#20
26th Aug 2023 at 8:40 PM
Last edited by ladylarke : 26th Aug 2023 at
8:57 PM.
Posts: 32
Thanks: 1375 in 12 Posts
Quote: Originally posted by diromantica
Hello,would you mind to explain me what you mean with this phrase? "Aside from having adorable kittens every once in a while." Once in a while? Do you mean that you have them for a while and when you get tierd,you get rid of them?
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Actually, what she meant was that she only occasionally has litters (a group of kittens is called a litter) of kittens. Breeders who show their registered (pedigreed aka with papers from an accredited cat registry such as the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA)) do not breed to make money off their kittens. We breed for the love of the breed and to preserve their beloved breed, keeping to the cat registry's format (rules) of that breed in conformity, health, and happiness of that breed. NOT to make money from selling kittens. Cat breeders who show cats do not make money showing their cats either. It is a very expensive hobby indeed and it all comes out of the cat breeder's pockets. Cat shows do not award money for winning cats like dog shows do.
Anyway, this is why she said she only has kittens once in a while. She will keep only the best of that litter to show and perhaps keep a kitten to perpetuate the lineage of her cats as a breeding cat. Every breeder has cats he/she starts with - foundation cats - that they acquire from another breeder. They go on to breed their own line of cats from those original foundation cats to create their own unique lineage. Of course conforming to the rules of how their breed should look, including the sound health of their cats, according to their cat registry's rules. There are many cat registries! In North America alone you will find the CFA, CCA, and TICA.
Not all cat breeders are ethical, unfortunately. Many unethical cat breeders do NOT have pedigreed cats and do not care about the look or health of their cats. These breeders are usually called "backyard breeders" and they breed their cats solely for money. Those that do show and breed their pedigreed cats do so for the love of the breed and to preserve and promote that breed for others to also enjoy and love. That said, some breeds of cats are far more expensive than others and that's an entirely different conversation lol. But beware if a breeder cannot produce papers from an accredited cat registry to show their pedigree/lineage. If they cannot or will not provide this proof of lineage, they are a backyard breeder. OR a person who's unspayed cat had kittens - please spay or neuter your cats!
Beware of backyard breeders as they may very well have cats with a lot of health problems that will mean you are spending a lot of time and money at the veterinary. This is why, in my opinion, it is a great idea to find a reputable breeder who also shows their cats who will provide papers that prove that cat's lineage. Breeders who have registered cats are very aware of their cats' health and they carefully breed their cats to ensure their cats are in good health whereas backyard breeders do not. It's very sad but it happens quite often.
Please know that registered cat breeders appreciate that ALL cats need and deserve a furever home. I personally would not survive being a cat rescuer as I have a far too sensitive heart. I would be miserable and heartsick because of the poor state cat rescuers find abandoned and feral cats in. So hats off to all of the amazing folks that do rescue dogs and cats! And also to those that foster and rehabilitate pets for rehoming. <3
Here is a link to the CFA cat registry =
https://cfa.org/
P.S. I have had CFA registered manx all of my adult life and had started to show and breed but unfortunately became chronically ill and disabled and had to give it up. Manx is still my preferred and beloved breed. I am currently without a kitty in my life, I lost the last manx that was born into my hand last year at 16 years old. I still miss him terribly and am just not ready for another cat yet. Rune was my heart cat, that one cat in your entire life that you loved more than any other.