I always choose mixed breed cats!
by Susan
(Chicago, IL, USA)
Chief, age 3
I have had many cats in my life---all of them mixed breed, and several of them adopted after being abandoned.
These cats have proven to be the healthiest, happiest, and most loving pets of all.My last cat lived until he was 21 years of age!
I adopted a shelter cat last year when he was 2.5 years old, and he has adjusted beautifully to his new home.
His personality is really emerging, and he is becoming more affectionate each week.
I would rather have a mixed breed domestic shorthair cat than any other kind.
Susan
Hi Susan... thanks for sharing.
I am like you. Until I built this site (with the help of visitor's articles!) I hardly gave purebred cats a thought. I just thought of cats as cats.
My mother liked to keep purebred cats because she liked to look nice, live in a nice home etc. The cat added to all that. She loved cats as well, though.
Having built the site I do now quite like the idea of living with a purebred - Maine Coons are my favorite but I would probably adopt a Persian as I live in London and you need a more docile cats living in a big city with a small garden.
That said, I see my cats through their personality. I don't see cats as beautiful looking or not in appearance, after a while. I see them as individuals and characters, the appearance taking a much lesser role.
So, yes, I too have only kept random bred or mixed breed cats all my life. The most important part of adopting a mixed breed cat is that there are millions of them looking for homes. You don't have to breed them. They are already there so it helps the cat world.
Chief looks nice and content perched on his bit of cat furniture. He looks big.
One last point. I am coming around to believing that single coated shorthair cats are the best because they are much easier to groom. If a cat is an outdoor/indoor cat they almost invariably pick up fleas it seems to me. They certainly do here because we have foxes who visit the garden. Here is a photo of a fox that I took in the garden yesterday at dusk:
Flea combing a single coated cat is a pleasure for both human and cat but thick double coats are hard to comb with a fine flea comb.
I have gossiped enough. Thanks for visiting.
