Rescue or breeder?

[Corporal Smokey]

Well I've just read this thread for the first time and wondered from the first post what the responses would be like. I'm really pleased that people haven't all decided that buying a cat from a reputable place is bad when there are so many in rescue. There are some really nice views and opinions. There's a lot to be said for both.

I was looking for another bsh before we got the Corporal and I did consider breeder or pedigree rescue (where Josh came from). As it happened, Smokey found us before I had settled on the right friend for Josh but that isn't to say I wouldn't have paid for a BSH. I was more bothered about the right personality match and I wanted an adult.

Imho I don't think there's anything wrong with being a fan of a certain breed and wanting a cat of that breed and it's nice to have the option of going to a really good breeder and discussing your needs to get the right new member of your family. It's just a terrible shame that there are so many cats in rescue.

Well I'm not sure if my rambling makes sense but I'm going to end on a cheeky reminder for newer members who may be looking for that elusive pedigree cat that they do come in to shelters fairly often and there is a rescue for just about every breed, a list of which can be found here ---> http://www.catchat.org/adoption/pedigree.html

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Thanks Gail and unseelie...........I know Sasa is happy here and just wish for the moment Franta would stop haunting her ! 

[Desley (booktigger)]

I have no experience, I have never owned a ped (and unless one came into a rescue, I never will), and I have never owned cats from kittens - vet can't understand why I don't go for a cute cuddly kitten, but they will always find homes, it is the oldies that will struggle, and sadly there are always oldies needing a good home. I rarely get to pick my cats though, even teh two times I have been to the rescue, I can't really say I have chosen a cat!!

[Reynard]

Having said that when I met Pearl on saturday I could not believe she was a former feral with two litters under her belt, she was adorable and so content with all the attention and handling.

Dawn, showing has made Pearl a lot more confident than she was when she came to me. She takes the showing in her stride because she is sooo nosey but at home she is a one-person cat who prefers to hide when visitors come. But if you look at her, it's impossible to believe that she lived rough.

Both my two are rescues, with Toby being an abuse / neglect case.

Sabrina, a friend of mine has a blue rescue boy called Vincent who was repretedly thown against a wall as a kitten because his "owner" wanted to see if he would bounce...

[puddypaws]

Until we got Ollie and Portia, all the cats we've had as kittens: 2 Burmese from breeders and the rest honourable moggies from rescues.  They have all been really affectionate and loving cats and so gentle.  I think that was why I was so worried about Ollie cos he was so scared all the time.  He now allows fusses but wouldn't get on your lap or let us pick him up but he is much better than he was.  He sometimes cowers if you try to stroke the top of his head.  But if you rub his ears first he is fine. 

[blackcat]

I have had both, or all options. My present cats are one rescue and one from a breeder whose queen got out with the local barn cat (she is now speyed!). My last lot were Bob, a breed rescue cat, Sofie, a burmese who I found in the RSPCA in Brisbane (they both travelled to NZ with me from Brisbane), and before that lot there was Pavarotti, a siamese who I found aged 5 weeks, covered in fleas and badly dehydrated in a pet shop (where i had gone to get a toy for Bob), Claudius, an aby cross found at the RSPCA. Between them and their predecessors there was a period of around 6 years cat free cos I was living in residential accommodation on campus or in flats, and the Tasmanian crew were too numerous to mention - some moggies, others pedigrees and some i bred myself.

I have to say that with pedigrees from reliable breeders (and i knew the breeders in Tas very well cos it is a small place and i was breeding and showing myself), you know exactly what to expect. Whereas with moggies you might get a personality cat (claudius) or you might get one who just occupies space in your home (cinders - a Tasmanian cat). I do not, however actually have any strong preference either way - it is what is available when I need a cat (usually when someone has passed to the rainbow bridge and I have a hole in my heart that only a cat can fill).

[unseeliechylde]

Poor Sasa - I remember someone eonce asked me why I took on "rejects" , especially if they were "difficult". THey seemed to think of pets only in terms of what they could give them, not the other way round. I find giving a home to the "difficult" ones to be so rewarding - knowing that they are safe, loved and cared for, whether or not they ever get to like you for it! To me its enough to know they have a good home when few other people would consider having them. Even the most bad-tempered pet deserves a good home, and for me it's thanks enough that they will have some experience of humans who are good to them - to in some small way try to repair and redress the damage done by less "human" people.
Gill, you babes are lucky to have found just such a home.

