New Cats On The Blog

... your One-Stop about the happenings in Asian cat fancy

I would like to take this oppurtunity to relate my own personal experience with a breeder which I hope it will bring awareness to all when selecting your pet cat.

I always love Maine Coon due to it’s size and it’s nicknamed as the Gentle Giant. I went and met this breeder, A who bred Maine Coons and some other breeds as well and it happened that A had some Maine Coon kittens available. I took the kitten one by one, checking them front and back checking on their features. A asked me what do I think about his kittens which I gave A a general statement. Next, A asked me whether any of his Maine Coon kittens are show quality cats and I was caught by surprise because that sort of question supposely asked by a customer to the breeder and not the other way around!! I told him that he should know better since he is a breeder which he chuckled. After spending about 30 minutes or so with the kitten, my heart fell for this 1 particular kitten. Next, I asked A’s permission to see the place where these kittens were raised which A did. It was actually a store room converted to an air-conditioned cat room, tiled all the way to the ceiling. Not that big but adequate.

Then, I asked A whether I could see the parents of the kittens. A said the parents were kept upstairs and he can only show the sire (father) because the dam (mother) is not in condition for public viewing which I said fine. After satisfied seeing the sire, I ask A about the price of the kitten in which A showed him a leaflet for the pricing of Pet, Show and even Breed Quality cats. The prices quoted were eventually high (all above RM2000) and so I eventually asked A how much he is willing to let go this kitten in which he replied since this is his very first litter and first time breeding Maine Coon, he will give him a special price of RM700 which comes together with a pedigree certification. My jaw dropped with the price offered that A willingly to undercut his own advertised price to me. Since the kitten is still very young and weaning, I told A that I would like to see this kitten again in a couple of weeks time.

2 days later, A called me and he apologized to me that he could not sell his Maine Coon kitten for RM700 simply because 2 other Maine Coon breeders got to know that he (A) had selling his Maine Coons for ridiculous price and had called him up and they were really upset and accused him for ’spoiling’ the Maine Coon market. Therefore, A said he needed to revise the price to RM1000 and asked me not to tell anyone about it. I told A that I would reconsider the offer.

So, feeling something amiss, I made my own investigation on A’s background as a breeder and what I had is some shocking news. Firstly, A had sold a Maine Coon (acting as a third party) to someone for a ridiculous price of over RM3000 but did not provide a pedigree certificate to the new owner. Hell went loose when the owner came back to him and asked him for her cat’s pedigree certificate since she is interested in showing her cat in a cat show for the first time. A gave excuse after excuse and when her Maine Coon had ‘mysteriously’ passed away one day, the pursue of the pedigree certificate had stopped. This story was confirmed by the owner herself when I confronted her.

I tried and push my luck by contacting a friend who worked in a large pet store whether he would know A. Eureka!! Apparently, A had been massively produced Persian kittens and sold them off in the pet store (not neutered) but A only lasted a few months before he had been asked to leave the premise by the management after a series of animal deaths in the store.

Couple of weeks passed and one of my friend, Kenneth contacted me and he told me that he is looking for a Maine Coon and whether I would know any breeders. I recommended 2 breeders which include A. Kenneth’s knowledge in Maine Coon’s profile and feature is better than mine and so, I asked him whether I could tagged along when he is visiting any Maine Coon breeder. Kenneth is very much interested to meet A and so, I had set up an appointment.

So, both of us went to A’s place again and were showed with the very same kittens except 1 of them is extremely thin and look sick. I asked A what happened to the kitten which A replied that the kitten is not well. I queried A on why he still wanted to show the kitten to them if the kitten is sick and supposedly resting until full recovery. A quickly called up his maid and asked her to prepare some food for the sick kitten (which the kitten did not touch at all, obviously).

The rest of the kittens were let loose and they were running away from us and hide. I was a bit surprised by this behaviour because this sort of behaviour usually associated with not much of human contacts during the kittens’ upbringing and definitely did not potray a good image to the breeder. After spending an hour and Kenneth had all the information he needed, I suggested to him to see A’s cat room.

