Different Breeds of Cat - Choosing The Right Breed of Cat or Kitten For Your Family

Dragged Through the Mill and Back

You may or may not have heard about these places in the news - horrible situations where cats and dogs are kept in tiny cramped cages in dank basements or barns, used for the sole purpose of mass-producing puppies or kittens for the pet trade. Female animals are bred, over and over again, bearing litter after litter with no breaks in between and no chance for their bodies to rest. The neglect and abuse that they suffer often bows and deforms their backs and limbs to such a degree that, should they ever be rescued, the most humane thing that can be done is for these poor babies to be euthanized. If there is any place that can be known as a “House of Horrors for Pets“, the pet mill has certainly earned that title.

While animal welfare groups have gone to great lengths to try and wipe out these “assembly-line breeders,” more crop up every day and it’s a constant battle to try and eliminate all of them. As a potential pet owner and responsible person, it’s important that you ensure that you’re not contributing to this form of animal abuse. Researching where your kitten is coming from is every bit as important as researching what kind of kitten is best-suited for your family. By taking that extra time to look into where your kitten comes from, by caring enough to do this, we put the pressure on pet mills and make it more difficult for them to operate and remain in business.

The Backyard Breeder

The backyard breeder is another risky venture. This type of breeder is usually just starting out and they are getting a feel for what breeds of cats they like and what they want to raise. One of the biggest mistakes that these new breeders make, is by jumping in over their heads and taking on numerous breeds of cats, rather than specializing in one or two breeds. Equally important to note is that it’s usually very rare for a backyard breeder to have invested the money into good, quality breeding stock. More often than not, the cats that they use for breeding are substandard bargain-buys from other breeders and, while you might get a decent kitten from them, there is still a good risk that you may get something that is of poor quality, questionable bloodlines, and you may even pay a trumped-up price for your kitten to boot.

Many backyard breeders also fail to have the proper screening done on their kittens - while they might provide you with a kitten that’s been vaccinated and wormed, you could also end up with one that has a high risk of developing hip dysplasia, as well as a host of other genetic risks, ranging from vaccine allergies to heart or kidney disease. Few people realize that, while purebred kittens may sell for a fair amount of money, there is rarely a big profit to be made off of them - the cost of having a litter of kittens properly vet-checked, vaccinated and wormed, and screened for potential health risks is usually quite high and, by the time all the kittens are found good forever homes, most breeders discover that the profit margin is very slim, if any. Responsible breeders are interested in preserving and promoting their breed, they don’t do this for the purpose of making money.

Perhaps this is one of the main reasons that many backyard breeders also disappear within a short span of time. It’s hard to say whether it’s the realization that there isn’t the money that they thought there was to be had, or if it’s some other problem, but few of these small-time breeders last longer than a couple of years. Sadly, a good number of pet owners are burned in such a fashion, discovering that promises and guarantees are suddenly null and void, when the backyard breeder they’ve purchased from suddenly drops off the face of the earth. In a nutshell, if you plan on purchasing a new kitten and you insist upon dealing with a backyard breeder, remember the old saying: Buyer Beware.

Pet Store Kitten Purchases

People have purchased kittens from pet stores for decades and, in the minds of many, this is a very logical place to get a kitten. For starters, pet stores are subject to regular health inspections, and are forced to live up to a certain standard of quality in order to remain in business. Kittens that come from pet stores are given their first vaccinations, wormed, and are usually accompanied with a guarantee along with the bill of sale, so it seems like a logical place to purchase a pet, right?

Wrong. Dealing with a pet store, no matter how reputable, can often be like playing Russian Roulette. Granted, from the time your kitten came into the pet store to the time that he leaves with you, he’s probably had good veterinary care and has lived in sanitary conditions, but that still doesn’t tell you where he came from. You still don’t know if he’s a healthy kitten that will grow into a healthy cat, or if he carries the potential for future health problems. As if that wasn’t enough, you’re probably also paying a trumped-up price for a kitten that you really know nothing about; you’ve had no opportunity to see the parents of your kitten, you don’t know his lineage and, what’s worse, many small-market breeders send their culls to the pet stores - kittens that are poor examples of their breed, mismarked, or not suitable for show or breeding. Many kittens that wind up in pet stores are nothing more than the offspring of the household cat, following a midnight rendesvous with a caterwauling miscreant from next door - unless otherwise noted, most kittens that are sold in the pet stores are simply run-of-the-mill Heinz 57 cats of no certain ancestry.

