A few years back, looking for a cat breeder was a complicated affair. It required you to ask for recommendations from family and friends. The other alternative was for you to go to cat shows.

Today, there are two very reliable cat registration associations that can give you a head start. These are  The International Cat Association (TICA) and the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA). Moreover, reputable cat breeders are found on the internet.

One thing to note is that a breeder can belong to a famous cat association or a cat club simply by having a pedigree or registered cats. Their membership in these organizations does not automatically mean they are the best.

When adopting a cat, dog, tortoise or any pet for that matter, ensure you do your homework well. Look for a breeder with the type of pet you want. For example, if you want a Siamese cat, there are specific breeders that have the pets. If you want AKC champion pedigrees, you can check Show Breeders.

Selecting a Good Cat Breeder

Be wary of catteries that appear to always have a lot of kittens for sale. Renowned breeders will never just have kittens waiting to be sold…not at least all year round. Most of the time, they put cats on a waiting list.

So, if the breeder always has kittens for sale whenever, then there are two possibilities here;

• They produce far too many kittens, which is risky
• They have a problem placing their kitties, which also raise eyebrows

Ask the breeder about their deposit policies. Moreover, inquire about the waiting list. If they tell you that they only have kittens once in a year, this is a good sign. Go for it and just be patient.

Check the number of cats in the breeders’ home. Of course, the breeder will have more cats than in conventional homes. However, some numbers will get you questioning. Too many cats will mean they are not given individualized attention and affection. Don’t be swayed by the affection you see the breeder giving the cats when you visit. As long as you can’t see all the cats, that’s a red flag.

Experienced breeders let their cats mingle with other family members. These cats are well-trained and are familiar with the kitchen, bedroom and even the dining area.

Check how clean and well organized the cat breeders’ home is. If the breeder has a dozen cats, will they have time to keep the house spotless? It can therefore only mean one thing: these cats are not given as much attention as they deserve.

Again, the focus here should be on the health of the cats. As long as home is sanitary and the cats don’t seem to always have some cold, you can trust the breeder.

Consider the personality of the breeder. Typically, purchasing a pedigree animal from a local breeder is recommended. This is because you can visit their facility and meet the animals directly. Nevertheless, how the breeder communicates to you, be it in e-mails, text, letters or phone calls, is important. If they are writing, do they relay some form of affection and attachment to their cats? Do they show excitement to work with you during phone calls? Do they seem comfortable and want you to visit their facility or home?

The breeder’s temperament is paramount as it shows how much attention the cat receives. Temperament can determine the cats’ personality. Don’t solely rely on your judgment when it comes to personality of the breeder. Talk to other breeders’ and find out if they would purchase a pet from your potential breeder. Other breeders can give you honest opinions and pointer concerning the breeder.

Basic Things Every Breeder Should Do

1. Keep you from taking home a kitten with any form of illness, even watery eyes!
2. Demand you to neuter or spray the kitten if it was not previously done
3. Prohibit you from taking home kittens aged less than 12 weeks
4. Inquire about your way of living or at least some incidences of your life. A good breeder has some form of attachment to their cats; they look at them as family.
5. Give you registration and pedigree papers, even if they say that is after you neuter/spray the kitten
6. Fully vaccinate all of the cats, not just the kittens
7. Test and be able to prove the resulting father and mother of the kittens for standard conditions that can exist within the breed. Testing is mandatory and no quality breeder will take a short cut on that. Also, ensure that they are not just testing a few selected cats but all the breeding cats. This is normally done once in a year or so.
8. Sign a contract with you. This contract should guarantee the health of the kitten for a certain time period, have an indoor only agreement, have no declawing policy, and allow you to take  the kitten or cat.

Conclusion

Adopting a pet cat or kitten is not like buying equipment for your home. It is getting a new member of the family. For this reason, trust your instincts. If the cat breeder does not convince and impress you, move to another. There are so many quality breeders. You don’t need to keep up with one you don’t trust.

Research and put time and effort in investigating your potential breeder. After all, you are looking for a new family member. Note however that these are simply our opinions based on our immense years of experience with cat breeders!