Cats are just as affectionate as Dogs!

[MauEvig]

lol well I agree with you puaa001; that said I'm probably a bit biased.

Perhaps like people; animals exhibit different kinds of intelligence. Cats and Dogs aren't smarter than one another; they are simply different. Then amongst individuals of that species, there's different personalities and different intelligences within those individuals.

[Kolchak]

I found a place that raised and sold baby cougars a few years ago. I called and got all the information on costs and licenses and permits and what not. All told we're talking about $4,000.00....to start...

Then I told my wife that we should buy one...


I slept on the couch for a week.

[Murfreesboro]

You did NOT seriously want a pet cougar?

[MauEvig]

We met a guy who used to work for the zoo who has one; along with several other exotic animals. His wife also owns a cougar.

I also got to play with a baby lynx when we visited said zoo; and got to hold a baby tiger on our lap when we got our picture taken.

I think it's OK as long as you know what you're doing. Most of the time exotic cats have been captive bred for generations. Sadly; many of the Tigers and other large cats in the wild are dying out. There might come a time when Tigers are extinct in the wild and will be found only in captive settings like zoos, circuses and individuals who have the proper license and training. It'll be a sad day when that happens; but I rather see zoos keeping them alive than have them completely disappear.

I think having one would be cool and all; but I lack the experience and training along with the time, energy and money that goes into owning one; so it probably wouldn't be a good idea. I love my domestic cats anyway, they're wild enough for me.

Even if I did go for an exotic cat I'd probably go for something smaller, like a Serval or a Geoffrey's cat. Geoffrey's cats are even smaller than domestic cats.

[NeverMore]

Lions are cats too.

[Kolchak]

You did NOT seriously want a pet cougar?

A friend had one and it was really just an 150 pound kitty cat!

Very friendly although sometimes he would forget to bring in his claws. But considering all my other scars from exotic and not so exotic sources, whats a few more?

But I am allergic to cats and can only be around them for a short amount of time, so I couldn't have one anyway and my wife knew that, but it was still fun to aggravate her!

I wanted a wolf too, but that was also vetoed!

[Murfreesboro]

I don't think I'd want a wolf, either. But you could get a German Shepherd, or a Huskie.

[NeverMore]

Hey Kolchak, here's a cheetah your wife couldn't possibly argue against. No feeding it and no cleaning up behind it.



Here's video of this mechanical frankenstein in action without the harness.

[Andybev01]

Yes I have a cockatoo, she's my daughter and she cusses in English and Spanish. Of course I'm a pirate at heart. I lived in Miami after all. I was part of the original pirates of the Caribbean. She has bonded to me to the point, that I have to take her with me on vacation, because she suffers seperation anxiety. You ever try sitting up in a tree stand during deer season with a parrot? No, that has never happened, but she has gone fishing with me.
'

I lived with a cockatiel who had never been caged by his first owner and would SCREAM as long as it had to be in one.

3 of the 4 housemates made his keeper give it to a new home.

[MauEvig]

Actually Kolchak, I could be wrong but I think some exotic cat species don't have the same allergen triggers that domestic cats have.
Studies show a lot of it has to do with enzymes in their saliva that cause a reaction. Cats lick their fur; so we get not only the common allergic reaction from pet dander found in most mammals, but our immune cells react to that enzyme as well causing the sneezing.
Here's something that is funny though; I'm supposed to be allergic to cats. But they don't bother me. Dust and mold spores bother me more than anything; yet the tests show I'm highly allergic. Perhaps because cats give me a euphoric response in my brain, maybe it counter acts the allergy. Or I may have must become desensitized to them. Or both! But I can bury my face in their fur and it doesn't bother me. The only thing that bothers me is when I pour cat litter and it kicks up dust; but it's a labor of love that's well worth it for me.
Perhaps I might suggest looking up breeds that are more hypo allergenic. Supposedly the Siamese is.

Here's a list of hypoallergenic cat breeds:

http://www.petmd.com/cat/wellness/evr_c ... cat_breeds

Of course; like the article says there's no 100% guarantee that the pet will be 100% hypoallergenic, but you may sneeze a little less with these cat breeds.

