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Anonymous
So /an/ I've got some questions to ask you about house cats.

I think I may get a cat for shits and giggles. I'm a die hard dog lover and have always had bad thoughts about cats but I love wild cats such as the cougar, bobcat, fishing cat, lynx ect. The main issue i've always had with cats is they seem to be good for nothing. Sit around the house being lazy and boring but I think maybe a properly "trained" cat could be a very interesting animal to have. Which brings my to my questions.

First and for most...
Are the cat breeds about the same? What I mean by this is do their personalities differ from breed to breed like dogs? I'm asking this in hopes to get a detailed account of each breed this doesn't have to come all from one person just tell me what you've learned about the breed(s) you've owned and love. I've always wondered this. Most cats I come across are mutt street cats that bite and scratch the shit out of you as you pull them out from under your house so I don't have much experience with fullbreed felines.

Another question is can they be trained? Dogs can be taut many things; from barking on command to getting the newspaper... I'm not asking things the likes of these just if they can maybe sit, stay, fetch, ect.

Cats can freely roam outside without a leash / human to follow them around. I've always thought this to be biased and somewhat unethical but I guess if spayed / neutered it wouldn't be so bad, cats seem to enjoy it outside as long as the dog next door doesn't get ahold of them, cough. Do different breeds prefer the outside over others or are they all about the same in this department?

This is enough for now. I'm sure I'll think of more as replies start flowing. Thanks for the time guys.
>> Anonymous
>Cats can bite and scratch you espically if you don't take care of them or show them affection. Some cats espically if you show affection to them will seek out for your snuggling and sleeping, but if its an older cat and has been neglected this could be hard. My friend has a tuxedo cat that she trained to speak, sit, lay and shake paw so yes they can be trained.

Good to know they can be trained. If I was to get a cat it wouldn't be a very old one. If they are anything like dogs they're easier to be trained at an early age. Uncorrupted if you will.

As far as biting and scratching the cats I pulled from under my house where my neighbors cats kittens. The parents of the kittens where virtually wild at this point and none were spayed / neutered. They, my neighbors, basically stopped caring about these cats other then leaving food outside and they breed like rabbits. Must have been 20 or more cats before my other neighbors and I started clearing them out. This could the major factor of me not caring much for cats. My sister told me she would take the cat if I ended up not wanting it anymore so before you all freak out about me getting a cat I don't want I figured id throw that out there.
>> Anonymous
All cats are different, even within a breed. Some breeds have a reputation for being little bitches, like Siamese... but not all Siamese will be like that.

I've never had a purebred cat... I ended up with whatever walked onto my porch, and I got my current cat from a neighbor. My mom got her two cats at the shelter. They all are/were wonderfully affectionate and well behaved. All "mutts" except for one stray that was a Maine Coon.

No, you can't really train a cat. I mean, you can, but not like a dog. Cats are too independent. I did train my cat to use a scratching post and stop scratching the couch, though. Positive reinforcement.

Most cats like going outside, but you probably wouldn't want to let a long-haired breed out for long unless you want a dirty, matted cat.
>> Anonymous
Stray cats will definitely bite and scratch you since they are scared of you.

Hell if you get a cat you can even get a stray, I'd just recommend a kitten because they are young and can learn that those things aren't right, although they will still do play bites and stuff.
>> Anonymous
Get a Maine Coon in you like dogs.

Maine coons fetch, they're full of energy and they are intelligent and can be taught things like "don't jump on that" or "I don't like it when you bite me". But not so much "fetch the paper" or "sit on command". They're expert mousers and love to be outside, but they're also affectionate and social.

My maine coon kitten is like a puppy. Very entertaining and energetic. She wants to play with EVERYTHING. We wash out hands, dry them with a paper towel and then toss it into the garbage and she dives after it (into the garbage D=) She loves any wadded up paper. Toss it and she grabs it with her mouth and runs away to hide it or shred it up. She sometimes fetches, but I'm still working on getter her to bring it back to me always. She plays with water and likes to go in the bathtub when it had a little bit of water in it.

She's fearless to the point of being dumb like a dog. For example, the maine coon (who is a huge kitten) harasses my other cats until they attack her, and then she does it again. She thinks it's a game, but the adult cats aren't playing. They're completely freaked out by her because she isn't afraid of them even when they're snarling at her and smacking her in the face.

She's also unafraid of children, which is unusual for a cat. Her first encounter with them was late in her kitten-hood, and yet she was ok. It was love at first sight: "Yay, little people that are running around all crazy like me!!!"

You can play with her and mess with her and she just keeps coming back for more. She follows people everywhere, tries to "help" with whatever we're doing. She also meows fairly often, pretty, trilling mews. She's laid back and ok with pretty much anything.

A downside is that she attacks anything that moves. Usually.
>> Anonymous
You're not going to be able to control a cat as much as a dog. Training them is somewhat counter to their nature, though it's possible if the cat likes the shit out of you.

You might want to keep whatever you get indoors though. I've noticed that outdoor cats tend to become less sociable with humans as time goes on, and they'll get into all kinds of shit that could kill them or shorten their lifespan. A Norwegian Forest cat I had died of liver failure after picking up something outside. The orange Maine Coon I have now is strictly indoors and is all the better for it.

As for breeds, Maine Coons are my favorites. They're large, intelligent, playful, and very vocal. My 4 year old Maine Coon is the most active and interesting cat I've had. The only issue with them is their long hair, but I haven't found it to be a huge issue as long as you vacuum.
>> tigerfeather !CrwtTbFNxQ
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>>341056
This is true. Indoor only cats are much friendlier than indoor-outdoor or outdoor only cats. Think of the difference between a barn dog who mostly stays outside and an indoor dog.

One of my cats walks on a leash, can sit, come, speak, and "sit pretty" or "beg." Blurry pic related, it's her dressed as Link for Halloween (yes I know the sword is wrong).
>> Anonymous
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvF_tW7vc8k

You can train a cat if it's willing, but it's rare. Cats are excessively independent and are more like roommates who don't pay the rent or have a job. I enjoy them, but it's a whole other world than dogs.
>> KZN
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You'd be hard pressed to find a cat that's not a "mutt" these days, unless you go to a breeder. Though I think the cats' personalities differ individually more than they do from breed to breed.

SOME cats can be trained; this depends on their temperament/personality. I trained my oldest cat to sit on command, so it's not impossible. They're just different than dogs--no as eager to please you, I'd say--so keep that in mind if you plan on trying to train a cat.