This article will cover some important breeder questions to ask should someone consider purchasing via internet and in the event a cattery does not include much information on their website. Many proposed questions listed will also apply to other cat breed purchases and should be asked even if a buyer is capable of doing a visual tour of the cattery.
A comment that I have heard over and over again by breeders is "While we would like to think that all pet buyers are informed and well educated about the breed, most are not". The purpose of this article is to provide a buyer at least a basic foundation on what to look for, ask or review when considering purchasing a pet quality persian cat or other cat breeds for that matter.
Since breeding practices within the US are not regulated relative to any predisposed breed health issues, and this applies to the private sector (cat associations) and also the public sector (licensing), it becomes even more necessary for today's consumers to educate themselves. Each cat association has published a Breeder Code of Ethics for their breeders to adhere to. I will add that I did note differences between the two (2) that are most easily recognized today. TICA requires for breeder's to sign their Voluntary Code Of Ethics whereas CFA's Code Of Ethics does not. There is also a guarantee that the kitten/cat is in good health at the time of sale with TICA, whereas CFA includes a statement as such: "To the best of my knowledge and ability I will not sell any kitten/cat that is sick or has been exposed to an infectious disease.
What is a PKD tested cattery today?
For breeders to state that they are a PKD tested cattery is totally meaningless if no further details are provided. Today's persian cat breeders should include that they are a PKD DNA1 negative cattery since DNA testing was available to them since 1-15-2005. Copies of DNA laboratory tests on breeder parents should be made available upon request at no additional cost to the buyer. Any other testing referred to such as "negative via ultrasound" is not only unreliable but also an obsolete method.
What other health guarantees should I be looking for?
A good breeder should guarantee that your kitten is in good health and free from Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) according to what TICA has published. I also advise to inquire about parasite and fungus free guarantees on a cattery-by-cattery basis due to my previous experiences.
Should I ask a cattery for references?
It has always been recommended to ask for references from previous buyers. What I find to be more beneficial are references from buyers that returned to the same breeder for a second purchase. This type of reference carries a little more weight in my opinion.
Should a breeder ask for references on you?
Absolutely. This separates the breeders that only wish to make a sale from the ones that actually are interested in making sure their litters are sold to responsible pet owners that are capable of providing them the proper care needed throughout their lifetime.
What type of a breeder should I buy from?
You should purchase from a persian cat breeder that registers his/her litters with a registry of pedigree cats such as CFA and TICA just to name a couple. Both are registrars along with others, and are equilavent in providing you a pedigree line on your cat. The accuracy of properly registering litters is solely the breeder's responsibility.
Should I purchase from a breeder that shows or one that does not?
There is no difference between the two unless someone wishes to purchase from established show winning pedigree lines. A pet quality persian cat may not meet showing standards for example such as incorrect eyecolor, however, should still be a healthy cat otherwise. This would apply in either case.
What should health guarantee contracts include?
The most common breeder's contract today provides for a one (1) year health guarantee and should be reviewed in advance on an individual basis. There are some US states that implemented legislation that exceeds this standard contract language. Any consumer law that has been enacted will prevail over private contracts if it provides greater protection to the consumer.
Should I be concerned with HCM?
Since this is a heredity disease also noted in persian cats, expectations would be for catteries to follow the HCM guidelines published by specialists and endorsed by the Winn Feline Foundation. I would recommend to ask how breeder cats are being medically assessed within any cattery someone may be considering regardless that available testing today is not necessarily 100% accurate in diagnosis.
Are there any other factors to consider?
Most responsible breeders allow their kittens to go to new homes at 12 weeks of age or older. At 12 weeks, a kitten is weaned, litter trained, and has been vaccinated at least twice. The inoculated requirement of at least twice against Panleukopenis, Feline Rhinotracheitis and Calicivirus is a minimum requirement according to Adopting Or Acquiring A Cat Or Kitten published by TICA.
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