Checking out breeder

[riley1]

Hi All!

How do you check to see if breeders are good?  I am working with two breeders to maybe get a kitten later this year.  I want to wait a bit as my baby crossed over just under a month.  The reason I am looking this early as many have long, long waiting list.  Found one near my house that I know is good but has a wait time of 9 months to 1 year.  Another one, out of state will have some this summer but I don't know how to check them out.

Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[balibabies]

Does the breeder have registered kittens and parents with a real registry such as TICA, CFA, CFF? Do they provide vet care for their adult cats and vet care and vaccinations for the kittens? Do they ask questions of you that show they are looking for the Best home for their kittens? Do they have a health contract? How many cats do they have in their home and how many litters do they breed for at a time? What kind of parasite prevention do they use? Do they allow you to come to their home to visit or do you have to meet them somewhere else to get your kitten? Do they cage their mom's and litters or are They cage free?

 

[Anne]

Maybe this will help too - 

Selecting a Cat Breeder

 

[posiepurrs]

A good breeder will ask many, many questions of you to ensure that the kitten is going to the correct, loving home. I do know some very good breeders who do not allow people in their homes because of safety issues. Some have been robbed of personal property on the pretense of someone looking at a kitten as well as having the kitten stolen. In my own experience, I limited the times visitation was allowed to when my husband or grown sons were home. A health guarantee is a must as well as any genetic testing available for the breed (PKD  for example in Persians) with a copy of the test given in the health records of the kitten. A good breeder will be available to answer questions from you or help solve any issues. Ask about that - if not willing to 'mentor' after the purchase I would go elsewhere. A good breeder will also have a return clause in   the contract. This is in case circumstances arise that you can not keep the kitten or cat (illness, financial issues). they will either take the cat back (no money involved) or help place the cat in another approved home to be sure that the cat doesn't end up in a shelter. A good breeder is fiercely protective of their cats..

As for caging, sometimes it is necessary like with a new Mom who doesn't understand what is going on. Kittens also need to be confined (not necessarily caged) when they start toddling around for their own safety and also until they start using the box. The main thing is to trust your gut - if you are uneasy - run, don't walk away from the breeder. Do your research on your chosen breed and be aware of any genetic issues ahead of time. Know the breed disposition and activity level. Just because a cats looks suit you doesn't mean it would be a good fit. Most people would agree that Persians are beautiful but they are not for everyone - just too much grooming. I would also suggest going to a cat show near you if possible and talking to the exhibitors.

 

[riley1]

Thanks everyone!  I am looking for a Siberian kitten.  The first breeder I contacted meets all the requirements but she is the one with the 9-12 month waiting period.  I guess I will have to wait.  I was wondering why the other breeder could get me a kitten in a few months.  He said he only had a few queens & all the websites say "raised under foot".  The second breeder is located in Chicago & with the demand for these kittens I found his ability to have a kitten available so soon odd.  Also, there are only a few breeders of this breed in Chicago. 

I did find more Bengal breeders than anything else & kittens readily available.    They are beautiful animals, but at my age, I am looking for a cat with less energy & requirements.  Also, a lot of people 4 paw declaw them because they get into trouble if not kept busy.  What an awful thing to do to such a beautiful animal.  Others have said that they are just like other cats but I am sure that's based on the individual. 

In one way I am happy that breeding has decreased.  I would be happy with a normal house cat, as my Rizzo was one, but have special reasons for getting a purebred.  There are so many nice kitties needing homes & I feel really guilty buying a kitten & not adopting one.  Working at a humane society I not be able to tell anyone about my kitten. 

 

[colleen haynes]

Have you tried looking at kittysites.com?   http://kittysites.com/breeds/siberiancat/breeder_wi.html

Maybe the reason the other breeder will have kittens available in a few months is because his queen is pregnant.

 

[StefanZ]

 
Thanks everyone!  I am looking for a Siberian kitten.   The first breeder I contacted meets all the requirements but she is the one with the 9-12 month waiting period.  I guess I will have to wait.  I was wondering why the other breeder could get me a kitten in a few months.  He said he only had a few queens & all the websites say "raised under foot".  The second breeder is located in Chicago & with the demand for these kittens I found his ability to have a kitten available so soon odd.  Also, there are only a few breeders of this breed in Chicago. 

I did find more Bengal breeders than anything else & kittens readily available.    They are beautiful animals, but at my age, I am looking for a cat with less energy & requirements.  Also, a lot of people 4 paw declaw them because they get into trouble if not kept busy.  What an awful thing to do to such a beautiful animal.  Others have said that they are just like other cats but I am sure that's based on the individual. 

