Information for new owners... Do not buy from Breeders breeding just for money!!

Quite often have people come to me for a kitten following some truly heartbreaking circumstances.

These people have often gone to what we would term a 'back yard breeder' and got themselves a kitten. How many times have you seen an advert '8 week old Pedigree kitten - £250' and 'Pedigree British Shorthair/ Abyssinian/ Mainecoon kittens - no papers - Not registered- or we may register- ready now - £300'.

Or Pedigree kitten, vaccinated, House pedigree, flead, wormed, and Full price for a PEDIGREE CAT....... but NO REGISTRATION? WHY......

Many people see these as a 'cheap' alternative to a registered, kitten from a responsible and dedicated registered Breeder. In truth, these unregistered kittens cost the new owners far more, both financially and emotionally.

One of many stories I have heard...

A family came to me for a kitten. They had bought a 'cheap' kitten after seeing an advert for 'Pedigree kittens - not registered, hence £250'. They went to see the kitten and the conditions were terrible. They felt sorry for the kitten, and decided to 'save' it, so they bought it. The kitten was desperately ill, had fleas, ear mites, and was only 5 or 6 weeks old in the vets opinion (they had been told the kitten was 8 weeks when they collected it). The kitten continued to be ill, going back and forth to the vets, and had to be put to sleep 11 weeks later. The 'bargain' £250 kitten ended up costing them just over £700. Not such a bargain after all.

I repeatedly hear stories of kittens sold at 8 weeks old who have serious medical problems or die very young, for a variety of reasons.
Forgetting the health of the kitten, I know you may feel you have to rescue it, but think about the health and welfare of cats that are being bred from.

By buying a kitten from a back yard breeder you are funding this kind of poor animal husbandry. You are just as responsible for what is happening as the back yard breeder is. If you have seen this kind of behaviour going on then Report them, to animal agency's or if they have a website check whom they claim they are registered with..... GCCF/ Tica/FIFE and report them... DON'T turn a blind eye!"!! ONLY YOU.... CAN stop this...... NOT BY BUYING... BUT BY REPORTING.... THEM

So how do you know if the breeder is reputable?

First of all, they will usually be a member of a breed cat club. Ask them - if they say they are, don't take their word for it - check with the breed club. The breed clubs will set down rules, guidelines and codes of ethics for their breeders to follow.

Bring up Google.. type in the Breeders prefix and or name... normally if there is anything dodgy going on it will come up!!

Find a forum like this one on a specific breed and read it..

When you go on the breeders website, look at the new owners gallery or gallery of past kittens... most breeders have one of these.. here is mine
http://www.badsworthcats.com/MAY2010...sgallerygb.htm
See if you can find information on past kittens... a lot of breeders may not have this, that does not mean they are not reputable, just make sure you have checked all the facts!!
Don't just accept just because that page is loaded with kittens.. that they are the breeders check the cats... cattery etc..

Some pedigree cats cost as much as a second hand car, would you buy it with out an MOT- Log book or in the case of a second hand car AA, RAC or a good friend who knows about cars with you.. The answer in 99% of cases is NO!!

Ask if the kittens are registered, and which registering body they are registered with. The breeder should say that the kittens are registered with either the Neocats, GCCF, FIFe (Also known as Felis Britannica in the UK), or TICA.

When you go to see the kitten, ask to see the registration paperwork. The breeder may well withhold the paperwork until they have received proof of neutering, but they should still be able to show you the registration slip. There are times when this may not be available, such as if there are delays with the registering office. In these instances, ask to see the registration paperwork for the parents.

Make sure there is nothing on the registration saying 'Cat is on the non-active register - No progeny to be registered' (The wording may vary between registries). If this wording does appear, then the cat is not registered as a breeding cat, and you are buying from a back yard breeder. If you buy a kitten, make sure you get the paperwork, or sign a contract to say that the breeder will provide this to you when you supply them with proof of neutering. The contract is there to protect you, the breeder and the kitten.

