Cat owners come on in!!

[Ausm]

I want to rescue a cat from our local animal shelter for a companion.

Is there any easy way to determine what kind of personality the cat will have?

I don't want to get a cranky one or a cat that is afraid of it's own shadow.

TIA

Ausm

 

[rpc64]

That's kind of hard to do with cats. I would say obviously go look at some at the shelter. But the cat could be scared in the shelter and thus not show its true personality. Good luck man.

 

[Geekbabe]

First off you need an attitude adjustment.There is no such thing as a "cat owner" You pay all the bills and if you are lucky the cat will allow you to be his human

Btw,try the "No Kill" shelters,most of them have cats that weere given to them by good people who might have really hated parting with them and those cats usually come with really good histories and personality descriptions

 

[acidvoodoo]

get a kitten, cause then it will not know any better and grow to love you


just go down and check them out, with one of my cats when we went to look around it jumped out at us excitedly and we just though "that's the one "

 

[Amused]

The only way you're going to know this is to spend a week or two with the cat in your home.

And attitude is the least of your worries. You could end up with a cat that likes to sh1t in your slippers or something.

Ask the shelter if you can bring the cat back after a week or two if something is wrong with it.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Get a kitten & only get one, that way it bonds to you & not the other cat(s)

 

[Anubis]

just get a kitten from them. thats what we have done with all of our cats and all of them have been wounderfull

 

[Reel]

When I went with my dad to find out current cat, we went into the little screening room and we pet her and saw if she was frightened by people. Then he tried to upset her by pushing her around and slapping her a bit and see if she would attack him and bite him. She didn't and she was always very sweet. One thing to tell is that you don't want the cats that ignore people when you walk in. I think we looked at another cat before her and that cat was really mean and scared.

His testing did work though. She is honestly the nicest cat I have ever seen. She is always friendly and loves to be around people. She will even be excited to see a stranger and go up to them.

 

[FenrisUlf]

Try to get a female. Males can have territorial issues and be real "toms", especially if not neutered. Females tend to bond with men better. When you go to the shelter, see which ones will come to the end of the cage to smell your hand or rub against your finger - usually indicative of a friendlier cat. See if the shelter staff knows the history of the cat - cats who lived on the street for most of their lives will tend to be more independent and stand-offish than cats previously owned. Watch out for cats that were in a bad environment - they may have trust issues and/or personality problems. Look for signs of abuse (note: a single nick in the ear usually indicates that the cat has been spayed/neutered, not that it's been in a fight) Do some research into cat breeds - some are more indoor cats and others prefer the outdoors. Some breeds (usually purebeds) have a higher tendency for neurosis and health problems than the purebred mutts. Look for one that is more "outgoing" and affectionate- usually a good sign. Remember that like people, cats do have personalities and not all will fit into these generalizations - there will be exceptions. Perhaps look for one that was given up because it was a Christmas gift and the family found out they were allergic. Give the cat some time to adjust to a new setting, new people, new lifestyle before you make a final judgement.

 

[Migroo]

I did what you propose to do. Rosie was around 3 years old when she came to live with us. She was a 'problem cat' - had issues with the toilet and she had been harmed by previous owners I imagine - we took her in to give her a stable home as she kept being 'given back' to the shelter

Listen to Geekbabe's advice - you do not own the cat - nor are you its owner. The cat owns you. I'm serious - too many people say 'my cat'.. doesnt belong to you

I went along to our local shelter and spent some time with a few of the cats there. Rosie was really playing around to get a bit of attention. Cat's personalities can change over the years. Rosie seems to have calmed down from her frantic state... she used to be afraid of plastic bags, wouldnt let us pick her up etc.

It took me two years to earn Rosie's trust - and even sometimes she isnt sure about a situation. Give the cat time. Rosie was naturally a loner - she would seek us out if she wanted company, or meow - if she didnt want company she would find a secluded spot and sit/lie down. Respect her space.

Rosie's toilet habits leave something to be desired. Turns out she was 'given back' by several famies who couldnt put up with it. Hey, my carpet in the front room is ruined, but I love my cat. Dad wanted to get rid of her but I stood in the way - I'm going to buy Dad a new catpet someday

Nowadays when I come home she can be all over me. I make a point of going to say hello but if she's asleep I wont disturb her too much. Might give her a biscuit or something.

My cat is my best friend. Ever. Whenever I've had a bad day I sit down and within minutes the furry lump finds my lap and paws around. You cant stay ratty for more than a few minutes when faced with purring , even after a hard day.

Its the best thing I've ever done. I will always give a home to cat(s).

 

[Corn]

Then he tried to upset her by pushing her around and slapping her a bit and see if she would attack him and bite him.

That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!!!

My cat whom I've had for 4 years now, who is very affectionate, curious, well tempered, and happy to be around people, will not hesitate to defend herself if I try that with her. Of course she knows I'm playin' with her and she won't really bite or scratch hard---but if some stranger (heh, or my wife whom my cat sees as her equal or less) tries that she won't be too forgiving.

I don't think I'd want a cat who wouldn't react negatively to being pushed or slapped around. :disgust:

 

[Geekbabe]

You cant stay ratty for more than a few minutes when faced with purring , even after a hard day.

