Regarding pure bred cats

persi & alley

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Before Persi, I had owned 8 cats in my life, all from the local rescue center. DW said that since cats had 9 lives, the next cat should be one that she really wanted, a Persian. (DW is a Persian woman.) I consented and produced Persi, a Seal Point Himalayan Persian kitten, whose parents were both champions. Right before that, we were keeping a calico moggie who was a holy terror and our daughter could not or would not take care of it so we ended up with it. After this cat went over the bridge, our daughter rescued another calico moggie and it ended up she could not take care of it so we ended up with that. DW said we needed to get her a very rare purebred kitten so we got her a Short Haired Persian known as an Exotic, which we kept for two months and then shipped it to our daughter in Los Angeles. During the time we kept it, we fell in love with this adorable kitten and so did Persi.

Not long after that, our daughter rescued another cat from the shelter, of course it was another moggie. About this time I came across a picture of an Ocicat which I made the BIG mistake of showing to DW. She wanted one badly. I told her if we ever went to three cats, we might end up with five but that did not persuade her in the least. So now I am looking for an Ocicat, even though I know of all the cats in shelters that need a home. And I know this is going to cost us dearly, even more than the Exotic.

If things work out, I will find an Ocicat by August 28, which is DW's birthday and present it to her on August 30th, which happens to be the date of the D/FW get together of TCS members in our home. I don't just feel guilty about spending this amount of money but also of not providing a home for a cat that needs one, considering what happened in the case of our daughter.

Nonetheless, If I find one, that is what I am going to do. DW, like others, feel that a purebred cat is the way to go. God help me if our daughter or DW sees this posting!

So, my question is: Should I have given in to this request for another pure bred cat when there are all those moggies that need a good home? Before Persi, I had 8 cats, all rescued. (This was before marrying DW.) Our moggie, Alley is such a sweet loving cat even if she does hide in the walk in closet all day long until we go to bed.

Help!
 

rianna

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Rescuing a cat in a shelter is a great thing to do... but if you can provide a loving home for a purebred, you shouldn't feel guilty. You have rescued 8 other cats after all. If you can afford it and can find a breeder near you, go for it if it's something you really want to do. No need for any guilt. Any cat, purebred or rescue, needs a loving home.
 

goldenkitty45

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IMO some people try and make you feel really guilty about adopting purebreds (to show or pet) over moggys. All my life I've had both (and showed both purebred and mixed too).

So I do NOT feel guilty at all when I choose to adopt a purebred cat. There is room for both in this world.

If you choose to get an Ocicat, let me know - I'll evaluate the one you are getting or the cattery (as there are not many and I know the better ones)


I've got an order for another Oci, show male for next spring and that's what I want.
 

starryeyedtiger

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It is your decision to make hon- whatever you decide, i think that kitty will be lucky to have such wonderful owners! Personally if it were me- i can not justify breeding or buying for a companion animal while countless shelter animals die every single day. I worked for animal control for well over a year and it is just depressing the sheer number of animals euthanized simply because nobody wants them. It's really heart breaking. Also- keep in mind that i'd say at least 1/3 of our animals were purebreeds- you'd be shocked what we had come in through our doors- everything from Chinese cresteds to great pyranese for dogs and also numerous purebreed cats (spynx, persians, siamese..).

It's true, you may have a hard time finding an Ocicat in a shelter because they are not as common. Have you tried a breed specific rescue? I'd do a little research and just see if you can find a good rescue baby to give a good home. Also sometimes breeders have retired kitties that need homes for whatever reason- if you can not find one in a shelter /rescue you might could consider adopting a retired breeder and letting it live out its life with you.


