Raiding Hunter Needs a Cat!

[Karolyne]

Hello, everyone!

This is my first time posting here, but I have been browsing Petopia ever since Karolyne forced her way into my life several months ago. Now, she has gone from becoming just a fun alt to becoming my main. I am getting raid ready, and though I avoided it with everything that I could, members in my raid are telling me that I need to get a Cat pet for the agility buff. The reason I avoided getting a cat is because I thought it was way too mainstream, and I didn't want to be just another hunter among the many that are out there. I wanted nice unique pets!

But not being BM spec'd, that made it difficult for Karolyne who told me from day one that she was Survival.

I started out with my dragonhawk from level 1 who was named Noelle. She was an extremely loyal pet who stayed by Karolyne's side long after other companions joined their company.



From the start, I fell in love with Noelle's beauty and the way she just glided everywhere. It made me love the whole flying aspect. So, it was quite a surprise when I came across this little fellow that was just begging to be tamed. Karolyne named him Romeo, and though he still has yet to ever actually be in a fight, he comes out every now and then to play.



Next, during a quest that had me killing these beautiful birds, I fell in love with the idea of these wonderful looking eagles. Karolyne also adored them, so after finishing her quest, she found one extra eagle and tamed her. She named her Lottie, and she is another one of Karolyne's pets that has never actually seen combat.



Being a late starter, Karolyne realized belatedly that she really should choose a profession. So, she picked up herbalism and alchemy. While farming some herbs to level her herbalism, she came across these beautiful moths flying around some herbs that she needed. They looked quite beautiful that she couldn't even hesitate in taking one of them on for her own. This beautiful new companion was named Bonnie, and she was the first one tamed that finally sent Noelle to the stable for the longest period that she has ever been there.



Bonnie accompanied Karolyne all the way until she hit level 83, and she realized that Bonnie wasn't screaming "forever companion" to her. She needed to find that one pet that would be with her forever. So, with a new pet slot available, she went on a search for a beautiful pet that could stay by herself. Really quite randomly, she came across a pet that did not match any of the rest of her pet family at all, and yet was the perfect new companion for her. This pet was a ravager, and she named him Boone.



And this leads us to now. Karolyne is nearly raid ready, and guild members are starting to push her to get a CAT. Cat!? That isn't Karolyne's image at all! But I was hoping that after showing the type of pets that Karolyne (and myself) are attracted to, you fine people would have some ideas on where she should go from here.

Any ideas? Suggestions?

[Lisaara]

Well my favorites are the following:

Shango

Humar the Pridelord

Sambas

Swarming Guardian

Pogeyan

Tiger

[Karolyne]

Thanks for the suggestions! I looked through Petopia at the different cat models available, but none of them really spoke to me. Maybe I need to visit them in person to see if maybe there's a connection between Karolyne and the kitties that I did not foresee happening.

Now where to start...

[Chimera]

The lynx models are stunning for any player, you might find interest in perhaps the brown lynx? its not so bright and eye popping but if you do like things that turn heads a red lynx would look beautiful (rarely used too)

[Makoes]

Another good way to choose a pet, or cat in this matter, is to take the time to just site out of aggro range and watch the cat. Get a feel for its personality, how it moves. Its grace and cunning, alertness, even its pride. Imagine being on a safari.

I guess for me, I have a very active imagination, I see them as they would be in real life.

Personally I favoure the ridingcat models. They seem to have more of a fluidic grace to them. Hunched cats, I cant help feel sorry for since to me it looks like their necks/backs would be painful at that angle. That ans staring at the floor would get boring.

I do like the linx model, its rather unique and not seen at high levels (very often)


The pure white, aqua and Lavender cats of Winterspring have always given me the feeling of calm, confident preditors.

The panters and tigers of Strangelthorn speak of Savage wilderness, and Sango (sholazar basin) speaks of a Feral regal pride.

The cheetahs speak of swiftness and a love of running.

the dark striped or spotted ones always bring to mind a calm acceptance of the world around them, where as the white striped and spoted speak of harsh climates and scarce foods. Survival of the fitest.

Lioness' of the savahna remind me of the unity of family. And the lions are the proud protectors of the pride.

Humar is the lone king. Defender of his great pride and the spirit of the Barrens. He appears only to those worth of his great power.

Pitch is fury reborn, trapped and desperate, eternally fighting.

Sambas, I see as deeply tormented. Alone and without a pride. Exciled. He is desperately looking for something and never finding it. Surrounded by wolves and deer, and harshly hunted. And yet deep inside he is like a child, depseratly wanting to be loved.

The green tiger of felwoods speaks of corruption and sickness. Crazed and suffering. Sorrounded by the evils and viles of felwood, this cat paces.

The Ghost saber. The true embodyment of the great cats. Appearing only to those that show great pursaverance and a willingness to go above and beyond. Like a true cat, it is there and not. With part of it always hidden and private. Truely independant, but choosing to grace you with its presence.

whoops, kinda got into it
Hope that helps.

[TygerDarkstorm]

Another good way to choose a pet, or cat in this matter, is to take the time to just site out of aggro range and watch the cat. Get a feel for its personality, how it moves. Its grace and cunning, alertness, even its pride. Imagine being on a safari.