[Gail Bengal Slave]

AWWW your poor babies Gill  

Why is all I can say WHY????.

Mutters to self Happy Thoughts Happy Thoughts. I get so depressed when I read sad things about babes.

Makes me realise how spoilt mine are. If Zubin belonged to someone else he'd be either thrown out or killed.

He can be naughty but when he's good he's an absolute babe.

[unseeliechylde]

I do wonder about Riley-boy's start in life sometimes - thankfully neither of our babes were kept at a rescue centre - PAWSS only uses foster homes, but when we first got him he was so timid and scared. Sometimes he would be so terrified he would freeze and shake uncontrollably over the littlest thing - opening a door, walking within 1m of him when he was eating etc. He also used to hiss when you approached him - not as a threat, just our of fear. He was such a little softy at heart he never even batted at us, just hissed and shook.
You'd never recognise that terrified little one in him now, though! He is well and truly lord of the manor

Iv not had pets from breeders just either unwanted/dumped  & from rescue the occasional one from petshop (never again) but they were the worst. There is no such thing as a 'reputable pet shop'  unless its one that dosnt sell aniamls/birds etc. 

I'm with you on that one - the only "reputable" pet shop I ever knew was one run by a couple who bred small animals themselves. The pets were very well cared-for, handled and socialised. The shop had two floors, and downstairs was where the little ones were brought in when gthey were ready to be homed, but the animals were never kept there overnight - they went back "home". The downstairs was basically 4 huge "play cages", where the litters were allowed to run and play during the day, with one or two being carried around by the owners for about 30 mins at a time. If you wanted a pet, you could go downstairs and see them, and handle them for a short time before deciding. They were lovely people, and would even "hold" a pair for a few days so you could come in over that time and play with them, and learn how to handle and care for them properly. Typically, they did not have a large turnover of pets - only 4 litters at a time, one of ratties, one of gerbils, one of hamsters and one of mice. Each of their breeding females were only allowed to have one litter before being kept as a pet or homed to experienced owners with one of their sisters or daughters. Of course, they never made much money and closed down.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I agree with Sabrina and the things some will do to cats is terrible.

Misa is terrified if I pick up a can, could be tin of rice pudding but he justs runs for it. Also after he had been here a few months I put on a hat, ;ike an aussie hat they have in da jungle, and he put his ears back and barred his teeth and growled and hissed, I though he was gonna attack me.

I know he had been treated bad and when I saw him in CP he was  huddled in a ball under a shelf as far back to the wall as he could get but he could not resist a stroke. He had been taken to a vet to be PTS at 4yrs old cos he wasnt wanted by te family of the old lady who had owned him. I dont know how long they had him but long enough to totally traumatize him.

Sasa is upset at me cos I have been away and is protesting cos she is still outside and it started to freez about an hour ago grrrrrrrr but shw was found living with ferals and had had kittens and she was 8yrs old. When they cleaned up up they found she was not feral but then lived in a cage for over a year at Cp because after two attemps at rehoming she was taken back and had become unhomeable because she would nip or scratch, reckon they had homed he with children and she is terrified of people.

She is scared of hands and feet and the slightest noise will make her run.

So when I showed interest in her they said I could have her and couldnt wait for me to take her off their hands and then didnt want to know me anymore in case I took her back!

She is a lovely looking cat and I adore her but I wish she would come in grrrrrrrrrrrrrr, its so cold out there.

[Gail Bengal Slave]

Thai (& Beau) were from a friend's boss whos cat had just had kittens, they were the last two the other had got homes.

After loosing Beau I wrote mail after mail looking for two tabby boys, NO ONE replied to me. I did a search for tabby kittens and up popped Bengal's. So I had 2 Pedigree Bengal boys. Zak sadley was run over and killed so Zebedee arrived. Yes he is a Bengal also.

Even pedigrees need kind warm loving homes.

I feel with rescue if I went in and chose a babe, I would feel dreadful that I had left the others. I couldn't leave them, how can you choose one and not another???.

