Cat breed specific traits

[crinklecats]

Adrianne asked if cat breeds had specific traits in the same way as dogs so I thought I would think of the three key words I would use in relation to the breeds I am familiar with.

Devon Rex - Baby, Joyful, Food focused *(I know that's two words but it's a Devon thing I could have said greedy but it's not quite the same).

Siamese - Adult, Logical, Nurturing.

Snowshoe - Accomodating, Gregarious, Conversationalist

Bengal - Wild, Obsessive, Inscrutable.

Of course I have lots more to say but I don't want to be boring you as soon as I've arrived.  

[Kimmikins]

I love the Snowshoe being described as a conversationalist, and the Bengal as inscrutable...what wonderful words to envision!

I look forward to hearing more about your cats and their breeds. I've only ever known the traditional moggy type cat, I've got 4 boys I'm an "aunty" to, and even within this little group there are some definite personalities!

[Adrianne]

Jan 13, 2014 15:24:31 GMT crinklecats said:

Adrianne asked if cat breeds had specific traits in the same way as dogs so I thought I would think of the three key words I would use in relation to the breeds I am familiar with.

Devon Rex - Baby, Joyful, Food focused *(I know that's two words but it's a Devon thing I could have said greedy but it's not quite the same).

Siamese - Adult, Logical, Nurturing.

Snowshoe - Accomodating, Gregarious, Conversationalist

Bengal - Wild, Obsessive, Inscrutable.

Of course I have lots more to say but I don't want to be boring you as soon as I've arrived.  

so The Devon Rex is like a Hungarian visla
the Siamese like a rough collie
the snoeshoe a springer spaniel an the Bengal like a german shepherd!

wow you have your hands full!

[crinklecats]

Hi Adrianne, I've never heard of a Hungarian Visla so I googled (The good-natured Vizsla has also been called a "Velcro" dog because he is so tactile -- he likes to attach himself to people, preferably in their laps) but yep the Devon is super tactile loves to be hugged, snugged, kissed and just wants more. Very much Velcro will sit on any part of you - neck, shoulder, chest, lap and even on your back if kneel down for long enough.

However, I have had a GSD and the Bengal is way more hard work although probably just as strong.

[Adrianne]

The Bengal is stunning, with dogs I feel that there are certain dogs that should be 'first time owners' dogs and some that are most definitely for experienced owners and would be ruined in the hands of a an inexperienced owner - I would assume this is the same with a cat such as the Bengal?

[crinklecats]

Yes definitely not a cat for the faint hearted. I would say Bengals have more behavioural problems than other breeds and so many are put up for rehoming. Having said that many of the behavioural problems are problems for the owners the cats themselves have cat behaviour that doesn't suit domestication as they are only several generations away from the wild.

They are extremely active and not best suited for indoor living. They are very noisy and 'shout' a lot if confined. They are territorial so prone to spraying. They are physically strong and strong willed. I have always had cats and yet it took me ages to even begin to understand Leroy because his 'behaviour' hides a lot of how he feels. He's the 'kid' no one wants to play with because he plays rough and takes over. It's hard to explain because obviously he is cat in his behaviour but not pussy cat at all.

[Kimmikins]

The Bengal really does sound amazing, the kind of cat I'd love to see in person. I love animals that have a very distinct personality, and that are not run-of-the-mill.

How do you adjust to his temperament and the breed's tendency to not suit domestication? Do you do things differently for him compared to other breeds?

[kimthecat]

 They're not a first cat .  A hell of alot of Bengals end up in rescue because they are too much for their owners.

[crinklecats]

Jan 17, 2014 15:21:56 GMT Kimmikins said:

The Bengal really does sound amazing, the kind of cat I'd love to see in person. I love animals that have a very distinct personality, and that are not run-of-the-mill.

How do you adjust to his temperament and the breed's tendency to not suit domestication? Do you do things differently for him compared to other breeds?

I'll think about how to answer this - once you have adjusted it becomes a routine so I need to think about the differences!  I'll come back to that.  However the incident below surprised me.

Earlier this year Leroy didn't come home when I whistled for him in the evening but I could hear him crying under a bush.  I brought him home and tried to figure out what was wrong with him. He appeared to have a problem with his throat as he was 'gagging' frequently and this was causing him a lot of distress.  I came him a drink which he drank so he was able to swallow and he was obviously still able to shout, his breathing was also fine so it wasn't an immediate emergency.  He is not a lap cat but does nevertheless display affection but on this occasion he sat on me and I had to cuddle him all night until I took him to the Vet the following morning, as long as I cuddled him he was quite calm otherwise he was quite distressed.  The Vet thought he had a blade of grass stuck in his soft palate so he was anaesthetised and this turned out to be the case.  I was amazed at his level of 'dependency' because it's not something I would have attributed to him.  

[Kimmikins]

I look forward to hearing about the differences

That incident is really interesting, I'd have thought that Bengals would not show "weakness" or go to humans for help, but obviously he looked to you when something was wrong.