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Choosing Your Cat's Breed
from:So many breeds to love and enjoy ... so little time. It's like being a kid in a candy store when you try to decide which breed of cat will be the new member of your household. If dog is man's best friend, then cats are a man's fancy.
Cats do have a reputation for being easy and relatively inexpensive pets to keep, but your initial decision on the breed will determine just how much you will have to spend. Purebreds will be more expensive to purchase initially, of course, but whatever the breed, they will all need the basic stuff -- food, shelter and a good share of loving attention.
Though many cats appear to be aloof and independent, in a domestic household they are dependant on the company of their human companions, even if they don't make that obvious at first.
Here's a quick review of the some of the Top Cat Breeds
1) Persian: Persian cats are named for their country of origin and have a long coat, sweet personality and the ability to easily blend into your household. These are the qualities that made Persians one of the top choices of cat lovers. Persians are natural show-cats because of their placid nature and ease of adjustment to new environments and experiences, characteristics that also make them good family pets.
Persians come in over 60 varieties of coat colors and patterns and because of their long hair, they require a bit of extra work keeping their fur nice with daily combing to avoid tangles.
2) Maine Coon: These are long-haired cats with good mouse hunting skills. These cats are good companions for children. Main Coons come in a vast variety of colors and coat patterns and are physically one of the largest breeds.
Main Coons are excellent household cats and are good natured, adaptable, quiet and fun-loving. They have a reputation for being able to easily stand cold conditions and are noted for choosing unusual places and positions when they sleep.
3) Exotic Shorthair: This breed offers the best of two worlds. It has the look of a Persian cat, but it has short hair, making it easier to groom. They look like teddy bears with their thick and short coats and have a docile and affectionate nature. They are playful, but not destructive, intelligent and they easily adapt to other animals.
This breed is very unique in appearance, with big, round eyes. It's round, massive head and round face is set on a short, thick neck with a short, broad nose. If you are looking for a very unique and distinctive breed, then the Exotic is probably for you.
vspace=5 border=2>4) Siamese: Siamese cats originally came from Siam or Thailand, and have an aristocratic head that looks almost like a deer because of it's stiff ears and short-haired coat. Siamese cats have long bodies, long legs and long necks.
What I love about Siamese cats is they talk to you constantly, making them a strong member of the family. However, unless you're intention is to breed your Siamese cat, you absolutely must have them neutered. There is nothing worse then trying to live with a Siamese cat in heat. They will moan and yelp all night with a distinctive sound that is so much like a baby's cry, you'll end up with many sleepless nights, so be forewarned.
However, they are very loving cats, with boisterous temperaments that demand a lot of attention. They are very intelligent and tend to be very distrustful of strangers. They dislike being left alone or ignored, but are very trainable and you can even teach them to walk on a leash.
5) Abyssinian: These cats are very elegant-looking, much like the cats portrayed in Egyptian sculptures, and they are one of the most popular breeds. Like the Siamese, they have a wariness of strangers, and can also be taught to walk on a leash, but they are very companionable and seem to have an unlimited supply of energy.
Abyssinians demand a lot of attention, so they're not really suitable for a household that is left empty for long periods of time. They also tend to prefer human to feline companionship except for kittens from the same litter. They have quiet voices, and kittens tend to develop quickly and are fearless and very playful from an early age.
This barely skims the available list of cat breeds, however, whichever breed you choose, make sure your new cat is healthy and that it has already been weaned. The ideal age to get a kitten is about 14 weeks, when their immune systems are already developed.
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Glenn Cutforth is a writer, eBook publisher and graphic designer.
Get your free eBook, Pamper Your Cat, a collection of 100 gourmet cat recipes your cat will love at The Complete Cat.com
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