Spontaneously, A said, which cat that we wanted to see so that he could bring the cat out. I told A that we would like to see his cat room which again A stressed on which cat they wanted to see. Feeling puzzled, I told A any of his Ragdolls will do and so A went and came back with his male Ragdoll. The Ragdoll was a little bit shaky but what caught my eyes were a round red patch as big as my thumb at the back of the Ragdoll’s neck. I brushed the fur to get a closer look which it caught A’s attention. A asked him is there anything wrong in which I looked at him and told him that there is a red patch on his Ragdoll’s neck.

Without even looking at the patch, A said it was a bite mark from his female Ragdoll which refused to mate with him. I took another good look this time and it was definitely didn’t look like a bite wound but more like inflammation due to an infection. I had kept cats for many 6 years then and I certainly knew the difference between a bite wound and infection. Kenneth and I left with me shaking my head seeing the conditions of the cats.

One week passed, A called me and said that his wife’s friend had decided to take 2 kittens from him in which one of them being the one I liked. I told A it is ok since I did not give any confirmation about taking the kitten in the first place. Next A told me that he will be showing his cats in a cat competition organized by a local cat club which again I was surprised to hear that since that cat club does not practise allowing non-members to show their cats in their cat shows. A said he got an invitation letter from the cat club’s president himself. So, I rang up the President and the President said he had not send out any invitation letters to anyone which include A since the show is strictly for members only.

Knowing A’s background and his continuation of difficulty to telling the truth, I took this as an experience for me and advised potential buyers to be careful when dealing with such breeders. When I went to my regular pet shop one fine day to get my regular cat supplies, I saw some Maine Coon kittens in the shop. I knew the shop owner well and he had not put Maine Coons for sale before in which I asked him where did he got his stock and the shop owner replied that the kittens came from A. I am not surprise but I do felt disappointed for someone like A who self-proclaimed as a reputable breeder and putting his cats for sale as retail. I always believed that a proper screening needed to be done and only putting cats to good homes only. This clearly state that there are such breeders that had always go for the money rather than the welfare of the cats.

There were some irresponsible breeders whom had left their cats unattended for 1 whole week while he went overseas for festive holiday, offered to sell pregnant female cats to non-breeders, declawing their cats etc. It is indeed surprise to see such unethical breeders in our cat fancy here. My personal advises to all dear readers that:-

1. Choose only responsible breeders whom into the quality of the cats and not the money. Always check the breeder’s background!!

2. When looking for a pedigree cat, always NEVER look at the price and always go for the quality pedigrees. By supporting breeders like A, will only encouraging them to continue mass breeding their cats ignoring their general welfare and needs.

3. Never get a kitten or cat in impulse. Studythe breed first and understand their basic needs and temperament whether they can suit your lifestyle and not the other way around.

4. Do not get tempted by the words from a breeder. They should prove with facts (such as achievements of his/her cats under his prefix in cat shows) and not asking new owners to show their cats and let the judge to decide whether the cat is a Show Quality cats. A responsible breeder could tell which kittens have Show, Pet or Breeding qualities.

5. A breeder should encourage new owner to show their cats and not force them to do so. Remember that you paid for the kitten or cat every single cent.

6. Cats are not comodities and they should be bring in to this world with love and care and not for money! You are bringing a life into your home and the last thing you want that having an agressive, non-socialble and sick cat.

7. Ask a lot of questions to breeders, see here.

Lastly, to recognize a Backyard Breeder much closely, read here

Should you have queries about identifying a breeder, please leave a comment here and I will try my best to answer them

A backyard breeder is anyone who breeds cats(dogs, rabbits etc) and can answer yes to one or more of the following;

* Someone who breeds unregistered purebred animals and sells them as purebreds without papers
* Someone who is looking for a quick buck
* Someone who drastically undercuts the price of registered purebred breeders
* Someone who does not care who buys their animals or for what purpose
* Someone who lets animals go at seven weeks or younger (dogs / cats), so that they do not have to spend any money on vaccinations - nor do they have to approach a vet and admit to what they are doing
* Someone who does not offer a health guarantee, contract or even take the phone number of buyers
* Someone who will place their animals for sale in pet stores
* Someone who has no thought or care to good companion animal husbandry
* Someone who has no thought or care to genetic good health or defects.

You’re being unfair to some Pet Shops. Many already don’t sell animals or are simply trying to find homes for abandoned or homeless animals.
We know that there are many wonderful Pet Shop owners out there that don’t sell animals, and others that put animals from rescue centres in their windows to find homes for them. These are NOT the ones perpetuating the problem. We encourage you to support ONLY these Pet Shops by buying all your pet accessories from them and telling all your friends and family to do the same.

