# What breed would you recommend for us?



## TwiZ (Apr 22, 2011)

My fiance and I are trying to decide what breed we should get. The two that we have in mind at this point are a maine coons and ragdolls. 

- We would like a large breed.
- Medium or long hair.
- Grooming is not an issue.
- We have a baby boy (almost 6 months)
- We currently have one cat (4 year old female, spayed)
- Currently we live between Milwaukee and Madison, but hopefully will be moving to Dallas
- Cat may go outdoors on balcony/porch/deck every once in a while
- Would like a cat that is very intelligent, likes to lay around with the family, also likes to be playful
- We will be getting a dog (newfoundland puppy) in a year or so
- Would like a cat that is not overly loud, but still likes to talk

What would you guys recommend for us? It may be a breed other than a ragdoll or maine ****. Those are what has caught our eye so far. Neither of us have ever bought a cat from a breeder, so this is all very new to us.
W do know that all cats are different and have their own personalities.

Thanks in advance for the help!


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

Are you interested in adopting at all? You can save money and save a life, and also find a cat that is perfect for you. There are tons of them in the shelters right at this very moment. I work at a shelter in Madison, actually, and can think of about three or four cats that would fit the profile you just described ;-)


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

If you go on Petfinder.com they have shelters with pure bred breeds available. They will show you what shelter they are at. This way you save a life and get the cat breed you want. If you adopt at a shelter, it’s important you find a person who really knows the cats so you will make an imformed choice which fits your needs. Maybe take a look with RachandNito since she is in your area and knows the cats. Always take your time making a decision. Always adopt from a rescue or shelter which will take the cat back if it isn’t a good fit.

Another route you might want to go is to adopt from a rescue that fosters in their homes. My TNR/Rescue group is small and we know the personalities and behavior of all our fosters that live with us. Our cats are fully vetted and
use to living in active homes. Some of our homes have dog so we know our cats are dog friendly. We are able to do good matches since we know our fosters inside and out. 

Sound like what you described you want a cat that isn’t a kitten. Kittens are crazy until about age 4 yrs. Then they begin to calm down. Best of luck on your search.


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## TwiZ (Apr 22, 2011)

If it was a male kitten of the breed or breeds we wanted, then definitely a possibility. Still trying to figure out what breed/breeds would be best for us


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## TwiZ (Apr 22, 2011)

Mitts & Tess said:


> If you go on Petfinder.com they have shelters with pure bred breeds available. They will show you what shelter they are at. This way you save a life and get the cat breed you want. If you adopt at a shelter, it’s important you find a person who really knows the cats so you will make an imformed choice which fits your needs. Maybe take a look with RachandNito since she is in your area and knows the cats. Always take your time making a decision. Always adopt from a rescue or shelter which will take the cat back if it isn’t a good fit.
> 
> Another route you might want to go is to adopt from a rescue that fosters in their homes. My TNR/Rescue group is small and we know the personalities and behavior of all our fosters that live with us. Our cats are fully vetted and
> use to living in active homes. Some of our homes have dog so we know our cats are dog friendly. We are able to do good matches since we know our fosters inside and out.
> ...


I like the idea of a group that fosters the cats. That sounds like a very good idea. I will definitely have to look into that. Btw we definitely want a kitten, even though they are crazy. We really want our son to grow up with a kitten and puppy. We adopted 2 kittens from an awesome rescue in Dallas (Operation Kindness), and that was a great experience.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

Too bad you dont live near me. I have a black maine **** type cat who is a big loving goof ball. Loves all cats, people and would probably do just fine with a dog. His problem is he is black and a lot of people dont appreciate black cats.

To me it sounds like youre describing a Rag Doll cat or Maine **** cat.


