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If a cattery has a litter to sell and there is one remaining which they cannot sell and the months pass and it is too old to sell, what do they do with it?
It's never too "old" to sell. Many people are interested in a slightly older kitten. No reputable breeder EVER places a cat with a pet shop. Sometimes a breeder will even hold on to a kitten until it's several months because they are watching it for show or breeding potential and then the kitten doesn't develop quite as they hoped so then they try to place it in a pet home.
My mother is a great example of this. Her cat Maddison came from a breeder that had a cat that was 9 months old who was supposed to be a breeder/show cat. Madie HATED the cat shows so the breeder decided she would be happier being placed in a loving pet home.
If a cattery has a litter to sell and there is one remaining which they cannot sell and the months pass and it is too old to sell, what do they do with it?
Do they give it to a pet shop?
A pet store would be unlikely to accept it, as younger kittens are faster to sell and they are completely after profit.
A responsible breeder has the duty to take care of the animal they have created for the rest of its life. That means placing it in a great home if possible, and if they can't they just gained a permanent addition to their household.
It is never too old. People buy cats of all ages. Now I do think it might be harder to see it once it is out of its cute kitten stage. Of course, if it is a cattery it would be selling purebred cats and if the cat were of breeder quality it might actually be an advantage to have an older cat, since it would be closer to breeding age. I think some catteries lower the price on the older kittens. I once bought a 10 mo. old Silver Chinchilla Persian.
Oh. I notice that there are sections on websites for 'retired' cats. I guess that might just mean older cats and not necessarily those used for breeding.
It's a relief to know that they are continued to be well cared for.
Does it tug at emotional heartstrings for breeders to sell their kittens, I wonder?
Do breeders clip their nails when they are kittens to get them accustomed to it? I know the cats I have had from shelters usually really objected to it, you'd think I was torturing them, but the purebred cat had no problem with it at all.
Breeders mostly say that the cat comes with a pure bill of health. I've done a bit of research and have found that the disorder known as PICA(eating strange things, can cause digestive blockage) is particularly associated with Siamese type cats, so there is probably a genetic component. Would this have to be specifically named on the contract when you buy a cat from a breeder?
Although I like the idea of getting a kitten as young as possible, I read that pica might be caused by taking a kitten away from its mother too early. Most catteries will not let them go early, and maybe this is a good thing.
Oh. I notice that there are sections on websites for 'retired' cats. I guess that might just mean older cats and not necessarily those used for breeding.
It's a relief to know that they are continued to be well cared for.
Does it tug at emotional heartstrings for breeders to sell their kittens, I wonder?
Do breeders clip their nails when they are kittens to get them accustomed to it? I know the cats I have had from shelters usually really objected to it, you'd think I was torturing them, but the purebred cat had no problem with it at all.
Breeders mostly say that the cat comes with a pure bill of health. I've done a bit of research and have found that the disorder known as PICA(eating strange things, can cause digestive blockage) is particularly associated with Siamese type cats, so there is probably a genetic component. Would this have to be specifically named on the contract when you buy a cat from a breeder?
Although I like the idea of getting a kitten as young as possible, I read that pica might be caused by taking a kitten away from its mother too early. Most catteries will not let them go early, and maybe this is a good thing.
Younger doesn't equal better. Kittens learn very important social skills from their moms, including the all important skill of bite inhibition. It isn't something humans are good at teaching them, which means orphan kittens and kittens taken from their moms early tend to be more nippy. Staying with mom longer helps them in many different ways, from social skills to the health of their immune system.
A good breeder get the kittens used to being handled in all sorts of ways young.
If you have concerns about a specific disease (and it is very wise to research the breed you are interested in and any problems they are likely to have), discuss it with the breeder. Pica is probably considered more behavioral than genetic, even though it does have a genetic component...there's no way to prove if it is genetic or purely behavioral in any given case. So you should discuss it with the breeder and ask about any problems they've had, and how they would handle it if a kitten they bred developed it.
