Breeder

I just found TheCatSite.com and I am hoping I can get some advice on finding a reputable breeder. I am in the early stages of looking for a Ragdoll or Birman kitten so I thought this would be an excellent time to get as much information as possible.

1. How do I know if a breeder is reputable?

2. What should I expect from the breeder from the time I pay my deposit until I get my kitten?

3. What should I expect from a breeder after I have the kitten?

Any other information on finding a breeder would be much appreciated.

We just brought home two bengal kittens, so I can help you with a lot of this since I had the same questions!

1. Make sure they've been breeding for awhile! If they haven't, make sure they work closely with someone who has been. Even so, always check out the cattery/house. We found one breeder who hadn't been breeding for long but worked closely with a very reputable breeder, so we decided to visit her cattery since her website was nice and she had gorgeous cats. Well, the cats lived on the 3rd floor of her house, they weren't raised underfoot, their living quarters were pretty bad, and they seemed...distant. So I can't stress enough...visit the breeder! The breeder we ended up getting Spike and Leo from raised all her cats underfoot, they eat high end food, use safe litter, see a cats-only vet, and they have the run of the house. Her cats were also far friendlier with people.

2. Good question! Let me tell you what happened with us. We paid the deposits for the boys, and each week afterward we would get weekly photos/progress reports of the boys so we could see them grow and develop, which was awesome. Make sure the breeder tells you when they go to the vet and for what. If you have any questions, the breeder should be able to answer them.

3. Once you have your kitten, you probably won't get the kitten's registration paperwork until after you have him/her neutered/spayed, respectively. Your breeder will probably want to know how the kitten adjusted to its new home (an e-mail or a phone call is always nice!).

Lastly, www.breedlist.com is a great source for finding breeders! Pick up a cat magazine at your local bookstore or PetCo or Petsmart or whatever and flip to the back to find the breeder listings there, too!

I hope I helped

IMO this is what a repetable breeder is:

1. One who has been breeding for years and knows the inside and outside of their particular breeds - this includes history, some genetics, pedigrees, good points/bad points, personality of the cat, possible genetics problems, and shows their cats.

2. One who has "proven" their cats in a show ring with champions AND grand champions in their breeding program. This means they know the quality of the cat and they are working on improving the lines - not just breeding for the sake of breeding a purebred cat. Champion is easy to obtain - you want to see GRAND champions in the lines.

3. One that keeps the kittens till they are 12-16 weeks old and gives them the first and 2nd series of shots. They keep them this long to evaluate them as to pet or show type and to socialize them properly.

4. One that has no problem of letting you see how their other cats live. Watch for cleanliness and health of the adult cats. Are they kept in tiny cages or do they have reasonable run of the house. If you walk into the house can you tell there are cats in there - smell, etc.

5. You should expect a healthy kitten - clean ears, eyes, no sneezing, clean fur, etc.

When you put a deposit on the kitten, the breeder usually keeps you informed of their progress. Ask for a few pictures (if possible) of your kitten growing up (like 1 month old, 2 months old, etc.) Ask to see the pedigree of the parents.

After you get the kitten, take him/her to your vet within 48-72 hrs and verify a clean bill of health. The breeder should have you sign a written contract on the health of the kitten, your responsibilities in spaying/neutering. Also what happens if you can't keep the kitten or there is a genetic problem in the first year?

Most times you won't get the registration until you have the kitten neutered/spayed. If the kitten is done (early) then you should have those papers when you pick up the kitten. A good breeder has registration done within a month after the kittens are born and should have all paperwork back in a few weeks from the association(s). IMO there is really no excuse not to have paperwork done within a few months of the litter being born.

Go with your gut feeling - if you dont' like the person or the way the cats are treated, do NOT buy from this person - don't feel sorry for the animals and buy anyway; that only encourages a bad breeder to keep breeding.

Go to cat shows and talk to more then one breeder and do NOT buy the first kitten you see. Most good breeders will have a waiting list for kittens - so be patient. Don't settle for one kitten; wait till the right kitten is born for you.

Make a list of exactly the type, color, sex you want and stick to it