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## swimkris (Jul 17, 2010)

Getting a cat from a breeder takes time (you will have to do your research & make sure the breeder is reputable) and a lot of money. Depending on your location, it is likely that you can find main **** and ragdolls or at least mixes of them at your local shelter. Either way you adopt will be fine as long as you spend some time with the cat/kitten to get a good idea of their personality first. As far as being lounge cats & long-haired those breeds are a good match, but I'm not sure about the "talking" aspect (that's more siamese-ish). I do wonder whether it might be better for you to get the puppy first then a kitten so the cat can grow up used to dogs?


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

FYI please do not buy a cat or dog from a petstore. They are from puppy mills and backyard breeders. A good breeder doesnt use pet stores and will let you into their homes to visit and see how they are cared for and what type of vetting they do for the cat or dog.


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## MinkaMuffin (Apr 1, 2011)

I also would recommend rescuing. Unfortunately, even people who buy purebreds end up giving up their kitty when it does something they don't like.

Another large fluffy good family cat I believe is called the Ragamuffin.


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## Abbie (Jan 13, 2011)

I have two Ragdoll's and I'd like to say they match your description perfectly.

Contrary to general belief, all the Ragdoll's I've met have been talkative. My 2 year old , Evie, always talks to me. If you talk back and have a 'conversation' they respond really well. Although, be warned, my girls have no worries talking to me at 4am  

My Raggie's are gentle, cuddly, playful, naughty, and loud. They also like dogs, Evie is especially fond, Mitzi is a bit more reserved. So I wouldn't worry about that, in fact of definitely recommend getting cats first. In my experience it's easier to get a puppy/dog adjusted to a resident cat than vice versa.

Both my girls were semi-rescue cats. Whilst I didn't adopt them from a shelter, they both came from rescue circumstances. Even Evie, who on the face of it came from a reputable breeder.


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## duodallas (Jul 11, 2004)

Get an orange cat. Ours acts more like a dog. In fact, he will wag his tail when he sees a dog, and if the dog is wagging its tail, sometimes walks up to the dog and rubs against it. Of course, if the dog is threatening in any way, the fur goes up and he runs away.

I got my orange cat Arnold at the dismal Dallas Oak Cliff animal shelter (now torn down) the day he was to be PTS. Easily the best pet, dog or cat, I've ever had.


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## Tinker1 (Apr 22, 2011)

Rescues are the best reather they are babies or grown dogs or cats they can give you so many years of love and joy. They know what you gave them and they pay you back every single day of their life with more love then anything or anyone could ever give. I never even thought about what breed Tinker is it just totally slipped over my head. My main concern is helping him survive and now omg he loves me and I love him. Same with all the dogs I have rescued also. I hope you choose to rescue good luck to you.


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## Huge2 (Jan 28, 2008)

Panthera leo.

Cute as anything I reckon.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Going into a shelter and letting MowMow pick me was the best thing I ever did. I'm pretty sure that if I had just gotten a cat from craigslist or a breeder or chose one by breed/color/age...etc I would love it but we would not have the bond that Mow and I do.

He chose me even though I didn't want him and BOY am I lucky he's smarter than I am.


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

You might consider *Manx *(also longhair) or _*Japanese Bobtails*_ (also longhair, more talkative, active and chatty.). Never have to worry about a tail being pulled or getting stepped on! I have *Devon Rex* (soft lamb-like coats and no grooming, very little coat drop, love to play especially with children and want to help with everything, don't talk quite as much as Manx but more active). Good luck with your search.

Check out their breed profiles: CFA Breeds


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## Bonniec (Apr 21, 2011)

I'm partial to Scottish Folds


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

Our shelter director, who lives at the shelter, has a Devon Rex- Benjamin- who is absolutely adorable and is totally everything catloverami described and more. He's very active, but such a fun and unique guy.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Holly is a Maine ****...very sweet, gentle and completely goofy. She chirps and trills all the time. She also "sings" for her supper (meows like crazy at feeding time). But I wouldn't call her talkative in terms of engaging with me...a little, but not really that much. But it's beyond cute when she comes up to me and head butts me for pets and is chirping the whole time. She's very inquisitive, she's almost 5 and hasn't lost her kitten innocence...all the things that fascinated her as a kitten still do. She loves to play, will make up her own games when bored like pulling up all the heating vents...I put them back, she pulls them up again. Very, very furry and she needs to be brushed pretty regularly or she mats. She's not a lap cat...she must be held and will lay in my arms for hours. 

