointed he wasn't all black. He's a Jellicle with a very pink nose, and I've always found a very pink nose to be silly at best.

I love him of course and wouldn't want him to be any different to how he is. But I still yearn a little for an all black cat.

LeytonCatLady 's Lilith is the epitome of the all black cat. Very beautiful , poised, elegant. And I think I can guess her character too. She's very like the cat who was my closest companion during her lifetime, and I miss her still.

 

[Rebecca Riot]

I think I'd find a Siamese too clingy. I'd love a British Blue but I'm sure I can find a rescue cat who will satisfy me aesthetically.

I feel weird about articulating this despite the fact that there's a whole massive trade based on feline appearance and for that matter plenty of people select their human partners on the same basis.

I don't know whether you'd be tempted to buy or rescue a Maine Coon, but if you were be very careful as around a third of them have congenital heart disease due to unscrupulous breeders breeding from cats that hadn't been scanned for the problem. I've known too many people who have bought one of these beautiful cats only to have it drop dead on them when it's only a few years old.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

I don't know whether you'd be tempted to buy or rescue a Maine Coon, but if you were be very careful as around a third of them have congenital heart disease due to unscrupulous breeders breeding from cats that hadn't been scanned for the problem. I've known too many people who have bought one of these beautiful cats only to have it drop dead on them when it's only a few years old.

yes - an increasing number of 'pure breeds' have tendencies towards health issues. maine coon cats can have hip / joint issues as well with breeders trying to get them bigger.

the 'flat faced' breeds are an obvious, scottish folds might look cute with their floppy ears, but the same thing that causes the floppy ears often leads to cartilage issues with other joints.

 

[Epona]

I don't know whether you'd be tempted to buy or rescue a Maine Coon, but if you were be very careful as around a third of them have congenital heart disease due to unscrupulous breeders breeding from cats that hadn't been scanned for the problem. I've known too many people who have bought one of these beautiful cats only to have it drop dead on them when it's only a few years old.

And all it takes is some bloody DNA tests and then not breeding from the cats that carry the gene because "oh but they have the perfect conformation" - breed standard should be about more than looks.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

In my opinion and experience, cats' colouring can indicate their character to some extent.

yes, i've read a few things that say that. Epona may have more to say on then genetics and coat colours thing.

But I still yearn a little for an all black cat.

step away from the fur dye...

 

[Rebecca Riot]

yes - an increasing number of 'pure breeds' have tendencies towards health issues. maine coon cats can have hip / joint issues as well with breeders trying to get them bigger.

the 'flat faced' breeds are an obvious, scottish folds might look cute with their floppy ears, but the same thing that causes the floppy ears often leads to cartilage issues with other joints.

The cat world is getting as bad as the dog world.

Look what they've done to British bulldogs who are now so deformed they can hardly walk and have all sorts of breathing problems and King Charles Spaniels who are bred with heads that are too small to accommodate the brain causing them pain.

 

[LeytonCatLady]

In my opinion and experience, cats' colouring can indicate their character to some extent. I've had lots of Jellicle cats and black cats. I've known several ginger and tortoiseshell cats.

When my sister brought me Cat as a kitten during lockdown I confess that I was disappointed he wasn't all black. He's a Jellicle with a very pink nose, and I've always found a very pink nose to be silly at best.

I love him of course and wouldn't want him to be any different to how he is. But I still yearn a little for an all black cat.

LeytonCatLady 's Lilith is the epitome of the all black cat. Very beautiful , poised, elegant. And I think I can guess her character too. She's very like the cat who was my closest companion during her lifetime, and I miss her still.

Lilith is also very shy but affectionate when she comes to trust you. Another black female cat trait, I've often found.

 

[Epona]

It's probably not a massive surprise that I don't believe in the whole coat colours/personality thing - the amount of pigment or patterns don't determine behaviour or personality IMO.
I do think there might be a bit of conditioning going on in early socialisation whereby people think a black and white cat ought to be naughty and a black cat ought to be shy and a tortie should have "tortitude" so there's subconscious positive reinforcement in the early socialisation with humans period for behaviours that reflect that.
And then after that a whole lot of confirmation bias

 

[Epona]

There is a thing that has been researched in dogs and I think similar will possibly be relevant in the differences between cats, that those wolves with a gene resulting in a less-reactive amygdala and therefore less of a fear response are those that were the ancestors of domesticated dogs, simply because they were less afraid of humans - and I think in cats the same thing may be the case with cats that evolved into different natural breeds that have then been selectively bred for particularly affectionate traits - that their amygdala is basically misfiring making them a bit of a soppy lap-cat companion instead of (or at least as well as!) an aloof hunter
That along with early socialisation makes far more sense to me than coat colour being much of a factor.

 

[RubyToogood]

Was this Facebook BSH rehoming/breeder group one you've already tried?

British shorthair cats rehoming and adoption - UK | Facebook

www.facebook.com

I did have a look. A lot of the posts set off my spidey senses and there's clearly no moderation.

 

[philosophical]

This is something dragged from the vagueness of my memory, but I think I remember reading that part of the evolution of the domestic cat was about learning the dangers of cars. Something along the lines that when cars first came in after around the 1880’s cats would frequently get run over (sadly too many still do) but elder and other cats would quite quickly teach them the dangers and they began to adapt.
Essentially some aspect of their nature developed over millennia could change to new circumstances over a few decades.

 

[Betsi]

Lilith is also very shy but affectionate when she comes to trust you. Another black female cat trait, I've often found.

Years ago we’d phoned around rescues as we wanted another cat. Weirdly (to me) a couple of hours later a man turned up and presented three cats for us to choose from. I couldn’t say I didn’t want two of them and send them off, so we had all three. They were lovely cats, regular DS’s. One of them was a beautiful all black, green eyed, sleek female. Fairly aloof, never a lap cat but over time she wanted to be in touching distance and would follow me everywhere and softly chatter.

She died last year and I feel the loss of this gentle, unassuming lady so much still. In the future I will have another black cat and as a lover of Siamese I’d like a pair again, I still miss them too.

 

[og ogilby]

three cats for us to choose from. I couldn’t say I didn’t want two of them and send them off, so we had all three.

Works every time.

 

[Epona]

I don't think I'd ever be able to have a Blue OSH again - I'd be in danger of expecting him to be like my Sonic, who was my soulmate cat, if I had one who looked too similar - it would be a lot of pressure on a new arrival to live up to that, and unfair on them. And on me. I think every time I looked at him I would expect him to be Sonic and then he wouldn't be, and I'd find it crushing.

I want different looking cats in the future (hopefully still OSH, but maybe a tabby or a bicolour or Siamese). To build a new and different relationship with, with no confusion or longing for the past.

 

[pogofish]

Lilith is also very shy but affectionate when she comes to trust you. Another black female cat trait, I've often found.

Same with my old BD - There were only a handful of people he trusted/loved and they could do anything with him. Except with him, everyone else was just treated with barely-disguised contempt or actively hated with a vengeance and they were mostly rather scared of him..!

 

[Epona]

This is something dragged from the vagueness of my memory, but I think I remember reading that part of the evolution of the domestic cat was about learning the dangers of cars. Something along the lines that when cars first came in after around the 1880’s cats would frequently get run over (sadly too many still do) but elder and other cats would quite quickly teach them the dangers and they began to adapt.
Essentially some aspect of their nature developed over millennia could change to new circumstances over a few decades.

Evolution happens over many millennia, not a bit more than a century

 

[Saul Goodman]

Works every time.

True story