Waiting For A Cat

[Catlover9845]

Now comes a tough choice. I went last night to visit a cat from a shelter. She's a black cat, and was so friendly. She came up to me and my wife and kept asking for pets and scratches. She likes being held like a baby,. and purred with me for a bit. This at our first meeting, and in a strange place! She's 8 months old.

On the other hand, the toyger breeder I've been speaking with has a sweet and beautiful 1.5 year old cat. Obviously she costs more. She's also older, which as we've seen in this thread is both a plus and a minus. I'm hopefully going to meet her tomorrow. Maybe my heart will make the decision so I don't have to make a pros and cons list.

 

[mazie]

How feasible would it be to possibly adopt both? I don't know about you, but I would hate to have to choose one over the other when I could see myself loving them both for their own selves.

 

[tarasgirl06]

mazie has an excellent point there. Cats are very social, and they love the company of other cats once they adapt to sharing life with them. Catlover9845 -- cats usually get along much better in a household if they have company, just like a lot of people do. Something to consider?

 

[Catlover9845]

I definitely get where you're both coming from, but there's definitely no way. My wife would never go for it, and frankly, even I don't really want 2 of them, though I'm sure I'd love them both.

 

[talkingpeanut]

I vote shelter girl! You’ve met her and gotten to know her personality, so I wouldn’t worry about her age. 8 months isn’t the craziest of kitten ages. Also, giving a home to a shelter kitty is a wonderful thing to do.

 

[rubysmama]

I vote for shelter girl too. She's older, but still a kitten. And you've already bonded with her. How did your wife feel about her?

Also, I just Googled toyger, as I wasn't familiar with the breed. The first thing I read was "The medium-size Toyger was created by crossing a Bengal cat with a striped domestic shorthair." With the Bengal blood, I'd be a bit concerned that she might be a little too "high energy" for your household, especially since your wife was hesitant about even getting a cat. Just something too think about.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

LOL, I have to say that "rescue" is my favorite breed of all! But...meet them both, and let your heart make the decision! One of the two of them will wrap around your soul like a warm blanket. THAT's your cat!

 

[duncanmac]

I vote for shelter girl too. She's older, but still a kitten. And you've already bonded with her. How did your wife feel about her?

Also, I just Googled toyger, as I wasn't familiar with the breed. The first thing I read was "The medium-size Toyger was created by crossing a Bengal cat with a striped domestic shorthair." With the Bengal blood, I'd be a bit concerned that she might be a little too "high energy" for your household, especially since your wife was hesitant about even getting a cat. Just something too think about.

I vote shelter cat too. But make sure that the cat really likes your wife and is friendly and cuddly to her. You want the cat and can make the extra effort win its affections - your wife more likely than not will not do that and may resent having a cat that she cannot pet.

(And really - are you new at this? Happy wife, happy life. )

 

[She's a witch]

I'd say that toyger as a lone cat (without other feline's company) might be unhappy. With a baby around the corner, I certainly wouldn't get an energetic breed (as cute as they are), your wife may end up hating you as it's likely the energetic cat will add her lots of work while she will be focused on a baby.

Unless you decide the kitties are enough and children are not needed - I know people who chose to end up with cats rather than human children ;-)

 

[tarasgirl06]

I'd say that toyger as a lone cat (without other feline's company) might be unhappy. With a baby around the corner, I certainly wouldn't get an energetic breed (as cute as they are), your wife may end up hating you as it's likely the energetic cat will add her lots of work while she will be focused on a baby.

Unless you decide the kitties are enough and children are not needed - I know people who chose to end up with cats rather than human children ;-)

*DEFINITELY ME on the last thought!* I've never wanted kids and never will. But cats are not a "substitute" for kids IMHO. Cats are cats. Kids are kids. I much prefer cats.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

... Happy wife, happy life. )

Ah, see -- -- here's where it's good to read through the whole thread so you don't repeat someone else!


