I've had a really hard time this week. I am new to the Persian world. I started over a year ago with one male and one female. Both are negative from negative parents. Although well over a year old my female had no heat cycles and was not interested in my male. I needed to do something. One of my breeder friends told me to contact an area breeder who was downsizing who might help me *get started*. I've done lots and lots of research of various catteries online and I know most claim to be PKd free or will say when their Persians are negative. I also knew of the disease and figured that no responsible and caring breeder would sell a kitten that was positive... at least NOT as a breeder and only after disclosing this fault to the buyer.
I was wrong! I was very very wrong!
First off let me say to all you people out there new to breeding - LEARN about feline Polycystic Kidney disease and then ASK before bringing a kitten or cat home! Become aware!
I signed a contract in January for seven cats. Two of them were pregnant and due right away. Two others wouldn't come to me until later. The contract stated that I would pay for the cats with the sale of kittens. The two pregnant girls miscarried both their litters. BOTH are PKd positive.
Long story short - five of the 7 cats are positive for PKd. The kitten could be too but she was never tested by the breeder. When the last breeder lost her kittens on March 1, which were VERY premature, she was due on Marh 6th and the kittens should've been fine. I didn't understand it. TWO cats that I jsut got losing their premature kittens. Well I took the one breeder to the vet Friday because her kidneys are HUGE. The PKd has started to affect her and the vet said she should NOT be bred again. I agreed with him.
I informed the breeder about the visit and that I wanted a replacement NEGATIVE cat although we wanted to keep this breeder as a pet. I was told that I misunderstood the vet, her uterus was fine and that she didn't have PKd symptoms and that the only way to diagnose it was to do a necropsy, and other things that made my mouth hang open in shock! She then wondered when I was going to pay for the cats b/c she could have those cats and be getting kittens from them. I informed her that some of the were already pregnant and kittens were on the way and that I would pay her as the kittens were sold, as per the contract.
I have been told that no one really worries about PKd except the serious show people and that people wanting pets don't even know about it and that they don't ask. I was told that since I was new to the Persian breeding that I shouldn't be worried about PKd in the cats that I have in my cattery... that's its only a *money thing*... I was told that this breeder cat *has a lot more in her* and that if I didn't want her to get her back so she could be bred.
I also found out other things from other reputable breeders about this certain breeder... things that made me go OMGosh. I told her that I could not in good conscience breed positive cats to people when I know that in as early as 2 years they could lose them. PKd is a disease and if you sell a positive cat you are in essence selling a diseased cat. Sure that cat might live a long life but at anytime, at any age, that disease can rear it's head and kill the cat. I let her know I wanted to return the cats but keep the one affected girl I took to the vet and the male cat that is negative. I was told NO. The only way I can save HER is to pay for her... oh and she wants them back by Monday! So I have til MONDAY to come up with the funds to keep Kono.
I also found out that my boy Tristan is also PKd positive and I believe he's already having kidney problems.
He was sold to me as a pet though.
So that leads me to my questions, Do responsible breeders continue to breed knowing their kittens might or will be PKd positive? If so, then don't these breeders have an obligation to their customers to inform BEFORE purchase of their status?
I was wrong! I was very very wrong!
First off let me say to all you people out there new to breeding - LEARN about feline Polycystic Kidney disease and then ASK before bringing a kitten or cat home! Become aware!
I signed a contract in January for seven cats. Two of them were pregnant and due right away. Two others wouldn't come to me until later. The contract stated that I would pay for the cats with the sale of kittens. The two pregnant girls miscarried both their litters. BOTH are PKd positive.
Long story short - five of the 7 cats are positive for PKd. The kitten could be too but she was never tested by the breeder. When the last breeder lost her kittens on March 1, which were VERY premature, she was due on Marh 6th and the kittens should've been fine. I didn't understand it. TWO cats that I jsut got losing their premature kittens. Well I took the one breeder to the vet Friday because her kidneys are HUGE. The PKd has started to affect her and the vet said she should NOT be bred again. I agreed with him.
I informed the breeder about the visit and that I wanted a replacement NEGATIVE cat although we wanted to keep this breeder as a pet. I was told that I misunderstood the vet, her uterus was fine and that she didn't have PKd symptoms and that the only way to diagnose it was to do a necropsy, and other things that made my mouth hang open in shock! She then wondered when I was going to pay for the cats b/c she could have those cats and be getting kittens from them. I informed her that some of the were already pregnant and kittens were on the way and that I would pay her as the kittens were sold, as per the contract.
I have been told that no one really worries about PKd except the serious show people and that people wanting pets don't even know about it and that they don't ask. I was told that since I was new to the Persian breeding that I shouldn't be worried about PKd in the cats that I have in my cattery... that's its only a *money thing*... I was told that this breeder cat *has a lot more in her* and that if I didn't want her to get her back so she could be bred.
I also found out other things from other reputable breeders about this certain breeder... things that made me go OMGosh. I told her that I could not in good conscience breed positive cats to people when I know that in as early as 2 years they could lose them. PKd is a disease and if you sell a positive cat you are in essence selling a diseased cat. Sure that cat might live a long life but at anytime, at any age, that disease can rear it's head and kill the cat. I let her know I wanted to return the cats but keep the one affected girl I took to the vet and the male cat that is negative. I was told NO. The only way I can save HER is to pay for her... oh and she wants them back by Monday! So I have til MONDAY to come up with the funds to keep Kono.
I also found out that my boy Tristan is also PKd positive and I believe he's already having kidney problems.
So that leads me to my questions, Do responsible breeders continue to breed knowing their kittens might or will be PKd positive? If so, then don't these breeders have an obligation to their customers to inform BEFORE purchase of their status?