The Siamese has a wide range of genetic disorders that it is prone to, many of which are far more serious than pica. It isn't enough to know the breeder covers genetic issues in their contract- you want to ask them what they are doing to avoid these problems in the first place. Do they test their breeding stock? What health problems have they seen in their line? (if they say none at all I would be suspicious...it's too easy of an answer) What have they done to overcome health issues common to the breed?
One silly question that I have, if someone has a few minutes - I see a lot of purebred kittens are wormed. I would think if the prior generations have all been wormed and the cats have always been indoor cats, worming might not be necessary.
Is worming just done as a matter of course?
If these indoor cats for generations get worms, how about human youngsters who love to go outdoors and frolic in dirt?
One silly question that I have, if someone has a few minutes - I see a lot of purebred kittens are wormed. I would think if the prior generations have all been wormed and the cats have always been indoor cats, worming might not be necessary.
Is worming just done as a matter of course?
If these indoor cats for generations get worms, how about human youngsters who love to go outdoors and frolic in dirt?
Indoor cats can be infected by worms by eating infected insects. Worms can be found in fleas, cockroaches, beetles, etc. Or let's say there's a potted plant in the house- worms can exist in the soil. The parasite can be dormant in the mother until she starts to lactate, and then passed through the milk to the kittens. Worms are very common in young kittens, even if they've never gone outside, so worming is standard.
Kids certainly can be infected by worms by playing outside in the dirt and it isn't uncommon that it happens. Generally speaking most parasites evolved to exist inside a particular host. They can infect a host that they typically aren't found in, but will often turn up in odd places or not complete their life cycle. Thus human children sometimes end up with tapeworms or roundworm cysts in their eyes/brains/muscles/etc. But overall they don't get infected as easily or routinely as cats themselves. But again- happens quite often, especially in more rural areas.
Feline pica can be an indication of some serious illnesses. Some cats are just chewers on "normal things" - this is not really what would be considered pica. Some cat's exhibit pica in the form of fabric eating or wool sucking. Sometimes young cats will grow out of these behaviors and some won't.
As far as nail clipping and socialization -these are all non issues from any good breeder. You kitten should be exposed several times to grooming and husbandry behavior. It's then up to you to keep up the routine. Your kitten will also be exposed to people, other animals etc while at a good breeder. The first year or so it's extremely important you continue to expose your cat to "new" things and challenges as to not raise a fearful adult cat.
Most breeders let their cats go to new homes between (early) 12 and 16 weeks old. This surprises some people who are new to getting a cat from a breeder. At a shelter as long as a cat is on solid food and healthy then the animal is better off in a home - this is not the case though in removing a kitten from a mother and litter mates.
Thank you so much for all the great information. There are so many interesting and knowledgeable people here. It's nice to know that there is a place to turn for general information and to satisfy a person's curiosity.
I hate to be a pest and impose on people, so please don't feel obligated to answer my questions. I am coming from a place of wanting two cats, but my husband and I may have to travel for his business, so we'll have to wait.
I had been used to getting cats from the shelter all my life. My last cat was from a breeder and I don't know if it was the breed (Shorthair Oriental) or that it was purchased from a breeder, but I had no problem at all trimming his nails and the cat seemed much more to be a little self-assured individual than the others which I had. I loved all my cats, but this one was a surprise - for my husband and mother, too, who thought they liked dogs better.
I've been looking at breeder ads.
Our main breeding cats are PKD / DNA / FELV/FIV Tested (Negative) thru the (college and doctor's name). Our kittens will receive all (3) FVRCP booster vaccinations, wormed, fecal tested & FELV/FIV blood tested prior to going to their new forever home. We provide a Genetic Health Guarantee with a spay/neuter contract.
This looks very impressive to me. Not all breeders offer a 'Genetic Health Guarantee'. Can someone please tell me what that is?
I think that any cattery, over time, will run across some health issues. Does this mean that the cats from this cattery do not carry a gene for diabetes or other genetically transferred diseases?
Last edited by goldengrain; 09-28-2012 at 09:23 AM..
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