Only buy a REGISTERED kitten

These kittens will be from cats who are registered for breeding, and will leave home at 13 weeks, fully vaccinated, wormed, insured for 4 weeks and thoroughly loved. You will also have the backup of the club and the registering body if anything goes wrong.

Why buy a registered kitten?

1. The kitten is from registered parents, that have been registered for breeding, and not from cats that have been obtained just to make money off.

2. The cost to register a kitten is anything from 8 to 12 euros/pounds/dollars... So why would a breeder that has a registered prefix not register?
Answer
1. To save money, so then more profit for them, these are backstreet breeders breeding only then for profit.

2. The Mother and Father are not who the breeder claims they are

3. The mothers may have had more than one litter that year ( by registering the kittens the mothers are protected) most governing bodies will only allow 1 litter a year or 2 litters in every 3 years. This ensures the Mother gets her strength and immune system back so she is breeding healthy kittens... Back to back breeding results in kittens that may look perfect but could have a diminished immune system... Plus OVER bred mothers tend to die very young.

4. Help Cat clubs and governing bodies to keep a register and check on genetically inherited diseases.

Visit more than one breeder, and don't buy the first kitten you see. Unless it have covered all the above!! Make sure you are absolutely happy with the kitten and the breeder that you are considering.

Why buy your new kitten from registered breeder? WHO registers all of their kittens!

Pedigree kittens are like designer handbags. Sounds crazy but it's true. We all know that there is the authentic designer bag then there are the cheap knock offs.
The real designer bags are hand crafted, made with care and attention to detail. They are good quality and you know you are getting what you pay for, the real thing! Cheap knock offs are put together in sweatshops usually using substandard materials, by badly paid labour that don' care if it will all fall apart in a few weeks.. They appear similar to the real thing but look closely and it is clear they are just an imitation. Sadly they often don't last as long as the real deal because they are not well made. It is the same with registered pedigree kittens.

A kitten from a registered breeder comes with a registration slip that proves it is the breed they say it is. Unregistered / Registered breeders that don't register their kittens they just breed cats that look like the real thing. The only difference between kittens and designers bags (aside from the fur!) is that kittens from registered breeders don't cost more. In some cases they cost less especially when they have vaccinations, microchipping and neutering included in the price.

Registered breeders follow the standards set by their cat clubs and Registration bodies and breed for love not money.

So buyer beware. Don't make the mistake of buying your kitten from an unregistered/ Registered breeder who does not register their kittens...

Why have a cheap knock off when you can have the real thing?"

There are no guarantees that nothing will go wrong. A kitten is a living animal - not a washing machine or a vacuum cleaner. It doesn't have replaceable parts. Buying from a reputable breeder will mean however that the breeder has bred the kitten in accordance with the guidelines and rules of the registering body and any cat clubs that they are members of. Your kitten will also come insured for the first 4 weeks if you buy from a reputable breeder. Badsworthcats strongly recommends that new owners continue their annual pet insurance, at the very least for the first year of the kittens life. Accidents do happen, such as the kitten that left us, and seven weeks after being in his new home climbed on top of a wardrobe, fell and broke his leg. The £700 vets bill left the owners wishing they'd continued their insurance!

Once you have chosen your kitten.

ALWAYS get a receipt with your deposit.. and within this deposit make sure the following is included! "that if the kitten is not supplied by the breeder for what ever reason be it sick or she changes her mind... that you get the deposit back" THIS CAN be used in court.... if she changes her mind because a kitten is too small or he/she has decided to keep it. Then do not always accept an alternative... you are still entitled to your money back! She is the one that has fro what ever reason decided you cant have what you bought.. Look at it this way.. you want a Gucci bag... and pay a deposit on the latest edition... the designer says no sorry cant have that one... but I have your deposit, so you can have one from an older collection and or my next collection which will be released in 2 years!! what would you do? you would ask for your money back!!

One of the ladies that contacted me, said she paid a deposit ( To another breeder) and she was told at 13 weeks the kitten was sick, then again at 14 weeks and right up to 20 weeks..

The lady paid her £100.00 deposit for her baby!! This lady 2 years on was offered no replacement by the breeder... and the breeder kept her deposit.. and her kitten..