Things to consider before adopting a Pixie Bob
Again this is my own view and not that of other breeders, but could also be utilised for other breeds of cat.
Dogs require far more attention than a cat, but do not think that you can leave a cat to its own devises! They can become very bored, they can be scared or they can even be possessive (as Tey is with me!), and the only way you will know how your precious baby is feeling is to spend time playing and relaxing with him/her. Jason & I lead a very hectic life, I work full time (and lots of hours), we play golf, and go out quite a bit, but we always find time everyday to spend with the girls, even if it is the ritualistic morning & evening cuddle in bed for 10 minutes.
You need to stimulate your cat’s brain. Pixie Bobs are highly intelligent creatures and need to think. I hide food around the house for them to find during the day, or put biscuits into boxes that they can just get their paws into, so it is an effort getting out their treat, but their brain is thinking about how to get it out.
You need to exercise your cats, either on a lead for a walk around the garden or to the corner shop. Play with them with feathers on a stick (just be careful, because if you leave a Pixie Bob alone with them, you will find it shredded all over the carpet), the fun thing with this game is they can do back flips!. Many Pixie Bobs (like Spirit) play fetch. Find something that both of you can enjoy, but that is active, as indoor cats, they must still find some aerobic exercises!
Whilst it is fun to “play” you need to find time just to relax together, whilst you are sitting working at your desk, or watching TV let them lie on you and you can stroke them, or brush them gently. Some cats will play with Dad and relax with Mum or visa versa, or they could do both with everyone, or no-one at all. They are cats, so they definitely have their own mind.
Pixie Bobs are in general very friendly and will get along with most other animals and humans. However, as with humans, they are individuals, so you will find they you can get some that are a little shyer than others, or more possessive or that do not want to share their territory. As with the cat your other animals may also be the same, does you dog bark at other cats when you take them for a walk? Does the cat you have always hide when people come to visit? You need to think about all of these before introducing another pet into the household.
Do you have children? How will they take to the cat, will they be gentle, or want to play all the time, therefore hurt the cat (albeit out of love)? Whilst we do not have kids, we “Maddyfy” our kittens by introducing our delightful young neighbour of 5 years old. She is gentle and loves to pat them, this way they do get used to being handled by little ones before going to their new homes. So, also think how will the new kitten be with my children when you get one, have they been handled by children, will they be scared of children? You need to ask these questions too, it would be devastating to get home a new kitten (and spent lots of money to boot) to find it is petrified of your child, who just wants to be gentle and kind.
There are lots to think about, so I have summed up with the questions below:
