My Experience Getting a Devon
Julie Wyatt
I
originally planned to only have one cat, mostly because the man of the house wasn't too hot
on the idea of having a cat in the house.
The First Cat
The first cat was his idea. We were at a cat show looking for a little cutie to take home and
my husband sees a sign for a 6 year old retired breeding Siamese female for only $75. Well she
was a beauty no doubt about that. Sapphire blue eyes to die for and the long sleek Siamese
body of a Champion. We told the breeder that most of all we wanted a very friendly loving cat
who likes to sit in your lap. She assured us that the cat was very loving.... But she didn't
look particularly friendly to me, and my childhood experience with Siamese consisted of: My aunt
and her Siamese coming for a visit. The cat went straight for the TV stand and promptly hid under
it and growled and hissed the entire visit. Of course being a young child who loved cats I was
curious but if I got near her my aunt would warn me to stay away from the cat because, "she'll
rip you to shreds". My aunt's horror stories of life with her Siamese filled my memory as I
looked at the cat in the breeder's cage.
I asked to hold her to see if she seemed friendly. Sure said the breeder as she took the
frightened cat from the safety of the cage. Well the cat clung to me with all claws out,
obviously very frightened. We thought about it though and decided that it was just all the
noise of the show hall and she must really be friendly because the breeder says she that she
is. So we pay the woman $75, buy a large expensive 6 foot tall scratching post for her to use
(instead of the furniture), and a cat carrier. On the way home we stop and pick up the cat food
brand the breeder used, cat litter, etc.
We arrive home and let the cat out of the carrier. She darts quickly behind some furniture.
We sit down and watch some television keeping any eye out for Sunshine (what a misnomer). I
go to check on her and she appears to be stuck behind the washing machine. In comes the husband
who tilts the washing machine back out of the way so the cat can be freed. Hmm.... she doesn't
want to come out and promptly wedges herself between the tub of the washer and the outside wall
of the washer... Now what do we do? There stands my husband holding the washing machine with
Sunshine wedged inside. Only one thing to do... pull the cat out.... BAD IDEA... really, really,
bad idea! Well I got her out, but not without first sustaining a very nasty bite and a few
scratches.
Well I've been bit before by cats, no big deal right? Not this time. By that evening my hand
is pretty swollen and hurting pretty good. I figure it will heal, they always have before and
after all I did put Neosporin on it. The next day is Sunday and I keep thinking it will get better,
but it keeps getting worse. Monday morning I go to work as usual, but for some reason can't manage
to comb my hair with my right hand because of the pain. My boss takes one look at the bite and
says, "You need to go to the doctor NOW". So off I go to the doctor.
After receiving a large shot of antibiotics, a prescription for more, and a stern talk from
the doctor and a warning that if I don't go home and elevate my arm it could end up with me
being hospitalized with the possibility of having my hand amputated. So I go home and lay on
the couch with my arm in the air. So $300 in doctors bills later and a day off work. Oh, isn't
this normal from a "loving cat"?
Well after 6 weeks we finally got "Sunshine" to come out of the bathroom. We renamed her
"psycho bat cat from hell" due to her habit of appearing very happy with being petted
(purring, rubbing against you, kneading biscuits, etc.) and suddenly turning and biting or
scratching you viciously out of the blue. We kept trying to endear ourselves to Psycho Bat
Cat from Hell for 6 months. When she started peeing on the carpet it was more than we could
take. Hadn't we asked for a very friendly loving cat who likes people? This cat HATED people!
This was most definitely NOT the cat we had requested! Well a call to the breeder (which I
really did not want to make) netted an agreement to meet halfway between our homes (5 hours
apart) to arrange for an adoption annulment. The breeder offered to give us another cat, but
frankly I really didn't want another psycho bat cat from hell. We thanked her for taking back
"Sunshine" and went home, sad that we did not have the cat of our dreams to lay in our laps.
Back to the drawing board...
Cat Number Two
After the "Sunshine Incident" as we call it, I visited the local library and checked out
every book I could find on cats. For weeks I poured over them and tried to find the perfect
cat. My husband suggested a Maine Coon. He liked their size and looks. In reading about them
I learned that they can be big furry gentle lap cats. So the search was on. I found a breeder
only about 5 hours away who had a lovely 9 month old silver mackerel tabby girl named Lady.
She was a beauty. She originally was going to be a breeding cat but had developed a "tail fault",
better known as a kink in the tail. So here was a beautiful cat for sale and only $150. Well
that seemed like a lot of money to spend on a cat (all my cats growing up were just "normal"
cats who happened to show up needing a home), but she was described as an overly friendly lap
fungus and had already been "altered". So I drove 5 hours and entered the breeders home. There
were cats everywhere I looked! I sat on the couch and Lady came right over and jumped in my lap
and started purring. That was it! I wrote the check, got some instructions from the breeder, and
proceeded to drive home with my new baby.
