Cat/Choosing a cat

Choosing a cat for a pet Most cats are of a varied genetic background and are divided simply into either 'domestic shorthairs', the most common cat in almost all parts of the world, and 'domestic longhairs'.

There are a number of fully established purebed breeds of cat, in which a cat or kitten is not only of a recognizeable sort but comes with registration papers from cat fancy organization.

Which type of cat?

Longhaired cats are preferred by the many people who find them especially beautiful. Domestic longhairs generally require more grooming than shorthairs, though- and are much more likely to have problems with hairballs.

A domestic shorthair, luxuriating in his home.

Male or female?

When cats are 'left entire', that is- not surgically sterilized, there are very distinct differences between owning a male, rather than a female, cat. Those differences have to do with the consequences of reproduction.

Unneutered females

Unneutered female kittens become sexually mature somewhere between about six months and three years of age. Almost all mixedbreed kittens will be capable of mating and becoming pregnant with their first litter of kittens by the age of one year. The 'late developers' who do not usually breed until two or more years of age are restricted to certain purebred varieties (usually larger cats, like the Maine Coon). Therefore, anyone who chooses a female cat or kitten for a pet and also chooses to maintain it with the ability to breed will probably not have just a single cat for very long. There will be many kittens, and then cats, in short order.

When cat owners live in regions where kittens are wanted and good homes can be found for them, allowing a female cat to have a litter or two of kittens is sometimes done quite responsibly. Adopting such a kitten from a neighbor is a time-honored way of obtaining a cat. The consequences to the mother cat were few at one time, but nowadays there are a number of diseases that she is subject to catching if allowed contact with local tomcats. In most regions of the world, the number of unwanted cats and kittens is so high that animal experts strongly discourage this practice.

Can't a female simply be kept away from males and, in that way, remain kittenless? Yes, that can be done, but grown females who are not neutered and who are kept from mating are usually unpleasant pets to keep company with, and show every indication of being in discomfort. Further, they are at high risk for diseases of the reproductive organs. (see Cat XXX)

Such cats come into "heat" every few weeks, and when they do, they spray urine over their environment and, almost always, yowl, roll, and posture nearly constantly until they successfully attract a mate. Once a female cat becomes pregnant she will return to her normal behavior until the kittens are born, however many will have another period of estrus while nursing that litter. A unneutered female cat is easily capable of producing between 4 and 18 kittens annually.

Unneutered males

An entire male also sprays urine as a means of attracting a mate, and as a marker for his territory. The odor of an unneutered tom cat's urine is very different from that of a neutered tom's, it is extraordinarily pungent. The litter box used by a fertile tomcat is not tolerated in most homes. Some entire Toms that are allowed access to both the outdoors and the household restrict their spraying to the outside. Others do not. When tomcats are not neutered until after sexual maturity, some continue the habit of spraying urine none the less.

When unneutered adult male cats are allowed outside, they normally dedicate a good deal of their time to prowling for females in estrus. When such a female is also outdoors, the entire neighborhood may becomes aware of a screeching, hissing, yowling, and moaning group of tomcats bent on doing each other bodily harm. Many of these toms incur bites, scratches and lacerations and return home with open wounds. These fights can also result in becoming infected with one of the fatal feline viruses.

For all these reasons, the best choice of a pet male cat is one that is neutered young enough (no more than a year of age, or so) to avoid these problems.

Neutered males & females

Now that the population of unwanted and homeless domestic cats is so large, there is general agreement that all responsible pet owners do neuter their cats- and so the debate over "male or female?" concerns more subtle considerations.

Cat or kitten?

How old a kitten?

The youngest that a kitten can be taken from its mother and littermates without causing it harm is about 6 weeks of age, like the kitten pictured here.

Health Considerations: Feline viruses

Currently there are at least two problematic viruses passed through the free ranging cat populations of the world. One is so-called Cat AIDS, or Feline Immunodeficency Virus, and the other is the cat leukemia virus. The danger from these viruses is not to people, but to other cats. These viruses are fatal, eventually, but the animal can be infected with either or both for months or years before illness is apparent. This does mean that if a ketten or cat is adopted as a stray or from a shelter there is the possibility of that animal harboring one of these viruses, and passing it to other cats it then comes into close contact with, perhaps other cats in the home or neighborhood.

Further Reading

1. Michael Pollard: The Complete Encyclopedia Of The Cat. Parragon Publishing. Bath. UK. 2005 ISBN 1-40544-388-X

External Sites

Adopting a rescued cat or kitten:

Australia

Happy Paws' list of adoptable cats and kittens in Australia.[1]

Canada

Pet Rescue and Adoption. This website maintains lists of rescue groups for domestic animals, including cats, in Canada. [2]

USA

Petfinder.com is a portal to a great number of combined rescue groups and shelters. Searchable database (with pictures) of domestic animals that are available for adoption. [3]

UK

UK Animal Rescuers maintains a website that acts as a public posting site for available animals. The following links to the "cats" section. [4]