I drive past an RSPCA every morning and pray for them all to be kept safe and hope they get loving homes soon.

[Gillian Harvey]

I have had rescue moggies I've adopted as kittens,  also adopted many purebred rescues (older persians) over the years, and have persians that I've had from breeders as kittens. Plus I've adopted older persians directly from owners who, for whatever reasons, can't look after them anymore. 5 of my current 11 were bought from  breeders, the others are all from rescues/adopted from their owners. Some of the previous rescued persians obviously hadnt been properly socialised as kittens - BUT the lovely persian temperament nearly always finds a way through I reckon! My two current rescue moggies Harry and George came to me as kittens from different rescue situations, George is completely soppy, but timid, whilst Harry is bolshi and independent.

I adopted Poppy, a 10yr old persian, from a persian rescue, and she was from a breeder who'd just used her as a breeding machine and spent all her life in a small pen. She would shy away when you went to stroke her and it took about 6 months before she realised that life was good now, and allowed herself to relax and became really confident.

[MBll]

Iv not had pets from breeders just either unwanted/dumped  & from rescue the occasional one from petshop (never again) but they were the worst. There is no such thing as a 'reputable pet shop'  unless its one that dosnt sell aniamls/birds etc. 

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

That's horrible that people do things like that

I don't know anything about Jaffa's background and he was only 8 weeks when I got him, but he flinches if I get a saucepan or something out of a cupboard, like he thinks I'm going to hit him with it.  Anything that I pick up like that frightens him if he's nearby.  Magpie didnt' respond like that and Mosi doesn't, so I do wonder whether he was ill treated as a kitten.

[unseeliechylde]

Penguin was another rescue and he was abused (head bashed against the wall)

Have to admit to feeling a bit sick reading that line, Sabrina. Poor Penguin. Glad he's with you guys now!

Took a good 5 years to gain his trust and sometimes I have to remind my husband (to whom Penguin bonded to instantly the traitor) to not pet his head as he can still get freaked out.

He doesn't understand why the foster kittens headbutt him all the time (Harley & Quinn adore him), we blame it on the lanugage barrier Still, he was worth all the hassell of shipping as he is a great cat.

I never cease to be horrified at the extent of human cruelty - the poor little sweetie. I can't concieve of how someone could do something like that to any animal. My old dog Jade was horribly abused before we got her, and we actually had to teach her how to play like a dog, she didn't know how. So glad Penguin has a loving home now, despite those confusing youngsters!

[JackSpratt]

One of my lot did that too, literally days after meeting my partner started to follow him around like a dog. I was a bit put out to begin with!

[Sabrina (Auferstehen)]

Penguin was another rescue and he was abused (head bashed against the wall)

Have to admit to feeling a bit sick reading that line, Sabrina. Poor Penguin. Glad he's with you guys now!

Took a good 5 years to gain his trust and sometimes I have to remind my husband (to whom Penguin bonded to instantly the traitor) to not pet his head as he can still get freaked out.

He doesn't understand why the foster kittens headbutt him all the time (Harley & Quinn adore him), we blame it on the lanugage barrier Still, he was worth all the hassell of shipping as he is a great cat.

[JackSpratt]

Penguin was another rescue and he was abused (head bashed against the wall)

Have to admit to feeling a bit sick reading that line, Sabrina. Poor Penguin. Glad he's with you guys now!

I think similiar to Susanne, it's more to do with how a cat is treated when young and also to do with a cats own unique personality. The only cat out of the four we have here that I've not had from "the baby stage" is Old Mog and she's SOOOO cuddly it's untrue! She doesn't recognise when you need to do something other than fuss her, either! The other three will come and have cuddles but aren't quite as demanding - although to be fair that could be to do with her senility.

[unseeliechylde]

I think you are probably right, Gill - I suppose I only differentiated between rescues and bred cats because rescues are more likely to have had a difficult start (though of course some rescues have had better starts than some bred cats). Both my two are mogs, so there's no pedigree breed component to them, as far as I know, but of course personality and temperament does have a huge genetic component.
I suppose, for me, the main difference (though not always the case) is that rescues tend to come to us later in their lives, while cats from breeders (pedigree or otherwise) usually end up in their furever homes at an earlier age. Though I got both Riley and Skye at about 5 months, which is by no means old, I do sometimes wish I could have seen them as lickle baby fuzzballs

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I think that there is no reason for the two to be different except their experiences as kittens and young adults, and  possibly in both the breeding lines and the temprement of any pedigree in either.

