Ragdoll vs Siberian

Question
I am interested in adding a kitten.  We have a 3 yr old ragdoll female who is lovely but although she is always in a room with someone she is not the type to be all over anyone.  We hope the next one is more assertive in seeking attention.  Questions: should we get a male kitten and is the Siberian breed more affectionate?  Is there some way to compare the two breeds side by side for longevity, health concerns, behaviour, etc.
Many thanks,
Caryl

Answer
Caryl,

Overall, I can comment on breeds, but, what you must remember, like people, cats are individuals and, hence, have individual differences.  If introduced correctly, it should not matter whether you get a male or female kitten as the kitten will be neutered/spayed.  

There is an excellent book called The Cat Fancier's Association Complete Cat Book, edited by Mordecai Siegal, published by Harper Resource, New York, NY, 2004.  In it individual breeds are described in 3-4 page chapters written by people who are breeders of these breeds.

It says, about Siberians:

"Siberian cats are very personable and want to be near their owners."..."They love to sit in your lap and be groomed."

"Siberians also enjoy the company of dogs, other animals and children."

It says, about Ragdolls:

"Ragdolls are loving companions, well behaved, and eager to please."

"These are gentle cats, careful not to scratch people, and they are good with children, older people, and dogs."


In reading descriptions of the personalities of these two cats, they are very, very similar, in general!

In any case, if you are to get a kitten (which I would recommend with a 3 year old cat), here is a tried and true method of introducing the kitten into your household:

Start out your new kitten in one room with a litter pan and water dish. Ideally, the one room should be a bedroom with yourself or another human resident. This accomplishes a couple of things. Your new kitten will not be overwhelmed by its new surroundings and get "lost", and thusly will have no problem finding the litter pan (often kittens have been confined and are somewhat daunted by wide open spaces!). You will feed the new kitten in this room and keep the established cat out. It allows the new kitten to bond with you or another human being and also build up some self assurance in its new surroundings since it will not have to compete for food or attention right away. Finally, it allows the new kitten and the established cat to sniff each other under the door and get familiar with each others' scents.

After 3-5 days of being in its one room, it is time to let them meet each other. Be prepared for some posturing, some spitting and hissing, and the like. IGNORE IT! After a while, they should begin chasing each other about and still have the occasional hiss or spit as they get accustomed to each other. Cats tend to make a whole lot of noise and even loosen up some fur. Rarely will two cats hurt each other.

Once they are introduced, there are a couple of things you must remember. Do not separate them again, they will get along! Do not interfere in their "discussions" as they need to sort it out amongst themselves!

It does not hurt to give the established cat treats and extra attention after the new cat or kitten is introduced (yes, cats do get jealous!).

A couple of things you may have to do are to feed them on separate dishes. Provide more than one litter pan in different areas of the household (as cats can be very territorial about litter pans).

All, in all, this method seems to have had great success in the past and makes for a fairly smooth introduction. Please remember that they may make up immediately, or it may take a few weeks.

Best regards... Norm.