Moggy vs. pure breed...

[GilbertGrape]

Do moggys generally have fewer health issues and live longer than pure breeds?

I know pure breeds can be prone to health issues due to bad breeding etc...

[Pupp]

Think hybrid vigour is a recognised concept. Apart from the health issues, I would prefer to home a moggy from somewhere like Woodgreen over any farmed fashion-puss

[softtop]

Given insurance companies operate with least risk then a mongrel is cheaper to insure, maybe replacement costs, maybe ongoing vets bills?

[maix27]

I've had both and it's not the health that's the issue.

Pure breads are generally mental and need a lot more attention.

[john_p]

maix27 said:

Pure breads are generally mental and need a lot more attention.

If you decide on a purebreed then make sure you find out how they have been raised from birth

Edited by john_p on Tuesday 22 December 09:25

[sebo]

maix27 said:

Pure breads are generally mental and need a lot more attention.

I would agree with this but then we do have two Abyssinian cats who are mad as a box of frogs

[maix27]

john_p said:

maix27 said:

Pure breads are generally mental and need a lot more attention.

If you decide on a purebreed then make sure you find out how they have been raised from birth

Edited by john_p on Tuesday 22 December 09:25

Yeah, I think that's important. I saw it coming with mine, the breeder we bought them from was very scatty. So were the cats, had a burmese and a tonkinese myself, if the tonkinese was human it would have been in an asylum

[john_p]

We had a Maine Coon that was in a cage quite early on and she was never quite right. Any cat that falls in the toilet more than once clearly has issues.

I would have thought "cat lady" raised cats were better in this regard though?

[hornetrider]

john_p said:

maix27 said:

Pure breads are generally mental and need a lot more attention.

If you decide on a purebreed then make sure you find out how they have been raised from birth

Edited by john_p on Tuesday 22 December 09:25

Agree with this, in my experience.

We have 3 cats, a brother and sister BSH "Bacardi Breezer ad" type cats, and a moggy who adopted us. The moggy is affectionate as hell, a real lap cat. His and her highness love a stroke and a cuddle but very much on their terms, when they want, and they don't like being picked up either.

[YAD061]

john_p said:

We had a Maine Coon that was in a cage quite early on and she was never quite right. Any cat that falls in the toilet more than once clearly has issues.

I would have thought "cat lady" raised cats were better in this regard though?

We've had Moggies, Abyssinians, Bengals and a half Rag Doll. I'd never have a Moggy again as they lack a certain something. If you call or make a noise the Abbeys and Bengals are right on it, you can communicate with them. They can have forceful characters, the Rag Doll chases my 4 year old grandson and tries to play/attack him if he pushes his luck and the Bengals are noisy. I've never had Moggies fetch play or play fight with such enthusiasm as a pure breed or been such utter clowns, they are into everything and have incredible curiosity

[deviant]

YAD061 said:

john_p said:

We had a Maine Coon that was in a cage quite early on and she was never quite right. Any cat that falls in the toilet more than once clearly has issues.

I would have thought "cat lady" raised cats were better in this regard though?

We've had Moggies, Abyssinians, Bengals and a half Rag Doll. I'd never have a Moggy again as they lack a certain something. If you call or make a noise the Abbeys and Bengals are right on it, you can communicate with them. They can have forceful characters, the Rag Doll chases my 4 year old grandson and tries to play/attack him if he pushes his luck and the Bengals are noisy. I've never had Moggies fetch play or play fight with such enthusiasm as a pure breed or been such utter clowns, they are into everything and have incredible curiosity

Same with my Devon Rex, absolutely mad as a box of frogs. The 2 moggies are affectionate to a point but dont communicate or want to play non stop.

[tr7v8]

Never had pedigree cats always moggies. But I think their character is an individual thing. I've had lap cats in the past & others who appeared for food & that was it. Cayenne won't be picked up & sits by the side of you, never on your lap. But I work from home, he's more like a dog, if I'm in the office he'll be on the laptop or close by. If I go down to make a cuppa he comes down & eats, drinks then when I come back up he comes up as well.

