Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat General => General Cat Chat => Topic started by: Sakura on January 07, 2008, 16:22:51 PM
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Hello all, I just joined yesterday, hope you are all well!
Anyway on with business, I am considering allowing my cat have a litter of kittens but I haven't come to a decision as I feel I do not have enough information regarding the subject to make a properly informed decision. I am aware of the ethical concerns surrounding breeding cats and would ask people to refrain from regurgitating these here; they will be part of the information I use to make my own informed decision on the subject. I have started this thread to get advice and fact from people who have had kitten litters themselves. I would like to know about the implications of the process generally for my cat and myself. In addition, if anyone could recommend books or websites with detailed information it would be greatly appreciated
Apologies if this has been covered many times by other threads, I did use the search engine, but perhaps not effectively enough.
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Im sure people will regurgitate because this is a topic close to many hearts when they pick up another litter of abandoned unwanted kitties :(
Health wise cats that are unspayed are at a higher risk of cancer, pyometra and being hit by a car whilst out parading with toms. Also the risk of FIV/FELV are high.
If the birth is complicated you could be hit with a big bill for emergency vet attention which insurance wont cover. Or if mum dies a litter that would need handrearing, feeds every 2 hours for some weeks.
Please just ger her spayed.
Theres no official statistics for the 100's of unwanted cats being pts but im sure thats something you wouldnt want to contribute to.
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Im keeping stoom :shy:
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For those of us here in rescue we will of course say please don't. You know the argument about too many cats, not enough homes etc and this does also apply to pedigree cats as well, so if you do not get many replies this is probably the reason.
As a cautionary tale, when I was in the vets with one of mine on saturday, two pregnant BSH's were taken in. One had dropped 3 dead kittens and was carrying more and the other had already had a problem in labour. Both were due to be given C-sections and sterilised. The breeder said it was cost close to £1500 for the 2 - thats 4 living kittens to be sold as £350 to make this up.
As far as effects on cats, IMHO it makes no difference to the wellbeing of the cat, sio the cat is not going to thank you either way.
Will you be able to find good homes for all the kittens? Last year a lot of rescues struggled to place their kittens and there are still a lot of 6 - 9 monthers in rescue as a result of this.
If you want to have kitten purely for yourself and the experience of it, then I would suggest you offer your services as a fosterer to a local rescue, if this year is anything like last year they will be grateful of your help.
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This page covers dogs but its the same for cats:
http://www.thepetcenter.com/sur/pyo.html (http://www.thepetcenter.com/sur/pyo.html)
If you wish to see kittens grow/your children see how kittens grow, contact your local rescue and find out about fostering.
Having a litter is not beneficial to a cat, it just raises her chances of getting ill.
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Thank you for the informative replies so far. I volunteer with cats protection league at the moment but they won't let me adopt because of where I live, otherwise I would have adopted 2 or 3!
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what area are you in, another rescue may be able to help you, I was turned down by the first rescue I contacted
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Hi Sakura, :welcome: to Purrs.
This site is primarily a rescue site so the answer from almost everyone on here will be a resounding NO to cat breeding, I'm afraid. Can I ask whether your cat you are considering breeding from is a pedigree cat or a moggy?
If she's a non pedigree, then I think everyone on here will be unanimous in saying you should not breed from her for a multitude of reasons. If she is a pedigree cat there are ways of going about becoming a reputable breeder but it's difficult to advise you without knowing more about your circumstances. As to advice on breeding - I think the FAB website has some information on their website.
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Is it the road that they turned you down on? They normally have good reasons for doing so, nothing worse then losing a cat to a car :(
If you volunteer for CP do you get to see all the cats that are homeless? And hear about the suffering of strays, these are often the result of the "good homes" that people find for the kittens of their cats "just one litter".
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Why ...what is the reason that you want your cat to have a litter?
There is more to breeding then sticking two animals together.......what kind of breeder are you ... good breeders are knowledgeable & responsible & have done their research etc, have homes lined up BEFORE breeding, vet new homes, have a contract, & be willing to take back any kitten/cat if need be even YEARS later ...OOOH lots more to breeding. Have you considered emergency vets if something goes wrong ...not to metion a bill vet bill but also could lose both kittens & mum.......not somthing i would consdier.
Bad breeders the backstreet breeders are only in it for the money & sell to the first person that knocks on the door, they not bothered where the kittens end up.
So what kind of breeder are you? Yes even if you breed only one litter you are classed as a breeder.
