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Anonymous
So I'm turning nineteen next Wensday and my parents agreed to get me a cat for my birthday (My dorm allows cats and small animals.) So I'm looking around at shelters. But the question is what breed should I search?
I can't get a long haired cat. What does /an/ recommend?
>> Anonymous
Get a fat tabby cat. That way, all he'll do is sleep and stuff.
>> Anonymous
Breed is mostly an unnecessary factor for shelter cats. You'll find the occasional cat who, for example, will look exactly like a siamese, but probably won't be one.

If you want to look without going to a shelter, try Petfinder.
>> Anonymous
Pedigree cats are stupid. Just get a normal cat.
>> Anonymous
I'm not looking for a pedigree cat. I'm just asking if there was any particular type of cat I can look for on the internet.
>> Anonymous
>>84225
you mean like longcat?
>> Anonymous
>>84227
Exactly.


Well... I was using Pet finder and I kind of wanted to narrow down the search by entering a breed. But I don't know shit about cat breeds.
>> Anonymous
>>84229
1. Go to local pet shelter
2. pick cutest most adorable kitty
3. ???
4. profit!!
>> Anonymous
:/ the point of the reason I'm looking on the interbutts is cause I'm not near a shelter since I"m away at college. My parents want me to pick out one. Even though thats like. Crazy hard.
>> Anonymous
>>84232
this works well.
>> Anonymous
Don't buy a long-hair cat. They require frequent brushing. In the future, when you are busier with work, study and pre-marital lovins with your future wife, you will have very little time for extended cat maintenance.
>> AnonymousCat !!6TJwahn8wU3
OP already said they cannot have long hair cats.

Just look around the library! They'll have cat breed books for sure lol
>> Anonymous
Typical cats on Petfinders are listed under the breed "Domestic Shorthair," which basically means mutt, lol. If you like the Siamese look though you can use that and you'll get lots of very pretty mixes with Siamese features.

Will you be meeting the cat in person at all before you choose it? It's kind of a big disadvantage not to be able to... but if you absolutely can't then have your parents check the coats of the cats they're looking at for you. I'd saying this because you said you can't get a long haired cat. I'm assuming you're trying to reduce shedding? Hair length is actually not accurate at all in determining how much a cat will shed. Coat THICKNESS however is very important. In example, I have two cats, one has long hair, but her hair is very flat and lies close to the body. My other cat is a shorthair but when you pet her you can feel that she has a very thick coat of hair. The shorthaired cat sheds about 10x as much as the longhair, because she has a thick undercoat of hair that just comes flying off as soon as you touch her. So I would ask your parents to be sure to pet the cats they look at and take not of how much hair comes loose when they pet them, how thick their hair is, etc.

It doesn't necessarily mean your cat won't be soft and cuddly! My longhair as I said barely sheds at all, but she has the softest fur of any cat I've ever met.

Good luck on your search, I hope you're able to find the perfect cat :)
>> Anonymous
cats have breeds? I thought they just came long hair and short hair with various colors...
>> AnonymousCat !!6TJwahn8wU3
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Also what's your cat care history?

How many cats have you had, how long have you kept them, any illness histories? Or is this your first ever cat.

Pic related: Find this book, highly useful for cat owners and firstimers interested in cats. Be sure you know when a cat of any age needs its vaccines/shots/checkups
>> Anonymous
>>84225
petfinder is how I found my dog They have cats too
>> AnonymousCat !!6TJwahn8wU3
>>84248

Not as distinct as dog breeds really, you know some are bred and built to be hard working dogs, racing, hunting or field, dogs just for show, etc.

But there are very vocal cats, social, antisocial, highly playful or not playful, highly energetic, calm lap cats. And then there's all the physical appearance distinctions for each breed. Cats are mainly specially breed for looks.

http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/catselectorindex.do
>> Anonymous
This will be my second cat. My family had a cat for oh about 18 years. He was a Siamese and I don't think I want another one because of that hard to explain... I'd feel like I was replacing him. He passed away at 19 years of age from general old age. This was like 2 years ago and I was his primary caretaker for about.... 7 years.
I'm sure my parents will be very cautious about not getting a cat that sheds a lot since they know my roommate is kind of a neat freak (And she's kind of a slut, but thats beside the point)
So yeah.
>> Anonymous
http://www.petsforpeople.org/cat_pers.html
>> Anonymous
Don't get a full stock cat, get a mixed breed. They're better. Every full stock cat I've ever owned has been incredibly stupid in comparison to the mixed breeds I've owned.
>> Anonymous
i have a mutt (16 lb fatass calico) and aside from figuring out how to open our pantry door, and that incessantly banging my bedroom door @ 6am will cause me to get up and give it food just so i can sleep, it doesn't seem much smarter than the regular cat...i did train it to stand up on its hind legs and touch its nose to mine whenever i give it a treat, though.
>> Anonymous
your dorm allows cats and small animals? Where the hell do you go to college?
>> Anonymous
I totally want to train my cat to wake me up at 3am. How does one do this?
>> Anonymous
>>84287
I'd prefer not to say. But its a womens college in the north east.
>> Anonymous
>>84290
fucking women's college.
>> Anonymous
fucking northeast
>> Anonymous
LMFAO ONE WORD PWNED!!!
>> Anonymous
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>>84246
My cat is the opposite of that she has this super long wooly undercoat and a barely visible overcoat. Only sheds twice a year, but she makes up for it by shedding a LOT.
>> Anonymous
Fucking North.
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
>>84216
Damn. You have a nice dorm to allow that!

What's wrong with a long hair?

Anyways, don't worry too much about breed, 'cause honestly there's only so far a breed classification can tell you about an animal. Ultimately the personality depends on the animal itself.
Go for the cat or kitten that you get along with best. Most shelters will let you hold\pet\get to know the pet a bit before you sign adoption forms, so find the cat that "speaks" to you the most.

Otherwise, check out the Cat Fancier's Association (google it) for info on specific breeds.

<--my Mom's youngest cat. He's supposedly part Russian Blue, part Siamese...and I say part demon! Adorably evil little furball.
>> Anonymous
bred cats are expensive but you know you'll be getting certain traits with it for sure, and it sounds like your parents will be footing the bill. You want something affectionate and smart, not exotic though.
Ask for a british blue, british shorthair or a russian blue, they have the best temperaments and simple, dense coats. I forget which but one of above is often given to hospital patients to make them happier and speed up recovery time. Get that one.
>> TIGER UPPERCUT!!!
>>84717

Morph Ball aquired.
>> Anonymous
i like turkish vans because they like to swim!


try this thing:
http://www.petfinder.com/pet.cgi?action=3&type=Cat
as long as your zip code is in the side, it will bring up matches for each breed beginning with the closest to you. and i suppose if you put in other things that narrow it down, you will get a pretty narrow set of matches.