they’re registering even exists. Everything is done on the honor system. We surely don’t need to tell you that where the possibility of making money exists, some people aren’t very honorable. Others are well-meaning but just not knowledgeable enough about genetic problems and socialization to be breeding cats. You want to avoid both kinds of people if you’re looking for a pedigreed cat.
Finding the elusive “good breeder”
A reputable breeder can be very hard to find and may not have a kitten available just when you want one — such as right now. Those facts alone send many buyers to other, less-than-ideal sources.
If everything goes well, you’re going to have your cat for as many as 15 to 20 years. Doesn’t taking a little time to find the right breeder seem reasonable? To make a few phone calls, read a book or two, search the Internet, and take a few field trips? To ask questions of a person who’s lived for years with the breed you want so that you can get more answers than a book provides?
So what to look for? You want expertise. A pet store with a selection of kittens often can’t provide you with information on the breed you want, because the staff, no matter how well-meaning, can usually offer only cursory information about the breeds the store stocks. A backyard breeder with one “let the kids watch” litter can tell you what living with her Siamese is like but hasn’t the expertise to talk about the breed as a whole. And neither source, of course, is offering cats bred expressly for the top-quality health and temperament you should demand.
Shopping at the cat show
A cat show is the ultimate in window shopping for a cat lover and prospective buyer of a pedigreed kitten, and this venue can be a place to connect with reputable breeders.
Wander along the aisles with a smile on your face, and ask all the questions you want. Unless they’re just getting ready to have their cat judged, most exhibitors are happy to talk — you’re asking about one of their favorite subjects, after all: their cats!
You probably can’t get all your questions answered, however, and you’re likely to want to talk to the breeders later. So ask for business cards or get phone numbers, social media handles and e-mail/web addresses — along with notes about the conversation you had with each one so that you remember later what you discussed. Ask about kitten availability and planned breedings, but don’t get too deep into it at the show — the breeder is pretty busy. Enjoy the day and all the gorgeous cats and plan your more serious discussions for later, by phone and in person.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN’T HAVE A CAT?
Some people are absolutely astonished — and more than a few are positively irate — if they’re turned down while trying to adopt a cat, especially from a shelter or rescue group. After all, aren’t they doing the shelter a favor by taking an animal off their hands?
That may not be how a shelter or rescue group sees it.
Reputable breeders of pedigreed cats have always put conditions on the sale of their animals. They want to ensure animals that aren’t of breeding quality don’t reproduce, and they want their kittens to go to homes where they can receive the kind of care the breeder feels is necessary. Reputable breeders can lay down the rules because they’re dealing with only a litter at a time — and they’re prepared to keep all their cats rather than place them in a home they may feel is unsuitable.
For shelter cats, however, the alternative to adoption is too often euthanasia. Isn’t any home better than that?
“No,” say some shelters. Spay-neuter requirements are common — and necessary, given the overpopulation of cats — and screening homes for the best possible match is pretty standard for most shelters. Written approval by a landlord may also be required before an animal is adopted out to someone who rents, which also makes sense. Other organizations may refuse adoption to people who won’t promise to keep cats completely inside, or who suggest an interest in, say, declawing.
Some organizations go way too far for some people, but it’s important to understand that they’re trying to do what’s best for the pet and the prospective family. Hard and fast rules are not ideal, however, and we feel that each adopter should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
What if you’re turned down? Take a little time to consider again whether you’re really ready for a cat. These rules, after all, are based on the shelter’s experiences with people who generally don’t make good cat owners. If you’re still convinced that you’re qualified, ask to discuss the matter with the shelter director — or go to another source.
Online shopping
Attending a show is probably the most enjoyable way to start tracking down a breeder, but you have other options, too.
Most people will immediately perform an internet search, putting the breed they’re interested in and their city or state into the search bar. When the results pop up, they think they’re good to go, but nothing can be further from the truth.
Click-and-ship kitten sellers may be in your neck of the woods, or they can be hundreds or even thousands of miles away, pretending to be local. The kittens may be healthy, or they may be very sick indeed. If you’re looking for a particular breed, it's fine to start with an internet search, but under no circumstances should you submit your credit card information (or use any other means of payment) and buy a kitten online. You may luck out and get a healthy kitten, but you may also be rewarding a cruel operation that isn’t caring for the cats in its care.
Spotting the less-than-ideal breeders
A very few breeders are downright evil and fail to provide for even the basics of their animals’ needs. A few more are mentally ill, living in filthy homes packed to the rafters with freely mating cats. These people are fairly easy to spot and avoid — unless their kittens are cleaned up and sold elsewhere.
The majority of “bad” breeders are not uncaring. They’re just uninformed. They don’t know that many of the cats they produce can end up in shelters or spend their lives in pain from a congenital illness. They just want a litter “so the kids can see” or because “kittens are fun” or because they heard that breeding cats is an easy way to make a little money. They aren’t bad people, but they’re still not good breeders.
Following are a few things that should give you pause in dealing with a breeder:
Lack of knowledge about the breed: Someone who doesn’t know much about the breed, its history, or its normal behavior isn’t someone who’s too concerned about producing kittens that are healthy examples of the breed.
Ignorance
