Lifespan Of A Cat And Your Responsibility

One thing many people don’t consider when getting a cat is the lifespan of the pet and the fact that they need to be responsible for the health and well-being of the cat for between 15 and 20 years.

There are additional factors that need to be taken into consideration and one of the most important factors is the expense of owning a cat.

Obviously you’re going to need to spend money on food and good nutrition but there can be additional expenses such as vaccinations and other veterinarian costs that need to be considered. And if you pick a kitten from one of the exotic cat breeds, you’ll have the added expense of grooming.

As with people, the personalities of cats are many and varied.

Ideally you will find the cat breed and that special cat whose personality is matched to your own.

There are many excellent books available at libraries and bookstores that will give you a good description of the type of personality to be expected from the various different breeds of cats.

Some cat breeds require a lot more attention than others and particularly those cats that tend to live inside more often than other breeds that are happy to run around outside and keep themselves occupied.

Cats with longer fur will tend to shed had a lot more fur about the house which will require more cleaning and they will also require more grooming which means you will have to spend more time looking after them.

Cats are a lot more independent than dogs and are more difficult to train, and this is something that you need to realize and accept.

If you like to travel a lot or you are away from the house a lot of the time, you will need to arrange some other person or service that can mind your cat and ensure that it gets fed regularly.

It is always worth considering where you’re living and if the environment is suitable for owning a cat.

And one thing that surprisingly many people don’t consider before getting a cat is whether any person in the family is allergic to cats as there are quite a large number of people who are allergic to cats.

Cat Breeds: The Bombay Cat

Bombay cats became one of the captivating cat breeds in Louisville, Kentucky in the mid-20th century. Nikki Horner of Shawnee Cattery began the breed by crossing a black American Shorthair with a sable Burmese. Her selective breeding created a distinct and consistent breed that sports the deep black color of the American Shorthair, but with the long body type of the Burmese. Cat Fanciers Assn. made the Bombay one of the championship cat breeds in 1976.

Horner’s aim was to create a ‘baby panther’ cat breed to resemble a small version of the black leopard or black panther, a species found in India. The modern city of Mumbai was termed “Bombay,” until recently, and so the cat breed got its name.

The professional breeding associations still allow the gene pool to be enhanced by mixing pedigree black American Shorthairs with sable Burmese cats, but most Bombays these days are bred from within the breed.

Though sable kittens still crop up in certain litters, they aren’t considered to be acceptable as show cats. And because of the cross-breeding, some of the black kittens in the litter will not mature into show cats, for one reason or another. No matter. They are all great pets.

Cat breeds in the United Kingdom include the Bombay, but it is not the same as the American Bombay cat.

Bombay cats may appear to be smaller than average, but they are very agile and very strong. Because they are so muscular, they often weigh more than expected.

Unlike some black cats, the Bombay’s coat is black to the roots and lies tight to the body. The glossy sheen is often referred to as a patent leather glow. Because the Bombay is a short-haired cat, there isn’t much grooming required.

Bombays usually exhibit big golden or copper-colored eyes. The copper eyes are highly prized and are very striking when contrasted with the cat breed’s jet black coat. Eyes are round and set wide in a wide face. The muzzle is short and tapered. The Bombay’s ears are medium-sized and slightly rounded, and the nose and paw pads are as black as the cat’s coat.

People love Bombay cats for their intelligence and affectionate nature, and they can be trained to fetch or walk on a leash. They’re also full of antics. Their agility and alertness makes them very delightful.

Bombay cats love to be held and carried around, and have an affectionate disposition with comes from the blend of both cat breeds. The American Shorthair and the Burmese are loving and enjoy being with people. Even strangers don’t upset them. They don’t run away to hide when someone unfamiliar arrives, as many other cat breeds do. Bombays also like kids and even dogs.

When it comes to attractive cat breeds, the Bombay is just stunning. This jet black pedigree pet is a favorite of many.