Camelot Cats Cattery
1-850-656-0193
You may contact us at our e-mail address: rlgotts@polaris.net
- Selecting a Persian Cat for a Pet
-
- When selecting a cat for a pet, remember that CATS ARE NOT SMALL
DOGS.
A common mistake made by people looking for a cat for a pet is that
there
is some relationship between either/and sex, age, color and the
personality
of the cat. The fact is that the
personality
of a cat is its independence and the personality of a cat is
independent
of sex, age and color.
-
- When you choose a cat for a pet, the best selection is the cat
that chooses
you for its human.
-
- Cats bond to people like birds. However, a cat seems to be
willing
to bond to more that one human and may bond to different degrees to
each
human it chooses as worthy of its friendship. Some say that this
is an indication of high intelligence. Whatever your opinion, you
can be certain that the cats opinion will take priority over yours so
choose
wisely because if you are a responsible person, you will have made a
choice
for the life of the cat. It is therefore
very
important to select a cat that will fit in and be a member of your
family.
-
- There is no black and white in nature and no black and white in
biology.
What you hear from one breeder may be different than what you hear from
another and, depending on the experience of each, both may be telling
you
the truth as they have experienced. Therefore, the following
selection
of issues that follow will provide the most correct response to the
type
of questions and issues discussed with callers to Camelot Cats.
-
-
-
- Anyone purchasing a kitten that is less
than 4 (FOUR)
months old should be clearly told by the seller that the kitten
does not have adequate immune protection to be allowed to socialize
with
other cats or kittens. The first kitten shot (6 weeks) provides
adequate,
but temporary protection and, more importantly, sets into motion the
process
that allows the second kitten shot (16 weeks) to "turn on" the immune
system
that provides considerable protection against feline viruses which are
not something a pet owner wants their pet to experience. Some of
these viruses are killers and others remain in the system for
life.
Also, at four months, the kitten can receive a rabies vaccination as
well.
This is a excellent time to select a kitten and the youngest age
recommended
for a pet. The kitten will do better with the breeder for the
first
four months that with the pet owner (usually), always remembering that
age, color and sex are independent of personality. Also remember that
there
are certain inherited diseases that may not progressed enough to show
symptoms
until its older (juevenile-onset diabetes, juevenile-onset polycystic
kidney
disease, ect.). The older the kitten, the better one can determine the
long term healt of the kitten. Pet owners will save much money
and
heart ache by waiting to buy a kitten until it is old enough to safely
leave the breeder's cattery.
- Personally handle the kitten
first
whenever possible to ensure that the kitten will allow you to hold it
and
is not a "scratcher" or "biter" always remembering that age, color and
sex are independent of personality. If you can't personally select your
pet and you have it shipped to you from a breeder, ask about
personality
and any return policies. You don't want a new pet that is not a
good
family member and the breeder shouldn't be willing to allow a kitten or
cat go simply to get rid of it. There is no middle ground.
Either the cat will like your home and you will like the cat or the cat
will be unhappy with its new home and you will not have a good pet.
-
- ALWAYS GIVE A NEW ARRIVAL AT LEASE 30 DAYS
TO ADJUST
TO ITS NEW HOME! If you have other pets at home and you
are
bringing in a new arrival, expect problems and be prepared for the cats
to act just like children. Give the existing pets extra love and
attention so they don't feel that they are being replaced.
Monitor
all "first encounters" so that they don't get into a fight that will be
difficult to forget. Keep the new kid on the block separated from
the others when you are sleeping or at work. Use a bathroom as
temporary
isolation. You will see them adjusting and know when isolation is
no longer necessary. Just use good common sense and all will work
out fine. Sometimes, things work out from the beginning and
sometimes
you will need the 30 days and usually everything in between will be the
norm.
-
- SPAY OR NEUTER your pet as soon as
your Veterinarian
recommends. Whole cats, regardless of sex, will "mark territory"
and "call" when its time to breed and you won't know when to expect
this
until it happens. Whole cats are more aggressive that cats that
have
been "fixed" or "altered" and cats that are fixed are more relaxed that
whole cats. This is due to the feline system's response to the
hormone
activity present in mature whole cats. If you alter the cat
before
it ever experiences this sensation, your and your pet will be better
off
and even though there are exceptions, you should not be willing to take
this risk with your cat and your carpets. Females also are at
risk
to infection due to the way the feline system responds to "heat cycles"
and this risk can be fatal to the cat.
-
- DECLAWING a cat is equivalent to removing
the first
knuckle of your finger. There is a risk of nicking a nerve
during the declawing surgery as well as infection after until the paws
heal. It is much better to simply clip the claws regularly and
that
has always worked for our cats. There is also a personality
modification
that occurs in many cases due to the loss of the cats
"protection".
Cats that have the claws removed are far more likely to bite for
protection
and will roll over and use the back claws to dig into a perceived enemy
which can do far more damage that a swat on the nose. Always
think
twice before declawing a cat and ask your Veterinarian for
advice.
Microsurgery capabilities at the clinic where the declawing is
performed
will greatly reduce the risk of hitting a nerve. If a nerve is
nicked,
it is likely that the cat will experience the same sensation and pain
that
humans experience when we "hit our funny bone" and this will cause the
cat to either avoid human contact or respond to being touched by
attacking
the person who caused the pain. Every person that I have talked
to
and has had a cat declawed and a nerve has been nicked has regretted
the
decision to declaw.
-
- If a cat or kitten misbehaves, there
is usually
a reason for its actions. Look for either a health problem or
something
about the environmnet that the cat is unhappy about or with.
Typically,
cats will use a litter box and if a cat chooses somewhere else to
deposit
its waste, there is usually a reason. We may not agree with or
like
the reason but if we understand why the cat has done what it has then
there
is a chance that a specific change can resolve the problem and the cat
and owner can live happily everafter. There is far too little
space
on this web page to discuss all the possible problems, however, some
things
that can be identified with common problems are as follows:
-
- Have one more litter box than cats....or more.
- Keep your cat free from fleas. Cats get upset when they
have fleas
and will try to tell you they are unhappy; usually making you unhappy
with
their attempt to communicate.
- Fleas usually result in tape worms which also cause both the cat
and its
owner problems. Get rid of the worms.
- A clean cat is a happy cat. Regularly bath your new arrival.
- Keep your cat indoors. Domestic cats do not need to go
outside and
generally have a shorter life span when allowed to go outside.
- Clip cat claws rather than declaw. Declaw as a last resort.
- Bath your indoor cat every few weeks depending on coat and coat
length.
Time of year is also a factor and reduces the amount of cat hair in the
house.
-
- Bath your cat regularly.
Persians do
well if bathed every two weeks to once a month. Use a degreasing
agent and soap and rinse several times to get out all the grease so the
dead coat falls free during blow drying. Regular bathing creats
an
unhealthy environment for all kinds of critters such as fleas and
fungus.
A clean cat is a happy cat. Don't forget to clip claws before you
bath. Wet hands and wet skin scratch easily.
Author: Robert Gottschalk
Copyright, Camelot Cats, Tallahassee, Florida
Date last changed: 08/04/2004
http://www.polaris.net/~rlgotts/
You may contact us at our e-mail address: rlgotts@polaris.net