Abayomi Abyssianians - Vancouver: Any opinions?  

Looked at the website. Nice cats but I have a few concerns. Even if you only want a pet, IMO the breeder you buy from should have show cats with titles (champion or grand champion) in the association they are registered in.

Otherwise they are just breeding for pets only. No where in her pages does she even mention she shows (no cats have titles) and she only mentions "grand champion lines" - which sounds good but really doesn't mean much if its 3-4 generations from her breeding cats.

While some cats can't be shown for various reasons, if these cats have PRODUCED show titled cats on a consistent basis, I will forgive not having a title. With Ocicats, there are not many grand champion females around (but plenty of them come from excellant lines that PRODUCE grands) because they are cats that come into heat cycles early and its very hard to show a female Oci who is in and out of heat a lot.

I think their testimonials page speaks volumes. While I agree with Martice that it's important for a breeder to show, there are many reasons why someone wouldn't be able to.
I think this breeder has many happy pet clients.

True Nial, but those "testimonials" can easily be faked. I know another website that has a lot of problems right now and suspect her "testimonials" are from the breeder - not from the owners.

I would not totally rely on testimonials when buying any cat. Ask me about this on a hot air balloon ride company (PM me)!

Ok Jacky - should I brace myself????

I too would be interested in any feedback about this breeder...

Hi There,

I am the breeder in mention, Abayomi Abyssinians. My name is Tracy Fasciana and I am more than happy to provide as many emails/phone numbers to my Testimonials/References as well as my long time vets phone number... all anyone has to do is ask. I also welcome people to come into my home and meet us and our furry family and see for yourself. I take great pride in my Abys and my cattery and strive for the most healthy well socialized cats/kittens.

I have worked many years for several veterinarians and volunteered 9 wonderful years for Wildlife Rescue... I love animals of all kinds!!

I screen all my kitten inquiries asking "many" questions and encourage people who are interested in purchasing a kitten from any breeder to ask as many questions as they can to the breeder. I am happy to hear from people who have LOTS of questions as it shows they are interested in finding a reputable breeder and providing a forever home for a new baby... these are the homes into which we place our kittens. :o) We do not sell to just anyone.

I also take photos of our kittens every two weeks from birth and send them to their new owners so they can see they are healthy and enjoy watching them change as they grow. It provides them with wonderful memories to look back on as many of our families start a photo album book right from the precious newborn stage. The photos you see on my website are all photos I have taken.

I encourage our "extended kitty families" to keep in touch for years to come, and tell each and every one of them that I am always here if they ever have any questions. I also ask that "if' they should have any health issues at all to PLEASE let me know as it's the only way i am able to decide if one of our cats have to be removed from our breeding program. Fortunately we have very healthy lines and many happy kitty owners!! I have met so many wonderful people over the years and made so many friends that continue to keep in touch and send me proud parent photos of their babies!

I also encourage anyone who would like to inquire about myself and my cattery... please contact any of the lower mainland breeders as they will have nothing but good things to say about us. I am more than happy to talk with anyone in person or by email... you are welcome to give me a call anytime. :o)

Kindest regards,

Tracy Fasciana

"Making Aby Dreams Come True... One Family at a Time."
Abayomi Abyssinians Cattery
"...our Lions of Love"

Please PM me for contact details

I am sorry as I am not sure what you mean in your most recent post?
Was this directed to me or are you saying that the breeder who cheated your sister wasn't Abayomi Abyssinians but another breeder?

I am a very honest caring breeder and would be happy to send references to anyone. :o) I have never cheated anyone nor would I ever.
I am sorry your sister was cheated... it's so sad to hear of people who have had bad experiences with breeders. Your sister should contact the cat registries and file a complaint.

Kindest regards,


Tracy Fasciana


"Making Aby Dreams Come True... One Family at a Time."
Abayomi Abyssinians Cattery
"...our Lions of Love"

Please PM me for contact details

Hi Tracy - It was not directed at you - This was a rex breeder

Thanks so much for clarifying that!! In the way the posts were written it seemed as if they were being directed about my cattery.

