Show us your kitty cats

Please rescue rather than source from breeders. Doesn't have to be an older cat, there are plenty of younguns needing forever homes.
 
I will always try to rescue instead of source. I just find the websites of the homes a little difficult to check everyday in the same way. I think I must be missing lots because of this.
 
neil_g said:
Please rescue rather than source from breeders. Doesn't have to be an older cat, there are plenty of younguns needing forever homes.
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100% this. Getting rescue kittens means you free up space for other cats to be rescued. Try to get two from the same litter as they will already be bonded. Two kittens actually play with each other so you don't have to do as much for them, than getting just 1 kitten.
 
There is a very real and present danger that people are a bit militant when they say, "Thou shalt not buy from a breeder."

I'm sure many are well-intentioned.

However I'm starting to get a bit annoyed at the preachy tone. If you choose to adopt an animal from a shelter, good for you. There is NO need to then decide to pressure others into doing the same.

I know there are lobbying groups out there trying to make breeding cats and dogs illegal. Because some people feel that they can only be happy if they've taken someone else's freedom away from them.

There are many great cat and dog breeds, and many friendly, caring, highly informed and careful breeders. Not all breeders even make money from doing it. Some lose money, but do it for the love of a particular breed.

Please let's not be so aggressive in "insisting" that everybody adopts from a shelter. Pedigrees and breeders have a place.
 
neil_g said:
Please rescue rather than source from breeders. Doesn't have to be an older cat, there are plenty of younguns needing forever homes.
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100% this. There are lots of little cats out there looking for loving homes.

I got our two from Cat Protection 8 years ago when they were both 2 years old. They always have cats of varying ages. I couldn't handle kittens but 1-2 is a good age I think.
 
FoxEye said:
There is a very real and present danger that people are a bit militant when they say, "Thou shalt not buy from a breeder."

I'm sure many are well-intentioned.

However I'm starting to get a bit annoyed at the preachy tone. If you choose to adopt an animal from a shelter, good for you. There is NO need to then decide to pressure others into doing the same.

I know there are lobbying groups out there trying to make breeding cats and dogs illegal. Because some people feel that they can only be happy if they've taken someone else's freedom away from them.

There are many great cat and dog breeds, and many friendly, caring, highly informed and careful breeders. Not all breeders even make money from doing it. Some lose money, but do it for the love of a particular breed.

Please let's not be so aggressive in "insisting" that everybody adopts from a shelter. Pedigrees and breeders have a place.
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Sick of seeing pugs and bulldogs that can barely breath, Alsatians with knackered back legs all thanks to these 'caring' breeders. Yes I am aware this is a generalization but just watch Crufts and it is clear that the animal's health is not a prerogative to such people. Many should not be allowed pets much less breed them. Not certain they have managed to inflict such misery on cats (I would love some time with the person that came up with Munchkin cats) but give them time.
 
Sleeping on the bathmat... O.o

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=XDC=FluphyBunny said:
Sick of seeing pugs and bulldogs that can barely breath, Alsatians with knackered back legs all thanks to these 'caring' breeders. Yes I am aware this is a generalization but just watch Crufts and it is clear that the animal's health is not a prerogative to such people. Many should not be allowed pets much less breed them. Not certain they have managed to inflict such misery on cats (I would love some time with the person that came up with Munchkin cats) but give them time.
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Yes, there are certainly some questionable pedigree breeds around, a couple of which you've mentioned. Can't really argue with that.

But those breeds are not representative of all of them.

Every potential pet owner should research the breed they are interested in. And check for health problems, etc. And then you can make an educated decision not to buy a breed which is essentially deformed.

But there are plenty of healthy breeds around, and as said, many responsible breeders.

You can't tarnish them all with the same brush, and you can't say "buying pedigree is wrong". It's a choice, and I'm very much pro-choice. In most cases the animal will be healthy and enjoy life as much as you enjoy them.

The great thing about pedigrees is not that you can have a designer pet, tho. I hope people don't choose their pet on looks alone. But pedigrees are great if you're interested in certain characteristics and personality traits.