Our campaign is to stop the over breeding of thousands of animals by puppy farms and backyard breeders and put them out of business. Unfortunately they do trade through many Pet Shops, so Pet Shops have become a big part of the problem. We certainly recognise that Pet Shops are not the only cause of the problem. But however you look at it, there are too many animals bred and not enough homes for them all. That’s why so many are euthanased every year. ANYTHING we can do to stop excessive breeding and impulse selling will reduce the numbers killed. Animals should not be bred for profit only to end up being killed when the money has been made.

What is your attitude toward registered breeders?
When looking for an animal companion we say, “Please scout all pounds and shelters first, and if you still (unbelievably) can’t find a suitable companion in these places then go to a registered breeder that has great word-of-mouth referrals”.

How do you know what’s going on? Has anyone on your team of volunteers ever worked in a Pet Shop?
Yes, and in Animal Rescue Centres and in Pounds and as Foster Carers for abandoned animals, where we have quickly got an idea of the background of many abandoned animals. We have even been “undercover” as potential customers into many Pet Shops around Australia to see how they answer the questions that all potential pet owners should be asking. Such as “where has this puppy come from?” “Can I see its parents?” “What testing has been done to check for any hereditary diseases?” ‘Is it de-sexed?” etc.

Surely Pet Shops could not possibly be responsible for 130,000 dogs and 60,000 cats put down each year?
We have NEVER said that Pet Shops are totally responsible for the deaths of approximately 130,000 dogs and 60,000 cats abandoned every year. We actually say on this web site, and I quote “Of course not all pound dogs and cats were originally bought from pet shops and discarded, but from discussions with pounds and rescue centres, we believe that many were.” This is true.

But, Pet Shops can advise potential owners on nutrition, long terms costs, health issues, council issues. They can advise you if that puppy in the window is the right breed for you, if that kitten will be your life long friend, and how to look after it to the best of your ability. They often offer cooling off periods, where you may return that pet within a time frame if you feel you are unable to look after it and its best interests. So why are you against Pet Shops selling animals?
Pet Shops can do all this, and many do - probably the Pet Shop you own or work in or visit. But, in our experience with our “undercover” shoppers, it must be recognised that the majority are simply in business and a sale makes them money. So many do not make the kind of effort that you describe. For example, we have found strong willed working breeds being sold through popular Pet Shop franchises with little or no advice to potential owners on the ultimate size, amount of exercise and stimulation, vet costs and important training requirement of such breeds.

I do not know of any Pet Shop manager who would consent to buy a puppy from a puppy farm.
Puppy and kitten farms do exist. One was recently raided in VIC by Animal Liberation Victoria. These farms churn out thousands of animals every year - continually forcing dogs and cats to breed and have puppies and kittens. They obviously have to sell their “product” somewhere - through ads in newspapers, overseas, markets and Pet Shops.

Pets Shops have an Advisory Council, they are governed by a set of rules and ethics.
These rules and ethics seem to be more about how to keep and look after animals in the Pet Shops and not about WHERE those animals come from. We are not campaigning about how animals are cared for in Pet Shops. We want to STOP the indiscriminate breeding resulting in excessive numbers of dogs and cats by puppy farms and backstreet breeders by making sure they have NOWHERE to sell their animals for profit. Very soon they would cease business when there was no money to be made.

The people who work in Pets Shops are pet lovers just like you. In fact some are even vegetarians and wouldn’t even dream of eating an animal…
I’m sure many are. This still doesn’t solve the problem we are campaigning about. Most people we talk to are simply not aware of the issues.

Drop in to your local pet shop sometime, you will find that the people there are educated and are happy to advise.
Hmmm sorry - this completely misses the point. I’m sure they’re happy to advise but WHERE did the puppies and kittens they stock in the window come from? Did they PAY someone for them? If so, they have now encouraged that backyard breeder or puppy farmer to go on breeding more and more…

But Pet Shops need to sell puppies and kittens because it is convenient for people to buy a pet at their local shopping centre.
Oh dear! Just because it is convenient, this does not make it right … in fact, the more effort that a potential pet owner has to go to in order to find their pet, the more likely they are to have thought it all through properly. And the less likely their pet will be abandoned or surrendered to the Pound later on. Please buy from the Pound or Animal Rescue Centre instead and save a life!

