So perhaps you have that "perfect purebred" in mind. You've scanned a couple books, maybe seen a friend's cat or looked at the utterly darling Persian kittens at the local pet store and decided that may be the cat for you. What then?

The #1 thing you do next is TAKE YOUR TIME AND DO YOUR RESEARCH. Ask yourself, how much do I really know about this breed? Can I tolerate a cat that needs to be brushed every single day or it will develop painful sores under its fur? Do I mind a cat that needs to be bathed every week or its body oils may mark up my bedding and furniture?

The most common breeds we receive in rescue are Persians and Himalayans, and they are typically in horrible condition when we do get them. Why? Because someone thought that having a darling little fluffball in the house would be kinda "cute." Several years later and Fluffball has developed into Massive Hairball because nobody has bothered to keep up with the coat and the cat is now cranky because it is hurting so much from neglect. You owe it to yourself AND THE BREED YOU CHOOSE to know EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE GETTING INTO.

Really think about your lifestyle and the kind of personality you want in a cat. Some people adore the laid-back, generally sweet natures of Himalayans and Persians. Others are not happy unless their cats are flinging themselves from one end of the house to the other like little whirlwinds. Regardless of what the cat looks like (and many breeds are extremely beautiful), it's the PERSONALITY you are going to have to live with for 15+ years, so this may be the most important point of all. 

Go to some cat shows (they are listed monthly in the back of any Cat Fancy Magazine), network with some breeders, observe the cats and ask a LOT of questions. Take some time reading on the net and get a general consensus of what the breeds may be like. Ask breed rescue people such as us what to look for. Rescue people will often be far more open about what each breed is like than some breeders, who may be more concerned about sales.

Also, ask yourself whether it is really that important to you that you have a specific breed. This may sound like a funny question, but 90% of folks who call me looking for a specific breed know nothing about it and in the end decide that a really nice "ordinary" kitty from a shelter is really the way to go. There are so many millions of wonderful cats out there that have no pedigrees, no papers and no fancy names, but that have the nicest personalities anyone could ever want. And they are killed by the millions every year for lack of homes. Please consider this option FIRST. You could literally SAVE A LIFE.

For more information on where to look for the perfect purebred for you, see part II of this article.