[snotrag]

maix27 said:

I've had both and it's not the health that's the issue.

Pure breads are generally mental and need a lot more attention.

Yup, can confirm that.

Dads had loads of cats over the years, lots of moggies, rescue cats etc.


Currently has two moggies - mother and son. They are completely soft, great lapcats, like to play a bit, no trouble at all.

They also own a 'pure-breed' type cat - I'm not sure the name of the breed but its very athletic, quite small, slender, with short velvet grey-blue fur.

And its an absolute nightmare. Its MUCH cleverer than the other two its very obvious. It hunts, including hunting people. Climbs on everything. Up everything. Knows where food is ketp. Destroys things to get whats inside. It will climb up your leg if you stand in a postion where it can use you as a ladder.

It constantly hunts and fights the other two cats, next doors dog, anything. Brings in many live mice, birds, rats etc.


Its much more entertaining but much harder work than a simple furry lap cat than eats and sleeps.

[ewenm]

Moggy from the local rescue centre for us. Over the years we've had her, she's become slightly less mental but still takes swipes at us every so often, usually while curled up on our laps - one second nice normal moggy, next mental ball of teeth and claws!

[danger mouse]

With my 4 month old oriental/pinemartin cross breed eating my arm as I type this and my 14 year moggie farm ratter snoozing out in the kitchen I fairly certain all of the above is sometimes true and sometimes not.

Bramble, the farm Moggie, can be aloof as described by honetrider of his BSH's, but that might just be because of being too hot with such thick fur. However, since the arrival of little one, she seems to have shrugged off 12 years and plays and mucks about with baby Vespa, and has also become more involved and playful generally.
She has also always been incredibly comunicative, vocal and intelligent, happy, always healthy with nearly all her teeth and the survivor or a nasty running over many years ago.

Vespa is a pain in the bum, but she's a baby and that's what they do. She had a bad start (a breeder reject due to pure breed oriental mum going out on the town and getting knocked-up - by a pinemartin judging by Vespa's colouring) having been left out in a cold garage with her siblings to starve. Now she had caught back up in weight she is also happy, healthy - now the ring worm has been sorted -, affectionate, usually up the curtains, in a bag, destroying the christmas tree or generally and being a general psychopath.

I guess what I'm saying is, pure breed or moggie make very little difference. It's more about choosing a cat that fits your situation and gets on with any animals you already have. They are all indiviual and all rewarding in their own ways if you get to know them. My only rule is you should never have more cats than people for them to run in a house hold.

Remember you are just the staff, they own the joint.

DM

[KaraK]

My housemate's cat is a pure-breed siamese (in fact her father is also her grandfather) and she is as mad as a box of frogs wearing christmas hats. The fact that she is still a kitten might be part of it but I'm not convinced.

[YAD061]

KaraK said:

My housemate's cat is a pure-breed siamese (in fact her father is also her grandfather) and she is as mad as a box of frogs wearing christmas hats. The fact that she is still a kitten might be part of it but I'm not convinced.

Don't be, our Bengals are 8 now and still play/fight like kittens and the growls they produce makes your hair stand on end.

[sebo]

I love our Abbys. They play fetch with foil balls, love being held like a baby in your arms, love chasing the laser pen laser, love climbing things (trees, furniture etc).

But they are very sneaky though. One of ours will meeow to go out and if ignored, will jump up at the back door handle to open it, so now we have to make sure the back door is always locked. That said, they can't be that clever as we have a cat flap but they won't use it unless we open it for them..

[paulmurr]

If you want a moggie with 'character', get a tortie and white. Always female, always fking mental.

I know of what I speak... here's my Ava

[ali_kat]

KaraK said:

My housemate's cat is a pure-breed siamese (in fact her father is also her grandfather) and she is as mad as a box of frogs wearing christmas hats. The fact that she is still a kitten might be part of it but I'm not convinced.

I think the bit I've highlighted might be the reason, cats should not be inbred like that, no matter what the breed!

Siamese are mad as a box of frogs anyway, and there are plenty of them in the UK to not need to inbreed!