Extracted from Say No To Animals in Petshops site.

Recon and capture. A fateful road trip home. So you’ve brought the stray of your dreams home. What needs to be done next?

When in doubt, or even if the animal seems healthy, arrange for a vet visit as soon as possible to seek a professional opinion and have the rest of the health procedures (e.g. vaccinations, sterilization, micro-chipping etc) seen to. A healthy animal makes a happy vet.

As with all important decisions, buying a purebred cat requires thought and planning. You are about to embark upon a relationship that may span fifteen to twenty years – longer than many marriages. So make sure you spend some time finding the right breeder. You can save yourself veterinary expense and grief by finding a responsible, caring breeder whose goal is to produce healthy, genetically sound, well socialized kittens; a breeder who truly cares about your chosen breed and wants good homes for his or her special kids. Resist the urge to buy on impulse, and know your source before plucking down your hard-earned cash. A bit of patience can make the difference between years of happiness with your feline friend and years of heartache. Why buy from a breeder rather than a pet store, private party, or newspaper ad?

While buying from a breeder does not insure you a healthy, well socialized cat, buying from pet stores or newspaper ads is often risky business, and may cause you considerable grief and expense in the long run. Reputable breeders do not sell their kittens to pet shops, so pet shops often obtain their kittens from less than pristine sources, such as the so-called backyard breeders or kitten mills. Such kitten producers breed only for profit and care little about the health, happiness, and long lives of their animals. Their cats often live in deplorable overcrowded conditions, have infrequent handling and no socialization, and little veterinary care. No effort is made to ensure genetic health by carefully planning the breeding and choosing the most genetically compatible mates. Don’t assume that any breeder who maintains a cattery in his or her residence is a backyard breeder, however. Most reputable breeders operate their catteries out of their homes, so they can give their cats the attention and care they need.

The emotionally loaded term “backyard breeder” can be misleading; it actually refers to the quality of care and concern and the slipshod, assembly-line method of breeding, not the location where the breeding is done. Newspaper ads can be placed by reputable breeders, but are more often placed by kitten mills and people who have bred their pet-quality purebreds, violating their purchase agreements since pet-quality purebreds are almost never sold with breeding rights. In fact, most breeders withhold the papers of their pet-quality purebreds until the owners have provided proof of alteration to prevent these matings. While these kittens may be less expensive than a breeder-bred kitten, you generally get what you pay for. Such people generally know little or nothing about breeding cats. Too, these cats usually cannot be registered or shown since the owners cannot provide pedigrees or registration papers, and without papers you can’t tell if the cat you’re buying is a true purebred at all. If you buy from a newspaper ad, be even more scrupulous about investigating the seller.

First Things First
Before you begin shopping for your dream cat, you’ll need to do your homework. First, you’ll want to decide which breed is best for you. Once you’ve chosen the breed, it’s very important to learn as much as you can about it before you begin looking for a breeder. That means becoming familiar with the breed’s standard, characteristics, personality, strengths and weaknesses, potential genetic and health problems, and grooming requirements and other special needs. You need this information if you are to be an informed consumer. Fortunately, the Internet is a wonderful resource for breed information. The Cat fanciers website is also an excellent online resource. Also, visit the cat associations online, since many offer standards and other information on each breed they recognize:
American Association of Cat Enthusiasts (AACE)
American Cat Fancier’s Association (ACFA)
Canadian Cat Association (CCA)
Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA)
Cat Fanciers’ Federation (CFF)
Fédération International Féline FIFé)
The International Cat Association (TICA)
Traditional Cat Association (TCA)

Finding a Breeder
After you’ve chosen and learned all you can about your breed, check out the breeder listings in cat magazines such as Cats and Kittens (www.catsandkittens.com) or Cat Fancy (www.animalnetwork.com/cats). Their websites also have breeder listings. Breed-specific clubs or societies also exist and can provide lists of breeder members. These groups usually have a written code of ethics their members agree to uphold. Many of the cat associations also can provide breeder lists. The cat association websites also have listings of their upcoming shows. Attending a cat show is a great way to meet reputable breeders and see their cats. Breeders who show strive to produce cats that meet the breed standard – the physical ideal for that particular breed. At shows breeders and their cats are subject to scrutiny by experienced judges and exhibitors who can quickly spot a bad apple in their bunch. Therefore, cat shows are usually good places to meet reputable breeders. Kitten producers care nothing about the breed standard or showing their cats, since they are breeding for profit rather than to improve the breed.