In one way I am happy that breeding has decreased.  I would be happy with a normal house cat, as my Rizzo was one, but have special reasons for getting a purebred.  There are so many nice kitties needing homes & I feel really guilty buying a kitten & not adopting one.  Working at a humane society I not be able to tell anyone about my kitten. 

When the time comes to choose between named kittens, you can surely ask our member BiancaVD, whom is  a Sibirian breeder.  PM her if you wish, or ask here, with @noticing her.

Im sure she will answer, she is knowleable and very helpsome.

That is, if it is important for you  to have a show / breeding quality kitten.  If you are OK with a pet qualtiy, the looks doesnt matter so much.

 

[mservant]

You have had some very good advice already @Riley1  and I think Colleen Haynes' suggestion of checking out breeders listing is a good one.   I prefer to check through breed association sites as you usually get a better feel for whether the breeder is active and seen positively by lovers of the breed and breeding peers that way.   If there are cat shows in your area that is another good way to get to know who the breeders are, and talk both to the breeder and those who have perhaps adopted their cats face to face.  Some breeders prefer to let their cats and kittens go to people they have met, and what's more if you are willing to take a more mature cat they might have one available!  Sometimes adoptions have fallen through and a young cat has been left with the breeder, or they have retrieved them because of some problem with the adoption and now want another good home.

 

[kittycat4]

I am considering getting a young cat from a breeder that was only shown and not bred.
They want to bring the cat to my home vs. me going to their home. They said normally the cat will hide in their own environment if someone knew comes in but will act more curious in a new environment.
Also, I wondered why they would not have bred the cat after They stopped showing it Maybe something wrong,?
Also, my friend thoughtt maybe they are hiding something by not letting me visit their cattery. Maybe they have cages who knows.

I appreciate your thoughts

Thank you

Ps is it typical to charge and if so how much?

 

[riley1]

The breeder I talked to said she retires them a 4 years for breeding.

 

[kittycat4]

As I stated in my message, this cat was not bred at all. Just shown. It is my understanding that cats are shown and then bred.

 

[posiepurrs]

Maybe the cat did not do as well in the show halls as hoped so they decided not to introduce those lines into their breeding program. I am just speculating. Since space is limited the breeder can't keep a cat not used for breeding. This is the reason why I stopped breeding. My family and I just couldn't't part with them once they have a name.

 

[mservant]

@Riley1   In UK it isn't unusual for breeders to show cats they are not breeding from.  It can still help to build the cattery profile and find potential buyers for their cats.  They might also have planned breeding from the cat but then decided there were other cats which would be better to use.  If the cat had not had a buyer when it was a young kitten they may have kept the cat and while with them taken to shows even if neutered.

I would be anxious though if a breeder didn't want me to visit where they had their cats.  It would be one thing for them to want to see my home and where their cat would potentially be moving to and that could be seen as their being caring, but if they were not happy for me to visit to meet the mother cat, the father if they were the owner, and to see how they keep their cats and socialize their kittens I would be very worried that there was an unsavoury reason for me not wanting to see that.    Very risky.

 

[balibabies]

Some breeders want to see that you are being honest about where you say you live. They want to see for themselves the environment the kitten or cat is going to live in. I've heard of it before. You can still ask that you visit her house as well.

 

[kittycat4]

Yes, that makes perfect sense to me. However, when I asked to originally see photos of him, she said

she didn't have any. Cat was shown earlier on. 

 

[balibabies]

The breeder said she didn't have any pictures of him? That's a red flag!!

 

[lynsgems]

 
@Riley1   In UK it isn't unusual for breeders to show cats they are not breeding from.  It can still help to build the cattery profile and find potential buyers for their cats.  They might also have planned breeding from the cat but then decided there were other cats which would be better to use.  If the cat had not had a buyer when it was a young kitten they may have kept the cat and while with them taken to shows even if neutered.

I would be anxious though if a breeder didn't want me to visit where they had their cats.  It would be one thing for them to want to see my home and where their cat would potentially be moving to and that could be seen as their being caring, but if they were not happy for me to visit to meet the mother cat, the father if they were the owner, and to see how they keep their cats and socialize their kittens I would be very worried that there was an unsavoury reason for me not wanting to see that.    Very risky.

If I can add to this post -- please know that some breeders don't allow strangers in their personal home due to their own feelings of security.  I also don't know how seeing the parents would provide additional information on a kitten.  Each cat will develop their own personality no matter who the parents are.  I've had kittens in the same litter -- same exact handling, same exact exposure -- end up with completely different personalities.  

If they showed the kitty and didn't have pictures taken, they may be able to take pictures on a cell phone or digital camera in a home setting.  Professional pictures are nice but not necessary.