Hi -
I'm looking to get a kitten for my wife for Xmas and I have a few questions I hope someone can help me with.
The first question is, will the new kitten and the 6 year old cat we have now be ok together? We have a male, clawed, 6 year old "mut" cat. He has been around other cats at previous houses, but not the one we are in (2-3 years). I'm concerned that he may territorial, and fight with a new kitten.....especially if it's a male kitten. Is this something to worry about? Should I be looking at getting a female kitten to prevent friction?
The second question is how to find the kitten I'm looking for. I'm looking for a white, short haired kitten with blue eyes. I know pretty much nothing about cats, and so I don't know where to look....or if there is a certain breed I should be looking for. I know one thing though, the "persian" cat with the smooshed face is out of the running. Can you lead me in the right direction to find the kitten I'm looking for?
Thank you very much for your help
Nick
Looking to get a kitten: 2 questions
Re: Looking to get a kitten: 2 questions
Nick,
It's not true for all, but a white cat with blue eyes may be deaf. Traci will be along to explain the medical part of the connection but it's my understanding that all white cats are usually deaf.
My personal opinion is to rescue and adopt a kitten already born. Breeders have their purpose I suppose but I just see that purpose as being $$ signs. There are so many strays in the world in need of fixing and good homes.
You can start at local vets and shelters. Yeah some pet stores have them but there again to me is just a money thing. Sure vets and rescue groups as for a donation but that donation goes towards paying the bills, medical, food and other necessities of that kitten.
I doubt you'll find a kitten around Christmas time as mating season isn't until the spring. Technically a kitten shouldn't be taken from it's mother until it's weaned from her milk and at least 12 weeks old.
Where are you located? I might be able to point you in a better direction for inquiries.
It's not true for all, but a white cat with blue eyes may be deaf. Traci will be along to explain the medical part of the connection but it's my understanding that all white cats are usually deaf.
My personal opinion is to rescue and adopt a kitten already born. Breeders have their purpose I suppose but I just see that purpose as being $$ signs. There are so many strays in the world in need of fixing and good homes.
You can start at local vets and shelters. Yeah some pet stores have them but there again to me is just a money thing. Sure vets and rescue groups as for a donation but that donation goes towards paying the bills, medical, food and other necessities of that kitten.
I doubt you'll find a kitten around Christmas time as mating season isn't until the spring. Technically a kitten shouldn't be taken from it's mother until it's weaned from her milk and at least 12 weeks old.
Where are you located? I might be able to point you in a better direction for inquiries.
Re: Looking to get a kitten: 2 questions
Thanks for the help! I'm in a suburb near Cleveland, Ohio.
Re: Looking to get a kitten: 2 questions
Here is a list of low cost spay/neuter programs as well as rescue groups in Ohio. At least one and hopefully more of these places should have kittens or leads on kittens to adopt. I know when I rescue here in NY, I make a HUGE pest of myself to all the groups locally to find good homes.
Again, don't quote me on the white cat/blue eyes/deafness thing. I'm actually looking it up now.
OHIO
A Snip In Time
Cleveland OH
216-651-7142
Pets and ferals.
City of Cleveland Kennel
2690 West 7th Street
Cleveland, OH 44113
216-664-2759 clinic
216-664-3069 main
Low cost spay/neuter clinic for pets of Cleveland residents.
Pet Guards Shelter
Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223
330-920-1522
Planned Pethood Inc.
5265 Berkey Southern Road
Whitehouse, OH 43571
419-877-3499
United Humanitarians
Toledo, OH
419-475-1977
MARX (Minimizing Animal Reproduction without Extremes)
Middletown OH
513-465-3295
Mobile s/n clinic for feral and pet cats in Middletown.
CAT-SNIP Program
Scratching Post
6958 Plainfield Road
Silverton, OH 45236
513-984-6369
Spay/Neuter Clinic
Columbus OH
614-367-9933
Humane Society & Spay Neuter
4920 State Route 37 E
Delaware, OH 43015
614-369-7387
Cat Welfare Association
736 Wetmore Road
Columbus, OH 43214
614-268-6096
Low cost spay/neuter for pets of low income people.
Spay Ohio
Northwest Columbus OH
614-457-5772
Advocates for Animals Inc Marietta OH
740-373-0017
SICSA
Dayton, OH
937-294-6505
Low cost spay/neuter for pets of low income people.
Humane Society of Preble County
722 South Franklin Street Eaton OH 45320
937-787-4408 Thora Smith for appointments and info
Brings a mobile unit (NOMAD) to the area every month for low cost s/n of cats.