It is always so devastating to hear people who have had such bad experiences from breeders... I can only say those seeking healthy kittens from a reputable should do as much research as they can, ask as many questions as possible, including references and even ask to speak to the breeders vet. Never should anyone feel pressure to purchase from a breeder and if they get annoyed with so many questions... look else where. If possible, its helpful to visit the cattery.

It is a HUGE long term commitment bringing any pet into the home. It's important that it be well thought out and that people don't purchase the first kitten they see... especially if it's a "Good Deal"!

Being confident in the decision is most important. New owners want to spend many wonderful years together with a healthy, loving companion.

I must say i am amazed at how many people just want to purchase a kitten and don't answer any of my questions. They just want the first kitten they can find. :o(

Thanks again for clarifying the posts. By the way Sphynx's are GORGEOUS!! I have always wanted one!

Kindest regards,

Tracy Fasciana


"Making Aby Dreams Come True... One Family at a Time."
Abayomi Abyssinians Cattery
"...our Lions of Love"

Please PM me for contact details

Hi Tracy -

I have a question: with such amazingly beautiful kitties.... why not show them? I mean - they are gorgeous!

Tracy,

Why do you not show your cats? And if they have titles, why are they not shown on the website. That was my biggest concern about your cats/website. The lack of info regarding showing.

While not everyone is looking for a show cat (most all want pets), its still important to show your cats because the quality is there - even if they wind up as pets and not in the show ring.

My first Ocicat was bought as a pet, but I choose a breeder that had lots of show quality cats and regional/national awards. He turned out to be show quality and granded. The 2nd one was bought AS a show cat and is better quality the the first one - but I was careful to research the lines and the show cats from the other breeder before I bought the cat.

I can offer an opinion there. It is insanely difficult to show cats in the Vancouver/Vancouver Island/Lower Mainland area. There are on average one show per registry per year within a 5 hour drive. It's been driving me crazy.

Yeah, but that can get you into trouble, too. I had already decided I wanted an aby----sometime way in the future. I had just started researching breeders when ended up benching next to one at a show (I was showing HHP's). I visited her cattery a few days later--just as part of my research -- and came home with a new kitty that day.

I just have to ask - why is it so very important to show cats? If a breeder is responsible, has healthy cats and loves the breed, why can they not breed for the sake of love? I could honestly care less if the mother/father of my cat was a champion/show cat. I just find this rather "stuffy".

Again, I go back to Bijou - he is the most amazing and wonderful cat we've ever, ever, ever had and so is Mika. I would take bets that Carol thinks pretty much the same of Tianna. Their dame and sire are not champion show cats. I would take any one of these 3 cats over many champion/show cats any day.

And how do they know about the breed? How did they gain their knowledge, by buying from a cattery that does show and test so they produce good breed reps for many generations? Or by buying a cat from a breeding program that does nothing? You can get "nice pets" breeding mixes. There are hundreds of great family pets people love that they got from rescues and shelters or found on the street.
How can you say this if you haven't lived with any champion/show cats? They are loved pets too. And most of their offspring go to pet homes, where they are cherished just as much as you love your pets. Most pets are loved and cherished, regardless of background. So that statement doesn't make much sense.

I can only say that I don't believe a person getting a pet "anything" because they really like the look/temperament/whatever needs to only buy from a breeder that shows or has champions. I also agree you can get nice pets from mixes but that isn't what this thread is about - it's about breeders of pedigree cats and not necessarily "show/champion" cats.

I'm quite sure that I could love a champion/show cat as much as anyone else can, but I still stand by my statement that at this present time in my life and with my knowledge and experience of Bijou, Mika and Tianna, if they were being offered, I would choose one of them over any other cat out there if I were making a choice today and had that knowledge to use in making that choice, so it makes perfect sense to me.