Well Lady was everything we wanted in a cat but she did have "a cold". I took her to the vet and
antibiotics were prescribed. And Lady was lonely (she was used to a house full of other cats)
since she was now part of a one cat household. She meowed a lot, which was rather annoying. Of
course my husband didn't want two cats....
Cat Number Three
After gently suggesting that Lady was lonely, and that she would be much happier with a playmate
my husband finally agreed to getting another Maine Coon from the same breeder. I contacted her
and agreed upon a time to drive the 5 hours to her home. I took my sister and her two small
girls along. Upon entering the home all the cats scattered upon seeing the children except
one kitten. He was playing happily with the girls. I said, "I'd like him, how much is he?" Well
it seems a 4 month old kitten is far more valuable than a 9 month old. However since I had
purchased a previous baby from the breeder she agreed to let me have Hobbes for a mere $200,
a 50% off sale, how could I resist? Fine, I wrote the check, and off we went for the long
drive home.
Well Hobbes had "a cold" and so I took him to the vet, and Lady had "a cold" again too. Both
went to the vet, both were given antibiotics, and some liquid medicine for an intestinal
problem called giarida. Things were fine for another month or so, but again Lady had "a cold"
and required another trip to the vet. This was repeated another time or two with many tests
being run. The conclusion was that Lady and Hobbes had Calici virus which could not be treated
with antibiotics. Since it was a virus their own immune systems needed to fight it. Hobbes seemed
to have a strong immune system and appears to have fully recovered. However Lady was not so
fortunate. Many medications, trips to the vet etc. continued for quite some time until the day
I had to make the decision to put her to sleep. It was not made lightly because this was the cat
of our dreams. It was obvious to me though that her quality of life was horrible since she
could not even walk any longer. It was a horrible thing to have to do and I cried for hours
and days. My husband still talks about her. She was a very special cat.
Cat Number Four
So now we are back down to one cat and Hobbes is searching night and day for Lady. This is
heartbreaking so we look for another Maine Coon, but not from the same breeder since both
Lady and Hobbes were seriously ill when we bought them. (always check for the health of all
the cats at the breeders and get other breeders opinions about the breeder you intend to buy
from. Get references if possible so that you won't be sold an obviously sick cat). My husband
makes a request for a solid black Maine Coon (he sure seems to know what he wants for a man who
doesn't want any cats!). I search everyone on the Internet, magazines, etc. No black Maine Coons.
I still have some of the library books, and noticed that a Norwegian Forest Cat is similar in build,
fur, personality to a Maine Coon. "How about one of these?", I ask. Given the go ahead, I contact
some breeders and find one in California who has a solid black male. Great! How much? Only $400,
plus shipping which will be about $150. O.K. we are heartbroken from just losing Lady so I send the
money order for the kitten and a few days later go pick him up at the airport.
Calvin is a rather funny looking kitten with a very long nose and rather small eyes, but when
I take him out of the carrier for the first time he starts purring, rubbing all over me, kneading
biscuits, etc. He is a sweetheart.
Now I still like to go to cat shows and while attending one meet a nice couple who show their
Maine Coons as a hobby. They encourage me to show my Maine Coon. Somehow it seemed like a lot
of fun. I am considering entering Hobbes in a show but thought, why not enter both of my babies?
I contact Calvin's breeder to see if she would have any objections to his being shown. She thinks
its a great idea and says she is going to be at a show only 3 hours from my home. So I make all the
arrangements with a lot of help from Calvin's breeder. I didn't enter Hobbes because he wasn't
registered with TICA. Calvin's first show was a lot of fun and he got a "final", which basically
means he got one of the big ribbons! He seems pretty grumpy about the whole thing though. His
breeder assures me that he is doing very well for his first show.
Of course now I have been bitten by the "show bug" and decided to keep showing Calvin. His next
show is a couple of months later. His attitude is really getting worse. Hissing, growling, and
ears laid down... Calvin is not a happy camper, but again he gets a "final" and brings home another
big ribbon.
By now I really want to show my cat, but also don't want to stress him out unnecessarily. I decide
to enter my Maine Coon, but take Calvin along on "exhibition only", which means that Calvin doesn't
have to have any one else handle him. Calvin is fine in his cage but open the door and the hissing
and growling resume.
This was Calvin's last show. Hobbes handled the whole affair very well for a cat of almost 2
years who has never been shown, but alas he just doesn't have the looks needed to win any big
ribbons.
Now what???
Cat Number Five - My Devon Rex Darling
Well since I have been bitten by the show bug I am dying to get another cat and really would
like to have a white Norwegian Forest cat. I look all over and locate one... in Denmark...
Now how do I get my husband to say yes to a $900 cat that has to be flown in from Denmark.
You know, the man who didn't even want ONE cat! Now I want THREE and it costs how much?
And what about all the cat hair around the house? We already have WAY too much cat hair!
No more cats!
Despondent I slink back to the computer room to plan my strategy. Hmm.... what now....
