Mentoring Network

Gaye, this is a WONDERFUL idea! I want to start breeding just to support this OK, I'm too chicken, but still, I really think this is a great idea! I know nothing about breeding, but if you can think of anything I can do to help, you've got my support!

Tiffany

I am a new Persian breeder and really need the advise and help of experienced breeders . I would greatly appreciate your time and input.

Hi Gaye,

I feel you have a wonderful suggestion to help newer breeders. I feel I have some knowledge to share with, but I also feel I am still a newbie myself compared to some of these long time breeders. After years of learning, it seems there is so much more to continue learning. If you go forward with the mentoring program, I would be more than willing to help answer questions when I can ,and learn in other areas where I may not know as much.

I feel you, Goldenkitty, and, Kai Bengals, have all been a great help to me on this forum, and of course I can't forget my mentors who have helped me as well.

The more we can all learn from one another, the better for us and our programs.

Respectfully,
Stormi

Great idea. I am a newer Persian Breeder and advise and help from the experienced would be wonderful!!!!

Hi there,

I'm new on the site but think this is a great idea. I have owned British shorthairs for ten years and I am now starting to breed on a very small scale. In fact i think my 1 year old queen is hopefully pregnant now. She was mated on 8th March but seemed to stay in season for a couple of days after. I thought they usually went out of season within 24hours but not sure as its my first time!! I can't be 100% sure it was a successful mating as it was my partner who witnessed it. But the last few days her nipples do seem bigger and shes eating lots! Although she is a bit of a piggy anyway!!

I also would love to speak to someone about some advice re stud boys! I have got a lovely boy who is now 9 months old. I would ideally like to keep him as a stud as he has the most fantastic temperament and is gorgeous. He hasn't sprayed in the house at all yet so he stll sleeps on my bed etc. Even with a queen in season he didn't spray or anything although was very interested. What age do they normally start spraying and is it true that some males with no competition don't? As the BSH grow slowly I like to leave the boys longer before neutering them anyway to allow them to get their cheeks! I know some people think you should neuter as early as poss but i NEVER let them out and I leave it later for their sake. I have just had my bengal boy neutered at 6 months as I am def only concentrating on the British at this point!

Any advice welcomed!! Sorry for the essay!

Also how do i post pics of them!

Thanks! Emily

I pm'd you Count me in as one that can help a newbie

Bred and showed rexes and Russian Blue - can help out with breeding and/or grooming in both long/short hairs. And any show info.

Hi and welcome to TCS - All un-neutered males spray to mark their territory, whether there are females about or not - generally its about 5mths - so maybe your boy is just late in maturing so I would think it wont be long before he does and as you know thats not easy to clean the smell away

you can either attach them using the 'paperclip' icon, or if you have an account with a photo-hosting web page you can post you links or the photos from there - please check in Fur Pictures about rules of photo posting

Great thanks, I'll try find the message!! Sure I'll get the hang of it soon! Its very exciting trying for furry babies but also quite daunting as I want to do everything right!

Yes, I assumed all males would spray but a friend has got a BSH boy whos 18 moths and still doesn't spray. Maybe its just that they take so long to develop, as my alfie is nowhere near full grown. We have to make the decision as to whether he's good enough example to be a stud in which case as soon as he does he'll have to have his own quarters! Or if we decide no and only to use outside studs in future i'll have him neutered. He's a lovely boy!

Sorry to disagree but ALL males do not spray. I owned a cornish rex male who never sprayed - he had run of the house and never mated with my queen unless she was in season.

He also was the only unneutered male in the house. Granted 90% will spray, but sometimes you get lucky You might also have a male that is ok with not spraying. Just keep in mind that if he starts, you will have to cage him

Thats interesting, well fingers crossed he won't but yeah if he does we'll obviously have to change the living arrangments! He's quite well developed if you know what I mean so I was surpised when the spraying didn't start, as was my vet! But he may well start up soon!

You are very correct, I have been blessed with 2 Ragdoll males, that have NEVER sprayed, but then I have a female who does. My 2 boys have a large room with cat trees, and stay together, they are best of buds, and snuggle together. One was very slow to mature, but even he is almost 3 and still has no clue how to spray. The boys can also get socialization and love in the rest of the house, we just either know to keep close supervision, to prevent unwanted breeding, or let the girls go into the bedroom, and even then they don't mark.
I have had a Ragdoll male that sprayed, funny enough, is after having 2 males that didn't spray, I am not sure if he was average or just a hoser. My hope is he was a hoser, and that most males don't spray quite that much, but hopefully when the time comes to find another male for our program, he won't spray either!!
On my female who sprayed, we used the Feliway, and it does curb the behavior MOST of the way, but if we forget to keep up with the Feliway, she lets us know.

I have never heard of any of our adult kittens ever having marking, or having litter box issues. Of course that may be the result of altering early, but our neuters have never had litter box issues. "Knock on wood"

As of yet, my male is not a sprayer. He has done it a couple of times but there were circumstances that changed in the environment. Other than that, he hasn't done it. "knock on wood" I hope that he doesn't start in the future! :-)

That's good to hear from other people that they don't always! I really hope mine keeps up his good behavious as I love having him in the house and I think we'd both find it hard if it has to change now! Keep your fingers crossed for me! For those who's males do spray - at what age did it start? Thanks!

Stevie started at 10 months and hasn't stopped!

Alfie is now 9 months so i think its definitely a wait and see thing then!!

ouch!! thats not good! I'll keep a close eye then! He's been in same house as a queen in season and gets a bit noisy but no spraying as yet! He kind of swaggers around alot talking - think hes calling for ladies!

I, too, had a Cornish Rex male who didn't spray. He was the only male and developed a bit late-didn't notice the girls until he was over a year old. We also didn't show him, so he had absolutely no contact with other males, i.e., no need to mark his territory. He knew he owned it and every girl (whole and spayed) in it. I don't know if any of that mattered, but my other males, who developed earlier and were shown, did spray, to a lesser or greater degree. I never had a "hoser" (a boy who sprays like a fire hose), but they did spray some.

Mirage

Tinker did get shown a few times when I had him - he still did not spray in the house

It's very hit or miss at to whether it's worth leaving a boy to see if he will spray, as my experience is that if left too late and he starts, even when he has had his op he may well continue...

Having said that, my BSH stud sprays when in new surroundings, but my ragdoll stud has never.

Getting back to the topic - I think it's a fantastic idea to introduce a network of support, & although not v experienced, if I can help in any way, I will be more than glad to. I am very new to ragdolls though, but know a fair bit about BSH even though I haven't been breeding that long.

Em x

I would love to learn about breeding, how to start, how to show, etc. Ive always been interested and obviously want to take a lot of time dedicated to learning before I actually do it. If I learn what I need to and it works for us, I wont want to start for another several years~

I have three year old Himaylan,we feel we have a decision to make.We have people that want the babies, if i can bear to part with them...if not..oh welll
so we keep them.
\\just don't know the first thing about doing to find a father...any advice?

This is an awesome idea! Have you gone ahead and set it up yet?

I would be happy to help (though I am new to breeding Siamese cats), but would also love the advice of others.


Please let me know.

I was wondering if they did anything. I have lots of experience in breeding cats (RB's and Cornish Rex) even tho I don't breed any more but do still show in the alter classes - can help anyone out if needed.

You can PM thru the website as a message.