If the Boots Don't Fit Pass On Puss

I think people underestimate their judgement. And please, don't get me wrong, I am not elevating myself here when I saw this. Anybody can fall into this trap. I think that the main thing to realize is that when we go out and buy a cat (adoption is something else altogether) we are driven by our emotions. It is hard to be resonable when you have a cute little kitten sitting in front of you with those big eyes. You want to take it home and give it those cuddles it o rightly deserves.

But this can also blind us and cause us to over look the possible signs that the breeder isn't as reputable as they should be.

If somethig doesn't feel right I would avoid buying the cat/kitten and try and decide what was bothering me. We once almost bought a purebred (adult) cat from a breeder. She was adorable, and she won my heart over almost at once. She had her papers so for us everything was a done deal. Had we actually looked what we would have learned before we went to look at her was that she was victm to a bad breeder, one who had a horrible industry reputation. He bred kittens with FIP and coronavirus.

Before took her home though my dad started to smell the setup and began questioning the breeder. He was a no-nonsense type of person so he didn't like that. He must have thought that my father was going to be trouble and backed out. I was devistated and cried on the car ride home.

We did some research and found that many people had gotten sick animals, some of which died shortly after being bought and introduced to their new family.

It was - and still is - sad that breeders like him are allowed to opporate, they put out sick animals and that hurts everyone. They do this to make some money, they shirk any attempt at doing things the "right" way and when we purchase from them we are supporting backyard breeders who care for little more than money.

Most of the animals that they breed are not actually breeders. Let me explain; they are pets that have been put to work and exploited, they were never meant to brred, but because they have a certain set of genes they are exploited.

Papers are an issue for a lot of these backyard breeders. Most cats sold as pets (that have not been spay/neuter) cannot be used to breed. A reputable breeder will put this in the contract you sign when you purchase from them. Since the breeder issues papers any would be backyard breeders are out of luck. They cannot demonstrate proof, so they are unable to register their cats or form a cattery, and they can't register their kittens which means when you ask for them they are unable to present them. The mechanisum that keeps the whole ball rolling is that many people don't care. And by purchasing from someone who has a history of not doing things the right way you will all too often run into somebody that has sick animals.

If you sign a contract with somebody like this that says you are entitled to a refund, do you think you will recieve it in the event that you cat becomes ill?

After that my father started to take breeder research very seriously. And because of that we found a fantastic breeder, she did things the right way and we sent her many customers over the years. She retired before I was able to get my first "own" cat but since we had so much contact with her throughout the years she helped me find another breeder. This is where I realized just how valuable her help was.

If I had to summarize, I would say this:

• Avoid unethical breeders whenever possible;
• Research the potential breeders;
• Be very careful.

Please do not automatically trust the breeders that you talk to. While honesty can be faked, if you take the time you will be able to spot the good ones from the bad. A cat can live a long time. And it is a big commitment. You don't want to skip proper research, because the risk is just too great.

While it is not perfect, good breeders often have a waiting list. This might not be true if they are new, but at the very least most kittens will be reserved by 8 weeks of age. If they tell you that they have more kittens than they have homes (this means that they have stock) and should be very concerning.