Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Rescue & Rehoming => Rescue & Rehoming General => Topic started by: chaotic_kittyuk on November 23, 2006, 10:23:36 AM
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Hi, i was just wondering if someone could give me some advice on what to expectwhen rehoming a retired queen and also what i should ask the breeder when considering purchasing a retired breeding queen?
Many Thanks
:thanks:
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My cat connie is a retired breeding queen and I dont really know what questions to ask or whether we asked any... what sort of breed are you interested in? my connie is a sphynx
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Hiya, At the mo, I'm looking at a female cornish rex, the one i've just seen is lovely but i don't know much about retired queens and am wondering how she will settle in to a home as a pet with my 5 year old devon she will be 3 next april. I'm hoping she'll become a mischievious l'il madame...just like my boy is, he was a rescue so was quite shy to start with but he's really come out of his shell, also i know some cats once spayed tend to slow down...
Will i notice a difference or will she just be like any other rex, hmmm, questions , questions.
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from what i've read about other sphynxs mine seems the same. i dont know if there is much of a difference. connie hates kittens i foster but it might be because it reminds her of having kittens which maybe she didnt like.
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I know someone else who had a retired breeding queen, but she had been in a pen most of her life, so knew nothing about playing etc. I would ask what her life is like, i.e. in a home or in a pen, if she is penned, then I would be wary, but if she has been treated like a member of the family, she should be OK.
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Isn't it a disgrace that some people keep them in pens all their 'working' life. People say they love animals and want to keep the breed going, how can you love animals if you keep them penned up for life. I know someone who breeds boxer dogs, the females is kept in the lounge in the smallest cage you can imagine it is heartbreaking.
Mind you to be honest I would say that as I do not agree with breeding when there are enough animals in this world and even breed rescues are full to bursting.
If you truly loved the queens surely after the breeding days you would keep them anyway, and not sell or give them away after their usefulness has gone.
Anyway I will get off my soap box now although I am sure all those in rescue will understand.
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thats a good point des, connie had never been outside when i got her and neither had she had any toys. so although she could play she went mental over catnip and i had to teach her and stay with her outside
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Hiya, i asked her a ton of q's and the answers to the ones about her temperament and about her and outside and other animals are quoted below
"Yes she is socialised with other cats, everyone lived indoors together until about a year ago, they all now take it in turns to come inside and live with other cats when outside".
"Temperament is affectionate and cuddly, very ladylike, she will play with toys once she knows you...Most female cats do settle down more when they are speyed (and have the tendancy to put on weight) but obviously I can't guarantee that would be the case, but I don't think of her as a 'flighty' cat, she is always affectionate and cuddly with me and follows me around and I would expect her to be the same with you once she has had the opportunity to get to know you better and settle in."
Thanks for all the advice, it's def good to have fellow CC members on this board as I really was misssing not have anywhere uk based i could go for friendly chats and advice etc.
cheers
Rina :shy:
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That sounds quite positive, Rina - have you been to meet your girlie yet? :Luv: I hope this works out!
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Hi, yep i met her on weds, she was quite shy but absolutly lovely, she reminded me of how Slinks was when we first got him, so quite shy initially but she was happy for her owner to handle her and she just kept her distance and watched us with an inquisitive look.
I think she'll settle in after alot of love and attention and hopefully her and slinki can run round the house like loons together, as he's very playful and an absolutly wonderful, demanding pain in the ass.
she'll be speyed before leaving, so will be ready to leave in about 2 weeks.
:Luv:
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so rina have you made your final decision ??
to be honest she sounds like she'll stand a good chance of being "ok" once she is settled in.
its good she watched you from a distance rather than cowering in a corner away from you.
Also re watching the weight, i believe cornish babes can have very healthy appetites anyway so thats maybe why she mentioned it.
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Hi, yep i think so, lol i'm soo indescisive. Best contact the breeder and let her know next.
Thanks so much for all yours and everyone elses advice, It's helped Tremedously!!!!!!!
