Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Pure-Bred Cats Are More Like Dogs





I find Sophie no less beautiful than my 3 purebreds.  She is also very sweet, murmurs little kitty sounds, and is an all-around good cat.

But?

 I prefer pure-breds.  Yes, of course I want to save every single stray!  But, I feel no compulsion to pick up after other people in this way.  It is a long, expensive commitment to make. (And, of course, any stray kitty which appeared in my yard I would not allow to remain homeless)

People who have never shared their home with a good cat of a breed profile which meshes with their own personality, have no idea what's so wonderful about this.  They are often critical....and, at times...it has been a challenge to not feel just a bit guilty.  Guilt is a strange thing....It's generally not logical.   (Toyota is the car for me.  Do I feel guilty because the American auto industry is suffering?. Nope.  It isn't that I'm never willing to mop up after others....it's just that I have my limits.)

O.K., I feel guilty for wishing Sophie were more like a Balinese or Siamese.  Or, even an Abyssinian!  They all crave attention and interaction with me.  They are usually close-by if not actually ON me.  They are not at all independent as most people believe cats to be.  No, they are more like dogs:  They demonstrate emotions. 


If I want a pretty pillow, I will buy one that doesn't eat, pee, poop, shed, and go to the vet.  I know this isn't a fair comparison because I certainly like Sophie a lot more than any pillow I have ever had.  I'm just having a hard time with the fact that our relationship is so shallow.  She is happy with having a safe, warm home, a full tummy, and a litter box.....and, that's all.  The other three are happy to see me when I come home, usually greeting me at the door.  And, they are curious about my activities.  They come fetch me when it's treat time etc. etc.  They solicit me to play....and, they have a sense of humor!  (This morning I woke up with a white mouse tucked into my hair.:-) For them, I am not interchangeable with any other human who is kind to them.

It's not about one being "better" than the other....It's a matter of preference. and in my case, a strong preference.  It really isn't very different from relationships with humans. I have strong preference there, also.:-)

3 comments:

  1. Virginia TorschJanuary 14, 2010

    Chaska

    It is not so much about being pure bred as it how they are socialized as kittens. Most breeders (not all!) spend a LOT of time with their young kittens right from the time they are born. Sophie probably did not get that attention and thus that bonding with humans - if she had she probably would be just as friendly as Santino or Rudy or Miki. So when I hear people bash breeders as over populating the cat population I tend think they are so very ignorant of what it takes to raise a healthy frinedly and well socialized kitty!

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  2. Are you saying that mixed breed and full breed cats have the same potential? How do you explain the difference in the breed personalities? I realize that Sophie had a rough beginning, and given that same beginning, Santino, Miki, and Rudy most likely would be equally shy. I just have trouble believing that that's all it is.

    Miki and Santino, for example, are emotionally more involved with me than Rudy who is much more independent, and yet involved with me in an entirely different way. They living "out loud". LOL

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  3. Virginia TorschJanuary 15, 2010

    I think there are certainly breed characteristics that make a difference but it's also about environment (the whole nature vs nurture thing). Who know how Sophie would be if she had had a good kittenhood - and on the other hand if we had mistreated Santino as a kitten (though I am sure he will tell you he was mistreated since he never got enough treats :) then yes he probably would have been just as shy as Sophie. So you can have good genes but the environment certainly has a big influence on how those genes develop. That's why it's really difficult to have a complete clone - you would have to duplicate not only the genes but practically replicate the entire development of the animal.

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