so i have realised there is a massive gap in my animal knowledge and its a species i have often lived with- cats! we've had cats most of my life but i must admit i've never really connected to them, i am a devout dog person!

bf however loves them and a cat is a possibility in time, so i have decided that i need to learn things about them so can any of you help?

i obviously know the basics having lived with them but i'm interested in the different breeds (or is it varieties?) been glancing at the net tonight and there are some lovely types- particularly taken with the maine coon and the ragdoll. so what kinds are snuggly with people and can cope with interested but not cat aggressive dogs? how hard are long coats to keep? are they really ok permenantly indoors?

basically please tell me about cats!

Great questions!  OK.  Ragdolls are amazing!  http://www.tbrcc.co.uk/  This will tell you all about them and their temperaments.  They are a very laid back cat and should be ideal with dogs.  We have long haired moggies and their coats do need regular brushing to keep them matt free.  Our cats are kept indoors all the time, reason being our last cat (also v. laid back) was chased across the road in front of a car by a loose lurcher and came back hours later with half his face missing.  I was devastated and swore that no future cat of ours would be let outside.  Some may think this is cruel, but I'd rather my cats were safe! 
Have fun reading,
Sarah.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v227/Torranvell/?action=view&current=IM000147.jpg  This was Tigger, my favourite boy.  We lost him a few months back to a recurring urinary tract blockage (vets couldn't do anything else for him).  He would wash the dogs, play with pups and was a v. laid back lad.  Sorely missed.

BURMESE are super snuggly with humans and their dogs (they do tend to think that the dogs are there for their comfort ;) ) :-D  Ours lived indoors all their lives and after a while didn't even want to go out, they'd just look at the open door!   Our last one died 2 years ago at the grand age of 18 1/2    Their coats are easy to care for being short and glossy, a damp rubber mitt every few days keeps the fur from flying and the coat clean.  They have great personalities, ours used to retrieve toys :-D  and sleep on the tops of doors

For more info  and some lovely photos try here http://www.burmesecatclub.com/

I had two blues, they were stunning, people used to knock on my door to ask about the cats :-D

Not biased, not at all :-D

Can't have any more as the 2 asthmatics here are particularly sensitive to.......... cat hair/dander :( :(

tigger is beautiful! and sounds like he was a sweety

what an awful thing to happen! i know so many cats that have been run over or attacked etc that my inclination would be to keep them in so i;m glad its manageable.

do they like getting brushed as a rule?

lol was actually just on that site!

He was a sweety.  They are not keen on getting brushed to start with, but it's the same as puppies, you just keep doing it until they're used to it!  They do have a habit of getting "dangleberries" on their rear ends, knots in their armpits and between the back legs, so regular brushing is important.

they are lovely looking to. prob is i like the long coats and bf likes the short lol so i like the ragdolls but he'd maybe prefer the burmans...hmmm...

the cat would need some 'game' to keep tio in like- he likes cats but can get a bit to interested in them, he does have a healthy respect after living with my parents old cat Serendipity who was psycho! so sooky but not going to take cr*p from the dog. thought the maine coons minght be good as they are massive and he's less likely to accidentally squish them.

if we decided we'd like one i think i'd try and introduce him to other cats a lot first, see how it goes...

Have a cat with a difference...................  

A Selkirk Rex, they come in long & short haired, are very friendly, quite playful type cats, certainly get people talking & I have one - she's great - so you wouldn't have far to go for a kitten!

My friend use to breed the Devon rex:

http://www.cca-afc.com/en/showcase/desc/devon_rex.html , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devon_Rex     http://images.google.ca/images?um=1&hl=en&q=devon+cat   adorable lil cats, my hubby had no alergy to them at all which was a plus...

There is also the Cornish rex:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornish_Rex  http://images.google.ca/images?um=1&hl=en&q=cornish+rex

But for me I fancy the Sphynx- so if we ever got a cat that would be it- lovely aren't they :) They feel like hot water bottles :) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphynx_(cat)  http://images.google.ca/images?hl=en&q=sphynx+cat&um=1&ie=UTF-8  I'd want either orange, grey, or a black one- but do fancy the orange- aaaaaaaaaaaaaw so cute- I just wuv em :)

I also like the Savannah http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savannah_(cat)
or the

ocelot: http://www.gotpetsonline.com/ocelot/ocelot-kittens/ocelot-breeders.html  beautiful animal but not sure how legal they would be but would love to have one- perfect size to play with dogs ;)

Oooh ya almost forgot the last one I like lol sorry The Serval: http://www.exoticats.net/

You have to watch with some of these hybrid's that they are bred as far away from the original wild cats as possible or the temperaments can be unpredictable. 