Before you go to a pet store and purchase a kitten, take the time to realize that no ethical breeder would sell their kittens to a pet store. If you were a responsible breeder, wouldn’t you want to ensure that your kittens went to kind and loving forever homes, with people who were well-educated and ready to take on the responsibilities of caring for a kitten? Once you’ve asked yourself this question, take into consideration that anyone who sells their kittens to a pet store gives up that right and just hands their kittens off to be randomly passed out to whoever comes up with enough money to purchase one. Responsible and ethical breeders do not deal with pet stores, period.

The Responsible Breeder

If you’re looking for a purebred kitten, an established and ethical breeder is the best route you can take. Caring breeders not only go to great lengths to ensure that their cats are bred to be of good quality, but they also ensure that their feline friends are properly screened for genetic diseases, vet-checked, and raised “under foot,” so that they learn to interact with humans and socialize properly with other cats, pets, and children.

Ethical breeders care where their cats are going - not only is it important to them as fellow pet owners, but their reputation also stands on the fact that they have good quality, healthy cats for sale. As cat-lovers, responsible breeders care about where their kittens go and will often go the distance, when it comes to interviewing potential “adoptees.” Many refuse to ship their kittens or, at the very least, refuse to do so during certain times of the year or when temperatures may be stressful for the kittens. There are also many breeders who will refuse to sell kittens to people who do not meet certain requirements, such as those who have children under a certain age, or people who believe in the questionable practice of declawing their kittens.

Another important aspect of ethical breeders is that they usually have a spay/neuter agreement for all of their pet-quality animals. If the kittens that they sell are not going to a fellow breeder and exhibitor, such as themselves, most breeders require that all other kittens be altered, prior to sale. This ensures that there is no risk that their kittens will end up in pet mills, in the hands of unethical or inexperienced breeders or, in the event that they are given away or resold, that they can be used for breeding purposes. This also makes sure that, in the unfortunate event that this kitten gets loose and becomes a stray, that he or she will not contribute to the unwanted numbers of dogs and cats on the street.

Animal Welfare Organizations

Another wonderful avenue to consider, when looking for a new cat and kitten, is to consider taking a trip down to your local animal shelter, S.P.C.A., or Humane Society. There are many pets there who are available for adoption, and who have lots of love and joy to give to the right family. Cats and kittens of all shapes and sizes can be found at the local shelters; purebred and crossbreed, young and old. Additionally, while many of these cats are strays that have run away or been abandoned to the street, a good number of these kittens and cats have been released to the shelters or brought in for various reasons ranging from moving, other pets not getting along with them, not enough time for the kitten, and so on. Shelter pets are every bit as loving and wonderful as cats that are purchased from top-notch breeders, and they are often far less expensive. Furthermore, by investing in a shelter pet, you save a cat or a kitten that might have been otherwise euthanized.

If you have your heart set on a purebred cat, another good avenue is to try local breed rescue organizations. Taking in purebred cats from shelters or homes that can no longer care for them, these organizations work at ensuring that the felines receive proper medical care and loving foster homes until they can be placed in a kind and loving forever home. While kittens are a rare find at one of these organizations, there are many loving adult cats, who are every bit as playful and will offer you all the love that you’re looking for.

Purrfect Kitten Placement Plans

So now you know some of the different options where you can find kittens, as well as some potential hazards to avoid. For your convenience, here is a little check list, of what to look for when you are researching potential kitten purchases:

• Ensure that your breeder offers no more than 1-2 breeds of cat for sale. Breeders who spread themselves too thinly are often into it for the buck and won’t be around for long.
• Responsible breeders always put quality before quantity, and healthy kittens before profit.
• Kittens are raised in the home and under-foot, rather than being confined to cages. Also check to see what kittens have been exposed to - such as other pets, children, car rides, etc.
• Ensure that the breeder screens for any potential health problems, has their kittens regularly vet checked, and provides you with a reasonable written guarantee.
• Breeders ensure that kittens are placed in responsible forever homes and that pet-quality kittens are spayed and neutered, appropriately.
• Ask about touring their cattery, as well as meeting the parents of your potential kitten.
• In the event that you can no longer keep your kitten, the breeder will help you to place the kitten in a responsible home, rather than having you take the kitten elsewhere.

Ensuring that you adopt your kitten from a reliable breeder will help, not only to promote ethical breeding practices and push the pet mills towards extinction, but will also make sure that you get the happiest, healthiest kitten that you can find. It only takes a little bit of time to look into these handy helping points and can make a world of difference when it comes to choosing the perfect cat or kitten for your family.