Breeders Allowing Visitors in Their Home

ferriscat · Feb 11, 2008

Alright, I know that as kitten buyers, we are told to visit the cattery and try to see as much of the home as possible. We're told that we need to see the entire house to make sure that the cats are kept in good living conditions. We're told to be wary of the cattery that keeps you in one part of the house, or even refuses to let you inside.

Now that I'm preparing to enter the breeding side of things, I wonder how much of this advice is something breeders should be following. We don't live in a safe world anymore. As a lone female on my own, I don't want to let strangers into my home and give them full access to my house. I also don't want to find that I've let someone into my home that might try to use my cattery conditions against me, no matter how good or bad they might be. I also don't want people bringing in unwanted diseases that could hurt my cats

How do we let kitten buyers know that they are getting a healthy well-socialized cat without risking the safety of ourselves and our cats?

Just a thought. . .

goldenkitty45 · Feb 11, 2008

Well first I would not allow the person to visit the kittens till they've had at least 2 shots - so that would make them about 10 weeks old.

I'd also ask the person if they had other pets and if any of their pets had been sick. I'd explain that I didn't want anyone to be bringing in something the kittens could pick up.

You could also have them wash their hands before handling your cats/kittens too.

When we got Charlie, we couldn't go see the actual "cat house" as she had a litter of kittens that hadn't had shots yet, but we got to see from the windows outside and she had a few pictures to show the boys room. I would have loved to actually visited inside, but can understand her not risking the health of the kittens

snosrap5 · Feb 11, 2008

Originally Posted by FerrisCat

Alright, I know that as kitten buyers, we are told to visit the cattery and try to see as much of the home as possible. We're told that we need to see the entire house to make sure that the cats are kept in good living conditions. We're told to be wary of the cattery that keeps you in one part of the house, or even refuses to let you inside.

This part of your statement worries me.

When I visited Nial and his wife I never expected to be shown the whole house. I don't feel I needed to see his whole house to get a feel for how he takes care of his cats.

I don't think you should open your whole house to potential kitten buyers.

epona · Feb 11, 2008

I wouldn't expect to see the whole house either, people need some privacy surely! I don't see the point of it either - when I met Sonic's breeder we had a cuppa in the living room and I used the bathroom, but I didn't need to inspect her house, I could see happy healthy kittens running around and playing. Why on earth would I have needed, or even wanted, to go poking into every room? How bizarre.

blondrebel76 · Feb 11, 2008

Not only the kittens safety but what if a potential buyer is skoping out your house to rob you later? What better way to get inside information? Please be carefull if you do allow ppl inside your home and i wouldnt be alone if i did, you never know what kind of things that sick twisted people could try.

lynsgems · Feb 11, 2008

Another thing to consider - do you live in an area where there are limits on the number of cats/dogs you can own? Even if you have 2 breeding females and one male, once the kittens are running around you're now (probably) over the limit.

There are also the animal rights activists that cause concern. There have been several times that breeders have been contacted about available kittens, the person will come to see them, and then a couple days later animal control is knocking on the door.

There is also much legislation currently being passed in several states pushing for mandatory spay/neuter by the age of 4 months.

Just please be careful if you do let people in your home. As other people have said, you just never know.

kai bengals · Feb 11, 2008

You certainly don't have to provide access to your entire home to people visiting the kittens. I never do that.

People who visit us to see the kittens, are brought into our family room, where the kittens are raised after they are weaned. They can also visit a portion of the front of our home where our neutered boys hang out and play on the cat wheel. In addition they are given a tour of our cattery which is a seperate 2 story building on our property.

This gives them a very good feel for how we run things and how the cats/kittens are taken care of.

Our cats don't even have complete access to every portion of our home, I certainly wouldn't let a stranger just wander about.

abymummy · Feb 11, 2008

Originally Posted by Kai Bengals

You certainly don't have to provide access to your entire home to people visiting the kittens. I never do that.

People who visit us to see the kittens, are brought into our family room, where the kittens are raised after they are weaned. They can also visit a portion of the front of our home where our neutered boys hang out and play on the cat wheel. In addition they are given a tour of our cattery which is a seperate 2 story building on our property.

This gives them a very good feel for how we run things and how the cats/kittens are taken care of.

Our cats don't even have complete access to every portion of our home, I certainly wouldn't let a stranger just wander about.

