Adopted this guy a few months ago

Albus

Tobermory Ragnarok
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Apr 3, 2020
Messages
25
Purraise
35
His former family, who had to give him up because of allergies, loved him very much but hadn't had much experience with pets of any kind. So he came with no vet records (they'd never brought him to a vet) and with a hazy history—I was told he was part Maine coon and ragdoll, but he neither looks it nor acts like either of those. I'm sure he's of mixed breed, but some idea of of how to describe him (medium hair? shorthair?) and perhaps a heads up on possible veterinary issues given his likely breed history would be helpful.

He's really friendly, somewhat reserved, doesn't like to be carried but loves to snuggle. Rather vocal when he needs things, likes to both hang around people and do his own thing. What does that sound like?
 

Attachments

di and bob

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 12, 2012
Messages
16,582
Purraise
22,959
Location
Nebraska, USA
He is gorgeous! With that tail, strong face, and ears he could have some Maine Coon in him. He would be a white with grey Domestic Short Hair, although with that tail he might be considered medium-haired. Is he neutered? He has a rather Tom cat face with those jowls. If not, have it done ASAP, it would make him and you much happier. He would be even calmer and not so apt to spray everything and yowl. I wish you many years of happiness!
 

carebearbaby1

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Apr 9, 2013
Messages
784
Purraise
1,313
Domestic medium hair, brown tabby and white. The personality you've described fits a lot of cats, lol. He's beautiful.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

Albus

Tobermory Ragnarok
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Apr 3, 2020
Messages
25
Purraise
35
He is gorgeous! With that tail, strong face, and ears he could have some Maine Coon in him. He would be a white with grey Domestic Short Hair, although with that tail he might be considered medium-haired. Is he neutered? He has a rather Tom cat face with those jowls. If not, have it done ASAP, it would make him and you much happier. He would be even calmer and not so apt to spray everything and yowl. I wish you many years of happiness!

Thanks for the reply! I took him in to start discussions about neutering, but so far he's really the most docile cat I've ever met and hasn't shown any of the problems usually associated with unfixed males (doesn't spray, yowl, and doesn't like the outdoors). I'm a little wary of getting elective surgery—are there any other health benefits to neutering?
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

Albus

Tobermory Ragnarok
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Apr 3, 2020
Messages
25
Purraise
35
Domestic medium hair, brown tabby and white. The personality you've described fits a lot of cats, lol. He's beautiful.
First cat I've ever had who's this chill! All my other cats have been little rocket-fueled demons who didn't really care much for hanging out with me. But it could be because I'd never really been home as much as I'd been in the last few months...
 

lutece

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
4,499
Purraise
5,739
He's so handsome!

I would describe him as a brown tabby and white domestic longhair. Most cats are not any particular breed, and are not mixes of breeds, unlike dogs. This doesn't make them any less gorgeous or special, however... domestic longhairs are great cats! :)

Genetically, cats are either longhaired or shorthaired; "medium hair" is an informal term used by some people to describe longhaired cats that don't have as much of a full coat as other longhairs.

As far as neutering is concerned, for males the primary reasons to neuter are behavioral (to reduce or prevent spraying, howling, aggression, etc.) and to prevent accidental pregnancy. If he isn't spraying or engaging in other obnoxious male cat behaviors, and you can reliably prevent him from mating by always keeping him indoors, it's not strictly necessary for his health to have him neutered... however, having him neutered will lower the chance that he will start spraying (I've had several males that started spraying later in adulthood), and will also prevent him from getting any females pregnant in the event that he might accidentally get out of the house.
 

Willowy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
31,886
Purraise
28,287
Location
South Dakota
Oh, he is handsome! I would believe Ragdoll/Maine Coon mix, although you can't know for sure without seeing his parents' papers. I'd also believe domestic medium-hair, too.

How old is he? Some males don't fully mature until they're 3-5 years old, especially the large breeds. So he may start spraying some time in the future.

If that happens and you get him neutered soon after the spraying starts it shouldn't become a habit. Also, if you notice that his urine has a particularly strong odor, neutering would help with that too. But as lutece said, if you can keep him from fathering unwanted litters, he's behaving himself, and the smell isn't chasing you out of the house, neutering isn't strictly necessary.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8

Albus

Tobermory Ragnarok
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Apr 3, 2020
Messages
25
Purraise
35
Oh, he is handsome! I would believe Ragdoll/Maine Coon mix, although you can't know for sure without seeing his parents' papers. I'd also believe domestic medium-hair, too.

