Buying a Cat
You may already have made up your mind as to which kind of cat you want. If not, then the following hints should be helpful in making choice.
PEDIGREE OR ORDINARY HOUSE CAT?
Which shall it be—a pedigree long-hair or short-hair, or a plain housecat? Actually, there is little difference in the care of a pedigree and arouse cat. Both require attention. Furthermore, the domestic or ordinary house cat will respond with just as much affection and loyalty as the fanciest pedigree. Your choice depends more or less upon your personal preference and financial situation, and upon whether you intend to breed pedigree cats and show them.
There are some advantages in owning a pedigree cat. The breeders spend considerable time, money and effort in developing their par-titular breeds. You profit from the breeder’s investment, because thecas are usually well taken care of, and kittens from a pedigree dealer usually are in better health than those obtained elsewhere. Another, and important, advantage is that when you get a pedigree cat, you have standards by which to judge it. For example, when you buy a pedigree Siamese kitten you know that it will grow up to look like a Siamese cat. This is not true of the ordinary house cat which, when mature, may turn out to be quite different in appearance from what you expected.
The pedigree cat will cost considerably more than a house cat. It may be that you will have to pay nothing for your ordinary cat. The cost of a purebred cat will depend upon its breed and pedigree. Pure-bred cats, when purchased from reliable breeders, are worth their price. Most breeders are reputable individuals with high standards for breed-in, sanitation, health and honest business practices. You are reason-ably sure of getting your money’s worth when you deal with them.
KITTEN OR MATURE CAT?
Whether you should get a kitten or mature cat depends upon your situation. If you want a hunter to eliminate rodents immediately, armature cat, preferably a short-haired variety, is best. If you are looking for a family pet, and you are in a position to give it the attention it needs, then get a kitten. Raising a kitten is a great deal of fun’ and you will learn much about cats in the process. However, if you work allay, you will be better off with an older cat.
MALE OR FEMALE?
Your choice between a male and a female should be based on facts, not superstition or misinformation. There are naturally pros and cons on both sides. The usual objections to a female are the problems raised by her estrous cycle, or heat periods, and the disposal of her litter of kittens, should she be mated.
The promiscuous breeding of cats has created a serious problem in this country. Hundreds of thousands of unwanted kittens are born every year. Allowing a female cat to roam around, mating and producing litter after litter, is unintelligent cat ownership. But it happens again and again. Female cats, even when not mated, can be troublesome in city apartments. A female in heat can be very vocal and active, much to the annoyance of neighbors.
If you and your family have your hearts set on a female, all is not hopeless, however. The female can be spayed - an operation involving the removal of her ovaries. A spayed female has no heat periods and cannot breed, so produces no unwanted kittens.
On the other hand, male cats can also present some problems. The male is sexually active throughout the year, and has a constant urge to roam about in search of females in heat. Also, the urine of mature tomcats has a strong odor. When a female in heat is scented, the tom-cat sprays urine about the house and premises. The strong odor serves to attract the female. While the tom’s urine may be attractive to female in heat, it is unpleasant to most people and may cause com-plaints in a block of flats.
Fortunately, the tom’s desire to roam and to spray urine can be eliminated by altering, or castrating, it (neutering).The operation consists of removing the testicles—a simple and safe procedure. Male cats are usually altered when they are from six to eight months old.
LONG- OR SHORT-HAIRED CAT?
Should you get a long- or short-haired cat? Here, again, the choices primarily a matter of preference, influenced only slightly by the situation. As a rule, short-haired cats are better ratters. But long-haired cats are usually more docile. Short-haired cats need a minimum of grooming, while long-haired ones require frequent grooming. If there are small children around, do not choose a long-haired cat, as you will constantly be removing toffee, chewing gum and other sticky substances from its coat.
In choosing a cat, whether long- or short-haired, an allergic sensitivity on the part of some member of the family should be taken into account. Especially when kept in warm apartments, both long- and short-haired cats continually shed hairs which might be a source of irritation to a person sensitive to animal hair. It is now possible, how-ever, for people allergic to cat hair to be desensitized, and many such persons are now enjoying a pet cat.