Kocka strolled into my garden one day as a stray, possibly dumped but just wanted a new home and human who could pamper to her needs. She was very well behaved and loved people but hated other cats.

Misa and Sasa both are rescues from CP and have had very bad experiences with humans but although never having met each other bonded from day one. Misa is still scared of other people but Sasa is scared of all people including me.

The Birmans came from a breeder although came to me as rescues 12 yrs later, they had been shut out of their house and lived in a garage without much human contact for a year or so before they came to me. They were whiney and all they wanted was to get into the bedroom and lie on my bed and if moved from there would go back to being whinners. They adore people but neither have bonded with the other two and its all pure jealousy, the birmans want the human and all the places that the other two have, especially Franta.

They do not have the cat language skills and this frightens the other two cos they dont understand what the birmans are trying to say. I think the birmans are very much as per their breed and they were insecure because they had been moved out of their house and also denied the human attention which the breed adore and seem to need.

As I type I have been away for nearly two days and Misa and Franta are both lying side by side on Misas desk and peeping at each other.

Then of course Misa got up turned round and flopped against Franta, actually touching him.........I have never seen them like this before, Franta is still staring at Misas back cos he has moved and  has his back to Franta now and although Misa is breathing a bit harder than relaxed, Franta now is relaxed.

Franta only knows how to stare, which I think its why it all goes wrong and he is also nearly deaf.

[unseeliechylde]

I do agree that upbringing and personality are very important - even though Skye is technically a rescue, she has never been outside a human home environment. I also suspect the fact that she lived with her siblings until 4 months makes her more tolerant of other cats,  but also feisty enough to stand up for herself (but then, she's a tortie, so that might have something to do with it too!). She's very cuddly, but on her own terms, and isn't thrilled about being picked up or having her feet handled (but we will work on that).
Though Riley was a stray, he's more needy and human-oriented (at least with us - he's still very shy of other people). We can pick him up, cradle him, clip his nails, look in his mouth, the lot. He's not a lap cat, but will sit beside me, and he loves to be fussed and told what a good boy he is. He's generally quite relaxed, and is very vocal.
I'm sure a lot of their differences are down to personality and upbringing, but I have noticed that sometimes rescues are more human-oriented (my first cat was a rescue and was like this), while cats with a more "normal" upbringing are often affectionate, but on their terms. I just wonder if it stems from the fact that lots of rescues have had to rely on their humans to get their confidence in new, strange environments, while cats with a better start are more self-sufficient in terms of their confidence.

[Dawn (DiddyDawn)]

I think this is a difficult one as they are all so different.  I've never had a cat from a breeder apart from for rehoming and these have been older one's but looking at the differences in the one's I get in, it would depend on what they've been through and how they've been treated by the human race.  I have some that are extremely loveable and others that are still wary of me even after having them 3 or 4 years.

[Dawn F]

our most affectionate cat is one of our rescues, Amber our torti is loving to the extreme and whoever had her before must have been kind to her I think, Tilly who came from a breeder is very confident but will only have affection on her terms (although she is bengal so it might be because of that!).  Having said that when I met Pearl on saturday I could not believe she was a former feral with two litters under her belt, she was adorable and so content with all the attention and handling

[Den]

Memph is a rescue. He's only ever known people and his siblings from the age of 2-3 weeks. He's not had a 'normal' kittenhood, he didn't have a mum to teach him things. He's very confident, incredibly outgoing. Craves company, he would much rather snuggle up with someone than on his own. He's just got to follow me around everywhere. He always incredibly careful about his claws and human skin.
He totally loves strangers .. he's walked straight up to every visitor and plonked himself on their lap for fuss. He's not scared of anything. He's 100% handleble (that's not even a word  ) but he never has a problem with anyone picking him up, you can open his mouth with no problem. Giving him a tablet is easy peasy. He sits beautifully for having his claws trimmed.

