It's decided I am getting a cat but what breed is best?

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Okay even though it's crying the cat i am taking care of is sooo cute, it comes and cuddles or licks my face! I want a cat of my own now but what breed should I choose?

I'd like a cat breed that is quite wild and knows how to defend itself from other animals (a very exotic breed would be nice, maybe a very big cat) because I want it to be able to defend itself against other animals.

I also want a smart and loyal breed - I read somewhere that some cats only remain loyal to a single person in their lives and hate ALL OTHER humans. That is fine with me. Any advice? Of course I am getting a kitten and sure I want to adopt one instead of buying one.

Cats are so cute!

I don't know if they have these in Europe, but Maine Coons are great. They're big, fluffy and very sweet - they act more like dogs if anything.

But I don't want a dog! And they probably loose lots of hair no?

I've never heard (or seen for that matter) of cats hating everybody else except their human but they do seem to only tolerate people and rarely get attached. I value their independence Judging from what you write here I would choose a male kitten and it would be best not to live in an apartment if you want to teach it to be more self reliant.

We have Maine Coons in Europe - large, beautiful cats and I too love their personality. But expect to pay at least 300 euros for a kitten (probably more) and buy from a reputable breeder. Inbreeding/irresponsible breeding can lead to genetic defects and a lot of heartache later on.

Yes I know they're cute but what do you think of the Egyptian Mau? Or the Bengal? They're so beautiful and barely anyone has one.

Bengal cats are a cross between a domesticated cat and an Asian Leopard cat. That means they're more wild and therefore more unpredictable and very expensive.

An Egyptian Mau would be a better choice, IMHO.

Last edited by _Square_Peg_ on 10 Jun 2011, 12:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.

They are both very beautiful and their temperament would be well suited for what you want

If you have time and conditions (and money) you can get a Bengal, I know I'd be tempted.

How much are we talking about here?

You'll have to do some research but Bengal kittens range from 450 to 900 pounds in the UK.

It's basically the opposite kind of cat to what you're looking for, but I really miss my old cat who was a British shorthair. Excellent temperament and quite lazzzzzzy.

I would adopt one from a shelter. And domestic shorthairs/longhairs come in all coat patterns. Cats look like cats, cats eat like cats, cats walk like cats, cats sleep like cats, cats are cats no matter where they come from. And it's cats who choose people. A coworker told me that a cat chose her daughter at the PetsMart, once. They were looking at them, and this cat saw her, and began to meow, they asked to get it out of the cage, and the cat simply walked up to her, played, and fell asleep on her lap. They decided to take it home, as she couldn't part wtih it afterwards. You could possibly have the same luck.

If you want to adopt one instead of buying one, then you'd be lucky to find a rare breed kitten in a shelter. You might possibly find an adult Siamese or Persian. Most shelters will prefer that you have experience as an owner of cats.

A rarer breed is also more likely to get stolen if you let it go out.

What's wrong with getting a straight forward moggy or ordinary cat from shelter? There will be plenty of kittens needing homes at the moment, as well as adult cats.

Make sure you read a couple of decent cat care guides. Just because they are more independent, it doesn't mean that they don't still have a lot of needs.

Some of them have medium-length hair and they don't shed as much... and they don't act exactly like dogs but they're significantly sillier and more attention-seeking than your average cat (so they're dog-like in that sense).

Some of them have medium-length hair and they don't shed as much... and they don't act exactly like dogs but they're significantly sillier and more attention-seeking than your average cat (so they're dog-like in that sense).

is this a real cat

Yes, it's a Bengal cat - a hybrid breed formed by crossing a domestic cat and an Asian Leopard Cat http://www.bengalcat.co.uk/introduction.htm