




I still try and keep only a limited number of cats. I have a hubby who is allergic, and although I bathe all (babies included) the kitties regularly, he would never be able to handle a large number of cats. Besides, my cats are first and foremost my babies; part of the family and you just can't do that with large numbers. I breed only fold to straight and try to only have 2 litters at a time. This gives me more time to play with and socialize the kittens. By the time people come to see them, I can usually tell you all about their personalities.
All my babies are guaranteed free of parasites, wor
ms
and fungus. Although we, as breeders, try and do our best to ensure a
healthy kitty, we are not gods, and things can and sometimes do happen.
Because of this, I offer a health guarantee in my contract, against congenital
problems for 3 year and encourage new pet owners to take their kittens in for a
health inspection when they get them. New owners have 72 hours to see a
vet and kittens may be retur
ned
for a refund (minus the deposit) or replacement if the vet has found something
and it is
accompanied by a written
report of the findings. Seeing the vet in the first few days also establishes the good health of the kitten and gives
the vet a chance to
see the baby from the start, get it’s medical records and contact me if there
are any questions or concerns.
All kittens leave altered
and vaccinated and have been seen by a vet within a month of leaving home.
My adults are FeLv,
FIV
and
PKD negative.
Kittens are also guaranteed against these
diseases. Due to studies done at Cornell University where it was concluded
that the FeLv and FIP vaccinations can potentate actual FIP, I do not vaccinate
for these and DO NOT
guarantee health of kittens if they are vaccinated for these after going to
their new homes.
My contract states that my kittens will not be allowed to go outside
without supervision. This keeps them safe from the dangers of the road,
ferals, wild animals, parasites, etc. It also is one of the best ways to
help ensure your kitten does not contract FeLv, assuming any other cats you
already have have been tested.
As for
FIP, there
is not
a conclusive te
st to tell if your cat has FIP. According to the AAFP (American
Association for Feline Practitioners) your vet cannot diagnose FIP by a titer
test alone, and it is considered veterinary malpractice to do so. Other things
such as fever, jaundice, anorexia, anemia, high gamma globulin, low serum
albumin and clear yellow protein rich fluid in the abdomen in conjunction with
the test are more reliable. The only definitive test for FIP is microscopic
analysis of the cat's tissues (usually
postmortem) preferably with analysis for the presence of the virus.
I also do cardio scanning and adults are scanned
periodically and only negative
cats are then bred (This does not guarantee against
HCM...as
this isn't possible to guarantee, but does hopefully, cut back on the occurrence
of any pro
blems). My contract also covers things
like declawing, yearly updates and rehoming
should it become necessary.
I firmly believe that if you are going to breed
you should also be involved in not only the promotion and preservation of the
breed, but in educating the general public on the breed, shows, rescuing and animal welfare -vs.- animal rights. I have
been showing cats for 20 plus years now. I started showing in
CFA and several years ago also started showing i
n
TICA. Both organizations have some
wonderful attributes and I suggest if you are interested in showing that you
give them both a try and see what style better suits you. Along with breeding
and showing Scottish Folds, I am a member of several cat clubs, holding office
in at least one of them and I am working to promote TICA and CFA in my area by
managing and working on local shows. I am usually out showing
in one of the organizations 2-3 weekends a month,
thankfully I have an understanding hubby! I am on the Breed Chair
and I was Regional Director for the
International Scottish Fold Association (ISFA is a CFA Breed club) for 5 1/2
years and Vice President for the same organization. I also am involved with the
Scottish Fold rescue programs. Yes, as difficult as it is to believe,
occasionally there are folds that can no longer be kept, are taken to shelters
or abandoned. If getting a kitten isn't important to you, I suggest that you may
want to try and contact the
Scottish Fold Rescue.