If you can not find a rescue Ocicat however and you absolutely must have a purebreed from a breeder, do your research. If you choose to go the breeder way- make sure that they are not back yard breeders and that they are in it for furthering the breed and good genes. If you are not using the cat for breeding- please have it spayed/neutered once you buy it as that is the responsible thing to do. There are several very good breeders here on TCS that are in it simply because they love the breed, you can really tell that from the way they talk about their furbabies and how much care and dedication they put into them. Also, a lot of good breeders even spend time helping out at rescues/shelters. Definitely ask questions when you're looking for one- are they willing to take back an animal should the owner not be able to care for it? (this helps prevent them from winding up in shelters- but is not alwas full proof- i've seen purebreeds,even with papers wind up in shelters, but every little bit helps. Do they support spay/netuering in animals they're not using for show/breeding? What can they tell you abotu the breeds potential medical concerns? Do they know about proper feline nutrition/etc? I think asking just even the basics can help you weed out an educated breeder from someone who might just be in it to make a profit. As i said, there are some excellent breeders here on TCS- i'm sure they could give you some good advice in what to look for!



For me, the only way really i will justify buying a purebreed is for Search and Rescue. I am just starting out in K-9 SAR handling and i can say that for that line of work- sometimes it is excellent to have a purebreed and the reason's are multiple. There are some breeders (dog) that breed specifically geared towards law enforcement, Search and Rescue, bomb sniffing/etc k-9's. They know what they are doing and start training the pups early on- they can match a candidate with the right dog for the field they need- this is very important. You don't want a very dominate or aggressive dog used for SAR - but they might however make a good law enforcement partner. I am not opposed to buying from a specialized breeder when it comes to SAR dogs or things of that nature, becuase the animal will be my partner, not a companion animal. That is pretty much the only time i'd make that excpetion. / Now that being said- there are quite a few shelter dogs and rescued pups that make good SAR dogs as well- but the advantage to using a purbreed is the training begins early on, they match to your criteria, and the temperment is pretty much guranteed (shelter dogs as wonderful as they are can sometimes not be guranteed as far as temperment goes- so that's where good breeding comes in to a degree). If my current Australian Shepherd, Fosters (he is a rescue from the shelter i worked at) does not do well with SAR training (i think he well, but just in case) then i will likely be obtaining a purebreed through the SAR program as my partner. The dog will be my partner for it's active SAR period, and will then retire with me and live out it's life. / I hope i explained that well enough?!


There are definitely times when i think it's appropriate to seek a breeder (for me and the field i'm going into it would be along the lines of a SAR dog) but if you feel like you want a cat from a breeder- then good luck with that and i hope you find the one you like! I think there are lots of good breeders out there- but would also encourage you to check shelters/rescues first for the breed you want - you never know you may find the perfect match and save a life! Do what feels right for you
Rescue kitty or purebreed- any cat would be lucky to have such a sweet family to live with!
 

mews2much

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Dont feel guilty I am get a pure bred also. It will be my first one. I have saved so many cats and always wanted a pure bred but something always came up. I plan on getting a a dog also. I have been looking at Rescues but only found one and the lady was very food.
 

KittenKrazy

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Lee, you know that there are a thousand and one reasons to take either cat.....or to not to. In the end, it's all in what you as an owner want. I bred Himmies for years, and currently still have my original breeder female, as well as one of her daughters, and one of my original male breeders' sons from another litter that I took in return for a stud service. I wouldn't trade any of those three, or the two who are at the bridge, for any other cat on the planet, so that makes two that I bought, three I was responsible for bringing into this world. Right now, I also have a yardfull of ferals, several FeLv+ rescues, and several fosters......and you know what? Although I love them all, both purebred and not, wouldn't trade them for anything, there are days when I'd love to strangle each and every one of them (those are usually the days I'd like to take hub out too, so I suspect is a lot of me there, not so much the kits). But........I'm trying to make hub promise me that when these Himmys pass on to the bridge
(hopefully not for a looooong time), and we get the number of total cats in this household back down to a normal level that he'll get me a Meezer (preferably one from Gayef if she's still breeding then!)
 

alleygirl

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All cats deserve a loving home, regardless of their pedigree, or lack of. I work in rescue and see firsthand the heartbreak of all the homeless shelter animals. However, I have nothing against responsible breeding. If they didn't exist, we would have all the beautiful variety of colors and styles that we have today. I wouldn't want the breeds to disappear and every cat look alike after many years.
 

butzie

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Originally Posted by AlleyGirl

All cats deserve a loving home, regardless of their pedigree, or lack of. I work in rescue and see firsthand the heartbreak of all the homeless shelter animals. However, I have nothing against responsible breeding. If they didn't exist, we would have all the beautiful variety of colors and styles that we have today. I wouldn't want the breeds to disappear and every cat look alike after many years.


