Choosing the right cat for you

Choose a cat to suit your lifestyle.

• Where will your cat live?  If your cat will be kept entirely or mostly indoors, select a breed or an individual that’s calm and not very active.
• How much time do you want to spend grooming your cat? Cat have short or curly coats, or are long-haired. Long or densely haired cats shed more hair into your home and need more grooming than short-haired breeds. We sedate many long haired cats in spring and summer to clip and groom them thoroughly.
• What temperament would you like? Many cats are placid and gentle while others are playful or independent. Pure bred cats have more consistent temperaments but a moggie can be a loyal, healthy and long-lived pet. Kittens that have been handled a lot and exposed to all sorts of people and experiences are usually more tolerant and well-adjusted than those that have just been left with the queen.
• What size cat would you like? Breeds and individuals range from small to large in size. Check the parents and the breed.
• What sort of household do you have? If everyone in the house is out during the day at school or work, two cats will keep each other company.

A good place to start finding the right breed for you is Selectapet.
 
Go to Pets in the City for some excellent information on keeping a cat in the city.

Tara's makeover

Tara had a problem with her long hair - she just couldn't keep it tidy, and she certainly wouldn't let her family fiddle with her pride and joy. Today she called it quits and allowed the nurses at Hall Vet Surgery to clip all those matts and knots right off. Her vet decided a general anaesthetic was the kindest way for the nurses to do a thorough and neat job without upsetting Tara so she spent the day in hospital for her makeover. In a few weeks she will have a respectable coat again and meanwhile she can enjoy summer a little more.
Tara's thickly matted coat this morning

The new cool Tara this afternoon