Again, don't quote me on the white cat/blue eyes/deafness thing. I'm actually looking it up now.
OHIO
A Snip In Time
Cleveland OH
216-651-7142
Pets and ferals.
City of Cleveland Kennel
2690 West 7th Street
Cleveland, OH 44113
216-664-2759 clinic
216-664-3069 main
Low cost spay/neuter clinic for pets of Cleveland residents.
Pet Guards Shelter
Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44223
330-920-1522
Planned Pethood Inc.
5265 Berkey Southern Road
Whitehouse, OH 43571
419-877-3499
United Humanitarians
Toledo, OH
419-475-1977
MARX (Minimizing Animal Reproduction without Extremes)
Middletown OH
513-465-3295
Mobile s/n clinic for feral and pet cats in Middletown.
CAT-SNIP Program
Scratching Post
6958 Plainfield Road
Silverton, OH 45236
513-984-6369
Spay/Neuter Clinic
Columbus OH
614-367-9933
Humane Society & Spay Neuter
4920 State Route 37 E
Delaware, OH 43015
614-369-7387
Cat Welfare Association
736 Wetmore Road
Columbus, OH 43214
614-268-6096
Low cost spay/neuter for pets of low income people.
Spay Ohio
Northwest Columbus OH
614-457-5772
Advocates for Animals Inc Marietta OH
740-373-0017
SICSA
Dayton, OH
937-294-6505
Low cost spay/neuter for pets of low income people.
Humane Society of Preble County
722 South Franklin Street Eaton OH 45320
937-787-4408 Thora Smith for appointments and info
Brings a mobile unit (NOMAD) to the area every month for low cost s/n of cats.
Re: Looking to get a kitten: 2 questions
I stand corrected.
http://www.messybeast.com/whitecat.htm
WHITE CATS AND DEAFNESS
A few years back I was asked three related questions on a newsgroup. This article is adapted from my answer.
- Are white cats, particularly blue eyed white cats, always deaf or is this an old wives' tale?
- Is deafness linked only to odd-eyed white cats?
- Some blue-eyed whites aren't deaf - why?
There is an established link between the white coat color, blue eyes and deafness. The tapetum lucidum is generated from the same stem cells as melanocytes (pigment cells). The blue eyes in a piebald or epistatic white cat indicates a lack of tapetum. Deafness is caused by an absence of a cell layer in the inner ear that originates from the same stem cells as well. In odd-eyed white cats, the ear on the blue-eyed side may be deaf, but the one on the orange-eyed side usually has normal hearing. Not all blue-eyed whites will be deaf since there are several different genes causing the same physical attributes (whiteness, blue-eyedness) so it all depends on the cat's genotype (its genetic make-up) not its phenotype (its physical appearance). Some people claim that 99% of blue-eyed white cats are deaf. This is inaccurate because blue-eyedness and whiteness can both be caused by different genes. It all depends on what genes the cat has inherited. These are the actual figures from scientific studies around the world. The percentages are given in ranges because results are different in different areas, partly because of the different genes found in the cat population. Where a cat is classed as deaf, the deafness may affect one or both ears.
95% of the general cat population is non-white cats (i.e. not pure white) and congenital deafness is extremely rare in non-white cats.
5% of the general cat population is white cats (i.e. pure white). 15-40% of these pure white cats have one or two blue-eyes.
Of those white cats with one or two blue eyes, 60-80% are deaf; 20-40% have normal hearing; 30-40% had one blue eye and were deaf while 60-70% had one blue eye and normal hearing.
Of the 5% of white cats in the overall population, 60-80% had eyes of other colors (e.g. orange, green). Of those 10- 20% were deaf and 80-90% had normal hearing.
Deaf white cats with one or two blue eyes account for 0.25 - 1.5 of total cat population
Total number of cats with white coat and blue eyes account for 0.75 - 2.0% of total cat population
It is evident from those studies that blue eyed whites exhibit a higher incidence of deafness than do orange/green eyed whites or non-white cats! But not all blue eyed whites are deaf and here's why:-
There is a known link between white coat color, blue eyes and deafness - but since the coat and eye color can be caused by different genes it means that only some blue eyed whites are deaf. There is a gene/gene complex which causes white coat, blue eyes and deafness, but not all cats get their white coat and blue eyes from that particular gene, so not all white cats will be deaf.