So have have you got a pedigree cat or moggie, nothing wrong with moggies but theres no reason to breed anymore when the rescues are OVER run with them & when space cant be found for more they are PUT TO SLEEP...even kittens.
As MM said about FIV/FELV ...if you allow your cat to be caught with the local tom & not test then are you going to tell the kittens owners that they will carry?
The rescues on here will have their own input on this especially the one man rescues that folk like you are supplying them daily with animals. If you care anything about your weee cat you would do the best for her & have her neutered.
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Hi Sakura and :welcome: to Purrs
What breed are you thinking of breeding can I presume that it is not a moggy?
I had a Manx breeding Queen (Cleo) and she had three litters before I got her spayed. I know breeders are not regarded too highly on this site but if it were not for breeders there would be no Manx cats.
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:Crazy:
"To encourage the neutering of all cats and kittens not required for breeding. Cats Protection supports neutering as the only effective way of reducing the vast numbers of unwanted cats and kittens"
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you volunteer with cats protection & you want to breed more? is you cat a rescue cat?
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It can't be from CP as all cats are spayed/neutered before rehoming and with kittens, people have to sign a form agreeing to spay/neuter when old enough and these are followed up.
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Hi Sakura and :welcome: to Purrs
I know breeders are not regarded too highly on this site but if it were not for breeders there would be no Manx cats.
Yvonne i have nothing againest knowledgeable etc breeders ya keen just my problem is with BYBs ya keen i seen to many posts wanting to breed cats & stud them out to makemoney ... not caring for the mum &kittens ...
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I have just heard too many stories like of sacks of kittens washed up on the beach where I live to even begin to understand any kind of breeding being acceptable.
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What is a BYB?
Sorry - goldfish brain syndrome
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back yard breeder - of course you wouldn't know what it meant! :rofl:
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Oh right - got you :thanks:
No not back yard - back garden!
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Heres the UK verison lol BSB...backstreet breeder lol
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Another thumbs down for breeding from me I'm afraid.
Plus there's the emotional trauma of watching the kittens die possibly.One of Jemima's* litter died at almost 3 weeks old.It was one of the worst experiences I've had and hugely upsetting.Could you cope with it? I nkow it's something I could never put myself through again.Kittens are supposed to be ickle fluffy and cute but it's easy to forget the heartache that can go alongside that.
*Jemima came to me pregnant after her owner's home got trashed.It was the last litter she ever had.
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I understand everyone concerns, they are perfectly valid.
As it happen my cat is a moggy, however I wasn't planning on shoving her out the door to find any old tom. My mother used to breed pedigree cats. She now has a ginger tom cat free of disease, vaccinated etc. and she expressed interest in breeding him with my cat, otherwise I'd never have thought of it.
It's far from a done deal but if (big if) I was to let her breed then a few good friends have said they would be interested. If someone I didn't know was interested I would have to insist on seeing their home and reenforcing the fact that a cat os a real commitment that they have to have a real think about. I was also planning an insisting that if they couldn't look after the cat for any reason that they bring it back, and I'd really have no problem with it if they did.
Also, I wouldn't be in this for the money, the kittens would be free to make nice people happy. When i was looking for kittens I found many people giving away kitten at 6 weeks or so, I think my main aim would be to give people I trust kittens that have spent an appropriate time with their mothers (was thinking 12 weeks) so that they were developed properly.
I just wanted sound, detailed, factual advice that I can have a good think about; most sites I've seen just give the bare minimum. At the end of the day I think the fact that I find it hard to imagine life without my cat now means that I will not be able to do this because of the risks to her life; but I would still like to have detailed, factual advice because I am interested in the topic generally.
The concerns of CPL were not because of the road we lived on but the whole area, I also tried the other rescue centres in my area. Therefore, my cat was not a rescue cat, but in reality since she came with terrible fleas and cat flu she kind of was!
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This site does so much work to help unwanted cats and kittens, I dont think anyone here would like to see another moggy allowed to have a litter.
So thumbs down from me too, sorry.
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My mother used to breed pedigree cats.
then I would have thought she would have been able tell you all you need to know
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And she should know better to be using a moggy tom. Is her ginger a 100% house cat? Cos if he isnt there would be a good chance of him getting something and passing it on to your cat :(
Please encourage your mum to neuter her tom, he is just as at risk from cancer as queens are.