He's perfect 
Some of his siblings were less confident towards people, but I'll find out how they are when they come in for their neutering. He's got an amazing personality which has always shone through (which is why I was desperate to have him). I don't know how much of his behaviour/relaxed friendliness is due to being hand reared though.

[Sabrina (Auferstehen)]

Our Burmese Lirael was bought from a breeder who was going to keep her as a breeding queen but she came down with a bad case of cat flu so she needed to get her out asap.

She’s the friendliest of the lot, goes up to everyone but I’m not sure that’s her upbringing or just her being a Burmese!

Smoke we rescued last year from a local rescue and we were given her age, name and that she’d been given boosters. I knew from the volunteer holding her that she didn’t like that so we were sceptical about how she would be toward us but she was more for Lirael as she needed someone to keep up with her thus getting a younger cat.

When Smoke wakes up she meows to let everyone know that she is awake and is extremely cuddley at that point, the rest of the time she enjoys fuss but isn’t extremely bothered (unless you have food), she also doesn’t like any other cat getting in her way (which helps since Lirael is a bit of a bossy boots).

Penguin was another rescue and he was abused (head bashed against the wall) and still doesn’t like to be held and will duck if he feels threatened. He has come around from being absolutely terrified of everyone/thing and loves me and mostly his dad.

The foster kittens Harley & Quinn didn’t have human contact until 12 weeks old so we’ve got them more used to us and Harley will come when you call her and want to be petted Quinn however still doesn’t like to be touched but isn’t bothered about coming up to you.

I think a lot of how they act as adults stems from their experiences as young kittens/cats whether it be breeder, rescue etc. But you can’t discount personality into it…

 

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Jaffa is a rescue cat (as was his brother Magpie - the cat in my avatar.  He went to rainbow bridge 2 years ago), whereas as Mosi is from a breeder.  I did get Jaffa when he was 8 weeks old though, so I have had him from 'scratch'!  (And didn't get Mosi until he was 14 weeks old). 

It's hard to say what differences are down to whether a cat is a rescue cat or not or whether cerain traits and behaviours are particular to breed.  Certainly, early socialisation is very important to cats and a good breeder will make sure that all kittens are well socialised before they go to their new homes.   But similarly, someone fostering kittens for a rescue can do the same.  Although if kittens are strays or abandoned and miss out on the crucial socialisation period up about 7 weeks, they may be less outgoing as adults.  Giving a home to an adult rescue cat can pose more challenges as many have been passed from pillar to post and may have developed a few behavioural problems, but equally that gives addes satisfaction when they settle into their furever home.

In terms of bonding - Jaffa has always been a mummy's boy but that's his temperament.  He is nervous around strangers and a timid cat in general, but his brother was a bit more outgoing (different temperament).  I do think that some of Jaffa's behaviour is due to inadequate socialisation prior to 8 weeks.  Mosi is a very friendly, outgoing cat who loves everyone.  I think that a lot of that is due to the way in which he was raised by the breeder, but it's also down to his temperament and breed characteristics.

Sorry - waffling a bit here aren't I?!  And not really answering the question.  I think it's less to do with whether a cat is a rescue moggy or a pedigree, and more to do with early socialisation and temperament.

[unseeliechylde]

A friend and I were discussing some of the pets we had been lucky enough to have lived with over the years, and we got to talking about the differences between rescuing a pet, and getting one from a breeder / reputable pet shop.
Most of my pets have been rescues, but some were from good breeders (though not necessarily pedigrees). I realise there is the risk of getting into a moral debate here - giving a home to a homeless pet rather than breeding more animals, but that isn't what I'm asking - I'm just interested in people's experiences of the differences in owning a rescue versus having a cat from "scratch", so to speak!
Of course, all our furbabes have their own personalities - I'm not suggesting that all rescues or all pedigrees are the "same", but I am curious as to peoples experiences of bonding with, and seeing the development of, rescues versus cats from breeders.
I was thinking about this because, although Skye is also a rescue, she was "rescued" from a home environment as the last of an unexpected litter, the rest of whom had been homed. As such she had a more "normal" start to life than Riley, who was a wee street urchin for the first 4 months of his life. Though Riley is now a very relaxed, confident boy (with us), he wasn't half as confident as Skye is at only 5-6 months.
What differences have you noticed between rescue babes and "bought" kitties?