HOME WANTED: Two Persian Kitties in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania For Sale
I am seeking a pet-free, young child-free, clean, loving home for my two playful Persian cats (one home for both, please). They love to play hide-and-seek (with you!) and fetch. One is female, Bele (pronounced as Bella), she is 4 yrs old. The other is a male, Benzi, he is 7 yrs old. Both are registered Persians, and I have their registration papers. Their full names are Belezinha and Benzedeiro- Portuguese, loosely translated as "tiny cutie pie" and "medicine/man or genie" (selected because of Benzi's Rafiki look- Lion King). Benzi is a super loving, snuggle puss. He *always* wants to be on your lap. In contrast, Bele is far more aloof and will come to you for attention, but rarely stays for long on your lap. This personality difference makes it easier to provide Benzi the attention he craves, while giving Bele her space to wander about and inspect every little space in the house, and to lounge around wherever she likes. Their sweet and eternally curious personalities will melt your heart and keep you smiling. These two are such a joy to experience.
These two are my little loves and I'm heartbroken to have to post this ad. Starting sometime in the summer I'll be traveling out of the country and be unable to care for these two. I am hoping that posting this early in the year will provide enough time for me to thoroughly vet potential homes.
***A potential adoptive family needs to have a clear picture of what you are getting yourself into. Persian cats are NOT like caring for other cats.***
A good home will have the following characteristics:
1) Located in or near Pittsburgh, PA
2) No other pets
3) No Children
4) A lot of time and willingness to play, love, and care for these two (minimum 1 hour (total) per day) and be willing to snuggle a lot with Benzi. He's a lap kitty 100%!
5) Willingness to share news with me about how the kitties are doing (email or facebook).
6) Willingness to agree to a legal statement that declares that if for any reason you cannot or do not want to care for one or both of the kitties, you will return both kitties to me. (NOTE: This is to ensure you are not collecting pets for resale as is done often on Craigslist, etc.)
7) Financial means to provide care. Plan for at least $xxxx to $xxxx per year. For example...
---- Grooming: $720/yr (I pay approx. $180 every 3 months for bath, clipping, and shaving). If you do not want to pay a groomer, plan to spend about 1 hour to brush each cat every day. Also, you'll need to learn about trimming their nails (it isn't hard, but you need to know what you're doing). Lastly, I've bathed these kitties at home and they will behave if you're gentle and swift. If you bathe the kitties at home, you must blow dry their coats, too.
---- Food (Purina One Advanced Nutrition Hairball Formula (these cats get hairballs from their long hair, so you need a hairball food) & Fancy Feast Seafood Variety pack): $480/yr
---- Veterinarian care: Varies, but you should plan for a check up once a year at minimum est. $100/yr
---- Litter: $180/yr
---- Misc. (toys, treats, etc.): varies.
DISCLOSURES: Bele likes to jump on tables and play in water glasses, which eventually spill. I've tied to break her of this, but now she does it only when I'm not in the room. When I walk in the room and she's on a table, she scurries away. But, she still does this. It is frustrating. For this reason, you never want to leave a glass of water sit unattended, especially if it is near electronics. She will spill it. As for Benzi, as I said, he is a lap kitty. He could sit on your lap all day, and he will try...over and over. He will be very persistent at times. It can get frustrating. Both kitties need their own litterbox, and it needs to be cleaned each day. They have used an automatic box (Littermaid) in the past and did just fine with the noise, etc. However, that was a few years ago. When I moved, I discarded the litterboxes for sanitary reasons and have since just used the typical enclosed boxes with regular litter that I scoop and toss each day Occasionally, the kitty's bottom gets too close to the litterbox edge, so it is wise to have a mat in place just in case, but this rarely happens with the tall, enclosed litterbox. It did happen with a shallow box. Keep in mind that cats are very clean animals and as such will not use a dirty litterbox,so it must be scooped of poo DAILY. The kitties are in good health, though the male (Benzi) has on-going sinus issues and he's also thin, but he's vet-deemed healthy, and he's very spry. His health returns quickly, usually without medication when he has his sinus issues. This is mostly controlled by daily (or more) face washes, which he loves. As far as I can tell, these two kitties are not bonded. For example, if they are not taken to and return from the groomer at the same time, they seem not to recognize each other and will swat at each other, but their tiff passes in a short time... I just worry about their feelings, but I doubt that these moments mean much to them. Sometimes they get along swimmingly and play and chase each other.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS: In my experience, three days is the most that the kitties should be left unattended. They will do ok with a 3rd litterbox, copious amounts of dry food, and several fresh water bowls. Any time that you may be away for more than three days, you'll need a pet sitter to brush, feed, and play with the kitties. their coats, if not kept short will get too matted after three days. Also, in the last two years I've started taking these two to the groomer for their coat care. They are cut in the "lion" style and this has greatly reduced the amount of time I spend on their hair care. I would recommend that you be prepared to select a groomer in your area to care for these two. It will save you untold hours of hair care. I use a great groomer in Pittsburg's Regent Square area, and if you're close, I would suggest using this lady as she's become familiar to the kitties.
FEE: I do not want a payment, therefore in lieu of an adoption fee, you'll be required to show proof of a gift card or prepayment of two grooming sessions at a groomer of your choice. Usually this is $160 to $180.
If you are interested in these two, please email me or call with the following information:
-- Your city of residence.
-- Describe the expected primary care giver(s)' experience with caring for pets or Persians, if relevant.
-- Acknowledge and confirm that you are financially prepared for $15 to $xxxx a year in pet care expenses.
Information on Persian Cats:
From the Cat Fanciers Association: http://www.cfa.org/client/breedPersian.aspx
Also, if you go to YouTube and type, "Persian Cat Care" you'll find a lot of good information about Persian pet care.
Looking forward to hearing from you!