If your area is bad enough for CP not to home to then i would seriously consider having more cats, there safety is paramount. They must know things about the area that you dont, a high amount of cats with certain types of human inflicted injuries for example :(
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Well another way to look at this.......say your cat has 6 kittens ...that is 6 homes you have stolen from 6 kittens in a rescue.
Nope breeding more moggies is abig no...not when theres hundreds in rescue & the same number chucked out to start colonys.
Your mum if she cares for her cat then have him neutered.
Your friends if they want a kitten or cat then they can go to a rescue & home one from there & the space will be taken up for a new cat/kitten
Your reason for breeding is not good enough ...extremely feeble
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Sakura all your telling us is that you want to be a backstreet breeder...there is just to many bsb about
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Hi Sakura. I used to breed siamese and oriental cats quite a few years ago. The first litter I had three of the five kittens died of a general failing in health at 3 weeks. It was heartbreaking watching these wee things struggling for breath and having daily homevisits from the vet practically bankrupted me. The second litter (and last) the kittens thrived, but, because I had to keep them until they were 16 weeks old, I found it incredibly difficult to part with them, so ended up with eight cats. Breeding, whether pedigree or moggie is an expensive business. My queen visited the vet every two weeks during her pregnancy and, as I said, the vet was coming out daily for the first litter for two weeks.
If you want your kittens to thrive you need to ensure that the mother cat has a proper, nutritionally balanced diet both before breeding and during the pregnancy and lactation. This is not cost-free by any means. Felix and Whiskas just don't cut it with a breeding queen.
Finally, and I know it has been said several times before on this thread. It is a big responsibility to create new life when there are so many cats out there who need good homes, that will not be available to them because of the new lives you are creating. I wonder if you have considered this side of things. It is not simply taking responsibility for finding good homes for these kittens, it is the fact that in doing so, you are depriving less planned pregnancies from finding a home.
I do understand why you feel motivated to do this, but in a way, you are playing god. You are choosing to create life that will be depriving other living things of finding a home and love and care. If your friends want kittens of their own, there are plenty of places that can provide these for them. Please do think long and hard before you make your decision, won't you. :hug:
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What are your reason's for wanting your cat to breed? Are you going to keep the kittens for yourself? If the reason's is to make some money then I think thats wrong. And I cant see any other reason why people would want to breed.
I have had my females spayed because I just could'nt cope with the fact of "what if the kittens went to a bad home" Just because someone pays for it dosn't mean it's going to be loved.
I dont really know how people can make life choices for others, regardless of being an animal. Would you do it to your daughter?
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Free to a good home = used as bait to train fighting dogs,used for vivisection or the fur trade.
And no sadly I'm not being overdramatic,this can be the harsh reality of a free to a good home kitten's life :'(
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And people misguidedly put the word "Good" in bold capitals as if that makes the least bit of difference.
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Can't understand why your mum, who you say used to breed pedigree cats, now wants to breed from her male cat, what would be the point? - and surely she would know all about breeding anyway. Nothing against pedigree breeding per se, I mean, I have both mogs (rescues) and pedigrees (pedigrees from reputable breeders who want to improve the breed - as well as pedigree rescues), but as others have pointed out, there are already too many cats/kittens in rescue that need homes.
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Like some of the others have already asked -
What is your reason for wanting to have a litter ?
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Just read your messages again and picked up on something VERY important
Your cat came with CAT FLU so is now a carrier !!!!!
The stress of having a litter of kittens could bring this on again and if the kittens caught it at a young age it could be fatal.
Something else,
Would your cat actually thank you for allowing her to have a litter ?
She will have to go through being pregnant, giving birth, bringing the kittens up and then to top it all off YOU TAKE HER BABIES AWAY !!
So really what i am saying is i am totally against your cat having kittens.
P.S
Your Mums cat should be "done" - as an ex-breeder she should know this really
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According to the Daily Telegraph today upto 50 cats a day were being handed into the RSPCA in December and they expect that to rise to 90 a day this month. As for dogs 42% of all those handed into the Dogs trust were of pedigree breeding. And people think this is an animal loving country, I don't think so...
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I have started this thread to get advice and fact from people who have had kitten litters themselves. I would like to know about the implications of the process generally for my cat and myself
You've been given lots of thoughts on the moralities of breeding which I completely agree with.