When I work a double shift and drag my tired rump home at 7am, my two are so glad to see me.It's nice to go to sleep to the sounds of purring

 

[jaeger66]

I think most shelters do a tempement test to see if the animal is at least adoptable. Most cats brough home will be scared for a little bit, so just be patient and let him get accustomed at his own pace.

And sex with fixed cats doesn't really matter except when trying to introduce a new cat to ones you already have.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: FenrisUlf
Try to get a female. Males can have territorial issues and be real "toms", especially if not neutered.

I would have said just the opposite! I have owned and lived with several male and female cats, and in my experience, males are more fun, much friendlier and more loving, and much less likely to bite and be hermits. It is certainly critical to have them neutered - you would not really be able to keep an indoor male cat who was not - but otherwise I think male cats are much better pets.

 

[Anubis]

Try to get a female. Males can have territorial issues and be real "toms", especially if not neutered.

i have to totally dissagree with you here. we have had a ton of male cats nutered and some not. they have all ben great. no "toms" in ay of them

we had 1 female cat she was nutered. and she was a BITCH. in every scence of the word. females tend to be more territorial then males and they can be really unfriendly

 

[Geekbabe]

Originally posted by: Don_Vito

Originally posted by: FenrisUlf
Try to get a female. Males can have territorial issues and be real "toms", especially if not neutered.

I would have said just the opposite! I have owned and lived with several male and female cats, and in my experience, males are more fun, much friendlier and more loving, and much less likely to bite and be hermits. It is certainly critical to have them neutered - you would not really be able to keep an indoor male cat who was not - but otherwise I think male cats are much better pets.

I agree totally! Both my cats are males, I call them my best boyz club!

 

[Corn]

FenrusUlf is right on.

One thing to keep in mind about female cats though (at least with my experience anyway), is that female cats act pretty much like female people. The similarities in the general disposition of my wife and cat are rather remarkable. Of course I think that cat actually tries to emulate my wife's behavior as a response try to compete for the affections of her man.

If you are getting a cat for yourself (assuming your a dude), get a female. If you are wanting one for your significant other, get a male and neuter it.


[edit] As others have pointed out, yes female cats can be quite bitchy! Just remember that's just the way females are in general. My cat is bitchy one moment, clingy the next. So is my wife. Both give me good luvin' though.

 

[Azraele]

you do not own the cat - nor are you its owner. The cat owns you

Dogs have owners. Cats have staff.

 

[Geekbabe]

Originally posted by: Azraele

you do not own the cat - nor are you its owner. The cat owns you

Dogs have owners. Cats have staff.

Lol,I just lugged 50 pounds of science diet up the stairs,tell me about it

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Not to beat a dead horse, but I strongly disagree with the recommendation of getting a female cat if you are a man. I had always heard the same thing, but I think it is one of those urban myths that is not borne out by reality. I have lived with and/or owned four female cats and five males, and the males were in every case more fun and friendlier than the females. If anything I think females are more aggressive; my mother was actually hospitalized recently when her female cat bit her and gave her a nasty infection.

 

[FenrisUlf]

I think cats can sense the sex of their owner/companion (I say owner just in the legal sense). I think a cat bonds best with a member of the opposite sex, probably a hormonal thing. Geekbabe - (I'm assuming) you're female and you have two males. I have a female cat who prefers the company of male humans (my dad and myself primarily). My best friend and his wife have a male cat that likes her more than him. This is just my experience, not a universal rule. Ausm didn't say that he wanted an outgoing cat, just one without personality "issues".

Edit: By his avatar, I assume asum is male and the way he said "I" want to get a cat rather than "we", I assumed he was single. That's why I recommended a female cat - I think the hormonal bonding thing is real (my friends female cats tend to like me better than male cats, that could just be coincidence, but it's my experience).

 

[nord1899]

Originally posted by: Azraele

you do not own the cat - nor are you its owner. The cat owns you

Dogs have owners. Cats have staff.

How true!

 

[spidey07]

As stated above there are a few things you can do to ensure a happy, loving kitty.

1) Get them very young, like 6-8 weeks old. The will bond with you and think you're mom.
2) When they are young provide lots and lots of contact and play time. Pick the kitty up and rub your chin and face on the kitty's face - pretend to clean the kitty's head/face - more mom like activities that help bond.
3) If kitty is being rowdy or you want to do more "mom stuff" then pick 'em up by the scruff of their neck. They'll immediately go limp and curl up.

After all this the kitten should think you're mom and has bonded with you.

 

[daddyo]

We did a lot of research before adopting.

Our friend who is a vet recommended male cats for us, as they are usually more playful and have more identifiable personalities.

We ended up adopting two kittens (brothers) from the local shelter. If you work outside of your home, I would highly recommend 2 cats. Yes, you will have to fight for attention early on, but after a few months both will come to you for attention. What we have found though, is that by giving the cats each other, they tend to wreak a lot less havoc around the house. In general, they are a lot more content than they would be alone.

 

[Ausm]

Originally posted by: Geekbabe
First off you need an attitude adjustment.There is no such thing as a "cat owner" You pay all the bills and if you are lucky the cat will allow you to be his human Btw,try the "No Kill" shelters,most of them have cats that weere given to them by good people who might have really hated parting with them and those cats usually come with really good histories and personality descriptions

Thx for the good advice !!

Ausm