No. Purebred cats are not "better" cats by any measure. We can get a mixed breed cat who is as smart, affectionate, healthy, and well-behaved as a purebred cat.
Or not.
Because these things depend on the individual cat and how they are raised.
That's the short answer. The long answer is what "purebred" means.
The purebred cat comes with papers saying they are a certain breed, and so were their parents, and so were their parents, as far back as the "breed standard" goes.
Which can be as far back as the dawn of time or as recent as a decade ago. The Cat Fancy organization has certain rules about what makes a breed, and then it's a breed.
That's what it means. And that's all it means.
Here are the plusses, and pitfalls, of getting a purebred cat.
The good news:
What purebreds offer is predictability. If we want a devoted, talkative, and active cat with a long, lean body and a face, feet, and tail of a lovely contrasting color, we can get a Siamese kitten, and know it will grow into a Siamese cat. If you grew up with a Siamese and adored him or her, your chances of getting a similar cat is greatly increased by getting another Siamese.
This is how breeds of cats get their fans. People know they can get more of their favorite kind of cat. They also know if they want more than one cat, the chances of the cats getting along are increased if they are the same kind; with the same traits and preferences.
Or maybe you are allergic, and need to get a cat known to be less likely to trigger allergies, such as a Sphinx, Cornish Rex, or Siberian. That's also a good reason to get a purebred cat.
An ethical breeder will provide prenatal care to their mother cats, and raise the kittens "underfoot," with good socialization and other early training. This can be important to people who don't know how they would handle a cat with an uncertain past.
There's certainly nothing wrong with wanting, or getting, a purebred cat. As long as you avoid the Purebred Picking Mistakes.
The bad news:
There is no shopping for bargains with purebred cats. Many people look into a certain breed, then draw back with "sticker shock" over the price tag. Then they discover they can get the same breed from someone else for half that price. Doesn't that mean they found a great deal?
I'm afraid not. There's a better than 90% chance you have actually overpaid for a living nightmare.
The very point of a purebred cat is a restricted gene pool. You want a Norwegian Forest Cat or a Chantilly/Tiffany, and you get it; that's not the problem. But to keep such a restricted gene pool producing healthy cats, good breeders need to match their father and mother cats carefully, and monitor any bad recessive traits with medical testing. They will take problematic cats out of their breeding program. They don't sell sick, or potentially sick, kittens.
That's expensive. That's why the kittens are expensive.
Bargain breeders don't do any of that. So getting a "bargain purebred" usually means getting a kitten whose mother didn't get those prenatal checkups, whose father might be carrying a tendency to heart trouble, blindness, or blazing skin problems, and whose early life was spent in a box in the backyard to be whisked onto the market too early so the seller can take advantage of tiny kitten cuteness.
It means falling in love with a kitten who will cost their low price over and over again with vet bills until their too-early death.
Or it means not falling in love at all; bad breeding can produce a kitten who spends their life hiding under the sofa, screeching at all hours, or fighting with everything that lives and breathes.
If you've ever heard someone remark, "Oh yeah, that breed. My mom/uncle/best friend had one, and it was a horrible cat," you are hearing about a bargain breed purchase.
Horrible cats don't have fans. For good reason. But it's not the fault of the breed. It's the fault of someone who didn't know how important it is to pay full freight on a purebred kitten.
So, how do you get your dream cat?
If you meet a friend's cat and find them adorable and gorgeous, if you read up on a breed and discover qualities that sound incredibly attractive, or if you have allergies or other life style restrictions that mean you need a certain kind of cat, you still have choices.
Just make the right choices.
Here's the right way to save money on purebreds.
Are purebred cats better?
How many cats are too many cats?
We sometimes see "cat hoarders" on the news. Some sad looking little house, or tiny trailer, or even an apartment, and the local humane society bringing out cat after cat, like some demented version of a cat clown car.
Now that's too many cats.
Remember that animal hoarders are mentally ill. The cats in this situation are not taken care of.
There's The Cat House on the Kings, which is a shelter in Palmer, California. They have over 700 cats and kittens; all happy and cared for.
Then there's the common saying, "Over two cats, and you're a Crazy Cat Lady." Even if you are a man.
So what is the answer to this question? The reason this question comes up so often is the intersection of two facts:
So the answer to the question of "How many are too many?" is simple. As long as we have enough time, money, space, and love to make each cat happy, we can have as many as we want.
Statistically, more than half of all people in the US who have cats, have more than one cat. Because they have discovered how easy, and enjoyable, cats are.
Because it's not crazy to love cats.
Loving cats is so easy, cats are now the most popular pet in the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, China, Japan, and throughout Europe. Not to mention their popularity in Indonesia and Australia.
Might make a catless person wonder... what they are missing.
To see how many cats your space can handle, use my Cat Space Calculator.
Are Cats Good for Us?
Are cats good for our health?
Yes. This study suggests that cats, in particular, are good for us. ABC News: Stroke on Your Mind? Stroke Your Feline: "New research suggests cat ownership could reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke."
So there's something special about cats that makes them better for our health than other pets?
Actually, yes. Cat purring actually speeds healing. And that goes for anyone within range, like a cat's person.
This is probably how cats got the reputation of having "nine lives." Cats can come back from very serious injuries.
Just because cats have special abilities doesn't mean we should be afraid of them.
Can Oscar The Cat Predict Your Death? | Itchmo: News For Dogs & Cats: "a cat who has the uncanny ability to predict our dying days"
Many people said they were afraid of Oscar. But they shouldn't be.
It's not supernatural.
Oscar was a kitten in the nursing home, accompanying the nurses on their rounds. Because of a cat's superior senses, he was able to pick up on when a person was getting really sick; and taking it upon himself to be there for that person.
When they needed a little comfort, the most.
It's just another way cats like taking care of us. Because they do. When we are sick, the cats stick around to offer comfort. We shouldn't worry... unless we have Oscar.
And he already has a good home, and a good job.
Read more about the Ways Cats Care for Us.