I think a good thing about maybe getting the 8-mo-old rescue kitty (besides the obvious of saving a shelter cat) is that she's young enough to still be fun, quirky and a playful kitten yet you will be able to get her used to the household a lot easier. I think 6-8 months is beginning the teenage years for a cat (which could last another year past the 8-month mark!), and you will also have her long enough before the baby arrives so that the cat can get her "social hierarchy urges" out of her system. Maybe by the time the baby arrives, she'll feel confident in her place within your home and be accepting and gentler with a new baby.

 

[inkysmom]

I personally always have at least two cats because they keep each other company, play with each other especially if they're both young and close in age and it's actually a lot less work. One young cat gets lonely and tends to play with it's people which includes undesirable hunting and stalking behaviors. I'd get both it's much easier.

And every kitten I've ever had had it's personality clearly defined from a very young age and it remained the same throughout it's whole life. Bold kittens grew into bold cats and shy timid kittens remained that way. Obviously experience influenced them but their basic nature was set very early.

 

[DreamerRose]

I vote for the shelter cat also. She's gentle and affectionate already, and just the right age. Don't wait!

 

[Catlover9845]

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions. I needed to see the toyger to make a decision, and as soon as I saw her, the choice was easy - she absconded with my heart. Here are a couple pics - neither are decent, but one is of her, and one is of her with the latest litter.

I'll get her in a couple weeks. She's quite shy right now, but she already started warming up to me by the end of my visit.

 

[neely]

I needed to see the toyger to make a decision, and as soon as I saw her, the choice was easy - she absconded with my heart.

Congrats on your new female toyger! Although I would have advocated to adopt the shelter kitty too, the important thing to remember is that you followed your heart. I hope your wife and you enjoy her for many years to come. Have you thought of a name for her yet? We will be expecting more pics once you bring her home.

 

[danteshuman]

If you get a kitten, I would suggest getting one now so you do not have a baby and a kitten keeping you awake. That said there are many wonderful 1-3 year old cats out there who need a home. Either way you need to catify (even in the nursery) and I would suggest you binge watch my cat from hell...... paying close attention to the episodes about babies interacting with cats.

That said I would look for a ragdoll or ragdoll mix. Why? Because I fostered 3 ragdoll mix kittens. The one that looks like a ragdoll is insanely patient with my little niece man handling her. We can hold all three teen cat’s belly up and walk around carrying them like that (the ragdoll one seems to prefer being carried that way.) Now honestly I think that I like her brothers siamese mix that adds to their energy/inqistiveness/attachment to their human.

More important than any breed is the personality. I would ask if you could foster to adopt and tell them that you need a kid friendly cat. Then when you are fostering, after the cat gets used to you/your home test the cat out with visiting little kids (one cat at a time, have them throw treats by your cat and lastly your room is the safe room and kids are not allowed there!)

It sounds like you want a cat and she wants a kid. Either way I wouldn’t get either unless you both are committed. That said a better compromise might
be that you get a cat now and start trying for a baby right now. Plus cats reduce stress and less stress = a better chance of conceiving. Please keep in mind your cat will ‘grow up’ in 1-2 years BUT your cat can live 20 years. So be prepared for a 15 year commitment. Then train your cat to have good manners (correct bad behavior from the start) rather than say ‘oh they are just being kittens look how cute’ then winding up with a adult cat that bites or scratches your couch or steals food from your plate ..... for 20 very long years!

 

[talkingpeanut]

She's very cute! Can I ask why the breeder has a 1.5 year old cat? Is she spayed?

 

[rubysmama]

Awww... she's a cutie pie. How did your wife feel about her?

Since she'll be your first cat, this TCS article may be helpful:
New Cat Checklist: What You Need To Get Before Bringing Kitty Home

 

[Catlover9845]

She's very cute! Can I ask why the breeder has a 1.5 year old cat? Is she spayed?

It's a good question, and one I'm happy to say I thought of to ask. She had actually intended to breed this cat, but the other cats weren't being so nice to her, so when it came time for that it didn't work out well.

 

[Catlover9845]

Awww... she's a cutie pie. How did your wife feel about her?

Since she'll be your first cat, this TCS article may be helpful:
New Cat Checklist: What You Need To Get Before Bringing Kitty Home

She's seen pictures and a video, but couldn't make it out for a visit - it was a 2 hour drive each way, so I had to take off from work.