Did you know that there is purebred cat rescue org?

http://purebredcatbreedrescue.org/
 

flisssweetpea

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Don't feel guilty about wanting to share your home with a purebred. If this will be your only indoor kitty, I would talk to the breeder to see whether two of that breed would be a good idea to provide company.

When we got Lily (purebred Singapura) she was desperate to make friends with the indoor/outdoor girls, but they are completely different kinds of kitties leading different kinds of lives and they just weren't interested.

Then, the breeder asked if we would take Lily's older half-brother as a rescue Singapura (his owner had died). It was the best decision we ever made when we said yes, she had the company she desperately wanted and the two are inseparable.

Having shared our home with rescue moggies and various stray/feral kitties over the years, I would say that taking a kitty without issues is a very different and lovely experience - and I say that not wishing to swap our rescue kitties for the world. Lily is totally secure in her world and it's lovely to see. Even as a rescue Singapura who was totally loved all his life, Tolly still carries the issues with him that come from having his world turned upside down.

I hope that you find the kitty that you want - definitely take our lovely TCS members up on the offer to give advice about the breeders that you are researching. Thank you so offering a loving home to all those rescue kitties that you currently care for and those that you have done in the past, good luck on finding your purebred friend
 

moonlights mom

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I agree with the first poster, you shouldn't feel guilty. I got Moonlight from a quality Himmie breeder and couldn't be happier. I want to rescue from my local shelter but Moonlight hates other kitties
So I'm doing my help by volunteering and socializing the cats there. Best of luck, and you must post pictures if/when you get him/her!
 

nekochan

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Someone on Craigslist was looking for a home for an F3 Savannah so you never know what you will find in need of a home...
 

moonlights mom

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However, I do agree you should maybe check shelters first. We checked shelters for 2 years looking for the right Himmie and had absolutely no luck, so finally we did our research and were able to find a reputable breeder. I do occasionaly see purebreds at our shelter, mainly Siamese and Persains. I have never seen an Ocicat in a shelter before, but its always worth a try! Sorry I forgot to include this in my last post.
 

abbycats

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I have both. Rescued and purebreds. I have rescued and given a home to several stray cats and kittens. They have been with me all their lives. My last 3 cats have been purebreds. As Golden Kitty said there is plenty of room for both
 

goldenkitty45

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I've checked out so called "Ocicats" on Petfinder - maybe 1 out of 25 might be considered an Oci. Seems any spotted tabby that walks in the door is an Ocicat or a Bengal. Even red/orange spotted tabbys are labeled wrong - and in both breeds there are no red/orange color cats
 

missymotus

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Personally, I wouldn't get an Oci with a Persian. The personalities are far too different, I even had some trouble with 1 Oci against 8 moggies. He just had far too much energy for them.

Of course, you could always get 2 Oci's
 
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persi & alley

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Originally Posted by missymotus

Of course, you could always get 2 Oci's
OMG, Are you trying to drive me completely broke and into poverty? How much do these things cost in your part of the world? I am prepared for any shock you can give me. As far as the energy levels, I could save all the minuses and show these to DW, but that wouldn't be any surprise, would it? Also, although Persi is a laid back Persian, he enoys running up and down our two flights of stairs beating me to the next floor while I ride in our round plastic see through elevator. I am aware of the minuses, the same as I was when I wanted a Siamese but at that time I DID want a high energy level cat. However at that time we had no other cats to consider. Yet Persi was able to keep up with Shelby, the kitten we had that had endless energy. Alley is not in the equation as along as that elevator is in operation in this townhome, she stays hidden in her room, which used to be a walk in closet.
 
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persi & alley

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Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

If you choose to get an Ocicat, let me know - I'll evaluate the one you are getting or the cattery (as there are not many and I know the better ones)
I am letting you know. I trust our members more than anywhere else I could go, and you in particular, have given me very valuable information in the past. If the kitten happens to already be in the 10-12 week age, that is fine, I have two sister-in-laws in the area that are more than willing to hide the kitty out until the important date!
 
