I've bought the purebred dog or cat, and I've bought the unwanted ones at the animal shelter, and I've prefered the shelter animal to many of the purebred ones, over the years. When I was young we'd go around to the various farms who'd just produced a new litter of kittens, and adopt one of them. We had neither the means nor the desire for purebred cats back then. One of the pound cats turned out to be a very trainable animal who also amazed all comers with his desire for watermelon! My apartment mate was his first post pound owner, and being an AF dog handler and trainer, soon had the cat retrieving crumpled up balls of paper, the way a dog will frequently decide he might just lower himself to retrieve a thrown ball. With the cost of animals going up, we've always had good luck with the fostered animals from the shelter. Currently I have an older Hymalayan neutered female that came available at our SPCA, and she's turend out to be a very nice cat indeed. She seems to think that her proper place is at my feet when I'm in a chair - even a rocker- and beside my legs when I'm sleeping.

Dave