If you are planning to buy a purebred cat or start breeding and you want to be sure that this cat will be a purebred cat with certain physical and mental characteristics, consistent with the breed standard, read HOW TO MAKE THIS PURCHASE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE.

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Let's start by answering a few questions:

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WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

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• to not to support the puppy mills                      

• to buy a healthy kitten                       

• to get support from the breeder after buying a kitten from him

• to have the certainty of good socialization of a kitten     

• to keep the purity of a breed

• to lower probability of genetic diseases             

 

 

WHAT IS A PUREBRED CAT?

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purebred = pedigree cat

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A real purebred cat should come from a cattery, registered in one of 9 international felinological organizations associated in WCC, there is no doubt about it. There is no such thing as a purebred cat without a pedigree just after pedigreed parents. If the cat has no pedigree, he is not a purebred cat.

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DO YOU KNOW THAT...

There are PUPPY MILLS, or "catteries" massively multiplying cats, aimed at a financial profit only, lacking breeding rights, often violating breeding ethics. The cats they sell don't have pedigrees, or instead of pedigrees they give the issue a metrics. Such "breeding" is carried out by non-members in any legal felinological relationship. When buying a cat from puppy mill we can never be sure in what conditions the kitten was raised up and what character traits he would have after growing up. We also never know whether the kittens were vaccinated, dewormed or were under the constant supervision of a veterinarian.

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Myths about puppy mills:

• a metric is not a pedigree

• it is not true that the pedigree gets only the first few kittens from the litter

• every kitten from pedigreed parents receives a pedigree if cattery is legally registered

• a kitten after pedigreed parents who are not showed on a cat shows also receives a pedigree

• pedigree cost about 40 zlotys, don't let anyone convince you that the kitten has no pedigree, because it was too expensive

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Warning signs?

•      the breeder avoid to not meet at his home where he breeds his kittens

•      cats look neglected

•      a very large number of cats on a small area

•      the breeder doesn't want to show the kitten's parents

•      the breeder insist to bring the cat to the buyer place

•      the breeder tries to sell us kitten before he is at least 12 weeks old

•      cats are timid, they are afraid of people and do all they can to avoid being touch by people

 

WHERE TO BUY A CAT?

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Currently, there are many opportunities to buy a purebred cat: Internet, Facebook (breeding groups), breeding website, through ads on the club's website. However, there are also illegal sales practices like during cat exhibitions, Internet auctions such as eBay, on marketplaces or at pet shops. That is why you have to be careful in choosing a kitten. The most recommended way to buy a purebred cat is to buy a cat from the cattery, where you can see a kitten, check the conditions in which he lives and how he is socialized. Catteries of any breed are not difficult to find in Google search by simply entering the name of the cat breed. A not bad idea is asking friends who have a cat that breeds we are searching for or directly go to the club that has a breeding list of a given breed.

If a purebred cat is too expensive for us or we have doubts whether it makes sense to buy a purebred cat, there are always plenty of cats who haven't that lucky to live in a cattery. In such situations, it is worth to consider to adopt a cat from a shelter, foundation, temporary home or take it from the street. Such kittens are also looking for a home! And such a solution will certainly be better than supporting cheaters or puppy millers, who often offer a kitten at a lower, more tempting price.

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WHERE TO GET KNOWLEDGE ABOUT BREED?

• at cat's exhibitions

• by talking with breeders

• in cat's clubs

• at workshops, trainings

• on the websites of the association/organization (description of the breed standard)

 

HOW TO KNOW THAT WE BUY A CAT FROM A LEGAL CATTERY?

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• a purebred cat breeder will not release a cat until at least 12 weeks of age

• kittens leaving the cattery must be vaccinated and dewormed

• kittens are already chipped and often neutered/sterilized if they are not intended to continue show/breeding career

• kittens leaving the cattery should get a health book (passport), pedigree and very often layette

• a purchase and sale agreement is signed

• the new cat owner should be informed what this kitten eats and about all his habits

• kittens on the day of reception should be healthy (clean toes without signs of cold, clean eyes and shiny ears, should be happy and fun to play)

• legal catteries have tests for infectious diseases FeLV (leukemia) and FIV (cat HIV)

• good breeders choose their feline parents appropriately, the breeder analyzes pedigrees in terms of avoiding too close affinity. In "puppy mill" no one looks at a relationship

• you have the opportunity to visit kitten in his cattery and learn about cats and breed

• the breeder willingly answers all questions before, during and most important after purchase

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Remember you can always check the chosen cattery in a given felinological association or ask about it in the breeding groups !!!