I couldn't agree with this statement more. I've often spent a lot of time just admiring the pets in the wild before deciding whether or not to tame them. Sometimes you'll see them do quirky things and you go "That's the one."

Also, if you want, you can hit alt+z to hide your interface for screenshots.

As for some cats:

Normally I hate the normal cats, but this one is heavily under-appreciated and looks so pretty at the higher levels when it's at full size.


And its saber counterpart:













Been meaning to get this gal on one of my hunters.




Available in 4.1

[Comett]

Just... as a note... if you really don't want a cat, I honestly can't imagine a raid situation that does not have a warrior, shammy, other hunter, or deathknight. Possible I suppose but really, really slim. XD Even if you need to get a cat and just pop it out for the buff on boss fights or something... but yeah, the agi/str buff is a very common one!

[MajorThor]

When it comes to raiding, just get what looks cool and will offer more to yourself. There won't be a time where you won't have Mark, Fort, Kings, Bshout etc as buffs from other classes.

[Ziarre]

That might be true in 25-man, but in 10-man I frequently find myself filling buff 'holes.' Usually this is agi/str, freeing the shaman up to drop Stoneskin instead. Tonight we didn't have a shaman, but we had three hunters--I asked one to bring out his cat so that I could use my corehound for Hysteria without hurting the long-run dps of the hunter trifecta+rogue.

[Cialbi]

Looks like you won't be able to find a cat you can bond with until you stumble upon one; it's the unlikely candidates that seem to be keepers for you. So, I'd advise just taming some level 85 cat so that you don't have to level the beast. That would limit you to the following:

Go out, tame one of these beasts (if you've completely quested through Uldum and Neferset City is no longer filled with hostiles, then just walk into the entrance to Lost City of Tol'Vir with one of your guild's tanks (may not be a necessary precaution, but that's what I did at least), turn to your right or left, and have the tank pull one of the sleeping cats or their handlers. You just shoot one of the tigers that the tank hasn't tagged, sending it towards you and into a waiting freezing trap, ready to be tamed. Then you both get the heck out of dodge.

So, I advise you just grab a level 85 kitty for raiding, so that your guild stops pressuring you. Once that's out of the way, keep an eye out for cats that may just catch your fancy; if/when you find one that you actually like, then you can replace your crouching tiger.

[Shirubia]

Ok, I say....

Def the best pet for her, matches with your hunter's hair color, it's a starter pet in the blood elf area and really uncommon, even at low levels.


This little one, specifically Dishu, was my hunter's first pet, tamed at level 15, and after having been in the game for quite a time, I have to say I Rarely see this cat model, it's gorgeous in my opinion, and it's not a really overused saber cat.


While this one is a bit overused this days, it is an eyecatcher everywhere you go, and it would be an amazing contrast with your character.

or
Those two where really popular a few years ago, but this days you dont see them really often, I think they both are really elegant cats and would match your hunter also.

[Nefretiti]

I suggest giving Duskfang a chance that poor cat doesnt get enough lovin

[moofy]

I'm a big fan of the once rare black lion skin which Humar has (I checked off and on for a few days back in vanilla wow).

[Loronar]

If you want to go for uniqueness, I'd recommend Duskstalker.

Because she's a Teldrassil rare spawn, I doubt there are many people aware of this cat on the Horde side. I've not seen anyone with her either on Alliance side. She is gorgeous compared to the normal cat model with the same skin pattern. She has glowing green eyes at night!

[Niabi]

Almost immediately, after seeing what your avatar looked like, I thought ...



So there's another vote for the red and gold lynx model

There's a cat model I've been considering for myself recently that might work for you also ...



These cats are super rare to find tamed which is a real shame considering how beautiful they really are. Never found them that appealing when I saw them on Petopia til I was leveling my Worgen Rogue through Darkshore. I actually found myself stopping and marveling at these cats every single time I'd pass one. Try it out and see if there's a connection there for you as well.

[Mychelle]

From looking at your character above in the screenshots...when it comes to pets, I have a small thing about "matching" with my pet as well when it comes to like color and what-not.
So my vote would be...

[Arcanimus]

I am a forever advocate of the Ghost Saber. You just have to see them in-game and you'll want one. I can guarantee it.

[Celi]

What about getting the random pet challenge to give you a couple of cats to tame? You might find yourself drawn to one.

[Cerah]

It sounds like you only want a cat because your guildies are pushing you into it. If you really don't think they suit your hunter, don't tame one. It's as simple as that. Besides, if your raid group has a Death Knight, Horn of Winter will make the cat's Roar of Courage redundant anyway. Two of the pets you already have are totally suitable for raiding -- your Dragonhawk will increase magic damage done to enemies (perfect for the dps spellcasters in your raid group), and your ravager will cause enemies to take increased physical damage.

However, if you actually, genuinely want a cat, several of the suggestions above would look nice with your character, especially the red lynx. If you're willing to put in a little extra effort, there's one I'd recommend:



I think the glowing red eyes would suit you perfectly. Plus, the Swarming Guardian is only available as a spawn during a boss fight in Uludar. If your guildies want you to get a cat so badly, how about making sure they're willing to work to help you get one.