:Luv: :thanks:
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Hiya, yep, all done I've emailed saying if she has no objections we'd love to offer her a forever home...now i just wait.
And the best thing is it "felt right" once i pressed send.
So i'm very happy indeedy, yay, meow, purr
;D
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Hi Rina,
Hope it all goes well for you and you can bring her home, ive just rehomed a new furbabe who we've called Ebony and im over the moon with her, knew as soon as I saw her she was the one for us. Keep us posted on what happens! :catluv:
Sonya
x
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Hi, Thanks, I've just had a reply saying she's happy for us to rehome her and will be ready on the 11th...yay, so i can bring her home!!!!
Yippie!!!!!! :wow:
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Hey, so whats Ebony like, see need the goss now, lol.
Before i found my devon boy almost a year ago i wasn't even really a cat person, now i'm besotted with them especially rexs
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Aww, bet you can't wait to pick her up!!
Ela, I also can't understand the way some breeders 'treat' their animals, but they aren't all like that.
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I know they are not all like that, but I do hear of so many that are (not just cats), the bottom line with me is I just don't approve of it as there are so many unwanted and unloved animals in this world, People will pay hundreds of pounds for a cat and after they have tried to sell it ring me and ask me to take them in because they don't want them and cannot sell them. Only this weeks a lady phoned to ask If I would buy 2 Bengals for £200 each, when I said we don't buy cats she offered them to me. Their only crime was that their owner was pregnant. I know I will be hated for it but in all honesty if a breed did die out I would not be too upset. I would rather that than even one animal suffer.
The state that we have taken Persians in because of bad breeding is heartbreaking.
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Thought I'd post a couple of pics of my new girl to be.
:ahh:
[attachment deleted by admin]
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She looks lovely :Luv:
I can't think of any specific questions you should ask other than the usual you would ask when buying any cat. Except perhaps whether there are any spraying issues.
I dont' want to turn this thread into another debate on breeding, but good breeders don't just 'get rid' of ex breeding cats - they keep some and spend a lot of time finding a good home where the rest can live out their lives happily. It's just not possible to keep them all as a queen shouldn't be bred too many times so will still be a young cat when she reaches the end of her breeding life.
As to the people wanting to sell their bengals - that's just irresponsible ownership and has little to do with breeding cats. They should have returned them to the breeder they got them from in the first place or contacted a bengal rescue. That's if they bought them from a reputable breeder in the first place and not a backyard breeder or kitten farm (which, lets face it, is quite likely). Or maybe they are a kitten farm themselves trying to get rid of ex "stock" (which is how a kitten farmer would view them but not how a breeder would view them).
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My friend took on an ex breeding BSH male.
Poor little mite had been kept in an outside pen all his life and it took her 2years to get him to fit into a normal indoor life.
All he had been used to was concert floors so was even frightened of walking on carpet !!
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What breed is she?
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:Hello:
She's a Cornish Rex and my boy is a Devon...I really love the rex breed so am very very lucky to be able to have another...Yay :Luv:
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Well firstly I am with Ela on the general point of breeding. The last contact of a group that I worked with was of a breeding queen past her sell by date who was sold on without any proper checks, concern, etc Ta very much, job done, :censored: off. There are many questions of breeders perhaps better voiced in another thread and, no, I don't think they are all the same.
Hi Chaotic_kitty,
Top marks to you for giving a home to this lovely girl. :clap:
Turning to your main point of what to ask, I would tend to think as follows:
1. Age?
2. How many litters has she raised and gaps between litters? That will give an idea if she has been overbred.
3. Any known medical problems? A responsible breeder should be able to produce a written veterinary history or authorise access to her vet to obtain one. This is not to put you off but to help your vet get an idea of any existing problems/previous treatment which will help the Queen, you and the vet in dealing with any existing or reoccurring problems.
4. Any temperamental problems? What brought them on?
5. I would also ask local rescues on the quiet about the breeder's reputation and how his/her cats are treated. Believe me; they will know.
Above all you may have to be very patient especially if you cannot build up an accurate picture of what this little beauty has been through and how she coped.