You asked for actual experiences of people who have had litters themselves. We have a member on here who took in a pregnant stray, she gave birth to some healthy kittens and the next day had to have an emergency caesarean as there was a kitten stuck inside her. Thankfully that kitten survived but sadly she lost one of the apparently healthy kittens at just a few days old. I also know of two pedigree breeders who have recently started breeding - one of them lost a kitten at a day old and then sadly another at 8 weeks old due to illness. The other had two stillborn kittens and lost another little one at just a few days old. I guess what I'm trying to say is that although I've never had a cat give birth to kittens myself these are the only people I 'know' that have had kittens and they have all had a terrible time of it. These are 'good' breeders who put a lot of thought into the decision to start breeding, they did lots of research and went about everything in the right way and have spent a LOT of money on excellent vet care but they still had to go through the trauma of stillbirths and losing kittens.
If you really want the experience of 'raising' kittens then as MM said why not foster a Mum and her babies for a rescue. They would obviously not be allowed out so where you live shouldn't be a factor in a rescue allowing you to foster for them.
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You say your mum breeds pedigrees yet shes willing you breed her moggie to yours....that states clearly to me what kind of breeder she is as NO PROPER breeder would even think about this never mind doing it.
Question was asked 'what is your reason for wanting to have a litte' so far no reply from on this...you finding it hard to come up with an answer?
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If you were going to do it for the love of cats, then dont.
Getting them spayed and letting them live their own lives is far more loving in my eyes. How old is your cat?
With all of the things you said below, they may seem to be good ideas at the time but at the end of the day if you carry on breeding sooner or later them people that you trust are going to run out and sadly then they will start going to homes where you dont know the person.
I'm sure you have heard the saying "dont judge a book by it's cover" Well some people can seem nice while in your home to make you think they are nice, but these people soon get board of a free to good home kitten and end up doing exactly the same as you, giving it free to a ????? home.
I'm sure your a genuine person just under educated about cats, stick around and we'll have you up to speed in no time :)
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I rescue and handrear orphan kittens but these past couple of years have had pregnant mums and young mums with babies. The first mum came here with her babies at two weeks old. She had six beautiful babies who all thrived and went to wonderful homes, probably your dream litter for your cat. However, mum cat, giving all her nutrition to her babies, had a fit and died within minutes in front of my eyes - something I would not wish on anyone.
One of the others had five beautfil little kittens born here, the first ones ever born in the house - but even with the best care from me and their mum (and I consider myself to be quite good with youngsters now, having handreard probably over 100 babies now) not all of these little bundles of fluff made it and the heartbreak is devastating.
There are hundreds of kittens needing homes every year, please don't bring any more into the world unnecessarily.
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I also do Cat Rescue and I know everyone loves little bundles of fluff but hundreds die daily because there aren't enough homes for them. To breed her is totally irresponsible and considering your mum was a breeder, she should know better. For every kitten born, another in a rescue dies somewhere.......have a conscience, have a heart and get her spayed!!
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Sakura, as an active member of the Cat Fancy, I would also second what virtually everyone has said on here, and would like to add a few more thoughts.
Responsible pedigree breeders would not allow their stud cats (or queens for that matter) to mate with a cat of unknown parentage just for the sake of it, especially if it is a carrier of cat flu / calci virus. Usually when a pedigree queen goes to stud, the owner of both cats have to provide certification of current vaccination as well as blood tests to show that neither cat carries any communicable diseases.
If your mum's boy is a pedigree (or even if he isn't), then I personally think that's unethical on her part, not on yours, to offer his services as a stud. Besides, as a carrier of Calci Virus, your queen will be at risk. Best spay your girl and give her the life of luxury she truly deserves. ;)
Also, as someone who "does her bit" for CP, I'd also suggest that if you would like to have kittens about, why not foster a pregnant mum instead? These cats are confined to indoors anyway by fosterers, so the spiel about the "dodgy area" doesn't ring right to me.
Kudos to you to be asking the questions, but IMHO the answer is: don't do it.
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I think it is good you are asking, (although slightly mind boggling as someone who helps CP), but I can only re-iterate what everyone else has said, especially if your cat had cat flu as a youngster - would you really want her to pass that onto her kittens, and risk their health, as well as the chance of it recurring with her and her being poorly? I think every rescue on here has had heartbreak with kittens last year (we certainly have, and started the year off with it too), and you sadly sometimes lose the mum's too - which is worse when you have also lost all the kittens. Your cat doesn't need to have a litter, in fact it is kinder for her not to, she then doesn't have to go through the pain of mating, giving birth, looking after kittens (which drains them), and having to give them up, which can be upsetting for females, and if you aren't careful with homes, then her offspring could reproduce, and one unspayed female could be responsible for over 10,000 kittens over 6 years. Plus the fact that every unbred heat puts her at risk of pyometria, which can be fatal, and increases her risk of mammary cancer later in life - and trust me, that isn't a pleasant thing for a cat. Also, your mums cat is at risk of testicular and prostrate cancer if he is indoor only, never mind the other issues of living with an unneutered male!! And if he has outdoor access, there is also FIV, FeLV, abscesses to contend with.
