Abayomi Abyssianians - Vancouver: Any opinions?

[mews2much]

I am not rich and saved up for my sphynx cats.
They are not cheap but are worth what I paid
The price also depends on what breed you want.
There are certain breeds you can get fromgood breeders for $500.

 

[sammyp]

Originally Posted by mews2much


I am the first one to show a cat fromthe breeder Wrinkles came from.
I already got told off in august over this at a show.

You got told off for showing a cat? why?

 

[nekochan]

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

If you show you know that certain colors or styles are more popular then others. Solid Maine Coons are not a popular color in the breed and breeders will want to work with what will sell. If you have quality cats, you CAN get grands in most any color if you work on it.

I've been told that the black Maine Coons are especially difficult to title. Some say that it is because they don't show up well in the judging cages, they kinda blend in with any shadows and their features are more difficult to distinguish.
Personally I love the black MCs, they are just gorgeous cats and I would show mine if I could. I did do the TICA "New Traits" class partly just to make a point and also to get the judges' opinion on how well she matches up to the breed standard, which I got positive feedback on from the judges as to her being a good representative of the breed. She also did very well in HHP in CFA until she started to get upset at the smells of the other cats after a few shows, which caused her to hiss in the judging cages. My cat's breeder was thrilled that I wanted to show her.

 

[mews2much]

I was told off by a breeder at show last August before I even had Wrinkles because her breeder does not show.
I have not talked to her since then either.

 

[sammyp]

How incredibly snotty. I'm starting to get the impression that pure-bred cat showing is all about politics, not cats!

 

[mews2much]

I am showing my other sphynx tomorrow,sat and sun and I am sure she will be there.
There are a lot of nice people at the shows also.
Do not think everyone is that way.
I can not show Wrinkles yet she is not old enough.

 

[mimosa]

Originally Posted by cococat

Me too. Anyone at all can go out and buy (have shipped or pick up in person) two cats and become a "breeder". That is why reputable breeders send pet quality cats home already altered. Anyone can (on purpose or "accidently") be a breeder of mixes or purebreds, and many do during the course of life, a quick internet search or look in the paper will show this. But there is A LOT more to reputable breeding than just buying two cats and breeding. Even if you do pay for the shots on the kittens, and have a pedigree in your hands, it matters little if you don't know a thing about it or the cats in that pedigree or really have hands on knowledge of the breed standard, there is so much more to breeding than that to be reputable and responsible when breeding cats IMO.

Everyone can buy pretty cats, breed them, show them and do well. That is not my definition of a reputable breeder.

Mine is a breeder who puts the wellbeing of their cats and their breed in general first. Who when forced to choose between a cat show and a health seminar in the same weekend will skip the show anytime. Because beauty is only skin deep but knowledge about health and behaviour is so much more important. A breeder who rather spends her money on for example yearly HCM and PKD ultrasounds and DNA tests than on showing.
I know such breeders and their kittens still do well in the show ring.

I also know breeders whose cats do extremely well at shows and therefore have a very good reputation, but they do not do all the health testing. They often inbreed to fix traits and all seem to use they same lines that do well at show. IMO that is doing a far bigger disservice to a breed than not showing because they are creating a genetical bottleneck.

I've always agreed with the adage that when breeding responsibly health comes first, temperament second and beauty definitely last. That is what I base my evaluation of who is a reputable breeder on.
I'm amazed by the way breeders who do not show are written off by some people here. There are definitely more important things to breeding cats and the cats will still look like breed X

 

[goldenkitty45]

I think it should be a balance between the two - you show AND you health test. Unless you do both, you are not improving the cat and you are not breeding to the standard.

You cannot sit home and breed cats, test them for health and then say you have "show" quality cats without going out there and competing in the rings one way or another. If you can't get to shows, then you find people who can show your cats and do well so it can be reflected back to your cats.

AND you need to keep your current breeding cats in the rings with titles. Doesn't do a bit of good to claim show cats when your champion/grand champion is 4 or 5 generations away from the cats you are breeding (that have no titles). They are NOT show quality kittens.

 

[cjh27]

Originally Posted by Mimosa

Everyone can buy pretty cats, breed them, show them and do well. That is not my definition of a reputable breeder.

Mine is a breeder who puts the wellbeing of their cats and their breed in general first. Who when forced to choose between a cat show and a health seminar in the same weekend will skip the show anytime. Because beauty is only skin deep but knowledge about health and behaviour is so much more important. A breeder who rather spends her money on for example yearly HCM and PKD ultrasounds and DNA tests than on showing.
I know such breeders and their kittens still do well in the show ring.

I also know breeders whose cats do extremely well at shows and therefore have a very good reputation, but they do not do all the health testing. They often inbreed to fix traits and all seem to use they same lines that do well at show. IMO that is doing a far bigger disservice to a breed than not showing because they are creating a genetical bottleneck.

I've always agreed with the adage that when breeding responsibly health comes first, temperament second and beauty definitely last. That is what I base my evaluation of who is a reputable breeder on.
I'm amazed by the way breeders who do not show are written off by some people here. There are definitely more important things to breeding cats and the cats will still look like breed X

A very good post, Mimosa. I totally agree with you.

regards,

Christine

 

[yosemite]

This whole thread has gone way off the original topic and I have contributed to that for which I apologize. At this point it has become about show/no show and whether that indicates a reputable breeder so I shall close this thread now.