Maine Coons have some hereditary medical issues...Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the primary one...so be sure to find a breeder that does the genetic test and annual screening on their cats. Make sure to ask about whether there have been any deaths due to HCM in any of their breeding stock or cats they have sold. I also believe HCM is an issue for Ragdolls.

Other MC health issues are bad teeth and hip dysplasia. This site is a good resource on MCs: Maine **** Breeders and Fanciers (MCBFA): Articles


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

I can't speak to Maine Coons, but I have two cats: Muffs, a purebred ragdoll, and Abby, a Ragdoll/Persian mix. 

Muffs is somewhat playful, affectionate in her own way (but not a lap-cat), very quiet (she meows perhaps once a month, if that), extremely gentle and very well behaved. Abby is very playful, a lap-cat, somewhat talkative but not excessively so, and a lot of fun. Muffs requires a lot of grooming and mats easily...Abby's coat is very easy to care for. I have an outdoor enclosure for my girls and they both love being outside.

Ragdolls are reputed to be very good with children, but both my girls are terrified of young children...likely because they're not used to having kids around (my children are grown). If you were to adopt a kitten or a cat accustomed to having young children around, I think you'd be fine.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

Animal Planet has been featuring a show called Cats 101. I think you enjoy the show. It features several cat breeds each week and explains their personalities, temperments, etc.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Here's a quiz from Animal Planet which may help:

Animal Planet :: Guides :: Cat Breed Selector


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## Dave_ph (Jul 7, 2009)

Fully trained Ragdoll owner her.

_- Cat may go outdoors on balcony/porch/deck every once in a while_

Never let a Raggie outside. They're too friendly and defenseless. Also, the long 
hair is a resort for fleas, bugs, burs. Breeders should warn you that they aren't
an outdoor cat.

_- Would like a cat that is very intelligent, likes to lay around with the family, also _
_ likes to be playful
_
Fay is a wonderful cat, loves to lay around and is playful but she's definitely no
rocket scientist. I say this in comaprison to her stepsister the maniacal genius
Siamese. Fay depends on her beauty and the kindness of strangers to get by.


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## Coyote (Jan 16, 2011)

I'm totally biased and would go for a Norwegian Forest every time:










Longish haired, they stay matt-free. You can groom them as much as you like, but 2 seconds later they look wild again  They're not that dissimilar to Maine Coons, grow to a good size - my two boys are 13 pounds each. At 10 months old. 

Very playful, very sneaky about untying shoe laces, sleep in the dog beds - with the dogs.


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## MinkaMuffin (Apr 1, 2011)

Coyote said:


> I'm totally biased and would go for a Norwegian Forest every time:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's so adorable!! X3


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

marie73 said:


> Here's a quiz from Animal Planet which may help:
> 
> Animal Planet :: Guides :: Cat Breed Selector


I took the quiz and, apparently the best breed for me, with 97% compatability, is...you guessed it...a Ragdoll!


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## Coyote (Jan 16, 2011)

...and should anyone want a Norwegian forest cat, 10 months old, I can arrange shipping within the next 5 minutes....

(With Eric having his op tomorrow, I have to lock away all the food after 8 p.m. - including all cat food, all dog food, all human food... Water has to be lifted at midnight. It's now 10 p.m. and Ernie is behaving like I haven't fed him for WEEKS!)


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

Coyote said:


> ...and should anyone want a Norwegian forest cat, 10 months old, I can arrange shipping within the next 5 minutes....


Deal...I'll take him!!


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