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Hi, I don't know much at all about the breeding side of things so can't really comment...
I bombarded her with lots of questions after the original message some of the answers i received are below:
Can't remember exact date of birth but April 2004, she is 2 1/2 years old. and has had 2 litters
Yes she is socialised with other cats, everyone lived indoors together until about a year ago, they all now take it in turns to come inside and live with other cats when outside.
Feel free to ask any more questions if you think of them.Yes she is used to living indoors.
She isn't very keen on the hoover but nothing else really bothers her.
I'm not aware of any family health problems and she has never had any health issues.
Vaccinations are due and will be done before she goes, worming and flea treatments are done regularly and are up to date, wormed with Drontal; de-fleaed with Advantage spot on.
Yes she is microchipped, the chip she has takes her temperature as well so she doesn't have to suffer the indignity of a thermometer up her bottom!
No allergies that I am aware of.
Temperament is affectionate and cuddly, very ladylike, she will play with toys once she knows you.
I don't give 'treats' as such, but they all have fresh fish, chicken, raw beef etc several times a week which she loves.
Don't worry about asking questions, I would much rather you are absolutely sure, than take her and end up bringing her back because she is not exactly what you are looking for.
Feel free to ask any more questions if you think of them.
etc etc, i had a lot of q's in the end...
Thanks for the advice! :thanks:
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Hi,
You might find these sites useful and see if the breeder is listed. I haven't read them in depth but it may help with questions.
http://www.rexcatassociation.org.uk (http://www.rexcatassociation.org.uk)
http://www.rexcatclub.com/ (http://www.rexcatclub.com/)
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the chip she has takes her temperature as well so she doesn't have to suffer the indignity of a thermometer up her bottom!
I assume you were joking although little ceases to amaze me these days?
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nope that was her answer about micro chipping so i assume it to be true.
She is listed on rexcatz, thats how i found her originally.
thanks i'll check the links, but i don't remember seeing anything of relevance t this particular area.
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http://www.darwinvets.com/topical/biothermo.htm
Yes, it's true. I seem to recall reading something on CC with regards reliability of the temperature sensing aspect of the chip though.
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Can't remember exact date of birth but April 2004, she is 2 1/2 years old. and has had 2 litters
That's the only bit that rings slight alarm bells with me as she should know exactly when the cat was born!! I
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Thought I'd post a couple of pics of my new girl to be.
:ahh:
Aww she's lovely :Luv: I love her huge eyes.
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Can't remember exact date of birth but April 2004, she is 2 1/2 years old. and has had 2 litters
That's the only bit that rings slight alarm bells with me as she should know exactly when the cat was born!! I
Sol's papers have his 'registered' date not DOB, whereas Fabian has both. They both came from the same breeder just different forms were used. Perhaps this is why she only knows the month????
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That's how I felt, but I'm slightly reassured that it may just be a papers things...if I had had Slinki from a kitten i would be sure to know his birthday and most of details by heart.
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Cant' understand why she doesnt know exact DOB. Did she breed her herself? If so she should know exact date. If she bought her in from another breeder then she should also know exact DOB from the pedigree certificate. Anyway - she looks lovely ;D
I've taken on several ex breeding queens, some have been shy due to lack of handling, others not, but the shy ones blossomed once they were in an ordinary pet home, but it sounds like your girl has been fairly well socialised/handled etc anyway.
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Heyo, thanks yep she is definitely a very pretty kitty :Luv:. She got her from another breeder, it may be that she doesn't know off hand as she was at work when replying. I'll be getting her papers, so hopefully they will have it on them. I'm very excited and really hoping she'll settle in well and that her and Slinki will get on too, he's incredibly playful and constantly demanding attention, which is one of the reasons why my bloke still thinks we should get a kitten instead...just out of curiosity does anyone know how much i should be paying for a rex thats almost 3 years, does it differ much from getting one as a kitten, as i know they go from about £350...not that i intend on getting one, like u said just curious.
Thanks
Rina