And lastly, you have a much, much, much higher chance of getting a pet with some kind of behavioural issue if you adopt. Unless they're puppies/kittens (and even if they are), you stand a good chance of adopting a put that has been scarred for life already.

Now that's not a reason not to adopt, but it's something to be aware of.
 
FoxEye said:
There is a very real and present danger that people are a bit militant when they say, "Thou shalt not buy from a breeder."

I'm sure many are well-intentioned.

However I'm starting to get a bit annoyed at the preachy tone. If you choose to adopt an animal from a shelter, good for you. There is NO need to then decide to pressure others into doing the same.

I know there are lobbying groups out there trying to make breeding cats and dogs illegal. Because some people feel that they can only be happy if they've taken someone else's freedom away from them.

There are many great cat and dog breeds, and many friendly, caring, highly informed and careful breeders. Not all breeders even make money from doing it. Some lose money, but do it for the love of a particular breed.

Please let's not be so aggressive in "insisting" that everybody adopts from a shelter. Pedigrees and breeders have a place.
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Pretty sure I said please. Hardly militant.

But if the cap fits...

Have a wander down to your local cat rescue center and see how many lovely cats of all ages are looking for homes. It's pretty sad.

Rather than just blindly filling the pockets of someone getting their animal to pop out litters repeatedly with no concern for the existing feline population.
 
neil_g said:
Pretty sure I said please. Hardly militant.

But if the cap fits...

Have a wander down to your local cat rescue center and see how many lovely cats of all ages are looking for homes. It's pretty sad.

Rather than just blindly filling the pockets of someone getting their animal to pop out litters repeatedly with no concern for the existing feline population.
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Your argument could be interpreted as believing that no pedigree breeds should exist. That all cats and dogs should be moggies/mongrels.

Is that the end game?

As for "blindly". Nope. I spent days looking at various breeds, what their origins were, their likelihood of genetic problems, their characteristics, their care needs, etc. I found a breeder who (as far as I can tell) genuinely loved her cats, and spent several hours getting to know me face to face before she would even contemplate selling me a cat.

And then insisted that she would have the cat neutered before I could take her.

Another breeder wouldn't sell me a cat at all, because I didn't meet her standards, as I couldn't make certain guarantees.

The idea that all breeders are churning out puppies and kittens and making a vast fortune doing it is frankly detached from reality. Again, many breeders do so for the love of a specific breed, and many barely cover their own costs.

I'm too am sad that animal shelters have many unhoused and genuinely lovely animals. But to channel that sadness into anger at all breeders is not really fair.

Again, unless you don't want pedigree breeds to exist, why hate against good breeders?

Otherwise we will be sourcing all our pets from essentially two sources:
1) feral animals
2) animals from irresponsible people who don't neuter their pets/ have their pets confiscated.

Assuming we can educate people and reduce the instances of 2), then in a world without breeders of any kind, you are left with either no pets, or taking pets from feral colonies.

Assuming we never get a grip of 2), then you're saying we should source all our pets from people who are ignorant, and/or abusive.

Because apparently that's better than sourcing a pet from a reputable breeder?

Doesn't add up to me, when taking to its logical extreme.
 
neil_g said:
Pretty sure I said please. Hardly militant.

But if the cap fits...

Have a wander down to your local cat rescue center and see how many lovely cats of all ages are looking for homes. It's pretty sad.

Rather than just blindly filling the pockets of someone getting their animal to pop out litters repeatedly with no concern for the existing feline population.
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But I need my cats to match my decor - it's an OCD thing.

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I was just a few seconds late getting this picture - Ronnie was stretched right up with back paws on sill and front on open window bar - He has gone to see what he can pinch off Pepper and Milo - two cat's across the road.

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We are so pleased with Ronnie today - we thought he was a bit lethargic of late - He had a few coughing fit's and we gave him some pills Vet gave us (not gave -we had to buy them) - We talked today about taking him back to vet - He must have heard us as suddenly he shot up and down garden - took flying leap up a tree and acted as he used to.

Relief all round
 
Don't you just love kittens - hand over fist so much better than babies which must be the most disgusting things ever. :eek:
 
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