Why would keeping a Queen cat as pregnant as much as possible be a bad thing to do?

[originalcatdaddy]

I didn't see it mentioned here, so forgive me if it was - but, the average life span of a feral or outdoor cat, happy or not, can be as much as half that of a spayed/neutered indoor cat/pet.

I also took exception to this comment: "Cats are nothing more than predator creatures that only have thoughts to seek food, kill and breed. That's it. They do not "love" their owners" You can place me in the bleeding-heart group if you want, but a cat that is taken care of for the purposes of a being a pet as opposed solely to being a breeding money-maker will display loyalty - and love. There are different definitions of love and what it means, btw. A person such as yourself can 'take good care of' cats in general, but your attitude is something that a cat - or any animal for that matter - can instinctively pick up on. They may not be on the same level that you place yourself intellectually, but their instincts will beat out a human's - yours included - hands down, every time.

I am glad you are trying to get educated regarding breeding, but after reading this thread, I think a worthy breeder looks upon their cats much differently than you currently do.

I admit I have not looked up the life span of feral vs indoors, so I didn't know it was half.
I agree with you that animals can often know if a person is good or bad by way of instinct/intuition.
I just started binge watching this lady that has a cattery in Perth, set up in her barn that looks impressive.
But I seen somewhere in her comment section where someone asked her how money does she make from breeding all her cats,
and she replied NONE, that she uses to breeding just to cover the cost of all the cats because it's only a "hobby".
I do not believe that at all. I think it's a lie that's been spoken so much it's now a myth because so many believe it.
No one can sell kittens at $2,500 a pop and tell me that food, medicine, shots/vaccines etc etc cost more than say $1,500 per kitten during the 3 months you house it until it's sold. On a $2,500 kitten, I would not see at all how it'd not be possible for the breeder to at least make $1,000 of that as net profit, and actually probably more. I highly doubt it costs more than $1,000 per kitten in expenses/overhead.
I just don't buy it, it may not be their only source of income, and maybe its something they enjoy as a hobby, but if they truly were breaking even or losing money I doubt that 95% of breeders would stay in business as a hobby or whatever you want to call it. I don't buy the whole "betterment of the breed" spiel they all give. Maybe for a few to a certain extent, however I suspect that $$$ is always the main incentive and if there was no $$$ at all, i mean even as small as $100 profit per kitten, whatever amount you want to put on it, I just don't think many people would be doing it.

 

[IndyJones]

Considder that a standard check up before shots or neutering is at least $80 usualy 100+ the cost for neutering alone is expensive and any responsable breeder will either neuter pet quality animals themselves or provide a voucure to allow a free/discount neuter to the new owners. That alone jacks the price up, add the cost of food, water, hydro, litter, gas etc. It can easily hit 1000 dollars. It is important to calculate in the little things like gas to take them to the vet, hydro to keep them warm, etc as well as the more obvious things like food and vet care.

 

[sivyaleah]

I admit I have not looked up the life span of feral vs indoors, so I didn't know it was half.
I agree with you that animals can often know if a person is good or bad by way of instinct/intuition.
I just started binge watching this lady that has a cattery in Perth, set up in her barn that looks impressive.
But I seen somewhere in her comment section where someone asked her how money does she make from breeding all her cats,
and she replied NONE, that she uses to breeding just to cover the cost of all the cats because it's only a "hobby".
I do not believe that at all. I think it's a lie that's been spoken so much it's now a myth because so many believe it.
No one can sell kittens at $2,500 a pop and tell me that food, medicine, shots/vaccines etc etc cost more than say $1,500 per kitten during the 3 months you house it until it's sold. On a $2,500 kitten, I would not see at all how it'd not be possible for the breeder to at least make $1,000 of that as net profit, and actually probably more. I highly doubt it costs more than $1,000 per kitten in expenses/overhead.
I just don't buy it, it may not be their only source of income, and maybe its something they enjoy as a hobby, but if they truly were breaking even or losing money I doubt that 95% of breeders would stay in business as a hobby or whatever you want to call it. I don't buy the whole "betterment of the breed" spiel they all give. Maybe for a few to a certain extent, however I suspect that $$$ is always the main incentive and if there was no $$$ at all, i mean even as small as $100 profit per kitten, whatever amount you want to put on it, I just don't think many people would be doing it.