Well it seemed to me that his main objection was that we already had plenty of cat hair
around the house so how about one of those hairless cats? I don't say anything to him yet,
I'm just planning, searching and scheming on how to acquire my final cat. I go to some cat
shows and look at some Sphynx. There is a very cute boy there being shown and he is for sale.
"How much is he?", I ask. $1000. A bargain I am told from another Sphynx breeder there...
Now I know that if I bring home a bald $1000 cat my husband and I are going to have a MAJOR
argument. So I pass for now. I do some more reading (back to the library books) and we happen
to be watching the Animal Planet one day. They have a show on Cornish Rex cats, and Devon Rex
cats. My husband is watching. He seems interested. Here's my chance... "Hey, what about one of
those cats?", I ask sneakily. Husbands feigns disinterest.
Of course now I am very curious about how much these cats are. I contact some Cornish Rex
breeders and find they are a little more in my price range. I do some reading about them,
Devon Rex and Sphynx and ask breeders lots of questions via e-mail. After doing a lot of
reading, and searching I come across Planet Devon (http://www.devonrex.com). I find all
kinds of helpful information about the breed and what their personality is like. I ask
people who breed both what the differences are in their personalities. I finally decide
that I want a Devon Rex.
Devons aren't ugly like Sphynx cats. They have soft curly hair, short wide heads, and large
beautiful eyes. And Devons don't remind me of the "psycho bat cat from hell", but the Cornish
Rex do! A Devon Rex is it! That's what I want! Yes, yes, yes, I can't wait to get my show Devon!
For several months I search the Internet, magazines, etc. and contact lots of breeders. I ask all
kinds of questions about what I need to look for in a show quality Devon. I get lots of very good
answers, but one thing is clear: Devons are so wonderful you will have to be on a waiting list for
even a PET quality Devon, and it may take a year or more for a SHOW quality Devon. That's O.K. I
tell myself. I still haven't gotten the O.K. from the husband yet on becoming a 3 cat household.
So I search and search and find a kitten that sounds promising. The breeder agrees to send me a
video tape of the available kittens. There is only one available. The other two are definitely
spoken for by other breeders, but the one breeder hasn't decided which one she is going to take.
The remaining boy is also being considered by a third breeder so he may not be available after
all... Oh my, will I ever get a Devon???
I decide to approach the subject again with my husband about getting another cat that I can
show. This time he sighs and hangs his head and says, "Do we REALLY have to have THREE cats???"
"Yes", I reply. Then he says the words I was waiting for, "O.K., you can have whatever you want
honey bunny." Now I am really excited! I have the go ahead. How long will I have to wait to get
my Devon?
The breeder sends me the video of the two "possibles". I watch the video every day, rewinding
it many times. I decide that either one looks great. Very friendly (no signs of being, "psycho
bat cats from hell"), and no signs of illness. I bombard the breeder with e-mail stressing how
much I would like to have one of her babies to show and love.
I win! The breeder decides that one of the "possibles" can come to live with me. She just has to
hear back from the other breeder. The other breeder has first pick of the two "possibles". Well
the day comes, the decision is made, and the remaining baby is a Chocolate Mackerel Tabby. Well
I just LOVE chocolate in any form but have no idea what a Chocolate Mackerel Tabby is supposed
to look like. Oh well, he is a Devon, and I can show him, and he will want to sit in my lap all
the time.
Well the day comes to drive 5 hours to meet the breeder at a cat show to pick up our new baby.
My husband surprises me and says he wants to go. So we get up at 4:00 a.m. to make the long
drive to get our new baby.
Arriving at the show hall we quickly try to locate any Devons. We find one adult, but no
one is near the cage. Then on down the isle we see two darling kittens. When we come up to
the cage one is meowing loudly and putting his paw outside the cage trying to "snag" someone
into taking him out. Guess what? That friendly little guy is OUR little baby! I am so happy.
The breeder takes him out of the cage and he is happy as can be in our arms. I talk with the
breeder quite a while and she gives me grooming tips for his first show which is the following
weekend. I fork over $600 and off we go to the long drive home.
My husband "is tired", so I drive home and he gets to hold our new little baby the entire trip
home. (It seems like he wants to spend an awful lot of time holding our new baby for someone who
didn't want another cat). I think that was a good trick for our little Devon to pull. Warm up to
the guy who really didn't want THREE cats in the house....
Well it took a long time and about 3 years time, but we finally have the PERFECT cat: Our Devon
rex Mr. Snugglesworth (if you must know, my husband the cat "hater" named him).
As I typed this story my perfect little guy sleeps beside me in his "snuggy bag", a fleece
lined fake fur fabric bag he loves to crawl into and sleep. If you want the perfect cat then
stay away from the "psycho bat cats from hell", the breeder who has at least 30 cats in a small
one bedroom home, and the back yard breeders. Get yours from a reputable breeder. Ask lots of
questions, and above all: Don't be in a hurry! The wait will be worth it!
Julie Wyatt
Visit Julie Wyatt's Devons @ Home Profile!
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