If the cat is a Foreign/Oriental White, it carries the gene for 'Siamese Blue Eyes' which is not linked to deafness (the gene for Siamese Blue Eyes is linked to cross-eyes instead). Siamese blue eyes have a reflective tapetum, but this is depigmented because the Siamese colour is caused by albinism. This depigmentation gives the red-eye with flash cameras. Random matings can mean that this gene sometimes appears in non Oriental-looking cats which have colorpoint cats in their ancestry.
http://www.messybeast.com/whitecat.htm
WHITE CATS AND DEAFNESS
A few years back I was asked three related questions on a newsgroup. This article is adapted from my answer.
- Are white cats, particularly blue eyed white cats, always deaf or is this an old wives' tale?
- Is deafness linked only to odd-eyed white cats?
- Some blue-eyed whites aren't deaf - why?
There is an established link between the white coat color, blue eyes and deafness. The tapetum lucidum is generated from the same stem cells as melanocytes (pigment cells). The blue eyes in a piebald or epistatic white cat indicates a lack of tapetum. Deafness is caused by an absence of a cell layer in the inner ear that originates from the same stem cells as well. In odd-eyed white cats, the ear on the blue-eyed side may be deaf, but the one on the orange-eyed side usually has normal hearing. Not all blue-eyed whites will be deaf since there are several different genes causing the same physical attributes (whiteness, blue-eyedness) so it all depends on the cat's genotype (its genetic make-up) not its phenotype (its physical appearance). Some people claim that 99% of blue-eyed white cats are deaf. This is inaccurate because blue-eyedness and whiteness can both be caused by different genes. It all depends on what genes the cat has inherited. These are the actual figures from scientific studies around the world. The percentages are given in ranges because results are different in different areas, partly because of the different genes found in the cat population. Where a cat is classed as deaf, the deafness may affect one or both ears.
95% of the general cat population is non-white cats (i.e. not pure white) and congenital deafness is extremely rare in non-white cats.
5% of the general cat population is white cats (i.e. pure white). 15-40% of these pure white cats have one or two blue-eyes.
Of those white cats with one or two blue eyes, 60-80% are deaf; 20-40% have normal hearing; 30-40% had one blue eye and were deaf while 60-70% had one blue eye and normal hearing.
Of the 5% of white cats in the overall population, 60-80% had eyes of other colors (e.g. orange, green). Of those 10- 20% were deaf and 80-90% had normal hearing.
Deaf white cats with one or two blue eyes account for 0.25 - 1.5 of total cat population
Total number of cats with white coat and blue eyes account for 0.75 - 2.0% of total cat population
It is evident from those studies that blue eyed whites exhibit a higher incidence of deafness than do orange/green eyed whites or non-white cats! But not all blue eyed whites are deaf and here's why:-
There is a known link between white coat color, blue eyes and deafness - but since the coat and eye color can be caused by different genes it means that only some blue eyed whites are deaf. There is a gene/gene complex which causes white coat, blue eyes and deafness, but not all cats get their white coat and blue eyes from that particular gene, so not all white cats will be deaf.
If the cat is a Foreign/Oriental White, it carries the gene for 'Siamese Blue Eyes' which is not linked to deafness (the gene for Siamese Blue Eyes is linked to cross-eyes instead). Siamese blue eyes have a reflective tapetum, but this is depigmented because the Siamese colour is caused by albinism. This depigmentation gives the red-eye with flash cameras. Random matings can mean that this gene sometimes appears in non Oriental-looking cats which have colorpoint cats in their ancestry.
Re: Looking to get a kitten: 2 questions
You could start your search here...it probably will cover a lot of places that Cleo mentioned.
http://www.petfinder.org/
If you have young children, Christmas is not really a good time to bring a new pet into the house. Too much confusion and excitement to give it the attention it needs.
http://www.petfinder.org/
If you have young children, Christmas is not really a good time to bring a new pet into the house. Too much confusion and excitement to give it the attention it needs.
Re: Looking to get a kitten: 2 questions
We asume your current cat is strictly Indoors ONLY, correct? And that you fully intend to keep both he and your new kitten strictly indoors?
The best option is adopting through your local animal shelter, you will find hundreds of kittens needing homes. You might also consider an adult cat as well, or even a senior (senior cats are excellent pets!).
Upon adoption, get your new kitten immediately to your own primary vet for a thorough health exam, deworming, and testing for FELV/FIV, regardless of what any shelter vet has previously treated. Depending on the age of the kitten, he/she should recieve his/first vaccination series before introducing to your resident cat (we also assume your current cat is current on his vaccinations?) And he is neutered?
While some white cats may be deaf, they are still adoptable. However, you need to be informed of the disability and be fully willing to adjust and keep a safe and secure environment for him/her and learn to "communicate" in ways that will benefit the pet. Pur white cats are also suscpetible to melanomas (skin cancer), so you must take care in preventing exposure to prolonged sunlight or ultraviolet rays.