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persi & alley

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Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

It is your decision to make hon- whatever you decide, i think that kitty will be lucky to have such wonderful owners! Personally if it were me- i can not justify breeding or buying for a companion animal while countless shelter animals die every single day. I worked for animal control for well over a year and it is just depressing the sheer number of animals euthanized simply because nobody wants them. It's really heart breaking. Also- keep in mind that i'd say at least 1/3 of our animals were purebreeds- you'd be shocked what we had come in through our doors- everything from Chinese cresteds to great pyranese for dogs and also numerous purebreed cats (spynx, persians, siamese..).

It's true, you may have a hard time finding an Ocicat in a shelter because they are not as common. Have you tried a breed specific rescue? I'd do a little research and just see if you can find a good rescue baby to give a good home. Also sometimes breeders have retired kitties that need homes for whatever reason- if you can not find one in a shelter /rescue you might could consider adopting a retired breeder and letting it live out its life with you.


If you can not find a rescue Ocicat however and you absolutely must have a purebreed from a breeder, do your research. If you choose to go the breeder way- make sure that they are not back yard breeders and that they are in it for furthering the breed and good genes. If you are not using the cat for breeding- please have it spayed/neutered once you buy it as that is the responsible thing to do. There are several very good breeders here on TCS that are in it simply because they love the breed, you can really tell that from the way they talk about their furbabies and how much care and dedication they put into them. Also, a lot of good breeders even spend time helping out at rescues/shelters. Definitely ask questions when you're looking for one- are they willing to take back an animal should the owner not be able to care for it? (this helps prevent them from winding up in shelters- but is not alwas full proof- i've seen purebreeds,even with papers wind up in shelters, but every little bit helps. Do they support spay/netuering in animals they're not using for show/breeding? What can they tell you abotu the breeds potential medical concerns? Do they know about proper feline nutrition/etc? I think asking just even the basics can help you weed out an educated breeder from someone who might just be in it to make a profit. As i said, there are some excellent breeders here on TCS- i'm sure they could give you some good advice in what to look for!



For me, the only way really i will justify buying a purebreed is for Search and Rescue. I am just starting out in K-9 SAR handling and i can say that for that line of work- sometimes it is excellent to have a purebreed and the reason's are multiple. There are some breeders (dog) that breed specifically geared towards law enforcement, Search and Rescue, bomb sniffing/etc k-9's. They know what they are doing and start training the pups early on- they can match a candidate with the right dog for the field they need- this is very important. You don't want a very dominate or aggressive dog used for SAR - but they might however make a good law enforcement partner. I am not opposed to buying from a specialized breeder when it comes to SAR dogs or things of that nature, becuase the animal will be my partner, not a companion animal. That is pretty much the only time i'd make that excpetion. / Now that being said- there are quite a few shelter dogs and rescued pups that make good SAR dogs as well- but the advantage to using a purbreed is the training begins early on, they match to your criteria, and the temperment is pretty much guranteed (shelter dogs as wonderful as they are can sometimes not be guranteed as far as temperment goes- so that's where good breeding comes in to a degree). If my current Australian Shepherd, Fosters (he is a rescue from the shelter i worked at) does not do well with SAR training (i think he well, but just in case) then i will likely be obtaining a purebreed through the SAR program as my partner. The dog will be my partner for it's active SAR period, and will then retire with me and live out it's life. / I hope i explained that well enough?!


There are definitely times when i think it's appropriate to seek a breeder (for me and the field i'm going into it would be along the lines of a SAR dog) but if you feel like you want a cat from a breeder- then good luck with that and i hope you find the one you like! I think there are lots of good breeders out there- but would also encourage you to check shelters/rescues first for the breed you want - you never know you may find the perfect match and save a life! Do what feels right for you
Rescue kitty or purebreed- any cat would be lucky to have such a sweet family to live with!
Wow, you are the verbose one! You have given me a lot of information to digest and consider and I thank you so much for taking the time to include so much for me to consider. The only problem is that major decisions around this household are done between myself and DW which obviously is not an option this time. I am on my own along with the wonderful people here at TCS!
 
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