Becoming a pet owner is one of the most interesting experiences you can have in your home. For instance, getting a cat means more than having a pet with which the members of your household can play around with. In many ways, a cat is actually another family member — with its own needs, desires, and daily routines. With that in mind, finding the right cat for your family and yourself is incredibly important.
Before you start thinking about all of the fun times you’ll have with your brand new buddy, you should do your due diligence when it comes to choosing a cat. With that in mind, we’re going to present you with some of the basic decisions and choices that you’ll need to make while you’re choosing your new cat — and the factors that go into making them!
Type of Cats
Cats are, just like members of any other species — individuals in their own right. You wouldn’t say that all humans can be boiled down to a few basic traits, after all. Still, on the other hand — there are some specific characteristics that all people on Earth have, and the same goes for cats. That’s why different breeds of cats tend to differ in a lot of very specific ways. With that in mind, you’ll have to choose one simple thing — do you want to get a pedigree cat, a mixed breed one, or a crossbreed?
While a pedigree cat may seem like the best option going by pure intuition, this is not necessarily true — there are other factors to think about. On the one hand, pedigree cats have one major advantage — predictability. Judging by the cat breed you choose, you can largely surmise what kind of pet you’re expecting.
The temperament of a cat can’t be predicted as precisely as with a dog — but breed profiles are still somewhat useful. A purely Siamese cat is known to be quite vocal in most cases, and that sort of cat requires more attention than other breeds. Also, with a pure breed cat, you know just almost precisely what size they can grow to, as well as the length of their coat. If you want to know whether you’ll be needing a vacuum for pet hair, choosing the right breed is important.
On the other hand, purebred cats have other issues — many generations of inbreeding are known to lead to very specific health issues, some of which can make taking care of them as pets more difficult in the long run.
Rescuing or Buying Cats
Once you decide what kind of cat you want, there’s another question to consider — where will you get it from? If knowing the ins and outs of the cat’s personality isn’t crucial for you, there’s always the option of getting an adult cat from an animal shelter. These “rescued” cats fit into your existing family dynamic more easily than dogs from rescue shelters.
Conversely, you may think about getting a cat from a professional breeder. Depending on whether you’ll get a kitten or a grown cat, it’s important to see what kind of environment the cat will be spending its first couple of weeks in; this period is absolutely essential for their proper development.
Cats need an environment that’s rich in external stimuli because it provides enough new things for them to interact with and be challenged by; like other cats and animals, or children. Also, for proper physical development, cats require an environment that’s not just at floor level. This gives them ample opportunity to conduct all the interactions they need during their growth period.
Kitten vs Cat
Who can resist the sight of a new kitten? They’re inquisitive, interesting, and most often playful and cuddly. However, having a small kitten isn’t without its downsides — at this stage of th
eir life cycle, kittens require more attention and vigilance. If you don’t have the energy and time required to deal with a small kitten, you may want to consider opting for an older pet instead.
Conversely, cats in their adult life can be just as playful — though they’re rarely as energetic over a longer time period. By this time, they have fully developed personalities, with their own quirks and specific traits. If the adult cat has had an owner before you, chances are that you’ll be able to learn about their details — such as the cat’s personality, preferences in terms of food, and daily habits. That will allow you to adjust the cat to your household far easier.
Lastly, we’ve got the older cat. Generally, these rarely find a new home unless they’ve been abandoned by their previous owners. Most people prefer getting an adult kitten that’s not as old as these cats, or even a kitten. However, there are aspects of older cats that make them perfectly viable pets. For instance, they have a far easier time sleeping through an entire night without waking up and potentially bothering their owners; or peeing inside and showing other problems with their behavior.
Females vs Males
When it comes to choosing the gender of a cat, there are generally no rules — both female and male cats and kittens can be excellent pets. There aren’t as many differences in their behavior as you’d usually expect. For example, a male cat can be just as cuddly as a female one — while a female specimen may be as ferocious as its male counterpart. At the end of the day, the largest difference between female and male felines is their size — male cats of the same species tend to grow somewhat bigger than females.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are countless types of cats to choose from, once you take all of their differences and traits into account. Narrowing down your choice to the animal that suits your family the best may seem like tedious work, but it definitely pays off in the end. We hope this guide on finding the right cat was useful to you; stay safe, guys!