>>The breed shortlist, so far:
>>
>>Abyssinian
>>Egyptian Mau
>>Ocicat
>>Bengal
>>Burmese
>>

HI,

Not trying to be the devil's advocate here, but...Why buying purebred when there are so many mixed breed cats (a lot of them with physicals characteristics that closely resemble pedigreed cats) in desperate need of homes? There are TONS of rescue organizations that actually HAVE purebred cats if you are still thinking about getting the physical characteristics. Two of my cats are what you would consider purebreds, but, they were adopted from a rescue organization.
By the way, all of the breeds on your list are actually considered VERY active cats that may end up upsetting your older resident kitty and causing other problems when not properly entertained, so that is something to keep in mind.
Petfinder.com is a good place to start looking for rescues. You can choose from their search engine according to breed, color, age, etc.
If you are fixed on buying pedigreed kittens, please make sure you get them from a reputable, not a backyard breeder. And give slightly older kittens and young adults a try!

Good luck in your search,






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Bob Daisy Emily