Totally agree! Unfortunately, unlike Nial I have yet to build my cattery (as in separate building).

megmar6853 · Feb 11, 2008

The state has no right to tell you that you have to alter your animal. It is YOUR animal.
That being said. I have been to many siamese catteries. Most are so dirty and disquisting that I cant believe it. When I say this I am talking about reputable siamese breeders in FL. Ones that are certified cattery of excellences. When you walk in a house and the smell knocks you off your feet it is wrong. I went to a certain siamese breeder in FL house. This is a well known cattery that produces many champions. She must have had over a hundred cats. She had about fifty in the main part of the house and she kept bringing more and more out of the back room. If I was to buy a kitten I would definately want to see the backroom. If the main house looked like it had been hit by a tornado what do the hidden rooms look like. Be warey of the big breeders. That might claim that they are doing it for the love of the breed and to improve the lines. I dont know how having over a hundred cats and not ever changing litter boxes is improving the breed.
I have been to about ten well known siamese catteries in Florida. Some that are CFA registered on the Cat Fanciers website. The conditions that those cats live in are worse then sewers.
This being said. I am a siamese breeder. I have two females and one male. The male has his own outdoor cattery house that he lives in. The females stay inside and roam the house. (unless there is a loud heat cycle) then the male comes in and female goes out

If anyone is thinking about buying a siamese kitten from a CFA registered cattery be careful. If you want the names of the cattery private message me.

kai bengals · Feb 11, 2008

Originally Posted by megmar6853

The state has no right to tell you that you have to alter your animal. It is YOUR animal.
That being said. I have been to many siamese catteries. Most are so dirty and disquisting that I cant believe it. When I say this I am talking about reputable siamese breeders in FL. Ones that are certified cattery of excellences. When you walk in a house and the smell knocks you off your feet it is wrong. I went to a certain siamese breeder in FL house. This is a well known cattery that produces many champions. She must have had over a hundred cats. She had about fifty in the main part of the house and she kept bringing more and more out of the back room. If I was to buy a kitten I would definately want to see the backroom. If the main house looked like it had been hit by a tornado what do the hidden rooms look like. Be warey of the big breeders. That might claim that they are doing it for the love of the breed and to improve the lines. I dont know how having over a hundred cats and not ever changing litter boxes is improving the breed.
I have been to about ten well known siamese catteries in Florida. Some that are CFA registered on the Cat Fanciers website. The conditions that those cats live in are worse then sewers.
This being said. I am a siamese breeder. I have two females and one male. The male has his own outdoor cattery house that he lives in. The females stay inside and roam the house. (unless there is a loud heat cycle) then the male comes in and female goes out

If anyone is thinking about buying a siamese kitten from a CFA registered cattery be careful. If you want the names of the cattery private message me.

Anyone with a hundred cats is a hoarder, not a breeder. As a matter of fact anyone with 50 cats is also a hoarder.

goldenkitty45 · Feb 11, 2008

If you've personally been in these "catteries" you can put in a formal complaint to CFA office. They do have investigations - and some breeders have been suspended or banned! I know of a maine coon breeder in Maryland that was permanently banned from CFA shows/registration because of the conditions of her "cattery".

cattiew · Feb 12, 2008

i have got both of my cats from various breeders. For me i can tell whether the cats are loved or not. i don't think any breeders that i visited showed me the whole house. i normally see the living room of the house. i think people can tell that the cattery is not in a good conditions without seeing the whole house. if i need to see the whole house before i can be sure the kittens are healthy, then it's more likely to walk away from that breeder. don't worry, kittens will always speak to their future owner.you really don't need to do much except giving them loads loads of love !!!!!

moonandstarkatz · Feb 12, 2008

Hi everyone,

As a Siberian breeder for about 3 years, I have been in my catteries, some larger and some smaller. The first thing I would tell you is that if a person knows they have company coming over, wouldn't cleaning litter pans be first priority?

As to the lurking animal rights folks, we used to raise Poms and had this problem of folks stealing dogs. Now the only folks allowed in home are those on the waiting list. No one visits kittens until they are at least 8 weeks old. I am very protective of my privacy (life outside of cats) and my kittens health.
Daisy

sol · Feb 13, 2008

Originally Posted by FerrisCat

Alright, I know that as kitten buyers, we are told to visit the cattery and try to see as much of the home as possible. We're told that we need to see the entire house to make sure that the cats are kept in good living conditions. We're told to be wary of the cattery that keeps you in one part of the house, or even refuses to let you inside.

Visit the breeder yes, demanding to see the whole house.. absolutely not. No one except from the police has got the right to demand that.

Now that I'm preparing to enter the breeding side of things, I wonder how much of this advice is something breeders should be following. We don't live in a safe world anymore. As a lone female on my own, I don't want to let strangers into my home and give them full access to my house.

