Thinking of getting a Tortoiseshell Cat?

Question

Do tortioshell cats make good pets? I have allergies and I found a torti cat that I absolutly love but i'm worried about whether or not her fur will be long. The vet says she is a mix. Also to Torties tend to be fat? I was wanting a sleek cat with short hair but I really do like this tortie. Suggestions?

Answer 1

Hi there...Tortoise Shell/Calico cats are wonderful cats like any mixed breed. Cats tend to become overweight not because of their breed backgrounds, but because of free feeding cats rather than measured portions served on a schedule. http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/feedcats.html (see section Common Feeding Problems). This is the number one cause in overweight felines. Types of food also contribute to this problem. Most commercial cat foods (IAMS, Science Diet, Purina, Whiskas, etc) contain corn or corn meal as the primary ingredient and it is used as a filler to make manufacturing of cat food inexpensive for the manufacturer's and cheap for the consumer. Look for cat foods sold by a specialty pet food store which is devoid of this ingredient such as Innova EVO http://www.naturapet.com/display.php?d=product-detail&pxsl=%2F%2Fproduct%5B%40id%3D%271255%27%5D , Nature's Variety Prairie http://www.naturesvariety.com/content.lasso?page=1352 , Wellness http://www.oldmotherhubbard.com/wellness/cat_testimonials.html are to name a few.
More about the facts on feline nutrition: http://www.consumersearch.com/www/family/cat-food/review.html

I would like to share some supportive information we give to people who suffer from cat allergies as many are unaware that "all" cats regardless of breed or if long, short or no hair breed of cats can cause allergies. Any vet can confirm this fact.

Older books on cats and cat care usually blame the allergy on cat fur e.g. breathing in small particles of the fur itself. Some blame it specifically on the cat’s guard hairs (the long hairs within the cat’s coat) and may recommend keeping a breed which lacks these guard hairs e.g. Devon/Cornish Rex or the hairless Sphynx. Referring to these breeds as hypoallergenic or allergen-free is incorrect as It is not the hair which causes the allergic reaction.

The real culprit appears to be a glycoprotein, Fel d1 which is secreted by the sebaceous glands and is the major cat allergen. This allergen is found in the fur, pelt, saliva, serum, urine, mucous, salivary glands, and hair roots of the cat. The main sources of the allergen, however, are the skin and saliva.

When a cat grooms/washes itself, saliva is deposited on its fur (or skin in the case of hairless cats). The saliva dries into dust (dander or dandruff) which is released airborne when a cat scratches or moves and when humans stroke or brush a cat. Fel d1.

All cats groom themselves, even those which lack guard hairs or which lack hair altogether (e.g. Sphynx). The dust forms on all types of cat hair or directly on the cat’s skin if it lacks fur. Hairless Sphynx cats produce dandruff directly on their skin and though they produce less of it than furred cats, they can still produce enough to trigger an allergic reaction. An allergy occurs when the body over-reacts to a substance (allergen) and produces excessive amounts of histamine. Excessive histamine production leads to the irritating symptoms associated with cat-allergy - itchy eyes, sneezing, skin rash etc.

Although Fel d1 is the protein most often associated with allergies, humans are very variable and there will be some people who develop allergies to other feline proteins. Some people are unaffected by Siamese cats, but allergic to other cats and some people have reported whose cat alergy is only triggered by male cats (even if the cats are neutered).

Anyhow, please consider reading the following website literature to learn more about the Fel d1 protein and how it affects allergies in humans.

http://allergies.about.com/cs/cats/a/aa013100a.htm
http://www.allergysa.org/pet.htm#cat

Here's a video (located on the webpage on the right side) by a veterinarian about the allergen Fel d1 and how it affects cat allergy sufferers. It's an organization who is is selectively breeding cats without the Fel d1 protein to make available for sale for those who who suffer allergies but would like to own a cat: http://www.allerca.com/

People with mild allergies to cats can benefit from Benadryl, Allegra, Singulair, Clairitin, Zyrtec other similar antihistamines. One may work better than one another consider experimenting to see which works best. If the allergy is more severe neither a cat born without the Fel D1 protein or the anti-histamines has been successful.

Answer 2

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RE:
Thinking of getting a Tortoiseshell Cat?
Do tortioshell cats make good pets? I have allergies and I found a torti cat that I absolutly love but i'm worried about whether or not her fur will be long. The vet says she is a mix. Also to Torties tend to be fat? I was wanting a sleek cat with short hair but I really do like this tortie....

Answer 3

If you have allergies and you would consider dumping the cat because of those allergies than don't get a cat because that is not fair to the animal. If how the cat looks is really that important to you, consider adopting an adult cat from your local shelter. In this way you will know what he will look like and you will be saving a life. Kittens are cute but they look nothing like cats. Most torties are medium to long hair.

Answer 4

Fat Tortoiseshell Cat

Answer 5

Tortie is just a color of a cat. It's like a calico and like them most are females. They can be long or short haired. It depends on the parents. Any cat can tend to be fat depending on how and what you feed it.

Answer 6

Torties make wonderful pets! If you are allergic try an allergy regimen recomended by your doctor. Also if the cat is agreeable try bathing her about once a week or so. Regular brushing can be helpful too. I've had several torties over the years and have found them to be very loving. One thing I strongly recomend is have her spayed. Torties like calicos can be a bit prolific.

Answer 7

Tortoise shell is a color. They can be short haired, medium haired, long haired, or double-coated like persians. It might be a good idea to adopt an adult tortoise shell- you can surely find one at your local shelter, they're quite common. I really don't think hair length has much to do with allergies, all cats have hair except the sphynx, they all shed, they all have dander, and most people are actually allergic to the saliva they clean themselves with, so... you might want to consider a different pet, or sign up for allergy shots.

Answer 8

Most tortoiseshell cats I've had have been well-behaved and low on maintenance with short hair. Mine wasn't fat, but she was young. Tortoiseshell is the color, so I think the length of their hair can vary. Tortoiseshells, I believe, are actually a varity of calico.

Answer 9

lengthy hair is nice but requires upkeep and u have to grow this out for a long time

Answer 10

I prefer hair that will is shoulder length or longer, And since that men who like ladies are more often then not right, they like long hair because that looks more feminine, as most males have short hair.