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Im Trying To Get A Cat? Please Help! What Kind Should I get?

• On December 22, 2011 my longtime step brother came home and told me he had gotten a dog and we were going to pick it up tomorrow. Rewind: Begging for a year straight for a dog, being told yes and then turned down, looking unsuccessfully, and then BOOM! We're suddenly getting a dog? Fast Forward: When told we were getting an animal of our choice I personally wanted a cat and believed I should get it. After all I was the one paying for it, not one of my two older step brothers. But then my oldest step brother (turning 15 in May) tells me that if I get a cat he will 1) kill it 2) chop its head off 3)make it run away and let it free or 4) he will never come back to our house again and will refuse to ever come. Naturally he had my decision a living hell. My younger step brother (they are both older but hes the younger of the two and the middle child; he turns 13 at the end of November) even agreed with me but the older one refused vehemently. Apparently, because they are always lying and boasting, they once had a cat named Tiger. Why was it named Tiger? Because it was a specially striped cat that was orange and white and black, yadda yadda yadda. Anyways, I guess the cat once flipped or whatever and scratched (let's call the oldest brother A) A all along the inside of his forearm. But now he hated cats. So that was out and on December 23, 2011 we brought home Rocky, a Siberian Husky/ Shepherd mix, who was only six weeks old at the time. My brothers come 3 weekends out of the 4 in the month. They spend the second weekend of the month with their biological mom. A (lets call the middle child B) and B are in a way polar opposites. A is sporty, jock like, and selfish, but also caring, secretly sensitive, but also obnoxious. B is whiny, cry baby, couch potato, skinny, Daddy's boy, non athletic, sloppy, snappy, loves to argue, and is more into computers and shooting games. He is only sensitive physically but he is also generous, kind, understanding, lovable, and overall neutral. Here's the problem: Recently, we are trying to get a house, and, if we get one, the 'rents said we could get another animal. But the problem is them. They barely spend time with the dog, are very irresponsible with the dog despite their claims of having trained 3 pitbulls and 'Tiger', dont really contribute at all for the dog, whereas I have to take the dog out for an hour walk every single day and have already contributed $300 for the dog. And the thing that really ticks me off is that our parents used to hate animals and I have been begging for an animal for years, but, as soon as A came home and said he had gotten one my step father practically fell over his feet getting it for him. And now hes saying 'maybe' I can get a cat (w' my own money) if I can prove myself in 3 months, which is basically summer vacation. Now, I dont mind that because I agree, and we'll probably have a house by then, but then when he says he hates cats (idk maybe he just hates everything in general) I know he's only saying it because of A. Maybe im just being stuck up, but an 11 year old with $400 and an urge for a kitty can't deal with so much. Also I told A that since no one else seems to want a cat, and since I'll be solely paying and taking care of it, it should be mine. Not the family dog, like Rocky, just mine. And then he has the audacity to go: Fine. I don't care. If you get your own cat, then Rocky is my dog." My questions to you are: Do you think I'm overreacting? And also what kind of cat should/could I get? I live in the Bay Area which in California and about an hour or so away from San Francisco. I really wanted a Scottish Fold kitten, but they aren't really available around here. If you could find me one that would be great. And any other cat suggestions? I was thinking American Shorthair, Maine Coon, or even a Siberian. I'm not even sure if these are available around my area, but please try to help out. Also, I dont think Persians,Snowshoes,or Ragdolls are really my kind of cat. I'l probably get something from a breeder, but I've been considering getting one from the pound, and I've been told it's cheaper. The problem with that is, the cat has to be really cute, and i dont care what breed, and a kitten. I'm hoping to get one at a very early age, hopefully 8-12 weeks old? Thanks.

• Answer:

  The length of your question makes my head spin. It took so long to get to the bottom line. Let me put things in perspective. My rule of thumb is that the cost of a typical kitten through spay or neuter is $500 for a female, and $400 for a male. And what costs are those? The adoption fee from a shelter, wellness checks and vaccinations, and then the spay or neuter. If you get an older kitten from a shelter that is already spayed or neutered, that is a considerable savings. You will note that I didn't mention food or litter, since those are actually minor costs that are spread out over the month. And the type of cats you mentioned, all pedigree cats, can start out at $1000, a bit out of your price range. And you know what? A shelter kitty will give as much unconditional love as any purebred kitty. At a fraction of the cost. At 8-12 weeks, you will find competition at a shelter, as those kittens often quickly find homes. But if you go for an older kitten, such as one year, there will be more options. And very young kittens come turbocharged, and can be a handful to handle. They get into and onto everything. A one year old kitten will also do that, but not quite a fast. And a kitten actually is considered up to three years of age, at which point they transition to more adult behavior. Go to a shelter, and see if a cat or kitten makes a special contact with you. It cannot be described, but you will sense it. It may be a look, a meow, or reaching out with a paw. But you will sense that.