Make sure you have company when you have kitten visitors. If something feels wrong when the visitor is knocking on the door, don't let him/her in. Follow your instincts.

I also don't want to find that I've let someone into my home that might try to use my cattery conditions against me, no matter how good or bad they might be.

This I don't see as a problem. If the cats are being properly taken care of and you follow the laws, there's nothing to worry about.

I also don't want people bringing in unwanted diseases that could hurt my cats.

Of course not. This is a dilemma. We can't live in our own little safe bulb. We're a part of the world, we go shopping, we go to work, we visit friends, we visit cat shows etc. There's always a risk for us bringing something unwanted home. Normal hygiene stops surprisingly much! A normal germ flora in the home actuarally does good. It strenghtens all the cats immune system, including the kittens.

How do we let kitten buyers know that they are getting a healthy well-socialized cat without risking the safety of ourselves and our cats?

Well, I allow visitors after the kittens have become 4 weeks old. I know some people think that's to young but I've chosen to invite people this early on because I see it as a part of the kitten socialization and it gives me "plenty" of time to get to know potential buyers.

I don't allow big herds of people to visit me, only one family at a time. THey have to clean their hands with alcohol and I tell them to please have clean clothes when they come. The visitors get to meet me, mama cat (daddy to if he's mine) and the kittens in my living room. They don't get to see my whole home!

This has worked very well. I've never gotten any disease into my cattery and all visitors have been very normal people.

I've never felt uncomfortable or unsafe with anyone.

fuzzmom · Feb 13, 2008

A number of years ago when I first became interested in Bengals, I visited a local breeder in MA (Speakeasy Bengals - http://www.speakeasy-bengals.com/). I basically saw her entire house as she was showing me her male (which was being mated to a visiting queen) and the 'honeymoon suite' they had. I played with her cats in the living room, then was brought into her kitchen where a female stayed since she didn't get along with the other females in the home. While there we spoke about diet, etc. She then brought me upstairs, but I can't remember why, I think there may have been another cat in that room.

I never asked to see all her rooms, she chose to show me on her own. I never did see any litterboxes which may have been in the basement, but her house was very clean and you never would have known she had cats (no odor) except for the fact they met you at the door.

Afterwards, we went out to lunch and talked more Bengals. It was a great way to spend the day.

She knew I was visiting because I wanted to know if I was allergic to Bengals and wanted to meet the breed that I had fallen in love with. I'm VERY allergic to most cats (all DSHs etc.) but not to most purebred Siamese, and happily not to Bengals!

Perhaps some day I'll be owned by this incredible breed. I just need to win the lottery!

pee-cleaner · Feb 13, 2008

So where do you draw the line between breeder/hoarder?

Cally

vrgchs · Feb 13, 2008

I do not let visitors/potential buyers see my whole house, nor my whole cattery (which is part of my house). I usually bring the kittens into my living room and let them see them there. The kittens tend to wonder between the hallway, living room and kitchen, which I do allow the potential buyers to see (usually when then go to pick a kitten up which has wondered into one of those other parts) I also do not let visitors come and see kittens until they have had at least 1 set of shots. Some times 2 sets. They do get to see my other cats which will wonder in and out of the room being nosey seeing who is there.

As a previous buyer (before getting into breeding) I think for the most part, it can be pretty obvious what kind of condition the cats live in when you first enter the house and with out having to see the whole place. I have been to some houses, that when they 1st open the front door, the awful smell of litter boxes, and urine just poured out. Right away it was obvious the living condition was not well kept.

But a lot of it comes down to I think also if you feel comfortable. Just because you do not get too see the whole place does not mean it is bad. If you get an uncomfortable feeling, it might be for a reason.

ferriscat · Feb 14, 2008

Thank you, all of you, for the sound advice. It has been most welcome and well received. It seems I've got some serious planning ahead of me

I am most concerned about the points that LynsGems made regarding animal control and AR activists. I also like the suggestion to only let in people that are on my kitten/cat waiting list.

theimp98 · Feb 14, 2008

i am not a breeder, But there is no way i would expect to someone to show me there whole house. if i was there to look at kittens.

heck even if go to see a friend, i dont expect them to show me there whole house. I am there to see them not there house.

abbycats · Feb 18, 2008

When we went to go pick out our little Bengal girl my breeder showed me the kittens and then asked us if we wanted to see her quarters for her studs. She took us out and explained the desired qualities in the bengals. She told us what background her cats have. She started her breeding program from millwood cats. She spent a great deal of time talking to us.

It was done very professionally.

Breeders Allowing Visitors in Their Home

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

TCS Member

Thread starter

TCS Member

TCS Member