Cat breed questions

[LucyTudeOn4Feet]

Don't know if we have anyone familiar with cat breeding here, but I'm hoping we do.

DH recently met a man who had a Norwegian Forest cat, fell in love with the picture, and liked the man's description of the cat's personality.
So I've started researching the breed, it looks like it would be a good fit for us.
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I have questions based on what I consider concerns from a Labrador owner standpoint.
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Spay/neuter - breeder's contracts say they must be neutered anywhere from 6 months to a year old. Are there any concerns or possible links with pre-maturity altering like with Labs?
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Vaccines - is there a concern about annual vaccines, like has come out with dogs about over-vaccination?

[Scoutpout]

They are a wonderful big pussy cat! friends had one, very outgoing friendly cat. I'm not sure I could do the long-hair thing, but apparently they don't mind being groomed (I assume if you start off as a kitten). If you like that breed, you might also consider the Maine Coon cat.

Cats physically mature faster than our labs do, so a year old, its likely finished growing. I would think however, that all of the things we worry about with labs, apply to other creatures in the same way.

I did a 3yr rabies with my girls, and nothing else after about age 3 - the thought these days is if properly vaccinated when younger, lots of the vaccines are good for life, and don't need to be re-done every year. Even the Rabies I stopped once they got to about 10 or 11 years old. Very low risk, since they weren't outdoors at all. I'd check on the Feline Lukemia one, and the others too.

[Snowshoe]

We had a cat breeder BC. I think she bred Bengals. Was that Eresh? Sheltieluver has lots of experience too.

The second link in our spay/neuter articles addresses cats as well as dogs, the Kustritz article. I think the long bone concern is considered to be reduced, as it is with smaller breed dogs. My own babies will be 5 months old Sept. 1 so guess I'd better look into this more too.

One thing to look into for vaccinations is the Rabies. Many Vets will only give cats the one year. The three year has the adjuvant which is linked to cancer at the injection site in cats. Also in some small dog breeds. IMO the concern with giving rabies with the other vaccines is more serious in cats. Several of mine experienced pronounced and prolonged lethargy and loss of appetite, which is much more serious in cats. I mean not eating is more serious due to fatty liver disease.

Will you get a kitten? Oh boy. Have fun.

[sheltieluver]

With my cats I do kitten shots then shots at a year and that's it. I do rabies but only bc it's required by law. I would recommend if letting the cat out I would do leukemia vaccine. I love that breed of cat!!

[sheltieluver]

As far as spaying I don't think it's as much of a problem as in dogs. 6 months is when we at the vet do it and I've always had mine done at that time. I have however seen issues spaying too early from rescues who spay or neuter at 8 weeks and some breeders too with urinary issues.

[LucyTudeOn4Feet]

Wow - thanks for the info!
I'm kind of concerned that we wouldn't pass a breeder's "fit to be kitty parents" test, because we don't vaccinate Lucy anymore, except rabies as required. We'd have to discuss the why nots of that, I'm sure.
I don't know if we'd go the kitty route necessarily. I love kitties, but I've been keeping an eye on a NFC rescue site. We're just thinking and talking about it right now, and trying to educate ourselves.

[LucyTudeOn4Feet]

My own babies will be 5 months old Sept. 1 so guess I'd better look into this more too. )

You have 5 month olds? Is that Derri and Lucy? I remember a pic you posted of one that was just precious. What are they looking like now?

[doubledip1]

We vaccinate our cat yearly for rabies at her annual exam, distemper every 5 years or so. She doesn't get anything else. She's 15 and in excellent health. She was spayed and hadn't had any shots except her kitten series when we rescued her, so I have no knowledge on spay/neuter in cats.

[BogeyBaby]

My vet is really on board with not giving our cats unnecessary vaccinations. I think we're down to rabies once a year only since the cats aren't outdoor cats (we sometimes take them on a "walk" around our back yard for a few minutes a week).

My in-laws have a couple Maine Coon mixes. One with long hair that hates being brushed so they have him shaved a couple times a year.

I've seen Norwegian Forest Cats in photos and they are big and striking. I don't know much about the breeders questions as we've rescued/saved all our cats. I did look at one time in getting an Abyssian from a breeder and I do believe the one I was looking at did require neutering. She shows her cats and therefore only adopted out those she didn't intend to show.

[Sam I Am]

We had a cat breeder BC. I think she bred Bengals. Was that Eresh? Sheltieluver has lots of experience too.

Nope. It wasn't me (I was Eresh before the crash). Sadly, I am severely allergic to them.

OP, good luck with your new kitty!