Random Question - Cats

[RachelsMommie]

This is a totally random question, but this board has a great potpourri of topics.

Does anyone have any experience with Bengal or Russian Siberian cats?

I'm thinking about surprising the family with a kitten for Christmas. My DH loves cats and we have 2 dogs right now. I know he loves the way the Bengals look, but I do have allergies and Russian Siberians are supposedly hypoallergenic.

Any help is appreciated!

 

[HillPete]

Unfortunatly, I don't know anything about those breeds. I do know that December isn't really 'kitten season' and you might have a hard time finding one. Most cats have their babies in the spring (it's a survival thing). Have you called the local animal shelter to see what they have 'in stock'? I'm a big fan of rescue animals, but with your allergies you should definitely call ahead. There's no sense in falling in love with a kitty who's gonna kill you, right! Anyway, they sometimes have pure-breeds that have been abandoned and it might be worth a call.

Good luck!
--Hillary (and Freckles, Curley and Martha-Mayhem)

 

[The Grumpus]

We have a bengal (and 3 abandoned mutt shorthair sisters). The bengal is extremely energetic and mischievous. He actually fetches like a dog. We got him out of a rough spot pretty cheap, but they can run a pretty high price too. I'm not too sure how it would do with dogs, but I can imagine it would keep up. They aren't shy at all, and will put up a good fight. If nothing else, they are entertaining.

Animal Planet does a tv show call "Cats 101", and one of their episodes was about the bengal. You might be able to find it, or the notes, online somewhere. I don't know anything about the Siberian, but the wife's a cat vet, so I could ask her if you'd like.

 

[RachelsMommie]

Well, I talked to a friend and they are willing to let me borrow their shorthaired cat for a day or two to see how bad my allergies are. I was allergic when I was a kid (no hives, just nose/eyes kind of reaction), but my inlaws have cats and I don't see much of a reaction when we visit. And they have Persians.

So how easily do adult cats adjust to a new home? Part of me wants to spend some money and get a kitten, but then I looked at petfinder.com and I think I'm being really selfish to not rescue a cat that could be put to sleep if he/she doesn't find a home.

I found a beautiful adult female Bengal that has papers and is already spayed (yeah!) in a rescue group. She was a breeder until her breeder closed her business...now she needs a home as all of the cats were dumped at a shelter. (Which makes me absolutely sick, but that's another post). I guess they would probably let me go see her and see if I think it's a good fit. I thought getting a kitten would allow me to avoid animal "baggage" if that makes sense...but I could find a wonderful new friend that really needs a home.

Any advice on animal rescue would be appreciated.

 

[Daisy Duke]

Just a comment on animal rescue... We got our male orange tabby from the SPCA and he is the most wonderful cat I have ever met in my life. He is sweet and loving and playful and doesn't have a mean bone in his body. The only negative is that he was obviously allowed outside in his prior life, so he somtimes begs to go outside (we live in a city and don't believe in allowing our cats outside). The begging gets annoying, but we are lucky to have an enclosed porch that we put him on sometimes and that seems to satisfy his craving. At any rate, I just wanted to say that "animal baggage" is not something that would overly concern me with shelter cats. Just don't rush the process. Try not to focus on looks alone and spend 1-on-1 time with the cats in a play area. I'm sure you can find a great shelter cat!

Oh, I used to have mild cat allergies, but they have actually mostly subsided since owning a cat. If he rubs on my face, I get a little itchy, but nothing that lasts more than a couple minutes. Also, I just have to be careful not to touch my eyes after I pet him until they've been washed just because that can cause my eyes to get itchy, too. But those are the only times I feel the effects of allergies.

Good luck!

 

[MinnieGarden]

We have rescued 3 persians and it's absolutely the best thing we've ever done.

Last summer I lost my 15 year old persian, and was absolutely devistated. My office supports a couple of local shelters, so I got on their website and found one and fell in love. Mike and I went to "meet" her and I fell in love. While I was completing the paperwork for Belle, he found Daisy and he fell in love! So we came home with two new babies. They are adults, completely unrelated and get along great. The shelter we used gave us a free check up from a list of vets. When we took them, we discovered Daisy has a heart problem. So, I really recommend getting a check up as soon as possible.

In January, we got Russi from South Texas Persian Rescue. She has her own story, but again be sure to ask questions. Fortunately, they all get along.

As for "adult baggage", decide what you can handle. Belle was in a situation where she received absolutely no attention, so she is very shy and anti-social. Daisy has heart problems. And Russi was picked up as a stray.

Good luck!

 

[UrsulasShadow]

Individual cats vary greatly, so it's best if you meet the cat before deciding.

Bengals are extremely energetic, and can be aggressive (no, not all of them are...it's just a tendency). They are not hypoallergenic.

I don't know what a Russian Siberian is...is it a cross between a Siberian and a Russian Blue? Both are known to be low on allergens, but can still trigger an allergy in sensitive people. Again, go play with the one that you would like to adopt, and see how you react.

I'm much more likely to go with a rescue, but if you do go to a breeder, make sure you meet at least the queen (mother cat) and check her personality.

 

[RachelsMommie]

Thanks to the PP who suggested the Cats 101 show. Watched it online and it was very informative about the different breeds, especially the Bengal.

Also, I called our local SPCA and they said that I'm welcome to come over this afternoon and play with some of the cats in their play area to see how my allergies are with cats. They said they love when people come to play with the cats as it keeps them social. Never thought that would be a need.

Thanks for all the help! We'll see how it goes!

 

[WebmasterMike]

We have rescued 3 persians and it's absolutely the best thing we've ever done.
Good luck!

We love our rescue kitties...

 

[Phoenixblue]

We have 2 Siberian cats as DH is allergic - and he got worse over the years - he did the entire allergen testing bit and cats tested worse every time. He has never had a reaction to our kitties. You do have to be careful and find a breeder with a good reputation. Also, not all kittens are lower allergen - even though they are Siberian, they can have normal allergen levels. We found Lundberg Siberians in Oregon. They actually test their kittens for allergen levels to make sure before they place them with a family.
Their website is: http://lundbergsiberians.home.comcast.net/~lundbergsiberians/index.html

We love our Siberians. They are great cats and have amazing personalities. Ours take everything in stride - even 2 kids who can get a bit rough sometimes or want to carry them around everywhere. They are very affectionate and love to visit with people, particularly the person sitting with the warm, fuzzy blanket!

I have also heard very good things about Bengals, but I don't have experience with them.

Our kitties:

 

[bevgray]

Bengals are very expensive. However, there are several really good Bengal rescue societies out there (in my area, Great Lakes Bengal rescue). These groups are good at trying to match cats with the right "forever" families. Bengals often get along well with dogs since they are medium to large cats and aren't as intimidated. Good luck with your kitten hunt.

 

[SueM in MN]

We have a grey cat that was a rescue kitten. From her appearance and behavior, we think she is at least part Chartreuse ( not sure of spelling and can't look up right now). She was up for adoption because the peson who had bought her was allergic.
My son in law is allergic to cats, but didn't have much problem with her. In fact, he did so well that he and my daughter adopted a rescue cat. Her name is Prima and she is mostly or pure breed Japanese bobtail ( the good luck cats from Japan). She had very few problems, but was a kitten when they adopted her. They decided she needed another cat and adopted another rescue cat, but Socca had lots of problems. He is a coon cat Manx mix with not even a nun of a tail. He had some major butt skin issues that had to be sorted out, had mites all over his body and some major attention issues. Because of his medical issues, they were offered free vet care for him as long as they go back to the vet who donates services to the shelter. He is now healthy and 'all mischievous boy cat', but started out in a bag with his siblings, left to die at the side of the road.
And, living with 2 cats, my son in law's allergies are doing well. Would not count on it, but it was nice they could get cats.

 

[cjlvsccm]

This is a totally random question, but this board has a great potpourri of topics.

Does anyone have any experience with Bengal or Russian Siberian cats?

I'm thinking about surprising the family with a kitten for Christmas. My DH loves cats and we have 2 dogs right now. I know he loves the way the Bengals look, but I do have allergies and Russian Siberians are supposedly hypoallergenic.

Any help is appreciated!

I have no experience, but lots of info about Bengals, as I've been preparing to get one for over a year. If you want to check them out definitely reference www.tibcs.com for ethical breeders in your area, and ask to visit. There are reports that Bengals are non- or less-allergenic, but that's not a claim most breeders make, just some people find that to be the case.

Most breeders endorsed by TIBCS raise all their kittens with the possibility of being in cat shows... so they are all handled and socialized (many even with kids and dogs) so they are friendly with family and visitors, not aggressive at all, and should get along with any other pets. They are very active, playful, and super smart cats.

We lost my 14yo Maine Coon shelter rescue kitty last year, and I am hoping to adopt a particular 2yo retiring Bengal queen soon.

Good luck with your decision on a furbaby!!

@Phoenixblue -- beautiful kitties!! My Gigi looked much like the larger one in your picture.