Depending upon the breed you’ve chosen, you may or may not be able to find a breeder with available kittens. The less common breeds and the breeds in high demand generally are sold through waiting lists. If you find a breeder you like but he or she has no kittens available, you may want to ask to be put on the breeder’s waiting list (you’ll have to put down a deposit), or the breeder may recommend other breeders who have available kittens. Responsible breeders associate with one another and help each other meet the demand for kittens. If you’re flexible on color, pattern and gender you’ll have an easier time obtaining a kitten. Or you can ask the breeder to inform you when kittens become available. Be patient. It’s better to wait and get a quality kitten from a reputable breeder than buy on impulse. If possible, find a breeder in your area, so you can visit the cattery and see the kitten before you buy. However, this is not always possible, particularly with the less common breeds, and you may have to go outside your area to find a good breeder. In that case, you’ll need a breeder who is willing to ship the kitten to you. If the breeder lives out of your area, at least see a photo of your kitten (the entire litter if you can) and photos of the parents before buying. Many breeders have websites where photos of their cats can be seen; be sure to ask.

Questions You Should Ask
Once you narrow down your search to several breeders (it’s best to find several possibilities in case one doesn’t work out), talk to each one. A caring breeder will be willing to answer all your questions. If the breeder’s answers are not satisfactory, or if you get the impression that the breeder is not being forthright, move onto the next one on your list.

Ask the following questions:
- How are the kittens raised? You want a kitten who has been raised “underfoot” in a loving home environment, rather than in an isolated cattery with little human contact.

- Can I see both parents, or only the mother? By seeing both parents, you’ll have a better idea of the adult appearance and temperament of the offspring. If the father is not available – which is often the case, since not every breeder keeps a male for stud service – ask to see a photo of the father, and be sure to see the mother.

- How many litters do you raise each year? A breeder who raises many litters is less likely to be able to socialize each kitten. Early loving contact with humans is vital if the kitten is to grow up to be a well-socialized, friendly, trusting adult cat.

- Can you provide names and phone numbers of people who have purchased your cats? If the breeder provides these references, follow through and check them out. Ask these owners about their experiences with the breeder. Of course, keep in mind that a breeder is likely to provide only the numbers of people who have had positive experiences.

- Has a veterinarian examined the kittens? What vaccinations will be given before the kittens are sent home? Have the cattery cats been tested for Feline Leukemia (FeLV) and Feline AIDS (FIV)? Depending upon the breed, other health questions should be asked as well, and that’s why it’s a good idea to become familiar with the breed. Maine coons, for example, are prone to hip dysplasia and a heart disease called cardiomyopathy. When buying a Maine coon, you’ll want to ask if the breeder’s cats have been screened for these conditions.

- Do you provide a written health guarantee for genetic and health problems? You want to choose a breeder who stands behind the quality and health of his or her cats.

- In what cat association(s) are your cats registered? This is important if you decide to show the cat, because each cat association has different show standards and rules regarding each breed. Also, this tells you if you’re dealing with a breeder who is working to improve the breed rather than just producing sellable kittens. Call the cat association(s) to which the breeder belongs to check his or her credentials before committing.

- Do you provide a pedigree and registration papers for your kittens? Even if you want pet quality and do not intend to show your cat, be sure you are buying a kitten that comes with these documents, also called “papers.” While papers don’t guarantee you a healthy, well-socialized cat, it increases the chances that the breeder is reputable and the cat is what the breeder claims. A cat without papers lacks them for a reason, usually because one or both parents were without papers or because the parents were not sold with breeding rights. A kitten without papers may not be a purebred at all. While part-purebred cats can still make fine companions, you shouldn’t have to pay purebred prices for a non-pedigreed cat.

- Will you ship your cats? Not all breeders will, although many do. This is important if you’re dealing with a breeder who’s out of your area.

