Questions and Answers Choosing the Right Breed Choosing the Right Vet |
All right, so there are no questions about this. But, I thought it would be a good catch-all for those interested in making sure both they and their furry friends are getting exactly what they expect - and hope for - in one another. First, the vet. Some of this is a no-brainer. The office should be clean, not smell of animal excrement or anything else that doesn't seem right. Your vet and their techs should show compassion and love toward each animal they see. They should be willing to really listen to what you tell them and talk to you - only you can give them information about how your animal is acting or feeling. They're treating a patient who has no way of telling them what's going on. If your vet is only half paying attention, it's time to go elsewhere. In an ideal world, your vet will be open to new ideas. That means they should be able to discuss the pros and cons of real meat diets, herbs and other natural foods and healing techniques, theories on vaccinations, treatments for terminal disease, and even therapy. I know therapy sounds nuts, but you don't have my cat. I've found that a good behaviorist is often the one thing that can save a cat's life. And yes, cats can take prozac - and it works. If this sounds like a lot to be in the know on - you would expect it from your doctor, wouldn't you? And if they don't know something - I consider this just as vital as knowing it - they can recommend someone who *does.* No vet should be frightened of you getting a second opinion, particularly in the case of terminal illness. Now, breeds. Again, in an ideal world, shelters wouldn't exist, so we'd all have to choose a particular breed. When you're adopting, you should consider a lot of things. One, should you get a shelter animal? I can only speak from cat experience, but I'm sure it's applicable across the boards for the most part. It's a wonderful thing to save a life by adopting from a local shelter. Many of the loving pets brought there never see the light of day again. So yes, by all means, make that your first stop. In addition, it's estimated that some 40 to 50% of shelter animals are actually purebreds turned in for one reason or another. Perhaps someone didn't expect their Siamese to be quite so rambunctious. (If this is the case - they bought the cat from a bad breeder. Check out my breeder page to avoid just this pitfall and unhappy ending.) The problem is that shelter cats aren't normally there long, and they're in a terribly frightening and artificial environment. It's nearly impossible to judge their personality, and the shelter employees are often volunteers who know little about the animals. So what can you do? Well, first off, if you have no pets, you can pick just about anything you like. Bring home a pair of cats who are in a cage together, or pick out a nice adult. Often, the label on the cage will state a reason for surrender - many times, perfectly friendly cats have elderly owners pass away, new children with allergies, things like that. The adult cats at shelters make wonderful loving animals - because they already know how great it is to have a home. Another thing you can do is generally familiarize yourself with a few breeds that you like. Maybe you have children. So go to animalplanet.com or aol.com and search for pets; then choose the breed calculator. (These exist on other sites, too.) After a short series of questions about your lifestyle, time you can commit to grooming, and personal preferences, it will tell you what breeds are more likely to suit your needs. An example? If you live alone, work a lot and are out of the house often, don't adopt a lone Siamese. They're likely to tear your place up while you're gone. However, that's the perfect home for a Russian Blue. Blues can be skittish if you have seven kids - that's the home for a Maine Coon. Take your best breeds and memorize their physical characteristics. You'll find similar temperaments often have similar appearances (like the Maine Coon and Norwegian Forest Cat - both great for busy houses; or the Oriental breeds, which tend to be more demanding of attention and stimulation). Now, you're ready to visit the shelter. I knew for certain that Kosh was a Blue within minutes of seeing her. One check of the back paws for the tell-tale four toes - bingo, I'll take this one. And even if you can't confirm it that easily, remember the general rule about things looking like a duck, talking like a duck...If you find a huge furball with a beautiful face who walks around on massive paws chirping at you all day, not many people will argue when you call it a Maine Coon. Even if they aren't purebred - they likely aren't far off, and will share breed characteristics. Now, for the breeder part. Some people hate this, and think that no one should buy from a breeder when there are perfectly good pets in shelters. For the most part, I agree. But when you have, or want, a special needs kitty, or you really are restricted in what you can tolerate - your options are limited. With a cat like Koshka, I couldn't risk getting a kitten from a shelter. I had to be able to talk with a breeder, to know someone had specifically raised a litter and knew their personalities to create a good match with the least stress possible. Kitties with special needs often don't make it into the shelter adoption rooms, but you may be able to get them from a breeder at reduced cost. And if your allergies or medical condition won't tolerate fur, that is what it is. So, take the same breed information you found above, and find yourself a reputable breeder. Again, please read my breeder page if you intend to do this. If you find a breed you like, you'll throw it all away by responding to a little newspaper ad and possibly getting a poorly bred animal. |