Choosing the Right Cat
CHOOSING THE RIGHT CAT
Choosing the right cat for any situation is very easy since we are talking about a 6-12 pound animal!! They are very small animals and do not take up a lot of physical space. Whichever cat you choose you will have a devoted pet that offers tons of love in a small package. They can and will follow you around like a dog; just with a little bit more class!
The first consideration in choosing the right cat is whether you want a male or female cat. As a general rule, the male cat is usually the lap cat or animal that wants to be picked up or carried around all day. Have a daughter? She will love to dress up a male cat and push him around in a stroller. Not so with the female. They, of course, can be loving but tend to be more aloof than the males. There are always exceptions to the rule but this is pretty close overall. This is the complete reverse with dogs. The female dog is usually quieter while the male dog is much more aggressive. Choosing the right cat often comes down to the sex of the animal. When it comes to urinary tract infections, this is where the female cat has the male beat. Females never ever obstruct due to urethral stonesStones in the cat are usually composed of Magnesium Phosphate. When they form in the bladder with alkaline or basic urine they precipitate out like small grains or clumps of sand. The female can pass these as her urethral diameter is larger than the male. To prevent all this, companies have come up with urinary diets that restrict the ash (magnesium) component hence decreasing the formation of the stone (struvite). Urate stones can also be seen but the former is more common. whereas males can; resulting in an emergency situation.
SHORT HAIRED OR LONG HAIRED?
The next decision in choosing the right cat is to decide whether you want a short-haired or long-haired cat. Their personalities may be similar but the short-haired animal will be much easier to keep clean and combed and less hairballs compared to a long-haired cat that needs to be groomed constantly. I have seen way too many long-haired cats that were completely matted over and had to be put under a general anesthetic to have all the mats shaved and or cut off!! When all this is removed it actually looks like a jacket!!
PUREBRED VS A MIXED BREED CAT?
When choosing the right cat do you want a purebred cat or one of those great orange and grey striped tiger cats. I have been around the world and those striped cat genes are all over the planet in cats! First of all, a purebred cat is going to cost you more but if you are looking for a particular personality in a certain breed, go for it. Siamese cats love to meow and meow….and meow while a Rag-doll is exactly what the name means. That cat is one of the most mellow of all cats. You pick it up, it just hangs there. Outside of the Persian, it is the only other cat whose tail is held parallel to the floor. All other cats hold their tails up. Persians take a lot of time to groom but are true sweethearts. Want something with more spunk? Than the Himalayan is for you; a combination of oriental and Persian.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Choosing the right cat for your lifestyle is many times reversed! Cats around the neighborhood that don’t have homes often will choose you!! They see a nice warm house and a provider of goodies and love. They hang out and rub everythingMost people think that when a cat rubs your ankles or head butts you that it is being friendly. That may be the case but the main reason is to put its scent on you. Scent glands exist at the base of each whisker. What a cat is saying to you, is that you ARE mine! I belong to you! in sight just to attract you and the cat knows that you will fall for it and take it in! Bravo for cats…they are so cool!