Have to add not all Devon/Cornish Rex are non-allergy causing, it's one of the myths about the breed like Labradoodles don't moult!   Yeah right......................

i have a good old rescue moggy cat. he is a year old, a gorgeous silver/cream marbled tabby, and has a lovely lush thick coat, been asked many a time what breed he is.
he is unbelievably friendly, follows me around house, knows his name, sits on me on the couch, lies at the side of my bed during the night and pops up first thing in morning for5min cuddle. he doesnt require a lot of grooming but he enjoys it, so i do it twice a week.
he is a lot of fun, has a mad half hour in house twice a day, likes to play in boxes, and sits in bags when im unpacking the shopping. also loves water, tries to get into sink when im brushing my teeth, and i have to evict him from bathroom when taking a shower or he would be in with me! also loves to play with my ridgeback puppy, very cute.
my bf had never had a cat, his family arent fans, and when we moved into together and got banjo he is smitten now, was always a dog person, now hes not so sure.
i live in a rural area, and let him out around 6months, been walking him on harness in garden before that. he doesnt actually like being out too much, only if im there, hes so my shadow. he sits on window sill and watches world go by, and occ jumps out to sit in front garden.
so basically, my advice is not to discard the thought of a moggy, there are some gems out there waiting to be rescued.

I have had moggies all of my life, tabby patterns of various colours. I love cats and my akita was bought up with my 2 kittens and all get along fabulously,we have cats run over to my dog when out on our walk and they have a fuss - its lovely to see, especially when akita's are not supposed to like cats!!! Its how you bring them up I beleive.  I love the look of the ragdolls and I hear you have to keep them indoors as if out and are faced with another cat or any other animal, they cannot defend themselves, hence they will get babdly injured.

> I love the look of the ragdolls and I hear you have to keep them indoors as if out and are faced with another cat or any other animal, they cannot defend themselves, hence they will get babdly injured.

Again, another urban myth.

The classic breeds for being the calmest, cuddliest etc are Persians and Exotics. We have 2 Maine Coons as well as the Persians, Exotics and 2 rescued mogs, but I'm not taken with their temperaments.

As stated,  "I heard this", so not sure if myth or not!

I love the british short hair cats

how do you ind the maine coons temp? figure since their massive thats an advantage with a large and curious dog...

Hi all
With all due repsect to ChristineW i dont think it is a complete urban myth about Ragdolls getting injured if confronted. I have four Ragdolls and have just had a litter of Ragdoll kittens :-) In my experience my one Ragdoll who does go out does not seem very "streetwise" at all! He seems to think that everyone and thing is as friendly and laid back as him. ( He was rescued and was used to going out before I had him) I have lost count of the times he has come off worst in a fight. I even witnessed one went rushing out to see what the noise was to find him pinned to the floor making no attempt to defend himself and the other cat was smaller than him!!! I would personally rather he stayed in as my others do but he was very unhappy when confined to the house after being used to the outdoors so he has access to the garden which he seems happy with but other cats will enter the garden to have a pop, unless my feisty little moggie is around to chase them away :-) My others are indoor cats and do not seem phased with it all, never made a bid for freedom when the front door is open :-) althought they do have a run in the garden for sunbathing birdwatching and the like :-)
I guess all cats are different though so I suppose an arguement maybe its him not his breed....who knows.
They are brilliant with dogs too mine used to sleep with my dog, they became very close!!!
Best Wishes to all
Lou
There is another website www.ukrcc.co.uk which deals with rescuing and rehoming Ragdolls!!

With all due repsect to ChristineW i dont think it is a complete urban myth about Ragdolls getting injured if confronted.

Tests were carried out here in the UK at one of the vet universities (I seem to remember it was Glasgow) to prove they are 100 % normal cats, there is no truth whatsoever in the marketing that said they could not feel pain and would not fight back etc. It was a story made up by the woman who invented the breed, Ann Baker. Let's face it, the whole thing was hype, even down to her trying to trademark the breed. Her story was that a queen who had been injured in a car accident and after that could feel no pain had kittens, and all her kitten were the same. Simple genetics tells us that is an impossibility, kittens cannot inherit something that was caused by an accident. You can however breed for a placid temperament, but that's it.

I have a friend with a Ragdoll and he is the fear of their vets, as he's bitten them so many times.

Hi

I've got a  Maine Coon as well. With the dogs, I've found their temperaments are excellent.  It generally takes alot for them to give them a swipe and more often than not, they'll get out of the way and only swipe as a last resort. 

I've currently got a male, having lost my female a year ago.  Both were brought up with dogs and they both have/had their favourites.  My old girl loved my collie cross and would climb into bed to cuddle her (much to the collie's disgust!!).  My boy loves my current Gordon to bits and they are regularly together in the garden.  They are often lying together on the floor, and the cat loves to wash his ears!

As a breed I've found them great, they've never really destroyed much in the house (apart from the net curtains catching flies) and have never known either of mine to climb the curtains or wall paper.  I found the male more affectionate than the female who was very independant, but still loving.  My male thinks he's a dog and just likes to be in your company.  My old girl on the other hand, didnt always come for cuddles, but boy when she wanted a cuddle she would pester you and just a bout smother you! 

