What you
should know before buying a kitten
Cat breeding is
almost entirely an amateur pursuit. As such it is not overseen by any regulatory
authorities, there are no codes of conduct for breeders to sign up to,
required qualifications to achieve, or professional associations to
join. Other than the Law there are no bodies who can decide who should
or shouldn't be allowed to breed cats or disqualify people who employ
dubious practices. And if things go wrong, unfortunately there is no-one
obliged to step in to resolve problems if they arise.
Breed clubs have
rules of conduct their members are expected to adhere to, but ultimately
they have little power to actually take any sort of action when
situations arise. The only governing bodies in the cat fancy are
concerned only with shows and have few powers outside of
these.
Sadly, despite the
multitude of very decent, honest and reputable people involved in
breeding, this is all too often a cut-throat business and there are
people out there who use all of these things to their advantage in
pursuit of greater success at shows and bigger profits.
It is all the more
important then to do as much research as you can and make informed
choices and decisions before you buy, so that the whole
experience of buying and owning a cat is as happy and wonderful as it
should be. The following may help in this respect:-
Don't believe the hype -
look beyond bragging adverts and web pages
Breeders may fill
these with show results and judges commendations: these may
appear impressive but the breeder may be only showing you their
successful results, rather than the complete picture. Plus they
say nothing for the kittens suitability as pets, which is ultimately far
more important to the average buyer.
Some may brag about
being the most successful or biggest cattery with the most breeding cats
and the most kitten sales. There is of course nothing wrong with being a
big cattery, but such overblown claims may reveal 'kitten farms'
employing bad practices such as over-breeding or poor living conditions,
with many cats crammed in small cages with minimal recreational space.
Look for evidence of large numbers of litters per queen over short
periods - this is very bad for them. Ask to visit and see for
yourself.
Consider also that in
such catteries the breeder will probably adopt a much more businesslike
approach and may be less willing or able to devote time to their cats
and kittens on an individual basis - this is really important for
temperament. These kittens are more likely to grow into cats with
behavioural or health problems, plus this results in giving reputable
breeders (and the breed itself) a bad reputation.
Another common brag
is about 'rare lines'. This relies on a buyer's lack of knowledge
to make them think they are getting something special (sometimes for
more money), but think about it: successful cats appear in many
many lines! A breeder with a very succesful cat will naturally use it
again and again and demand for its offspring will be high. They're
hardly likely to refuse to breed with it very much just to keep it rare.
We've come across such claims before and after some research found them
to actually be anything but rare - some have even appeared in our
cats.
Norwegian, Swedish,
Danish, etc. lines are sometimes claimed as a selling point but this is
no guarantee of quality - they aren't necessarily any better than
those from other countries and in any case the vast majority of NFCs
will have these lines somewhere in their pedigree anyway.
If possible, try to visit
the breeder and see the kitten first
When you visit, ask
yourself: do the kittens and other cats you see look healthy, with no
obvious ailments, and well fed? Do they all seem contented and playing
freely? Is the atmosphere relaxed and welcoming, with the breeder not
trying to obviously hide anything? Do you have a good feeling about
it?
Spend time with the
kitten and also other cats there and don't be afraid to ask questions.
Don't be pushed into a sale if you are unsure or it is not what you are
looking for.
Don't pay over the
odds
Breeders are free to
charge what they like for their kittens, but it's worth contacting
several breeders first to see what they are asking. It's not unknown for
the unscrupulous breeder to bump up the price when they know a buyer is
unaware of what is fair and reasonable or has not spoken to other
breeders. Be careful about paying a lot more for a kitten based on a
breeders claims as mentioned above.
Also find out what is
(and isn't) included in the price - very cheap prices might not
include vaccinations, tests, injections or other expensive
'extras'.
Cats bought for
breeding may command higher prices - this is perfectly fair as
other tests, etc. are necessary and these are an additional expense for
the breeder.
Beware of breeders who
rubbish other breeders
If you are in contact
with a breeder and they make a point of warning you off buying from
their competitors, treat their free 'advice' with caution, even if
apparently warning about a breeder mistreating cats or conning buyers.
Their concerns may be wholly legitimate, but it is our unfortunate
experience to have suffered from the unwanted attentions of the more
unsavoury element involved in the cat fancy.
Lies and
misinformation are often spread by these people with the sole purpose of
wrecking others' reputations, so before avoiding the breeder of your
About clubs and breeders
lists
Remember that being
members, or even being high-up within breed clubs or governing bodies,
and entries on breeders lists are not endorsements of
breeders nor any guarantee of the quality of their cats. Some perfectly
reputable breeders are not even members of clubs and don't appear on
their breeders lists.
Look throughout the
different media - many don't have web-sites and may only advertise in
show catalogues and certain magazines, but are just as worthwhile to
contact as those who do. Reputable breeders will always direct
you to others when they themselves are unable to help you.
Buying show
cats
If you specifically
want a show cat, visit shows and log results. Note which cats win
consistently, especially when in competition with many other cats.
Beware of breeders who tell you a kitten will definitely become a
champion cat: NO BREEDER CAN EVER GUARANTEE THIS!
White cats
Be aware that white
cats are more likely to suffer from deafness than others. If a breeder
claims not to ever produce deaf white cats, remember this is highly
unlikely to be true.
Carefully read
contracts
Many kitten sales are
made subject to signing a contract or agreement. This is normal, but as
always carefully read everything first before signing. You may be tied
to clauses which stipulate what you must and must not do with a cat,
especially if you decide to use it for breeding at a later date. Make
sure you are happy to be legally bound by what you are
signing.
Do your
homework
If you are very keen
on a particular breed, it always pays to do research on it and learn as
much as possible. This way you can discover things like known
temperament or genetic problems and know what to expect from your chosen
breed.
Read books and
magazine articles, visit shows, speak to exhibitors and breeders.
Joining breed clubs and societies can be useful too. Also use the
internet - aside from clubs and breeders own homepages, there are lots
of useful resources such as chat groups, where you can discuss issues
and obtain advice from experienced people.
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