| (aka "A pet store is no place to buy a kitten')
By PAMELA R. MARTIN Looking for a pet kitten? You may contact CFA for a list of breeders in your area. Also for a list of cat clubs and breed council members. Attend CFA cat shows and you can see the breeders cats and have an opportunity to maybe briefly speak with the breeder/exhibitor. Cat shows can be very hectic depending upon how many cats the exhibitor has entered so you may have to wait a while to speak briefly with the breeder/exhibitor/owner. Most will have a contact card so that you may speak with them at a more convenient time. Price alone should never be a determining factor as to which breeder you wish to acquire your kitten. A higher price doesn't necessarily guarantee higher quality; however, a lower price may not be a bargain in the long run either. Be patient. You may have to wait months (or longer) for the kitten/cat of your choice especially if you are looking for a specific color or breed. It is a short time to wait in comparision to the many years to come that you will be enjoying your pet kitten or cat. Adults are wonderful companions too. You should not be insistant upon acquiring a kitten only or a very young kitten. They stay tiny only a few weeks. Many very nice adults become available for various reasons. There is no such thing as being "too old" for adoption and age alone should never be a determining factor. Most reputable breeders will be weary of someone requesting a very young or tiny kitten only. They fear the owner will not love the kitten once it becomes a full grown beautiful adult. Not only that, the silver Persian only gets more beautiful with age! Responsible cat breeders Belong to their breed council and cat clubs. Are students and always learning more about their specific breed. Breed only in order to improve their breed and color and to produce the best kitten they possibly can and are breeding with the intentions of having at least one kitten for themselves. Theydo not breed for profit or breed simply with the intention of "producing to sell." The have a lot of hard work, time, love and money invested in their cats and are not making a profit from kitten sales. They or someone in the family is working to make enough money to support the expensive hobby. Is actively and consistanly showing their cats in CFA/TICA and are recieving wins for their efforts. Breed only the best cats that meet the standard and are free of serious health, genetic and temperament problems. One or more of the parents is most likely a Champion or the more coveted title of Grand Champion status. Breed only with healthy cats that are tested negative to the feline diseases. Will provide referrals to other known reputable breeders if they do not have anything currently available. Use a written sales contract and guarantee with all kittens and cats which will include a spay/neuter agreement. Sell only healthy, kittens that have been vaccinated and dewormed. Raise their kittens indoors where they are well socialized and loved. Provide CFA registrations and health records. Will also include additional helpful tips such as grooming, health care recommendations and feeding instructions. Will not sell to pet stores or kitty mills or anyone that seems suspicious to them. Assumes full responsibility for the litters that they produce. Will not let kittens go to any new homes sooner than 12 to 16 weeks of age. Is not anxious and pushy to "get rid" of kittens and will keep their kittens as long as it takes to find the proper placement. Does not have multiple breeds and colors to work with and does not breed but a few litters per year. Does not provide stud service. Is very conscientious of the care and heatlh of their kittens/cats including good quality food and clean living space Pamela R. Martin is a breeder/exhibitor of Shaded and Chinchilla Persians since 1996, longtime rescue worker as well as entreprenuer. Copyright © 2000-2005 SGE News Photo Gallery. All rights reserved. Founded by Pamela R. Martin/Castle Paws, this website is hosted and maintained by Stephanie Ujhelyi/Purrshinka Persians and Persian Cats Online Services. Article Copyright ©2000. Updated January 2005. Pamela R. Martin. All rights reserved. Downloading, copying and printing of this article is permissible for private use only. It is strictly forbidden to download, copy or print any material for the purpose of republication elsewhere on the internet or in print. |
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