breeder questions.

[Amandasmom]

A friend of mine has asked me to come with her to check out a breeder of Ragdoll cats. I've always gotten my cats from shelters so I'm not familiar with cat breeders. What should I look for or what should I ask?

[Traci]

If this is your friend's first time for a ragdoll breed, I would suggest she familiarize herself with the breed and then look up the breeder and see if she is listed in a database (i.e., TICA or CFA, etc)....for ethical and sound cattery business practice reasons. I would also strongly suggest she request and review any health/vet records and documents to ensure the kitten she chooses is in optimal health, has been tested for FELV/FIV, has recieved timely vaccination boosters, and has a good bill of health validated by the breeder's vet. Even after a purchase, one should always directly take their new kitten to their own vet for a full exam, deworming, testing for FELV/FIV and vaccinated accordingly. She can also ask this breeder for references in which she can call and talk to.

Advise your friend to never make an impulse purchase on a kitten. Check the breeder's references first, ask for proof of health records, and take it from there. I don't recommend first time buyers to assume a kitten is healthy simply because a breeder implies it, one must always be careful and ask for proof of health records, and if time allows, take a full tour of the cattery's facilities, ask questions, etc. One question I would be sure to ask is for the breeder's own veterinarian's name and clinic number so your friend can inquire about previous cats treated, if there were any problems with her cattery, etc.

[Amandasmom]

Thanks Traci for your help. My friend called the breeder and said she wanted to come by on Tuesday to see the kittens. But then she said she wouldn't be able to take one home on Tuesday since she would like to take time off from work. The breeder said that she couldn't hold a kitten for her. That raises a red flag for me.

[Denise29]

Hi there,

Actually, unless your friend leaves a deposit for a kitten, the breeder has no reason to hold a kitten. The way it usually works with a reputable breeder is when someone is interested in a kitten and plans to purchase it, they leave a deposit and then pay in full when the kitten is ready to go home.

If every breeder went by the honor system and just held cats with no deposit, they would have a lot of missed opportunities. Many people say "Please hold that kitten! I definitely want her and promise to buy her!" Only never to be heard from again.

So, a wouldn't consider this a red flag.

Below are things that I would consider to be red flags with breeders:

Dirty cats
Dirty houses (expect some clutter not filth)
The breeder won't let you see all of her cats or the other kittens
The breeder won't give references
The breeder keeps her cats caged. Some may argue this, but the only time a cat should be caged is when they are a new mom and they are with their kittens (for safety reasons) or if a cat has an injury and must be kept off her feet. There are more examples of when a cat should be caged but as a general rule, avoid breeders who cage their animals.
The breeder doesn't register her cats with CFA, TICA, ACFA, etc. Doesn't have to be a certain organization but purebreds should be registered.
The breeder won't let you see her cattery

Hope this helps and I wish your friend good luck!

Denise