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Thanks for the genuine advice in this thread. Other posts felt more insulting frankly. If I had made up my mind totally to do this replies, like that would have deprived me of information that I would have seriously needed, for the safety of a cat. Most of you don't agree with breeding, and for good reason, but that shouldn't mean that the information is on the topic is gagged.
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So what does the future hold in store for you cat? How old is she?
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Sakura
I think that most people here are giving advice because they care but it is such an emotive issue and many people on the board see such terrible things in rescue that I'm sure you understand why feelings run high. I think the bottom line is nobody can stop you doing this and if your mum is a breeder she obviously knows the form but a few good points have been raised - the stress of pregnancy on a flu carrier might be harmful to her and the kittens health, rehoming - if CP won't rehome in your area do you know why? Pregnancy in cats isn't always straight forward if a c section is needed it would be very expensive and may result in the loss of mum or kittens. It is great that you are thinking about this first but I would urge you to reconsider and let your cat have a peaceful life on the sofa instead!
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I often find people wanting to breed have it made up in their mind and they want people to agree with them. Then they get upset when told it's a bad thing. I'm not saying this is the case, just I have seen it A LOT.
Much of my experience is with dogs, but it still applies to cats. I am pro-breeding. But only in certain circumstances do I think it's acceptable. I believe in GOOD breeding, with people who are passionate about their breeds, who know their lines inside out, who healthcheck and who don't breed for the sake of it. These people go out of their way making sure they find the best homes, they offer life long backup and do take animals back even if it's 12 years later.
I do believe this is a classic example of a wrong breeding and the wrong reasons to breed. I'm trying to find something which explains things better, but I can't find it :-:
If you are concerned about the saftey of the cat, don't breed. She could very easily die - by breeding from her you are risking her life. That isn't being dramatic, it's the truth.
Also, any reputable breeder will not rehome their babies to friends. A good breeder will make sure they have the best home possible. Just because they are friends, it doesn't mean they are good suitable homes.
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I have to agree with everyone on the thread, it's a subject close to everyone's hearts and all that do rescue see the daily problems with numbers of unwanted cats, so the suggestion of adding to this is going to cause some uproar.
I hope you decide not to go ahead with it, and go down a fostering route so you canhelp the unwanted kittens that are already alive instead of adding to the problem.
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So a breeder that has the full setup and knowing is allowed but one as the writter here is seen as bad? Whats the difference? Surely they are all adding to the too many kittens in the world list?
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I only think a small percentage of people have the right to breed. I do think the issue is a lot deeper than just breeding though. It's about changing peoples viewpoints about animals, that they are a priviledge and not a right. Also that not everyone is suited to have a pet, maybe because of their lives, situation etc. A lot of people get refused by rescues because their situation isn't right, so they turn to BYB to get their pet - which is something I REALLY wish would change.
The type in this post is one viewpoint I wish would change, I'd love for people to not have the urge to breed their pet once. I'd love for puppy mills and farms etc to go. I'd also love for people to think A LOT harder before they get a pet. I think if you changed this the rescue problem wouldn't be so much of a problem :( So I'd like the excessive demand to cease.
I cant never say I'm anti breeding, because there is that small amount who I think do nothing wrong.
Just because I think a small amount of breeders are ok doesn't mean I'm anti rescue. I work in rescue, my own cat is rescue. All my animals are neutered. I fully support rescue and dislike 90% of breeding. It's just not a B&W situation.
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I have to agree with everyone on the thread, it's a subject close to everyone's hearts and all that do rescue see the daily problems with numbers of unwanted cats, so the suggestion of adding to this is going to cause some uproar.
I hope you decide not to go ahead with it, and go down a fostering route so you canhelp the unwanted kittens that are already alive instead of adding to the problem.
I agree - some of us are just volunteers but others spend nearly every waking hour and all their resources sorting out the aftermath of overbreeding so it's not a subject that will go down well.
