I have never had a kitten. While I know I speak about them from time to time I don't mind getting an older cat. The reason is that once a cat enters adulthood many people feel that they are no longer cute and cuddly But it really is then that they enter cuddle or die trying more. When they are kittens they don't have any trouble getting the cuddles. As adults people treat them differently and so they tend to demand them more.

I wouldn't say that Ragdolls are necessarily needy, not when you compare them to other brreds at least, they do however love their people. And this is something that I find is very much tied to the brred. A lot of cats will be "around" you but they don't want to be with you.

What that means is; the cat happens to be in the same room as you, but they see it as a coincidence more than anything else.

As for our RD they will follow me all over the house and make it quite clear that they are there because I am there. I had one cat that would hide wherever I had guests over. Not true for my Ragdoll. Whenever I have guests over, he's friendly and doesn't do a disappearing act. When I clean they want to be in the middle of things. And while it may make things take longer they are very much a crucial part of my life.

I have had people tell me that this is because they are clingy. It's not because they are needy, they're just very personable breed.

Now this can be a good thing, but it can also be a negative or the cat. For example, if you will be away a lot, you'd probably be better off getting two cats (that have been introduced properly, or came from the same litter). They'll be able to keep each other occupied which will put less pressure on you, yet they will still get the entertainment and companionship tha they deserve. And they should probably be a less clingy breed than a Ragdoll.

Getting two Ragdolls frm the same litter can be hard. But if you're not set on getting a kitten, you can often find cats that are being retired from breeding. They have a lot of expereince with life in general and they are often sold at a lower price than kittens.

I have a friend who only buys retired breeders.

She likes them because they are way more mellow.

If you've never had a kitten, you may find their craziness might be a bit overwhelming.

Kittens will get into everything, there is little you can do about that! Sure they are adorable, which is why they know that you will quickly forgive them of their transgressions. Even if you are a grumpy old stick in the mud a kittens antics will melt your heart.

And while this may sound like a postive, if you are gone eight or more hours a day you are not being fare to the animal. And Ragdolls will really suffer from the alone time!

Technically, there are no 100 percent hypoallergenic domestic cats. The following is a guideline which petMD recommends for people who want to adopt a feline due to allergies.

Be prepared to dish out $1,000 or more, and while I understand that this seems high, that is the price you have to pay if we want a cat that may trigger less of a reaction.

You options are limited:

Less Fel d 1 Protein

Remember it's not their fur you are allergic to, it's their saliva. Saliva that gets on their fur and what you react to. These breeds have less Fel d 1 protein.

• Siberian
• Balinese

Other Options

Less allergenic than other options:

• Bengal
• Burmese
• Colorpoint Shorthair
• Cornish Rex
• Devon Rex
• Javanese
• Ocicat
• Oriental Shorthair
• Russian Blue
• Siamese
• Sphynx

If you do decide on a cat you will need to meet the parents, spend time at the cattery you intend to get a kitten from, and guage your reaction. Even with all of this, it will be hard to estimate how you will react once you have a cat in your home.

I think that owners like the idea of a cat hotel, or cattery, because someone is keeping an eye on the cats at all times. Yet, you surely know that cats are strongly bonded to their territory and a move to a new location, with many different cats may come as major stress.

I have used catteries a number of times, and have had mixed results.

It is my opinnion that having somebody you trust check in on your cat in her own home/territory is ideal. What we like to do now is have a friend stay with them, or check up on them a couple times a day, either of these options are most likely be best. And even if you give your friend a small thank you, it will be cheaper than the cattery.

Addressing Owner Concerns

This is a lit of some of the things that you should consider when you are looking for a cattery to care for the cats. Some things on this list may or may not pertain toyou depending on your situation, it also depends on the cat's personality.

• Does the cattery staff play with the cats they are boarding during the cat's time there?
• Is there an attempt at enrichment made to make the cat's time go faster?
  • Play time is just one form of enrichment. But not all cats enjoy playing. Do they spend time with them?

When you have a shy cat, there is a good chance she would probably be very stressed out by boarding. If your only options is a kennel situation, will the cats be kept awa from the dogs? Or are they kept in the same area?

All of these things need to be kept in mind, and you really need to decide what is best for your compaion based on the information you have at hand.