Agree with Marty, do not adopt a pet during holidays if you have children. This is usually only a novelty and the novelty soon wears off for children and they aren't responsible enough to own/care for a pet.
If you know nothing about cats as you proclaim, perhaps you shouldn't have another one until you've learned more about them and are educated about their needs, behaviors, veterinary care needs, etc. Or is it that your wife has the knowledge and committment to the pet's needs?
The best option is adopting through your local animal shelter, you will find hundreds of kittens needing homes. You might also consider an adult cat as well, or even a senior (senior cats are excellent pets!).
Upon adoption, get your new kitten immediately to your own primary vet for a thorough health exam, deworming, and testing for FELV/FIV, regardless of what any shelter vet has previously treated. Depending on the age of the kitten, he/she should recieve his/first vaccination series before introducing to your resident cat (we also assume your current cat is current on his vaccinations?) And he is neutered?
While some white cats may be deaf, they are still adoptable. However, you need to be informed of the disability and be fully willing to adjust and keep a safe and secure environment for him/her and learn to "communicate" in ways that will benefit the pet. Pur white cats are also suscpetible to melanomas (skin cancer), so you must take care in preventing exposure to prolonged sunlight or ultraviolet rays.
Agree with Marty, do not adopt a pet during holidays if you have children. This is usually only a novelty and the novelty soon wears off for children and they aren't responsible enough to own/care for a pet.
If you know nothing about cats as you proclaim, perhaps you shouldn't have another one until you've learned more about them and are educated about their needs, behaviors, veterinary care needs, etc. Or is it that your wife has the knowledge and committment to the pet's needs?
..........Traci
Re: Looking to get a kitten: 2 questions
Thanks for the help all. I will begin my search for a kitten soon.
I guess I was most concerned about our existing cat, and how he would take to a new cat (male or female), and if one was better than the other. I would hate for there to be territorial battles, etc. I'm sure it will all be ok, I was just asking in case there are problems with new males coming in.
The wife knows all there is to know about cats, and our existing cat is nuetered and vaccined. I just obviously can't go to her for questions...lol.
I guess I was most concerned about our existing cat, and how he would take to a new cat (male or female), and if one was better than the other. I would hate for there to be territorial battles, etc. I'm sure it will all be ok, I was just asking in case there are problems with new males coming in.
The wife knows all there is to know about cats, and our existing cat is nuetered and vaccined. I just obviously can't go to her for questions...lol.
Re: Looking to get a kitten: 2 questions
If your resident cat is completely healthy (no medical health conditions, no stress, etc), they should be fine. However, if he stresses easily, or has a health condition, you might want to reconsider, since stress can exacerbate any medical condition.
Otherwise, do get the new kitten fully evaluated + vet procedures mentioned above before you introduce the new kitten to the other cat.
In the Feline Health forum, at the top, is a link to "Feline Introductions", which might help.
Please make sure the kitten is old enough prior to adoption. He/she needs to be old enough and developed enough and strong enough to defend him/herself against an adult cat. You must expect some time for each of them to adjust, ...for the kitten, he/she will be adjusting to a new environment, a new cat, new owners, etc......for your resident cat, he will be adjusting to a newcomer to his already established territory. Be patient, take things slow, be forgiving, and watch them together at all times during the introduction period....encourage both to be able to share the same space, safely, and introduce interesting and playful activity for both of them to help them feel less fearful of each other.
No difference really if you adopt a male or female kitten, but you'll need to pay particular attention to a male, especially if he is not yet neutered because he may mark to establish his territory.
Otherwise, do get the new kitten fully evaluated + vet procedures mentioned above before you introduce the new kitten to the other cat.
In the Feline Health forum, at the top, is a link to "Feline Introductions", which might help.
Please make sure the kitten is old enough prior to adoption. He/she needs to be old enough and developed enough and strong enough to defend him/herself against an adult cat. You must expect some time for each of them to adjust, ...for the kitten, he/she will be adjusting to a new environment, a new cat, new owners, etc......for your resident cat, he will be adjusting to a newcomer to his already established territory. Be patient, take things slow, be forgiving, and watch them together at all times during the introduction period....encourage both to be able to share the same space, safely, and introduce interesting and playful activity for both of them to help them feel less fearful of each other.
No difference really if you adopt a male or female kitten, but you'll need to pay particular attention to a male, especially if he is not yet neutered because he may mark to establish his territory.
..........Traci