I came across this in kitten.com.my and thought it would make good reading.

Hi All, I’m new to cats.

I’ve just got something to clarify about breeders but do bear in mind when reading this that I dont mean any offence. It’s just for my own clarity.

Right now have have 2 cats. One persian cross I got from a petshop and another a purebred Ragdoll. I’ve been doing a lot of online research on breeders just to understand the ‘world’ better (I refrain from using the word ‘industry’ I see obvious differences between my cat from petshop and cat from breeder especially where health and attitude is concerned. My Ragdoll is a wonderful, happy, people loving cat whereas the persian is widhdrawn and reserved + he has all the common medical probs like eye infection, ear mites and fungus. Thankfully, after a lot of patience and time, he’s doing much better now – so definitely I’m never getting another cat from a petshop!

Just wanted to clarify – what constitutes a backyard breeder? Are we referring to petshops? What about breeders who are not CFA registered but still sell their cats by the thousands (RM).

There are also people who claim to have purebred unregistered cats and start breeding them ‘unintentionally’ because they don’t believe in neutering but still sell the cats at a costly price.

I’ve recently come across an unregistered breeder who seems to say having cats is a hobby but still breeds for business….just not sure if I should support this or not. He’s selling the kittens at more than 1K and definitely cheaper than the CFA registered kitten of the same breed. He does seem to care genuinely about the cats though – so I’m not sure if I should support this.

Plus I’ve seen many ads in adpost etc where people just sell cats and kittens without certs and seem to be throwing prices as they like..

Share your thoughts please?

Here is my reply

Good questions!

To begin, don’t assume that having certification means that the breeder is instantly ethical. There are some registered breeders who still sell cats indiscriminately, without assuring the future of their kittens.

In my mind, the ethical breeder

1. Will provide the best possible care and lifestyle for their breeding cats.
2. Will want to know what happens to their kitten once it goes to it’s new home.
3. Will never sell intact kittens and cats to people without serious research and background. WHy do you want an intact cat? Which lines will you put my cat with? Have you made sure they are all healthy? What kind of conditions will your breeding cats be kept in?
4. Will never push you to buy a cat from them.
5. Will be willing to recommend other breeders.
6. Will talk to you and guide you if you have any questions.

If you find someone who isn’t certiified but does all this, then the next question is does it matter? There are many in this forum who will say, OK what! Asalkan the cats are loved, there should be no problem.

I ask you this. How many times have you seen cats dying of starvation? How many times have you seen homeless cats (and dogs) loitering around, scrounging for food, worrying if it will be able to feed it’s litter? Have you seen the unwilling females tormented and hounded by the randy males?

There is no reason to breed unless you intend to show! Some (particularly rescuers, animal welfare activists etc) even would go so far as to say, no breeding (intentional or not) full stop. Being reasonable, I would say that is too extreme. So I conclude that the only good reason to breed is for showing. Then the non-show quality should be neutered and placed in loving pet homes.

So, those who breed as a hobby without intending to show (and thus have no need for ceritification) are only contributing to the problem of homeless animals. Afterall, why make more cats without a valid reason? If they are merely for pets, then what’s wrong with the cat on the street?

Hair too short? Face no flat enough?
Care to admit your love is not of the cat but then, of it’s looks?
Anyone squirming yet?

I’m posting this because I get posed this question so many many times.  I guess it’s time a black and white is due.  Do follow the thread in kitten.coml.my and contribute your thoughts.  This is one I’ll be watching.

Often people come to us looking for kittens.  And this is well and good.  Who can resist their frolicksome games and untroubled hearts?

But spare a thought for the mature ones too.  Each creature has a story to tell and each of the cats below deserve love and a permanent home as much as the next.    Some of these have been with us for almost three years and that is a long time to wait…

When I settled into the new place, I asked if we could take in a cat and the husband said yes very easily.  Before he could change his mind, I asked Olivia to help me.  ‘Who has been here longest?’, ‘Who is least likely to be adopted?’  She asnwered easily, ‘Pasha.’

I had a vague recollection of a serene and unassuming brown ticked tabby.  I cannot remember how she came to us, only that she had indeed been with us for a long time.  And she has a very sparse coat.  People usually ignore her because she is not the prettiest cat in the block.  Each time the potential adopter discerns her somewhat bald bottom, she instantly loses favour.

Well, my kids don’t seem to notice how ‘pretty’ an animal is.  (Bear in mind, our home is ruled by Emily Elizabeth TiaraBella Tinkerbell, once a almost drowned and emaciated black kitten that Katelin decided she would keep for herself.  She never came to be put up for adoption as we already had a surplus of black cats.)  So Pasha got lucky and got to come home with me.

From the start, she oozed gratitude.  She stayed mainly in the room where most of the unpacked boxes were kept and only left to eat and use the toilet.  When she realised she was allowed in the garden, the rapture of being allowed to breathe fresh air and walk on grass made me remember not to take my human freedom for granted.

As she realised she was no longer confined in a glass room (the boarding rooms at the shop) and was free to come and go, her lovely personality became even more evident.  It has been a little over two months and she seems terribly grateful and observes me very avidly.  It is as if she wants to tell me she’d like to return the favour.

Imagine my surprise to find her keeping vigil in the storeroom after she heard me muttering and plotting  about rats in the kitchen

Anyway, below are some of the others who have been with us a long time and would love love love a home of their own.

This is not an invitation to abandon kittens outside our store!

innocent

However, about a week ago, a box was found outside out store with a terrified mother cat with four newborn, and i mean NEW born kittens.  The wee things still had thier umbilical cords on and their eyes were and are still sealed shut.  Naturally, we took them in.

I suspect she was someone’s pet because she is in good health, clean and arrived in carboard box with kittens.  However, I’ll withold assumptions and we’ll say someone found her with her kittens and didn’t want her to suffer.  That’s really noble.  But it would’ve been better if they had taken it upon themselves to help her.  I’ve named her Erela which means Angel, Messenger in Hebrew.

Erela

Let me explain.

In Malaysia, people love to moan and complain about what is wrong with…everything.  The government, work, traffic.  While we have many strengths, getting one with things and DOING something about what upsets us is not our forte.

So when it comes to animal welfare, we curse SPCA for putting animals to sleep.  The next day, we go and buy a purebred shih tzu from the pet shop or a domestic longhair aka doll face persian.  This type of hypocrisy really does no one any good!

Here’s a little action plan that can and will change animal welfare.

1. Neuter your own pets.
2. Promise to neuter four random cats or dogs a year.
3. IF you come across and mother cat/dog with kittens/puppies, help them by feeding mum (and later the youngones) until they are over 1.5kg, then neuter them all at KLINIK KEMBIRI! After that you can continue to feed them if you want but at least they won’t mulitply.
4. Don’t buy from petshops.  So many  people tell me they rescued their pet from a pet shop.  This is ultimately a lie because if you think your pet had a shitty life in the petshop, spare a thought for your pet’s mum and dad in the ‘mill’.
5. Don’t expect SPCA, PAWS, FFF or other organisations to do it all.
6. If you really cannot care for mum and young and you need to pass them on to a shelter, don’t just dump them there.  Ask if it’s OK. (In our case, we would’ve taken mum and kittens in because we sadly lost four young cats to various illnessess).
7. ADOPT your next pet from a rescuer or shelter.