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I have censored self and wont say what I think :innocent:
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Sakura, welcome to Purrs.
I do have to agree that I personally wouldn't breed ANY cats (pedigree or otherwise.This is not a dig at breeders, just my honest opinion.) as I feel there are already so many needing good homes. I possibly wouldn't have worded it quite as harshly as a few of the other replies, though. :shy:
I know that all my cats are absolutely wonderful, not to mention lovely looking but the idea of having to find homes for the kittens that I thought were good enough was completely enough to put me off. :evillaugh: (The catbed to cat ratio in our house is two beds per cat - and they still get to sleep on the end of our bed if none of them suit their whims!)
A female cat, contrary to old wives tales, does not feel a maternal pull in the same way as a human as far as I'm aware. They feel the need to mate when they are in season, but certainly not because they're "desperate to experience motherhood." It's just programming, and once they're spayed the need is usually gone. Your cat will not feel she's missed out on anything and you won't have to ensure good homes for however many kittens are born.
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:welcome: to Purrs, Sakura.
You are quite right that the topic itself is still an important one and not be "gagged", however, I don't believe that's what the members here have done, in expressing their opinions, albeit some more direct and vocal than others...
Sakura, you have done the right thing in asking for the advice and experience of others. Better that than to breed your cat not knowing the risks.
At the end of the day, like the others, Sakura, I will share their opinions in that breeding is a huge responsibility and whilst you are doing your research, please do read up on the medical implications on your cat, the tom, and the kittens. It is the one part that no one ever really reads as much about, because they see the end result as a cuddly wonderful kitten. Please do consider carefully, for both yours and your mother's cat (if you can influence her in any way). Please do think about this carefully, its a huge risk considering your cat's medical history, not withstanding the heartache and finally the expense which can be prohibitive.
I hope that at the end of the day you find the answer you are searching for.
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So a breeder that has the full setup and knowing is allowed but one as the writter here is seen as bad? Whats the difference? Surely they are all adding to the too many kittens in the world list?
gotta agree with you CC
I can never understand why, if you breed pedigee cats, its suddenly ok !!
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I have to say I am disappointed in Purrs right now. Here we have a new forum member who has come to us to seek informed advice about whether or not to breed her cat. Fair enough, we don't support what she proposes to do, but is that grounds for the sort of personal attack that has been expressed in a number of the posts on this thread? I do find it disappointing when we allow our passions to overrule our ability to engage in intelligent discusison of even a sensitive issue such as this. Well done to those of you who have answered Sakura's question in a constructive and intelligent way. I am afraid that the rest of you have let yourselves down badly by allowing your passionate views to overrule your good manners. >:(
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So a breeder that has the full setup and knowing is allowed but one as the writter here is seen as bad? Whats the difference? Surely they are all adding to the too many kittens in the world list?
gotta agree with you CC
I can never understand why, if you breed pedigee cats, its suddenly ok !!
Because you do need breeding. If you were to totally outlaw breeding, get every animal neutered so it wasn't possible. In 15-20 years you'd have no pet cats. Rescues will be rehomed, people will have a rescue cat. What happens when all these cats die, if there is no breeding there will be no animals born. So in 20+ years time there wont be any cats, I think this will be a sad world. At the moment we have a huuuuuuuge rescue problem, so the key is to finding a middle ground (unless you don't want cats in the future). A large part of the problem is puppy and kitty mills, people who churn out animal after animal selling them to anyone who will have them. Then you have BYB, people who have a pet and who want a litter or two - they have different reasons sadly though they don't tend to healthcheck their animals, match up the temprements correctly and not know the genetic history, but a LOT of people do it. This is another very large chunk of kittens that are available, just look in newspapers, the internet ad site etc etc etc. Even registered breeders are not guaranteed to be good.
Seeing so many animals with behaviour issues, defects, genetic problems it shows how much a good breeder is important. Of course they can have bad ones, but the chances are much slimmer.
The reason for pedigree is generally because you know their history.
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Hi Sakura and :welcome: to purrs
I've only just read this thread, which is obviously generating a lot of debate.
I'll be honest, I don't know a thing about breeding cats :-[ Without going inot any moral or ethical issues (which have already been debated here) the only advice I can offer is to think very carefully before making a decision. It might be worth getting both cats (your girl and mum's boy) checked over by your vet, and ask about the potential implications for her health if she is bred from, given her status as a carrier of cat flu.