I will say that siamese cats are a little more vocal and demanding than most cat breeds. But they're fun. Our cat Storm is half siamese from her mother; but she looks more like what her father was. We don't know for sure what kind of cat her father was though, my guess would be a chartreux. Chartreux are rather quiet and she has qualities from both Siamese and the Chartreux breeds. So I guess the vocal and quiet breeds balance each other out, but I'd say she has the siamese temperament and the chartreux looks. She's quite talkative, but she is also a bit quieter than a full blooded siamese. She was also the only gray one in the entire litter. My boyfriend picked the most unique one!

I agree with Nevermore on the lions are cats too comment. It's true! They all belong to the cat family. There are 37 species of cats. Even our own domestic cats have something wild and exotic about them.

[Kolchak]

Yes I have a cockatoo, she's my daughter and she cusses in English and Spanish. Of course I'm a pirate at heart. I lived in Miami after all. I was part of the original pirates of the Caribbean. She has bonded to me to the point, that I have to take her with me on vacation, because she suffers seperation anxiety. You ever try sitting up in a tree stand during deer season with a parrot? No, that has never happened, but she has gone fishing with me.
'

I lived with a cockatiel who had never been caged by his first owner and would SCREAM as long as it had to be in one.

3 of the 4 housemates made his keeper give it to a new home.

You could have sent him to me!!! One more loudmouth in my house wouldn't be a big deal.

[Kolchak]

Actually Kolchak, I could be wrong but I think some exotic cat species don't have the same allergen triggers that domestic cats have.
Studies show a lot of it has to do with enzymes in their saliva that cause a reaction. Cats lick their fur; so we get not only the common allergic reaction from pet dander found in most mammals, but our immune cells react to that enzyme as well causing the sneezing.
Here's something that is funny though; I'm supposed to be allergic to cats. But they don't bother me. Dust and mold spores bother me more than anything; yet the tests show I'm highly allergic. Perhaps because cats give me a euphoric response in my brain, maybe it counter acts the allergy. Or I may have must become desensitized to them. Or both! But I can bury my face in their fur and it doesn't bother me. The only thing that bothers me is when I pour cat litter and it kicks up dust; but it's a labor of love that's well worth it for me.
Perhaps I might suggest looking up breeds that are more hypo allergenic. Supposedly the Siamese is.

Here's a list of hypoallergenic cat breeds:

http://www.petmd.com/cat/wellness/evr_c ... cat_breeds

Of course; like the article says there's no 100% guarantee that the pet will be 100% hypoallergenic, but you may sneeze a little less with these cat breeds.

I will say that siamese cats are a little more vocal and demanding than most cat breeds. But they're fun. Our cat Storm is half siamese from her mother; but she looks more like what her father was. We don't know for sure what kind of cat her father was though, my guess would be a chartreux. Chartreux are rather quiet and she has qualities from both Siamese and the Chartreux breeds. So I guess the vocal and quiet breeds balance each other out, but I'd say she has the siamese temperament and the chartreux looks. She's quite talkative, but she is also a bit quieter than a full blooded siamese. She was also the only gray one in the entire litter. My boyfriend picked the most unique one!

I agree with Nevermore on the lions are cats too comment. It's true! They all belong to the cat family. There are 37 species of cats. Even our own domestic cats have something wild and exotic about them.

Yea, there are a few cats that people with allergies can put up with, but the wife has the key to my gun cabinet and she will no doubt use it and get one of my larger firearms and ventilate me with it if I get any more critters.

[MauEvig]

Understandable. We don't plan on taking any more animals in either at this point in time.

[Ebony203]

A friend had one and it's really just a 150 pound kitty!
i think dogs are really a better friend than cats because they are so loyal kkk you can see more about this at petdiseasenet

[Murfreesboro]

I love dogs and cats, was raised exclusively with dogs. But in recent years we have been overrun with cats (I'm currently feeding 5). Some of them are remarkably sweet. We do have one who is testy and very hateful around the others, so we have to deal most particularly with him. But both dogs and cats can be very affectionate.