As an ex-breeder and pet owner of purebred cats, when you do show, you prove your cats ARE of the proper type, temperment, etc. When you don't, you just are breeding nice pet cats - but you are in no way "improving" the breed and really that should be the objective in getting into breeding purebred cats.

There are tons of breeders on the net that the only thing reason they breed is NOT for the love of the breed - its to make money. And why go thru all the trouble of testing your cats, researching lines, breeding the best to the best if you are not gonna be showing them too?

Reputable breeders do not sell whole cats to those who have no interest in showing - their reputation is on the line. And if the person is gonna just breed to breed then they do not want their cats in someone's house that is not serious about improving the cats and showing them.

Granted not all show quality cats like showing in the rings, but the QUALITY is there.

I'm glad you like your cats - that's great - but a serious breeder shows and breeds the best to the best.

I never bred my rexes without wanting to breed the best quality I could. I would have loved to have found more show homes as 90% of my kittens would have competed very well in the show rings.

I did not breed my Cornies just to produce a cute little pet quality kitten for someone!

Interesting post - I understood that there is no money to be made in breeding so I'm a bit confused.

So you are saying if there are breeders that choose good bloodlines to produce quality cats but they don't show, then they are not "reputable"? I'll have to say I'll agree to disagree on that personally.

As for a "serious breeder", I have to say in all honesty that I would hardly be able to afford even a pet quality cat from one of these breeders so I'm sure glad there are some others out there that allow poorer folks like me to enjoy these wonderful animals. Otherwise only the rich or well-to-do would be able to have that pleasure.

Not true at all. Reputable breeders really don't make money - they have expenses of quality food, showing, stud service, testing, shots, etc.

Rarely do pet cat breeding do all that for their cats - so the money they charge goes into their pockets - not back into the expenses of showing, etc.

I feel that if you don't breed to produce SHOW quality cats then you should not be breeding the cats. And not every show quality cat will have show quality kittens - there are plenty that don't measure up for the show ring but are sold as pet quality and SPAYED AND NEUTERED - not sent to others to breed.

And many breeders don't charge an arm and a leg for these pet quality kittens either. And how can a breeder who doesn't show their cats KNOW what quality is?

My experience has been that any breeder needs to pay stud fees (unless they have their own stud), pay for food, litter, first vaccinations, so the only expense they don't have is the entrance fee to show and testing (although I understand some do test).

I suppose it depends on how much you consider an "arm and a leg" as to whether they are affordable to the average Joe (Josephine) like me.

I'm chiming in here as someone who neither breeds nor owns purebred cats... In my opinion, paying for a purebred cat as a "pet only" from a reputable breeder means not only purchasing a cat with a certain physical appearance you desire, but purchasing a peace of mind knowing that the cats in the the lines are either free and clear of any genetic health issues or what potential health issues may be present.

Health/genetic testing and general care by veterinarians is a way to determine if a cat should or should not be bred based on their health. Showing cats, in my mind, is a way for breeders to have their breeding stock evaluated on a physical standard to determine whether or not it's a cat that should be bred. Both of these factors combined are what tell a reputable breeder to breed or to neuter, and the process to determine that is a costly one. In an effort to break even, kittens cost more.

I'd have to disagree with you on this, Linda.

I have a wonderful cat who is not from a "show" breeder but does match the standard except for one way. We wanted a certain color of Maine Coon (black)-- which is often not bred by "show" breeders because they don't do well in the show ring. In fact another breeder I was looking into getting a cat from did not have any planned litters with black kittens because they are hard to show, and the last time I talked to her at a show she said she wasn't going to breed for black anymore for that reason.
My Maine Coon would be "show quality" if she wasn't polydactyl. I love the polydactyls and it bothers me that they cannot be shown, since this trait was present in the original Maine Coons. My cat has been shown in "New Traits" (TICA) and HHP (CFA).