- How much do you charge? Breeders are generally more responsive if you save this question for last. While price is certainly an important factor, breeders tend to be more impressed with prospective owners who don’t begin the conversation by giving the impression that getting a bargain basement cat is their most important consideration.

Questions Your Breeder May Ask
A responsible breeder will also ask you questions before agreeing to sell you a kitten. Some of these questions may seem very personal, but don’t take offense. Caring breeders are attached to their cats, and want to make sure their special kids go to loving, responsible homes. In fact, a breeder who seems eager to sell to just anybody may be a bad bet. If the breeder isn’t concerned about finding good homes for the kittens, how much care do you think he or she put into breeding the kittens in the first place? Expect the breeder to ask questions about your lifestyle. For example, he or she may ask whether you will be away from home a great deal, whether you have young children, your housing situation, whether you own or rent, and if you’re willing to keep the cat indoors (many breeders require this as a condition of sale). The breeder may ask what you will feed the kitten, and your views on declawing and spaying and neutering. The breeder may want to know what you would do if you couldn’t keep the cat any longer. He or she may ask how much you know about the breed, and whether you’re aware of the grooming and care commitment the breed requires. The breeder may ask if you’ve owned cats before, and what happened to them.

Visiting the Cattery
If your conversation with the breeder goes well and you feel you’ve found the right one for you, schedule a visit to the cattery if possible, because then you can see how the kittens are raised. When you visit, let your eyes and nose be your guides. Does the place smell clean, or does it reek of urine and feces? A cattery should be clean and tidy, but it also should look comfortably lived in. If it’s antiseptic and spotless the cats are likely kept in cages and allowed little human contact. Handling is just as important to a kitten’s upbringing as quality food and medical care. Do the breeding cats have a spacious environment in which to live rather than tiny cages? While it’s often necessary to keep some cats penned to ensure controlled breeding, particularly the stud males, the pens should be clean and spacious (with at least 27 cubic feet per cat), and the cats should not be kept constantly in these environments. Are the cats comfortable around people, or do they seem unused to human contact? Are toys, scratching posts, and other cat items in evidence, or do you get the impression the breeder views cats as just a moneymaking venture? If the breeder is not willing to let you visit the cattery, be wary. Ask yourself what it is that the breeder doesn’t want you to see.Whether you’re buying a pet, breeder or show quality kitten, ask the breeder to explain the kitten’s traits. If the kitten is not suitable for show, ask why. If the breeder is truly familiar with the breed standard, he or she can give you a rundown of a kitten’s strong points and shortcomings. It is essential to be familiar with the standard yourself before this point, since you’ll have a better understanding of what constitutes an ideal specimen of the breed. Keep in mind, however, that a pet quality kitten should be just as healthy and well-socialized as a show quality kitten. Pet quality cats merely have some cosmetic flaws of coat, color or conformation that makes them unsuitable for the show ring.Likely at this point you’re eager to take home your tiny tiger, but usually you’ll have to wait. Responsible breeders do not release their kittens until they are at least twelve weeks old, and some hold onto their kittens for sixteen weeks or longer. Sure, kittens are cute at eight weeks, but it’s vital to their health, development, and socialization that they spend the first weeks of life with their mother, so don’t begrudge them the extra time. Also, their immune systems are not fully developed and they are more susceptible to disease between eight and twelve weeks, and this can be aggravated by the stress of going to a new home. It’s better to wait and get a healthy kitten with a strong immune system and a full course of vaccinations against dangerous diseases.

Kittenhood is the shortest period of a cat’s life and will soon be over anyway. The cat’s long-term health is more important than enjoying a few short weeks of playful kitten antics. If a breeder is willing to let the kitten go at six or eight weeks, do yourself a favor and don’t buy from him or her – that breeder does not have the kitten’s best interests at heart. In fact, in many breeds it’s difficult to judge a cat’s potential accurately until four or five months of age. If a breeder wants to sell you a six-week-old show kitten, be extra wary.

