So you want to breed.
This is a wonderful hobby, not a business, if you
are looking to breed as a business, then place look elsewhere, I am
always happy to help anyone get starting in this fantastic hobby, but
that's what it is a hobby, it is not a viable business as I was recently
asked.
Breeding and showing go hand in hand, if you want to breed, then you
should be prepared to show.
If you wish to breed, again do your research, read my Kitten Owners
Page, this will give you lots of points that you need to know when
looking for a breed/show quality kitten.
Do as much research as you can, into your chosen breed, go to some cat
shows, talk to breeders, think carefully about what you are about to do.
Your kittens are your responsibility for LIFE, you bought them into this
world, you are responsible for them. Can you take back a kitten
that needs a home, what if kittens don't sell. Do you have the
money to pay for vet fees, I pay around £600 for C sections, and Ive
heard of higher, to raise a healthy kitten with no problems is around
£150, stud fees £200+, buying your cats and looking after them needs to
be taken into account, vaccines, food, cat litter, housing, toys, it all
costs money, lots of it.
You only get what you put in, good food, healthy well socialised
kittens, all this costs money and time. Lots of time.
Show costs are quite expensive, you don't just have show fees, but
travelling costs, possibly hotel fees.
Do you work, how are you going to arrange your time around births, best
laid plans don't always work out, nature has away of doing what it
wants, most kittens are born at night, but this can be all night, you
have to be there when kittens are born, something could go wrong.
Would you miss a very important meeting, family wedding, child's school
play because your queen has gone into labour early or may be late.
Breeding is brilliant, you get wonderful highs but you also get some
really really bad lows, but its still so worthwhile, I just love
watching kittens with mum, mum purrs really loudly, she talks to her
babies, its amazing to watch, its also lovely to hear from kitten owners
and how happy they are with their new addition.
If you really are serious about breeding and feel you have the time and
commitment, then I am always happy to help someone get started in this
wonderful hobby, but you will have to get to know me, I don't just sell
on the active to anyone, you will have to prove to me you are the right
person do to this, I may also require references, I will however offer
you all the support and help you need, I want to know what is happening
to my kittens and that they are happy. You will also be required
to sign a Contract of Care and this will be discussed with you in detail
before any arrangements are agreed.
All cats and kittens have the right to a good quality of life, I do not
agree with keeping cats in cages in the garden, confined in small runs
where they have no quality of life. Where they see no one
from morning to night, just a quick visit with food.
Cats need and love human contact, all my cats, even my boys get the
opportunity to come indoors, the boys have special times in the house
with me, my girls live indoors most of the time as our pets, they sleep
on the sofas, beds and love to curl up on a lap, they are not cattery
cats.
If you are a like minded breeder, then I would be happy to help you
start out in this hobby.
