# Help choosing a cat breed



## Diana_S (Jan 23, 2010)

Hi there! First I want to apologize for any mistakes in the messages, because my english is not very good...  

I asked a few questions *here*, but I noticed that is not an area much visited, so if you don't mind, I will ask here the most important question:

What is the best breed to me?

I live in a flat, with my family. My brother has some allergies, but I have a bunny, now he's in the kitchen, and because I clean the kitchen "every other day" (I think I said it ok!... It should mean: day yes, day no...) my brother is ok. He would like to have a playful pet, he is more a cat/dog person (the bunny scares to easily, so he can't interact with him very well)!

It can't be a destructive cat, so I read about laid-back cats, and because I have neighbors, I searched for laid-back and non-vocal cats (I know they will meow too, but when they say "non-vocal" is because is low and not frequent, right?). Persian would fit well, but because my brother's allergies, I think this is not good idea. Exotic has a similar behavior, but my mother prefers an animal with medium to long hair, so I thought in the ragdoll...

Do you agree? Do you suggests any other cat breed? It should be a non destructive cat, but playful and non-vocal!

Thank you for your attention and for your time!


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## Diana_S (Jan 23, 2010)

I checked out this survey http://www.iams.com/iams/pet-care/cat-breed.jsp (thank you RachandNito  ) and I'll put here the answers I gave, as being relevant questions can help you better understand the type of cat that I liked to have:

What size(s) of cat do you like?
No preference

What coat length(s) do you like?
Medium hair

Which body types do you like?
No Preference

How active would you like your cat to be?
Low-energy, peaceful cat

Who will your cat be living with or have as regular visitors?
Adults (18-65 yrs)

How much time would you be willing to spend grooming your cat?
Daily

How vocal would you like your cat to be?
I prefer a very quiet cat

How affectionate would you lke your cat to be?
Very affectionate

Approximately how much time will your cat spend alone?
4 to 8 hours a day

How demanding should your cat be?
It's fine if my cat wants lots of attention


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## kwarendorf (Oct 12, 2009)

Your English is better than my Portugese  Here's my 2 cents. I have moderate allergies to "regular" cats. If I am around one for more than a few hours my sinuses shut down and my eyes start to itch like crazy. For most of my life I was a dog person. I know have 2 _*Balinese*_ cats. They are reasonably hypo-allergenic. They sleep on my head and I have no sinus or eye issues at all. They are moderatly vocal, though nothing like Siamese. They are slim, long cats. Males are 10-12 pounds. They are athletic, curious and highly social little buggers. I would highly recommend them!

Just one man's opinion


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## Diana_S (Jan 23, 2010)

Thank you, kwarendorf! I appreciate your sincerity, I'll research more about this Balinese cats! :wink:


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## Dave_ph (Jul 7, 2009)

This might help 

http://animal.discovery.com/breedselect ... elector.do

or this one

http://www.iams.com/iams/pet-care/cat-breed.jsp


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

I'd recommend going to the local shelter and adopting an adult cat or older kitten that meets your requirements. You really can't tell what a kitten's personality will be when they grow up and not all cats are true to breed types. You said you want a quiet cat, so that means no kittens anyway. 

It's not that I'm anti breeding (I own a purebred cat), but I don't see any reason to restrict yourself to a particular breed to meet your specific needs. Go save a shelter cat!

You can help your brothers allergies by vacuuming regularly, giving the cat regular baths to reduce the dander, get a HEPA filter and keep the cat out of his bedroom. A short haired cat will be better for his allergies than medium or long.


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## Diana_S (Jan 23, 2010)

Thank you for your help, Dave_ph and doodlebug!


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