It isn't a lie at all.
I wish I could get my hands on the costs quickly for you so prove you wrong. One breeder I know had it written out on her site, but she retired from breeding a couple of years ago and although the site is still up she took that info out.
I'm going to continue to look. You will be utterly shocked to see just how much it costs.
I'm very confused though, as you sound anti-breeder and yet you said you only will buy pedigree cats. I don't understand how you square that.

 

[sivyaleah]

Read this from a very good Maine Coon breeder. Info is totally up to date.

The Cost of a Well Bred Maine Coon — Lake View Coons

 

[tiggerwillow]

My since passed angel girl cat Ebony almost died from having kittens. When she was picked up by rescue she had mastitis and several other things the vet said was wrong, she had to be seperated from her kittens to give her body a chance to recover. Only two kittens were alive when she got picked up by rescue, the others were dead, had died before Ebony and her kittens could be caught.

Ebony herself, the vet said he didn't think she would live beyond the age of 5 (this was when she had - we think - just turned 3)

Due to how hard a time she'd had of it on the streets, and her health conditions, she died at the age of 7.(it was cancer that claimed her, as she had been exposed to all sorts of awful stuff on the streets)

Cats can live 14 or more years, if they have a home. Stray and feral cats have a awful time of it trying to get enough food to survive. Average life expectancy of a cat on the streets is 2-5 years.

I'm not sure why you are so against rescues. All cats deserve loving homes.

Sadly, we don't have a photo of Ebony from when she was rescued, the priority for the rescue was getting her medical attention and saving her and her kittens lives. What I do know is she was in that poor a condition it was nothing short of a miracle that she had the strength to even try to look after her two surviving babies.

 

[tiggerwillow]

TBH its nothing short of a miracle that Ebony herself was even alive when she got taken in by the rescue.

i'm out of this thread now, i'm getting upset remembering how sick she was

all i'll add is just like you wouldn't expect humans to have more babies than their body could cope with, its the same for any species of animal, nature will not let any animal have more babies than the body can cope with looking after.

 

[originalcatdaddy]

It isn't a lie at all.
I wish I could get my hands on the costs quickly for you so prove you wrong. One breeder I know had it written out on her site, but she retired from breeding a couple of years ago and although the site is still up she took that info out.
I'm going to continue to look. You will be utterly shocked to see just how much it costs.
I'm very confused though, as you sound anti-breeder and yet you said you only will buy pedigree cats. I don't understand how you square that.

I am pro breeders as long as the cats are not mistreated and live good lives for cats.
I'm very picky.
I like to select a cat based on beauty and also sometimes rarity.
I purchase a pet cat much in the same way a person purchases a nice painting.

I offer that personal insight, because I think it shows that I am a very visual person, and I like a cat that enhances the decor of my home & also sometimes the outfit I am wearing, like a fashion accessory.

 

[originalcatdaddy]

Read this from a very good Maine Coon breeder. Info is totally up to date.

The Cost of a Well Bred Maine Coon — Lake View Coons

Thanks for this checklist! I find it very interesting, going through it all now. A lot of it I see as unnecessary costs that I personally would not spend as a businessman, but the list is important and helpful to me because I agree that yes some of these costs can't be avoided. But there's definitely a few on here I think is too extreme and just going too far. I wish people cared as much about me as a person as they do these cats, haha! I've never been taken care of , cared for or lived a life even half as good as I imagine a lot of the cat people are doing for their cats. Which probably explains why I have less empathy with cats than some people do, and way way way less empathy with humans. I really don't even like people at all for the most part, but I do like animals, but obviously not as much as some people like animals.

 

[tiggerwillow]

I am pro breeders as long as the cats are not mistreated and live good lives for cats.
I'm very picky.
I like to select a cat based on beauty and also sometimes rarity.
I purchase a pet cat much in the same way a person purchases a nice painting.
or so trade them in for a newer and better model.
I offer that personal insight, because I think it shows that I am a very visual person, and I like a cat that enhances the decor of my home & also sometimes the outfit I am wearing, like a fashion accessory.

The difference between cats and paintings is paintings don't have feelings, they can't get psychologically damaged by getting abandoned.

Pedigree cats can end up in rescues, I volunteered at a few rescues over the years. I still remember a purebred ragdoll kitten who ended up in rescue - gorgeous colour, beautiful temprament, only reason he went into rescue was cause the child in the family proved to have a life threatening allergy to cats, kid ended up in hospital and they had to rehome the kitten fast so the rescue stepped in. Naturally kitten got snapped up literally within hours.

 

[GoldyCat]

The Mods are closing this thread now as responses are becoming personal and not adding the the information about overbreeding queens.