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Weekly thread for casual chat and photos of pets
This is the place for casual discussion about our pets.
Photos are welcome, show us your pet(s) and tell us about them!
This is the place for casual discussion about our pets.
Photos are welcome, show us your pet(s) and tell us about them!
Our cat, Buckley, is nearly one year old!
Buckley was dumped out of a car around the corner from us when he was roughly four weeks old. He was in a terrible condition; starving, dehydrated and covered in fleas. He's a very happy and healthy boy now. Adopting him was a tough choice as we had a (then) twelve month old daughter and a lot on our plate... But it was just before Christmas and we fell in love with him. The rest is history.
My partner and I have both had cats before, but Buckley was our first kitten. It's been a steep learning curve, fortunately our daughter loves him to bits and plays with him lots (chasing balls, throwing cat toys, waving the wand around, etc) and we've quickly learned that toddler toys and kitten toys are practically interchangeable. There was a short, terrible period where we were worried we wouldn't be able to keep him due to scratching and biting, especially with our toddler being a toddler and my partner being immunocompromised. Fortunately that period has passed, he still occasionally nips when he gets too playful but is more receptive of us communicating when we don't like what he's doing. I know it's cliche to describe a pet as part of the family, but he really is. It's been heartwarming watching him and our daughter grow up together.
I started a blog recently and wrote a little bit about the experience of finding and adopting him, as well as our decision to keep him. Otherwise, here are a couple of photos of him then and now.
That's such a sweet origin story. He's grown into such a dapper-looking cat, and his whiskers are huuuge!
Thank you! I'll admit, when we were tossing up whether to adopt him, the story was a huge contributing factor: 'We can't turn him away... It's nearly Christmas! He's abandoned! Look, she loves him!'... I'm a sucker.
His whiskers ARE huge! We thought he would grow in to them but they just seemed to keep growing. We obviously don't know his history, but if anyone more knowledgeable than I can chime in I'd love to know what breed(s) he likely descends from. His tail especially has become incredibly bushy to the point where he'd make a possum envious.
He's still a kitten! Male cats generally don't reach their full adult size until about 3 years of age, so he might yet grow into those whiskers. He'll also tend to settle down and play less aggressively as he matures. I had similar biting concerns with my male cat, but he's turned into a lap rug at age four. Don't touch the belly, though - cats will show it as a sign of relaxation and trust, but some cats will give you a violent warning-off.
I'm not seeing the ear tip tufts that would suggest Maine Coon heritage (check for very long hairs between the toes, though), or the Siamese-type blue eyes and body color dilution of a Snowshoe; he's likely a gorgeous Domestic Longhair.
Mixed breed is generally good news from a health and longevity standpoint. If Buckley does have another Maine Coon trait (the huge bottle brush tail is one), ask your vet about genetic testing to detect proneness to breed-specific problems like cardiomyopathy or polycystic kidney disease that can be managed if caught early.
This is fantastic advice, thank you so much for sharing! A friend of mine has also suggested Maine Coon heritage, we'll keep an eye on his traits as he grows (he has tiny tufts in between toes for now) and will flag that with our Vet.
I'm glad to hear yours has continued to settle! Buckley has been getting progressively better over time so we're feeling pretty confident, having him morph in to a lap cat is the dream. He's very affectionate but on his terms; he will rub up against us but isn't very receptive to pets or scratches unless if he's in a particularly cuddly mood.
After reading out your comment to my partner I've learned that he lets her rub his belly but not me. Typical!
Cat temperament can change substantially over time. Patience is essential, though I can't even imagine the demands of toddler + cat! Our female cat came from a hoarder house, was barely tamed to humans as a kitten, and the rescue was afraid she wouldn't be adoptable. It took most of a month before she stopped hiding from any person in the same room. After six years, she's demanding attention and pets from the familiar humans multiple times a day (still not a lap cat, but will occasionally cuddle and sleeps on my feet). She even showed up to investigate the guest we had staying with us this past week.
Also, if you haven't already, get Buckley accustomed to regular brushing. My wayward children don't shed as much as long-haired cats, but they (and my housekeeping) still benefit from a few minutes of grooming with a slicker brush a couple of times a week to keep hairballs in check. Long-haired cats can also develop painful mats and skin irritation during shedding season if they're not groomed, which can lead to more behavior problems.