Personally, were I in the same situation, I would suggest that you try fostering pregnant cats first, to get some hands-on experience of pregnant and nursing cats, and very young kittens, before I took to breeding myself. All the advice and info in the world won't replace practical experience. I'm sure your current girl is wonderful, and that she would likely have lovely babies, but given her prior health problems, it might be too much for her. Maybe you could get her neutered, foster a few pregnant cats to get experience, and then decide about whether to become a breeder or not.
I can understand you wanting to have kittens around, or maybe you feel you would like to have kittens with temperaments like your current girl, but bear in mind that "not now, not with this particular cat" doesn't have to mean never. Talk to your mum about what its like to be a breeder, and get some experience through fostering (at least this way you'll get the added support of the CP - you won't get that if you go ahead on your own for the first time), then decide what you want to do in the longer term.
I personally wouldn't breed cats, but thats because I don't feel capable or experienced enough, I would be too worried about the heath and potential medical problems, and because I would rather get rescue cats. However, I think it is good that you are seeking advice before you do anything, and I hope that whatever you decide to do, you will at least try to get some experience, advice and support from CP through fostering pregnant cats before you decide one way or another, though I would suggest that breeding from your current girl might not be the best for her health (remember that even if you give her the best possible care, things can still go wrong, and she's already had quite a difficult start in life, so might no cope as well as other cats).
Good luck, Sakura, whatever you do, and good for you fo volunteering with CP, and for doing your homework before making a decision.
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I have to say I am disappointed in Purrs right now. Here we have a new forum member who has come to us to seek informed advice about whether or not to breed her cat. Fair enough, we don't support what she proposes to do, but is that grounds for the sort of personal attack that has been expressed in a number of the posts on this thread? I do find it disappointing when we allow our passions to overrule our ability to engage in intelligent discusison of even a sensitive issue such as this. Well done to those of you who have answered Sakura's question in a constructive and intelligent way. I am afraid that the rest of you have let yourselves down badly by allowing your passionate views to overrule your good manners. >:(
BC,
I have been chatting with the person through PM. She deeply loves her cat and has actually made her decision
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hey furbaby - that's great that you were able to support and advise her. I hope she doesn't feel too intimidated to keep posting and chatting, and that she and her little furbaby all happy and well.
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BC,
I have been chatting with the person through PM. She deeply loves her cat and has actually made her decision
Which is...?
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Will sakura be posting herself on what decision has been made?
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hey furbaby - that's great that you were able to support and advise her. I hope she doesn't feel too intimidated to keep posting and chatting, and that she and her little furbaby all happy and well.
I too have been chatting to her by PM and it seems that yes, she has been fairly badly affected by the flaming she got and may not be back. She strikes me as a very thoughtful and responsible young woman who was only seeking advice on a matter that she has thought long and hard about. Well one those of you who gave her the advice she sought in a constructive and informative way.
It never ceases to amaze me that people who seek to educate others to their own point of view feel that hammering them with insults is the best way to achieve this. If you want to change a persons view point you do it by listening to what they are saying to you and responding calmly, not by shrieking at them. >:(
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bc, with respect this thread with the odd exception has been very polite. She has not been flamed or hammered and has been given very sensible advice.
She knew when she posted (because she had already searched) that it was a subject that was going to get strong responces and in view of the strength of feeling among rescues and others on Purrs, which is dedicated to helping rescues, I think most were very mild mannered responces.
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I totally agree Gill
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Hopefully she'll take the advice given to heart whatever her decision may be.
I was thinking about this thread on the way home last night, and I just couldn't bring myself to breed a cat (any sort of cat) not only can I not stand the sound of a cat in heat (they don't understand that 4am isn't a good time to start yowling) I'd be a complete mess through the pregnancy and until the kittens were about 13 weeks old...
Maybe I've read too much on here where kittens pass away and that would break my heart.
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I hope she does come back, she seemed to care about her cat otherwise she wouldn't have bothered finding out the details
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flaming !!!! insults!! where are there then ?
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Please can we let this thread die peacefully............ :thanks:
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Was just asking gill as ididnt see any wondering what she was on about ?
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There have been a lot of sensible replies in this thead given the topic in discussion.
We do tend to be a lively forum at times and I'm glad that we feel able to say if we think something is wrong. I hope this does not intimidate a newbie to the site but I think it important that people are allowed to express their feelings.
I also agree with Gill that this thread has run its course unless Sakura would like to tell us her decision.