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Cats/Kitten/Mother cat relationships.

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Expert: - 12/22/2010


Question
Hi Norman,

Our beautiful indoor cat gave birth to 4 kittens 6 weeks ago.3 boys and 1 girl. We are thinking of keeping one of them to keep the mother company. What would be a better relationship, a mother with a son, or a daughter? Or is it better to go with personality types?

All 3 boys are very brave, curious and adventurous, where as the little girl is shy, timid, and more reluctant to do things. She is also the last to wean from her mother and still sticks to her mother closely. The boys are very social with humans.

Which one should I keep?

Thanks.

Answer
Kaye,

This situation is so dynamic, I would not worry about hard and fast rules or "rules of thumb". I may be mistaken, but it sounds as if the little girl has already picked you out. If the boys are not there, the little girl may come out of her shell.  Anyway, getting along with the mother is going to be the keystone of the relationship.

Whichever kitten you decide to keep will, in the end, probably work out well. On the other hand, the outgoing boys may turn out to be much easier to place!!!!!

Please let me know what you decide.

Seasonal regards... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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