LIVING WITH A KORAT

 

A Korat is a lively and extroverted cat that demands close contact with its owner/family to thrive.

It is not necessarily the easiest cat to live with, as it has a great degree of self-confidence and expects you to adapt your habits to its needs and ideas... But, if you are ready to accept a few compromises in your everyday life and ready to give the Korat the attention and love it demands - when it wants it - you will have a very loyal and true friend for life. A cat that will follow you in EVERYTHING that you do - a cat that will sleep with you - it may even go into the shower with you.

Good to know, if you are thinking of living with one (or more) Korat(s):

• if you are away many hours a day, it is advisable to have two cats, so they have each others' company. They don't have to be two Korats - Korats get along well with other breeds.
• One must be prepared to spend time with the Korat when one comes home from work for example. Another cat as company doesn't substitute human contact which the Korat doesn't thrive well without.
• It is close to you whatever you do, so remember to get it out of the closet before closing the door..., also be careful that it doesn't run out the door while you are on your way in or out or jumps out the open window...
• It has its very own view of how the world works - it is the center! Everything is about the Korat - or it will be! :-))) One is very seldom in doubt as to when a Korat wants something... it is not always clear what it wants, but it is easily understood that it wants something!
• Be prepared that the Korat uses its voice often and loudly (especially if it doesn't get its way!). How much it uses its voice for everyday communication is very individual, but if they feel neglected or bored, THEN they can all lift their voices!

In spite of the strong will of the Korat, it can quite easily be trained with respect and firmness. If the Korat from the very beginning learns that "no" means "no" (and not "maybe") and this is used consistently it will learn what is allowed and not allowed quite fast. That does not mean it won't try the limits once in a while... isn't that part of being a cat? The Korat has a mild will of iron - that says it all, doesn't it?

• The Korat has all its mating instincts fully intact, which means that it is advisable to neuter it BEFORE it reaches maturity.
• A Korat female in season can be very tiresome - the noise level is impressively high, not to mention the spraying... females can reach maturity as early as 5 to 6 months of age
• A whole male will guaranteedly spray a lot and call loudly for girls! Males can father litters at 4 months of age, though the more usual age for maturity is around 6 months.
• On the other hand the parental instinct is also intact - you have to search far and wide to find a more tolerant cat mother than a Korat queen.

 

© 1999 Camilla Baird
Primprau's Cattery - DK