I'd love to get another Maine Coon but having lost one to the road outside the house, and being unable to fence in the garden (building work planned for some time in the near future!!)  will have to wait a bit longer. 

Hope this helps, they really are lovely cats.

Jill

MarianneB,
I was simply saying what my cat was like and I did say maybe it was him not the breed!!!!
It would be ridiculous to say they could not feel pain. Must look up that claim from Ann Baker sounds rather odd, never heard it before

how do you ind the maine coons temp? figure since their massive thats an advantage with a large and curious dog...

It's just not my type of cat, thousands disagree with me. :) I find them (ours!!) to be unreliable, bad tempered, terrible at chewing (since we got our first almost 7 years ago we have for instance not been able to have a christmas tree with lights in, as he chews through any cable) etc. Our male is much smaller than the good show Maine Coons, he weighs about 6 kgs, maybe a bit more now, and it takes 3 of us to groom him as he's so bad tempered.  2 to hold, one to groom. The female is also very hard to groom (but she was a rescue so has an excuse) -and the difficult thing is, they mat worse than the Persians except ONLY on their stomachs and legs and chests, which is the hardest parts to groom. I like nice placid cats that you can do anything with, my ex used to call my persians pyjama cases LOL. Each to their own.

With dogs, it works both ways of course -I had a cat puncture the eye of one of my dogs once and that was just a small female Exotic. But you're right, Maine Coons are very dog like and certainly our male seems to consider himself more of a dog than a cat. :) And he's bigger than the Papillons.

Here you are :) http://bellapalazzo-ragdollcats.com/ragdoll_history.html

And this one is hilarious -apprently Ann baker at some point claimed the ragdolls were part human and part alien!
http://www.ragdoll-cats.com/history.htm

Marianne

I find them (ours!!) to be unreliable, bad tempered, terrible at chewing

Gosh, I am surprised by that, mine have been great temperament wise and haven't chewed anything. 

i have to agree with you on the grooming front, I cheat with mine and take them to my friends (dog groomer) about twice a year, where I've found that I can do anything to them in a strange place!  Although I have found since moving to a more rural area, they do seem to mat up less!.

Jill

Marianne, you are like my little guardian angle & pop along at the right time!  ;-)

No disrespect to those with Maine Coon's & Norwegian Forest Cats but I've seen lots of gorgeous mogs that could fit the part just as well.  They just don't look pedigree to me.

British Shorthairs are gorgeous, I have 2 as well as Mrs Crinkle.  Mine are black tipped & they'd be no way you'd mistake them for moggies.   The British come in a myriad of colourways.

Thanks Marianne

Oh my goodness!!!! how crazy is that (roll eyes)....

Thanks for the "enlightenment" I am ....stunned!!!

Sorry, sphynx do not come in orange.............lol 

No disrespect to those with Maine Coon's & Norwegian Forest Cats but I've seen lots of gorgeous mogs that could fit the part just as well.  They just don't look pedigree to me.

Christine

You could say the same about some breeds of dog  (I'm not having a go - Honest :) )

As with dogs, if you buy a particular breed, you are aware of the breed characteristics.  I know its not a guarantee but it helps!

Jill

Hi I love cats!

Always had cats with my dogs and never any trouble or dog hating cats etc......  I wouldnt have a long haired breed as although they are lovely their coats can be very time consuming, I had a semi long hair once and that was a pain as he liked sitting under cars etc...and it was a job getting all the oil and muck out of his coat.

I now have 3 moggys and a siamese, the siamese is hilarious , a real character very naughty but so funny, love s the dogs and will sit on your lap and talk to you!  I also love abyssinians, if I were having another this is what it would be .
All cats are lovely though, and there are always adorable kittens waiting in rescue places for loving homes 

Kim

It is rediculous to claim that they don't feel pain but my experience of ragdolls is that they will allow other cats to pick on them. They do not have a very high drive for want of a better discription to fight or defend their territory as far as they are concerned cats people and other animals are friendly. Obviously there will be exceptions to this as individuals will always differ. My two Chinchillas would disappear if anyone strange came into the house the ragdolls would soon be on their knees or pestering to be.

we have oriental short hairs and believe me this one thinks nothing of taking on a feisty terrier, or wading amongst 9 enormous hounds and settling in where it suits her. fearless and more like a dog than a cat.

loulou the stories on the ragdoll clubs website, its ever so slightly ridiculous :)

thanks for the input everyone! lots for me to think about...

Sue H: Sorry, sphynx do not come in orange.............lol 

Aaaaaaaaaw they don't :( Well that just sucks, guess I'll have to stick to the other colors...

http://sphynxnparrots.com/favorite_links.html  Guess the closest is red- either way I think they are adorable and like the solid colors :)

Having been mauled 4 times by a Burmese today - my liking of them has gone down dramatically.