How old is he? Some males don't fully mature until they're 3-5 years old, especially the large breeds. So he may start spraying some time in the future.
The breed doesn't matter to me, unless there are medical issues I can watch out for (as happens with Persians). But he does have rather unusual looks!

He's 3.5 years old, so I'll keep an eye out for spraying issues, thanks for the warning!
 

Meowmee

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 2, 2018
Messages
2,876
Purraise
3,608
He is a beauty😻 to me he looks kinda ragdoll, and as others have said he could have mainecoon too. He would be labeled domestic longhair. Ragdolls were bred starting with a domestic long hair mom.

Neutering will ensure if he does get out he can’t produce kittens and it will make him less likely to want to roam. It also eliminates testicular cancer and reduces possible prostate troubles.
Here is info and a pic side by side of a Maine Coon and a Ragdoll. MC are also possibly mixtures of Forest cats brought here and local domestic cats.

MC and forest cats have hereditary hcm.


Maine Coon, Ragdoll or Maine Coon Ragdoll Mix. Which is best for you?
 

Willowy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
31,886
Purraise
28,287
Location
South Dakota
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. A heart defect. But if he's mixed, the chances of him inheriting it from both parents is reduced.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #13

Albus

Tobermory Ragnarok
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Apr 3, 2020
Messages
25
Purraise
35
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. A heart defect. But if he's mixed, the chances of him inheriting it from both parents is reduced.
Thank you! This is the kind of info I was looking up, re: the cat's heritage. I'll look it up so I know what to look out for.
 

lutece

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
4,499
Purraise
5,739
Because inherited HCM was first found in the Maine Coon, and Maine Coon breeders have been very responsible in testing their cats over the years, people often associate HCM with this breed... however, in reality, HCM is seen in all breeds, as well as in non-pedigreed domestic cats. It's most likely that there are a large number of different mutations that can cause this in cats, we just haven't found very many of them yet. In humans, over 1500 different HCM-causing mutations have been found, many of these being specific to just one family. HCM can also have non-genetic causes.

HCM-causing mutations are typically dominant with incomplete penetrance. Cats with just one copy of an HCM-causing gene are less likely to develop HCM, and may also develop HCM at a later age than homozygous cats.

Here's an article written by a Maine Coon breeder who collected data from PawPeds' health program. You'll see that thousands of Maine Coons and Ragdolls were tested as part of this health program, but the incidence in those breeds appears to be a lot lower than in many other breeds.
In general, I wouldn't worry about HCM based on a cat's superficial visual similarity to any breed... unless it's a hairless cat (HCM appears to be more common in Sphynx).
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #15

Albus

Tobermory Ragnarok
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Apr 3, 2020
Messages
25
Purraise
35
Thanks for that thorough answer! Appreciate it.
 

Meowmee

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 2, 2018
Messages
2,876
Purraise
3,608
Thanks for the links!

Sorry, what is HCM?
Yw😊 hcm is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. It is hereditary in forest cats, but also in other breeds and it can show up in dlh dsh non pb and mixed breed cats as well. Two of my furries had it. Tess was stricken with it at 8, but she lived for 3.5 years, she was a dsh tortie and Syb, my profile pic, an nfc siberian mix, hers was not diagnosed until late in life, she passed in May 2018 from a saddle thrombus 5 months after her diagnosis when she was in congestive heart failure.
Here Is info, your cat can be screened for it.

Feline Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: A Spontaneous Large Animal Model of Human HCM

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy – A Common Heart Disease Affecting the Cats We Love | Morris Animal Foundation
 

lavishsqualor

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 27, 2015
Messages
1,954
Purraise
3,150
He's a beautiful, beautiful cat!

Getting him neutered, "snipped" as I call it, is a super simple process. It's much less invasive than a spay and will make him a happier cat. Male and female cats are both driven by their hormones to mate. Getting him snipped will eradicate his frantic desire to get out and procreate!

Post more pictures if you can. :loveeyes:

How much does he weigh?
 

cataholic07

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 28, 2014
Messages
1,502
Purraise
1,691
Honestly I would just get him neutered. For males it really is a simple procedure. I would rather do it before he sprays as even if you neuter him sometimes they will continue to spray. He just looks like a domestic long hair to me. He doesn't have the lynx ears, and the wide face is just because he's not fixed so he has jowls.
 
Top