TARASCANI MAINE COONS

In the world of pedigree cats there are three different quality levels – Pet, Show Neuter and Show/Breeding. The very best quality kittens are usually put on the Active (Breeding Register) by the breeder and are the most expensive. The stud boys are more expensive than the breeding queens as they have to be of the highest quality to pass on their genes to the next generation. There are two classes of stud cat, the Public Stud and the Private/Limited Stud. The Public Stud is a cat whose services are available to owners of suitable breeding queens. Queens in call are accepted subject to blood tests for FeLV, FIP and FIV being negative and if the stud has no other queen with him at the time. A fee is charged for his services and the queen’s board. A private/limited stud’s services are limited to his owner and a few other breeders subject to various conditions; again a charge is made for his services.

A show neuter is a cat that, although the breeder does not want it to be bred from, it is still a very good example of the breed (according to the Breed Standard of Points) and can be shown under the rules of whichever governing body it is registered (G.C.C.F. or C.A.). These cats will be on the Non-Active (Non-Breeding) Register and will have to be neutered.

A pet quality kitten may not fully measure up to the Standard of Points for the breed and is not suitable for breeding or showing. This does not mean that the kitten is suffering from a horrendous defect or have three legs and two heads, but may have a colour fault, a nose bump or some other small fault that the breeder would not like to be passed on by breeding or exhibited on the show bench. Sometimes breeding quality kittens are sold as pets because the breeder simply does not want them to be bred from. All non-active kittens are sold on the condition they are neutered.

Be sure that you find out all the characteristics of the breed you are interested in. Some breeds are more labour intensive than others and should only be considered if you have the time and facilities to care for them. Some breeds are more placid than others so you must decide if you want a cat that does the ‘wall of death’ around your house or one that would just sit and watch it.

When looking for a kitten see if you know anyone with that breed as a pet, if they are happy with their pet and recommend the person they got their cat from then contact them. Your local vets may know breeders in their practice and will know if they look after their animals well. It is also well worth a look in the cat magazines, i.e. Cat World, Your Cat, All About Cats. These publications list breeders under location as well as breed. It is a good idea to phone a few breeders to get an idea of the characteristics of the cat you are interested in as well as availability and price. Breed clubs and cat shows are also good sources of information, but it should be noted that not all breeders wish to join a club or attend shows. You should be prepared to travel quite a distance for the right kitten, especially if the breed is not all that common.

When you find a suitable breeder with kittens available to view, arrange to visit at a time convenient to you both. Always see the kitten at home with its mother and littermates. Ideally kittens should be raised indoors as part of the family, this ensures that they are well socialised with people and other cats and pets as well as being used to common household noises. Kittens raised in outside runs will have had none of this socialisation and this may cause problems later. It is a bonus to meet the kitten’s sire if he is on the premises, some smaller breeders do not have enough queens to warrant keeping a stud cat of their own and use someone else’s, if this is the case ask if there is a photograph of him to give you some idea of what your kitten may turn out like. Some breeders may not only have dad but also one or two (or more) generations for you to see and this will give you a good idea of how your kitten will grow to be physically and character wise.

It is best to view kittens after they are four weeks old as they are then starting to develop their personalities and physical characteristics. They should be healthy and, if not asleep, alert and playful. They should be free of worms and fleas and the breeder should be able to tell you about the products and the regime they use to keep them that way. Depending on the age of the kitten, they should be litter-trained and in the process of being weaned on to solid foods. They should not be suffering from diarrhoea or sickness. The kittens should also be free of weepy eyes and runny noses, although it should be noted that if they have been inoculated in the previous week to ten days they may show these symptoms as a natural reaction to the live virus used in the vaccine.

Do not be afraid to ask the breeder questions on diet and general health and care of their breed. Be prepared for the breeder to ask you some questions about how you would look after a kitten. Some breeders will not sell to families with very young children or may impose other restrictions, so find out if they have any conditions of sale before arranging a visit.

If you are happy with the breeder and the kitten the next step is obvious. If the kitten is not old enough to leave home a deposit will secure it until it is twelve weeks old, inoculated (at nine and twelve weeks) and ready to go. The breeder should supply you with a pedigree, vaccination record card, registration transfer form (if available at the time of sale) and diet sheet. Some breeders insure their kittens for the first six weeks they are in their new home and supply samples of the food they use given to them by the manufacturer.

Just as you have an expectation of what you get from a breeder, so a breeder can expect certain things from you. The following are a few simple pointers to avoid upsets.

On the first contact tell the breeder exactly what you want, do not leave it until your visit to say that you wanted a breeding quality or show cat or a colour and sex they do not have.

If you make an appointment to visit keep to it. Try not to show up late without contacting the breeder to see if they are still available. On busy days fixed time slots are allocated to each visitor, so if you are travelling a long way give yourself plenty of time. If you have to cancel the visit let the breeder know in good time, they may have other people who want to visit in your place.

Do not arrange multiple visits on the same day. This will prevent cross infection of diseases between different colonies of cats which kittens, especially the young uninoculated ones, are susceptible to. If you have to visit more than one breeder make sure you do not handle the kittens too much, especially if they appear poorly, and always wash your hands afterwards. It is only polite to inform breeders that you intend visiting other establishments and that will give them the opportunity of declining your visit and making another appointment or cancelling the whole arrangement if you cannot make it at another time. As far as a breeder is concerned the welfare of their animals always comes first.

Wear suitable clothing that will not snag or pull if a cat jumps on you and proceeds to knead you into submission. Jeans and a jumper are a good choice. Avoid wearing strong smelling perfumes as cats do not like them and ‘noisy’ clothes, e.g. wax jackets, as they also scare cats and kittens.

It is a very exciting event to visit a breeder to choose a kitten, but remember that cats like a calm atmosphere. A group of strange smelling people milling around in the middle of their home talking loudly and waving their arms about is certain to send every cat and kitten scuttling for cover not to be seen until you have left and peace is restored!! If you sit down quietly and chat to the breeder while the cats are sizing you up you will find they will soon accept your presence and act normally. This also touches on whether you should take young children on a visit. Most breeders will not mind as long as they know beforehand and you make sure that your children are well behaved. It will be an opportunity for the breeder to see that the children know how to treat animals and for you to see if the breed you have chosen is suitable for life with a young family.

The vast majority of breeders do not run commercial catteries, but are normal people who are enthusiastic about their chosen breed, therefore it is important to remember that you are not going to a shop but you are a guest in someone’s home and their hospitality and property is not open to abuse.

A sensible approach to finding the right kitten for you and your family will ensure that you end up with a companion with whom you would be happy to share your life with for the foreseeable future.