The Sales Contract
Most reputable breeders have written sales contracts you’ll be expected to sign to purchase one of their cats. In fact, a written sales agreement is a sign of a caring, responsible breeder. You want your agreement in writing so you have resource if the kitten isn’t as represented. Breeder contracts vary. Common issues addressed include declawing, breeding, altering, and the cat’s care, housing, diet and medical treatment. Some contracts require you to keep the cat indoors, and to give the breeder an opportunity to buy the cat back if you can no longer keep it. Most contracts prohibit the cat from being sold or given to pet shops, shelters or research laboratories. It’s also a common practice for the breeder to withhold the papers of pet quality cats until you provide proof of spaying or neutering. This is reasonable and responsible, given the overpopulation problem. Some breeders do not release their kittens until the altering has been done. They also want to keep the quality of their breed high, and that means preventing pet quality cats from being bred by people who may know nothing about breeding and may have little concern about finding good homes for the kittens they produce.Read the contract carefully. If you have questions or concerns about the conditions, ask the breeder for clarification. If you think the conditions are unreasonable or too restrictive, buy from another breeder. Once you sign the contract, you are legally and morally obligated to honor it.Choosing a Healthy KittenWhen choosing your kitten, try to make sure he is healthy and well cared for. Make sure the kitten has had appropriate vaccinations and dewormers for his age. Also, look for the following traits:

Active, playful and well-socialized; kitten should not appear fearful
Bright eyes, with no discharge of any sort
No nasal discharge
Clean ears and skin
Pink gums and correctly aligned teeth
Well-proportioned body
Shiny coat
Good eyesight and hearing—check this by jingling your keys and seeing if the kitten responds.

Always have your new pet examined by your veterinarian as soon as possible. If there is a medical problem, you should be able to return the kitten to the breeder.

A Final Word
If this all seems like a lot of work, that’s because it is. In the long run, however, you’ll have a better experience if you take the time. Many a cat lover has sworn off purebreds forever because their first, bought on impulse from a disreputable source, caused them so much heartache. It doesn’t have to be that way. Your efforts and patience will be rewarded with many happy years with a healthy, sociable feline companion.

When you bring home a new kitten, remember that his life so far has been spent with his mother and littermates. Adjusting to a new house – new smells, new people and, possibly, new siblings in the form of other pets – is going to take some doing.

On the other hand, if you bring home an adult, the suitcase he brings along with him may include emotional baggage – fear, nervousness – from an earlier relationship. In either case, your assignment will be the same: to nurture your new pet with a low-key comfort zone. Whatever you do, don’t overwhelm him with a welcoming party of noise and visitors.

Plan on spending the entire first day at home with your pet, acquainting him with his new digs. Make sure he knows where the litter box is located, and that he can get in and out of it. The litter box should not be placed in high-trafficked or noisy areas – otherwise your kitten may decide to do his business in a more “private” location.

Child’s Play
If you have children, the ground rules for bringing a new pet home should already have been established. Youngsters must be instructed beforehand not to approach the animal while running or screaming. Instead, let the kitten take the initiative: Allow the kitten to go to your children on his own terms, once he has begun to settle in and get comfortable. This can take anywhere from 10 minutes to a few hours. Don’t force other household pets on the newcomer, either. Allow them to gradually introduce themselves to one another through a safely blockaded or gated doorway. Each should be under the firm control of a family member on each side. Dogs should be leashed.

After a few minutes of introductions, allow your pet to explore his new surroundings. If he’s an indoor/outdoor cat, orient him to the door that will lead him to the yard where he can do his business. Then take him outside and see if he will relieve himself.

On Guard
Throughout the day, watch your new pet carefully. But, no matter how vigilant you are, remember that accidents are to be expected: Excitement, a new environment and newfound friends can prove stressful for your cat in his first few days, so be prepared with paper towels, old bathroom towels and newspapers. Your kitten will quickly learn to do his business in the litter box, but it is up to you to keep the litter fresh. Scoop the litter box once a day, and change the litter once a week.

Sleep Tight
As the first day fades to night, you may discover that your kitten has a love for the hunt, which may include your legs. Kittens can be wild, but they often settle down. You have a decision to make, however. If you let your kitten sleep with you, expect a visitor every night. If you prefer to sleep alone, prepare a comfortable bed for your new companion and shut the bedroom door.

To the cat lover there may be no such thing as too many cats, but to some cats the old adage “the more the merrier” just doesn’t ring true. Compatibility depends on the cats themselves and on the particular situation. Some cats are most happy as “only cats” while others enjoy feline company, provided that introductions are well managed and there are sufficient resources to go around. Why the difference? As you might guess, both nature and nurture factor into the equation.

Natural Factors
Rudyard Kipling immortalized the stereotype of the cat who walks by himself – and for good reason. Except at certain times of their lives, like mating, mothering, and as kittens, cats seem to be pretty self-sufficient, and in nature spend many hours on their own. The natural state of a cat is solitary and social interactions must be carefully engineered. One reason for your cat’s natural solitude is that they are lone hunters, not pack hunters like dogs. Their natural prey comes in individual meal-sized packages like a mouse, and a pack of cats hunting a mouse wouldn’t get much of a meal at the end of the chase. So cats just go it alone relying on stealth and pouncing skills rather than sheer weight of numbers. But studies have shown that when resources are plentiful, for example, at docksides or on farms, cats do manage to dwell happily together in a true society and cooperate with each other to raise their young.

Nurturing factors
Like the young of other species, kittens can be persuaded that almost any creature can be their friend if they are benignly exposed to them during the sensitive period of their development between 2 and 7 weeks. During this period kittens can learn that mice or doves should not be regarded as prey items. Natural fears also can be eased in a most impressive way. In order for this to happen, however, the mother cat must have the same attitude because kittens learn by observation – including what to be concerned about. Secondly, the creature, whether it is a bird, mouse, or unfamiliar cat, should behave calmly so as not to raise fur or cause any harm. Raised among many friendly cats, your cat will become fully at ease in the company of other cats and will turn out to be a social success – a good mixer. However, a cat that is raised by a skittish mom, or who doesn’t meet many other cats during the first 7 weeks of his life, will always be suspicious, reclusive, even hostile around cats later in life. Also, one really catastrophic encounter with a hostile cat will affect an otherwise friendly cat’s perception of other cats, or at least cats that are similar to the offender.

How Many Then?
- The solo cat.
A cat may dislike other cats with such intensity that he is only happy as an only cat, probably because of insecurity and fear. While a desensitization program can have some impact on social phobia, what has been learned – mistrust – will never be unlearned. For such a cat, the answer to the question, “how many is too many” may be two.

- Two or more cats.
While it is quite possible to have two or three or more cats coexisting peaceably under one roof, it has been said that if greater than a dozen cats live in the same house, the incidence of problems related to inappropriate urination is close to 100 percent. In other words, as the number of cats in the household increases, the incidence of behavior problems rises. By this token, “how many is too many” depends on the personalities of the individual cats. Adding cats to a large but stable hierarchy is like adding cards to the top of a teetering card house. Sometimes you’re lucky; sometimes you’re not. With luck, the magic number may be around 10.

The Ideal Situation
The ideal situation would be a large group of cats coexisting peacefully as a one big happy family. It can happen but you have to know what you’re doing. First of all you start with a stable group of friendly cats.

- Provide ad lib dry food in bowls and sufficient wet food served up twice daily.

- Make sure each cat has a home with which he is familiar and to which he can retreat.

- Make their facilities large and cat-oriented. These should include climbing frames, window boxes, comfortable perches and toys.

- When adding a new cat, keep him separated from the other cats in a large crate until he is comfortable with them and they are comfortable with him.

- When mutual body language tells you that the time is right, allow supervised excursions of the newcomer among the rest. Peace should reign.

Using this technique, it is possible, for those so inclined and with time on their hands to do the cats justice, to amass some 6 or 8 cats within the area of a large house. But beware, such a family will cost a fortune in cat food and cat litter, your vet bills will be exorbitant, and it will take about an hour a day to scoop the boxes and interact with each cat. Although you might think that neutering of males would be an essential requirement for the peaceful coexistence of such a large number of cats, actually it isn’t. However, neutering is a must to prevent the huge number of kittens that would otherwise result.

Conclusion
So, how many cats are too many? That depends. It depends on genetics, on socialization and on facilities and protocol. For most people, two to three cats are enough. For others 5 to 10 might be manageable. For the occasional feline aficionado with time, the patience of a saint, and money to burn, even larger numbers of cats can be successfully managed. But don’t fall into the collector trap. These individuals collect great numbers of cats thinking that they are doing the right thing. This isn’t always true, and they are blind to the squalor and suffering they propagate. Collectors may have a form of obsessive-compulsive behavior, but whatever the situation it is important for them to realize their limitations and their predicament. For them the magic number should be zero.