I think that we all have these stories. The ones that start out like; "it took thirty minutes to get my cat in her carrier, and then once we started she pooed!" We all have them. It is life with cats who have not been trained or are carrier ready.

Keep your mitts off the sedatives!

They don't make things easier for the cat, they make them easier for you. You are in fact putting your beloved pet at risk. You wouldn't put your child at risk, would you? So why would you sedate your pet?

There is a good chance that you will be greeted with a loud cat, one that doesn't like the situation one bit. Mine would yowl and howl and generally make a big fuss in her carrier. I can't tell you how many times she peed or even pooed in there, and that is when she really got upset! It didn't matter if it was a short trip, she would soil herself. Yay for me! There is nothing more pleasant than bathing your cat in the gas station parking lot!

Now I start planning well in advance and do a couple of things that help us avoid the unpleasantness as much as possible. One of them is to remove food at bed time and another one is to remove their water first thing in the morning. You want to let them drink, but you don't want them to start the journey on a full tummy or bladder. This will let them start the trip without the need to purge themselves if they are easily afraid.

Make sure that you talk to the vet before traveling to make sure that you have all of the medical records. While you are there, speak with them to see if they have any recommendations.

I think that most people think a cat is a cat. And with that mentality they look for the cheapest cat they can find. But there is a danger in this ignerence and it may cost your cat their life.

So find reputable breeders.

Here are some ways to do that.

Is the cattery listed on the TICA page? The TICA is short for The International Cat Association. And while this is a good sign, it is not a guarantee of legitimacy. Check for the cattery on the site. Also more reputable breeders will advertises the pedigree of their cats on their website. If they don't this may be a red flag. Make sure to ask for a copy and check yourself if they're pedigreed (even if it is on their website). Speak with the breeders, ask them if they are willing to let you visit their cattery. If they agree to le you come and visit the parents chances are good that they're legit.

Another thing to look for is if they have had their kittens test for illnesses.

If they have make sure that you ask for a copy of the vet records before you pay in full.

Since breeders charge a lot for their cats it isn't at all out of like to ask for vet records of the parents either.

Purebred is a concept that appeases our ego. But it is a meassure that we can use so I am all for it. However, not all cats benefit from this concept.

Take the Siberian for instance.

Siberians were once just an indigenous cat of Russia. Theyy roamed and mated freely which suggests that there isn't much of a breed standard there. Yet, because of this vast pool of genetic material they have grown to be known as a robust breed.

By being "purebred" they think that the cat will somehow be better. That they will be healtheir or less likely to cause allergies. Yet they really don't understand the genetic/molecular mechanism that s behind any of this.

A cat is a lot of work. It relies on you for much more than food. And unless you are willing to do the leg work you and your cat may have a very short time together.

There really is no such thing as a "home away from home" for a cat. The reason is because cats are very attached to their territories and a suggen change can spur anxiety in your pet. For this reason some people do not like to take them out of their home.

And you are also a part of that home. So when you leave it feels very strange for your cat.

If you go with a sitter (somebody that checks up on your cat several times a day) ask them to spend some time playing with your cat/s. And depending on their age, it could be a couple of minute romp, or a half an hour per session. The important thing is that they aretired by the time they are done playing. I always make sure that they have some safe means of play while they are alone. Toys on strings or other choaking hazards are a major no-no, make sure that the toys are engagining, but do not leave any room for your cat to injure itself on them. String based toys can turn deadly much quicker than you would think and should only be used with direct supervision.

A laser pointer is a good way to engage your cat play and to ensure that they will be tired by the end of the play session. ake sure you don't end a play session with it. Switch from the laser to a toy that she can physically grab for the kill. Without that kind of resolution to the play, cats can become kind of neurotic and anxious and keep looking for the red dot well after you've stopped using the laser.

Will you cat miss you?

Sure.

When you have a good relationship with your cat you can be certain that they will miss you, this is only normal.

While you are gone, expect your cat to get lonely, this is normal, when you get home there is also a good chance that she will act mad at you for a few days. That is also normal. But she'll be fine just so long as you have a pet sitter that take some time to engage the cat/s and gives them company. Felines are very independent, resourceful, intelligent creatures who are used to being alone in their territory. The attitude your cat shows when you return is more than a little reflection on how their time was when you were gone. If the sitter is really good you may not even notice a change.