Would you pick out a cat based on looks? (kittens, siamese, breeders)

[no kudzu]

Of course we all want pretty or cute cats but would you go looking for a solid white cat to go with your solid black one? or look for a tuxedo cat to match the one you already had at home?

I'm afraid alot of new cat people don't realize different breed of cats, just like breeds of dogs, come with certain personality characteristics and go for color or design of coat only.

I recently saw that at a Petsmart Saturday adoption day. Several families came in looking for a particular color cat without too much regard to temperament. It's like they were shopping for accessories or a pair of lamps or shoes.

We always stop to admire the adoption day cats but rarely go with preconceived idea to actually bring one home. A few years ago DH came home with this mangy orange cat simply because the cat picked Dh out. Attendant told him cat would not give anybody else the time of day but when he saw Bob he decided this was his human and he would do whatever it took to convince Bob to take him home.

He wasn't a particularly handsome cat but then hubby wasn't either so they did kind of match..Hubby is not orange but he is a bit mangy. Anyway he turned out to be a super duper family cat and we loved him very much. Sadly he was killed by coyote.

More than color I think I would make a choice based on size of cat, age, fur condition, past living conditions, compatibility with kids and dogs and of course would it adapt to indoor only.
Markings and color would not be a deal maker or breaker.

How about for you.?

[gizmo980]

Of course people are attracted to the cat's appearance, just as some people are with dogs... how do you think they end up with a Husky (for example) because it's SOOOOO cute, and then 6 months later it's in the pound because "I just can't handle his energy."

As a more savvy dog/cat person, I also consider temperament & breed, but looks come into play as well. The last cat I got (Bindi the tuxedo) was a street rescue, who I literally rescued from the streets myself. In her case, I thought she was adorable, but that wasn't the reason I rescued her. She just needed a home!! She was desperately seeking her own family, and "adopted" this homeless man who started feeding her outside my workplace... he eventually asked if I could rescue her, since he was planning to leave town soon. I had originally planned to get her spayed & vaccinated, and then take her to a rescue organization, but she warmed my heart within the first 24 hours - and over two years later, she's still a beloved member of my family.

My other pets were chosen partly for looks, and partly for temperament, so I guess you could say I consider BOTH. Then you have people like my mother, who is loyal to her favorite breed (Abyssinian), and gets them through breeders based on photos... they're usually shipped long-distance, so she really doesn't know their personality until they arrive. Usually it's worked out fine, but once or twice she ended up not liking the cat - one was adopted by a friend, and another time she traded it for different cat the breeder still had. She's also obsessed with getting an orange "Morris" cat, and would probably pick that one based mostly on looks. Then again, if it seemed to have a bad temperament, I'm sure she'd pass and keep looking. So really, I think most people consider both looks & personality - just like finding a spouse, LOL.

[catman]

I think almost all cats are more than passably attractive, but I'm thinking I'd like another Siamese cat, partly because of their looks but also because I like their general attitude.

[Tigerlily64]

I have a Tonkinese and a Burmese cat currently and before all the cat rescue people jump down my throat, over the years I have had many rescued cats. In fact the main reason I have now got pedigrees is that with all the rescues I have had it was a very hit and miss affair about their temperament and whether they were really a huge part of the family or simply came and went for food primarily. My favourite cat of all was just a rescue but he was a fantastic cat and I still miss him years after he passed away of old age. I did lots of research on cat breeds and wanted to find a breed that would suit our lifestyle, be happy with being an indoor cat and be loving and interact as a true family member and hence our choices of the Burmese and Tonkinese. Just like dog breeds have certain characteristics which have been bred for for generations and thus become an integral characteristic of a certain breed, cat breeds are the same. I do think there are lots of people who are irresponsible and let cats breed with no chance of the kittens finding good permanent homes and many strays and cats being dumped at rescue centres but maybe there is an argument in part that if people were prepared to pay good money for a cat and had chosen the breed that suited their lifestyle carefully etc there would be less cats thrown out because their owners didn't want them any more? Pedigree kittens are very often sold (at least here in the UK) with clauses written in that the new owners will have them neutered/spayed etc and that if they didn't and let the cats breed then the kittens would not be eligible for registration (and therefore not fetch high selling prices in the cases where $$$ was the incentive for letting the cats breed). Not a perfect or faultless scenario but by paying a substantial amount of money for a kitten it wouldn't be an impulse buy or a throwaway item? However the reality is that way too many people do get kittens/cats based on certain criteria which might include purely the aesthetics and consider less the needs and individual requirements of the cat themselves. As someone else observed the same can be said of dogs and even picking your spouse! This is not an ideal world unfortunately.

[dnvrsoul]

I think all cats are beautfiul-even the hairless ones...I have a black one that is beautiful (pic on another thread)..but I picked him because....he was a kitten and on the street-
For me I would pick a cat who needs a home and has a good personality

[foxywench]

generaly they pick me...lol.

i have a general look im attracted to in cats...im not a fan of brown/grey tabbies ect..
but its not the do all end all...
if im looking for a specific kind of cat its because their personality is generally a good match for my family looks are secondary...(ie one day i want a wedgie siam, i used to have one and love them, and i find them stunning cats ontop)

but i definatly agree, that personality should always come first, especially when it comes to rescuing because your less likely to get a standard set of "breed specific" behaviours

[=^..^=]

Originally Posted by no kudzu

Anyway he turned out to be a super duper family cat and we loved him very much. Sadly he was killed by coyote.

How did this happen? He sneaked out of the house or you allowed him to be an indoor-outdoor cat? Do you still allow your cats outside?

More than color I think I would make a choice based on size of cat, age, fur condition, past living conditions, compatibility with kids and dogs and of course would it adapt to indoor only.
Markings and color would not be a deal maker or breaker.

How about for you.?

You can't tell much about those things when you adopt a kitten. There's no way to know how they'll turn out. Even with adopting an adult cat you can't tell until you bring it home. For myself, they have to have that certain something that can't be described. Color isn't important, personality is.

[Racelady88]

After seeing first hand "black cat syndrome" I am pretty sure that any cat I get to pick out (as opposed to ones that find me) is going to be black. Last time I was at the shelter 28 of the 32 cats were black. I am pretty sure that out of all of those I could find one that seemed nice at the shelter, then came home with me to terrorize my dog.....

[=^..^=]

Originally Posted by Tigerlily64

....... (and therefore not fetch high selling prices in the cases where $$$ was the incentive for letting the cats breed)......

I've often said that if people had to pay $500 and up to get a kitten there would be few tossaways, the shelters would be near empty of cats, and none would be wandering outside to die to predators and cars and maniacs.

[=^..^=]

Originally Posted by catman

I think almost all cats are more than passably attractive, but I'm thinking I'd like another Siamese cat, partly because of their looks but also because I like their general attitude.

Did you know cats that look exactly like Siamese pop up in litters of everyday cats? This really surprised me. They even have blue eyes. I've seen them on Craigslist more than once. This must be a rather common mutation - pointed cats with blue eyes. Here in middle TN what people call "flame point" Siamese with blue eyes can be had easily by watching places like Craigslist. I got mine from Petco. He's even a talker like a Siamese. His sweet kitten face and pitiful little cries won me over. These pointed cats also pop up in seal and chocolate point.

At 4 mos when I got him last June:



Now. He's quite large and lanky: