Selling Cats as Breeders

If you breed cats, one point or another, you're going to be asked to sell a cat as a breeder. Hopefully we all know who is who in our respective breeds and we already have an idea of who we would work with one day and who we would not. I know I do

I won't sell a cat as a breeder to a new person on a cold contact alone--they have to have been reccomended to me by one of the catteries I already work with. I feel this saves me trouble, because I am in no position to start up somebody new being relatively new myself. But I'm learning that even a reccomendation from someone else is not always enough, and everything must be at your discretion.

So here is a situation for your consideration. Names and locations have been changed, because they are not so important

A new breeder in Antartica wants to start breeding Vans. Once upon a time, there were Vans in Antartica, but no longer. . . SuperVan cattery suggested this new breeder contact me. At first, things looked rosey--it would be great to re-establish the breed there. SuperVan and I suggested this new person get in touch with a former breeder so they could work together. I offered one of my best kittens, since I felt you should not establish a breed with anything less than the best.
Well, that particular kitten has turned out to be the best I've produced, and since no contracts were signed and no money was exchanged (New Breeder waffled for a good month) I had to rescind my offer and proposed a different kitten. As things have progressed, the new breeder revealed that they were only looking to breed pretty kittens to sell to Antartic Van Fans. New breeder stated in no uncertain terms that they would not offer stud service and they would not sell breeding cats.
I'm glad my best is not going to Antartica, but now I'm concerned about sending anything over there at all. Any input guys?

OK - here goes my few cents....

Obviously, if the breed does not exist in that country, it would be great to re-establish the breed there. However a few things come to mind:

1. Does the country already have a cat fancy established there?
2. Does the breeder come with any sort of referral? Perhaps from another breeder at the very least?

See the reason I say this is because my own country has no TUVs at all. However, we do have a very active cat fancy with Fife and CFA represented. It should not be so difficult for someone in my country who wants a cat of any breed to get some sort of referral at the very least, you could get some sort of response from a third party to help you say yea or nay.

I would not say no outright because as you said, it would be great to re-establish or even establish the breed there (or even here in Malaysia!).

IMO you need to do a bit more research into the country that the prospective buyers are from - what kind of cat fancy exists there etc.

Just a small reminder though - two pet quality cats from outstanding lines could produce outstanding kittens!

Originally Posted by Abymummy

1. Does the country already have a cat fancy established there?

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Yes, Antartica has an established fancy. Sometimes Antartic judges come to my area--either to judge or just check out what's in the showhalls.

Originally Posted by Abymummy

2. Does the breeder come with any sort of referral? Perhaps from another breeder at the very least?

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SuperVan cattery passed on the kitten inquiry to me. However, the New Breeder's only breeding female is coming from someone I would never work with. The New Breeder has also ignored my suggestions to get in contact with an Antartic judge who was involved in the breed and has expressed interest in helping to re-establish it if stud service were available.

Originally Posted by Abymummy

See the reason I say this is because my own country has no TUVs at all.

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I know SuperVan and I would love to help fix that

I am PMing you a little more info, thanks for the input!!

This is a difficult situation. On one hand you'd like to help re-establish. But on the other hand, if the breeder is only breeding cats for "pretty kittens" to sell to pet owners only, what's the point in trying to re-establish the breed there?

Unless the breeder is willing to work with other Van breeders in a nearby country or willing to get to some shows, all you are doing is letting a person breed pet quality kittens and not improving the lines or anything else.

IMO the purpose of breeding purebreds is to better the breed and show them. Not to just produce pretty kittens for pets. We have enough backyard breeders not altering purebreds and just breeding to breed.

And, honestly, can you trust this person not to be selling entire cats to other pet owners? Keep in mind that YOUR name/cattery is on the line here and your reputation.

I'd contact other Van breeders in the area if possible and see what is going on before I'd send breeding cats to another country.

GK, You bring up some of my most troubling concerns.

I wrote to the aformentioned Antartic Judge. Based on the judge's response, I'll either go forward with negotiations or withdraw all considerations.

My other great concern is that once the cat leaves the country, I will have little recourse should the new breeder break my contract. I will also not be able to get a report on the offspring from my cat--and we have a divide in my breed quite similar to what the Russian Blue breeders are facing with the White Russian.

Originally Posted by FerrisCat

I know SuperVan and I would love to help fix that

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I think I met SuperVan at the Internationals

To waylay the discussion a bit but it IS about sending TUVs over here...(sorry! )

There has been much talk about the Asian CFA judge. Of course there are none at the moment (Europe already has a few CFA judges) and mostly, the ones who qualify or nearly qualify are all SH breeders.

So, the general comment was passed to me in effect said - "breed LH cats for a while Abymummy". That way, the SH peeps (me included) would do the SH judging program while I do the LH judging program alongside...haha!

Not yet FerrisCat! When I am ready for my TUV breeding programme, maybe in a few years, you'll be the first to know!

AND, whoever said I wanted to be a judge in the first place??? I want to be a Master Clerk Instructor!

You'd make a good judge. And I would not complain if you put another Ocicat over mine if it was better.....

Yup, SuperVan was there, while I was tube feeding a litter of 9

So the plan would be that several Asian breeders enter the program at the same time, and while one group focuses on SH, you'll be doing both? Having a cachet of local judges would certainly make it less costly for clubs to produce a show. I wonder what sort of long terms effects it would have on CFA Asia. . . What a plan!! And what work. . . but who says you can't be both a judge and a Master Clerk instructor, Abymummy.

You know where I am when you're ready. Between what SuperVan and I have, we'll get some phenomenal cats to you.