I used to be a "dog person"......

[Keryddwen]

And I know a little bit about dogs and breeds (and whatever I don't know, I just ask my mom, LOL).

So my DH and I took a walk tonight, and the topic came to our kitten, and how she's very much a one-person cat (I'm the chosen person). And then I started wondering if there are certain breeds of cat that are temperamentally better suited for families (we have two young rambunctious boys)? So I thought I would come ask the experts.

Thanks in advance.

~Erin

[Carmel]

Yes, some breeds are known to be more outgoing (Siamese, Oriental Shorthair, Abyssinian...), but to get a purebred costs 800+ dollars from a breeder. You can essentially get the same thing from visiting a shelter and looking for the type of cat personality that you want there... going on breed alone is not a reliable option.

[doodlebug]

Yes, it's definitely more about the personality of a specific cat than a breed trait. And you usually can't tell what an adult personality will be like if you choose a kitten. So going to a shelter and looking for a young adult with the traits you want is the best way to find the perfect cat.

[Arianwen]

I would also recommend looking at an individual cat rather than choosing a breed. The shelter I support is excellent at matching people and cats and are very honest - a while back, for example there was a stunning cat there but her pen was clearly marked to show that she would not be adopted to a family.

[Marcia]

Oh, it's definitely more about the temperment of the cat! We have 6 and they are all mostly "mutts" but 2 are purebreds (Himalayan and Main Coon) and they have the most issues. In my VERY humble opinion, black and whites seem to be the sweetest. We've had 4 (2 females and 2 males) over the years and 3 of them have been the sweetest cats we've ever had. Even the vet tech took one look at our Missy and exclaimed that B&Ws were the BEST cats. Our Jack is our 4th B&W but is a bit stand offish - not timid, just a bit more independent. Good luck! Look for personality, not breed! Check out www.petfinder.com for a local shelter near you.

[Arianwen]

Totally off topic but is Keryddwen a variation of Cerridwen? Important character in Welsh mythology and still used as a name around here.

[Marcia]

Also, I adopted Maddie at 3 years old from the SPCA even though she had a big sign on her cage "LITTER BOX ISSUES - DOESN'T LIKE TO HAVE HER TAIL PULLED OR BE CHASED". That told me she had been with abusive small children and people that probably didn't scoop her box or didn't have it in a quiet place where she felt safe to use it. She is a Norweigan Forest cat and the sweetest, friendliest cat! We've had her for 6 years and never once has she gone outside the box. I promised to never, ever pull her tail or chase her if she would use the box. We've both kept our promise. That sign would have been a death sentence had I not adopted her.

[Keryddwen]

Yes, I do use the name as a variation of her name. She's a pretty interesting goddess in mythology.... I'm surprised you know the name, much less her. I think you're the first person ever to notice/know that.

[Keryddwen]

Originally Posted by Arianwen

Totally off topic but is Keryddwen a variation of Cerridwen? Important character in Welsh mythology and still used as a name around here.

Oh, I just noticed your username (I haven't had my coffee yet, LOL, or at least that's my excuse). Do you live in Wales? I am part Welsh somewhere on my mom's side of the family, and I've been to Scotland and England (I play bagpipes, the Scottish ones). So Cerridwen's name is still used? That's pretty cool!

[Keryddwen]

It's interesting the replies that I've gotten from you all, thank you. I have to go on record as saying that all of my previous furbabies (my dogs), and even my husband's dogs have either been strays or "handed down" from a friend who would've otherwise taken them to the pound. And all of my dogs have been super-sweet, and with the exception of my girl, Monstyr, have had the "breed traits" and ailments of most of their pure-bred relatives. (Monstyr was a mutt, but mostly German Shepherd.... and her hips....) Even my Kitten (aka "Treble") was a stray who would've been taken to the pound- I found her in my music room at school.

Anyway, you are all right on the money. Rottweilers, Dobermans, pit bulls, German Shepherds, have all gotten a bad rap over the years thanks to the media, which is really too bad. Because as you say, it's the individual dog, and even more so, the owners and how they're treated.

Marcia- thanks for the head's up on the B&W's, and I'm so glad you got your Maddie. My DH & I were talking, and he was saying he'd love to have a Maine Coon. I've only known one Maine Coon in my life, but she was a great cat.

Thanks everyone.... sorry about rambling. See previous post about no coffee yet.