NEW BABIES!

Looking for a Pet

sasby@comcast.net

****************************************************************

Looking for a Breeding Cat

Questions Commonly asked and answers:

Q:  Are your cats all free oi Leukemia and Aids?

A:  Yes, All breeding cats brought in come with negative results or have been tested and found negative.  All other cats are offspring and therefore are also negative.  These tests go back several generations so if you have doubts we can have the test done for printed results at your expense w/ a deposit on a  cat or kitten or I will be happy to provide a neg test and pedigree which can be traced to your cat/kitty..

Q:  Are your cats FIP negative like some other catteries?

A;  FIP is an autoimmune deficiency which can not be guaranteed by ANYONE!  Similar to Menangitis in humans, 100 people can be exposed to it from one person and only one may contract it.  This is the same for cats with FIP due to particular and individual titers each kitty has been exposed to and developed.  If a kitty has been exposed to a case of FIP then it is more likely introducing that kitty to others in a new home may expose those others and they could contract FIP or not.  FIP comes in 2 forms, wet and dry, but both are deadly with no current cure at this time.

Q:  How can I best protect my kitties from FIP?

A:  Ask when purchasing an animal if they have had any FIP cases the kitty or it's parents have been exposed to, especially within the last 3 years.  FIP vaccines are offered, but most vets agree now they can't help due to recent information on FIP.  Some breeders have reported this vaccine caused their vaccinated cats to get the disease, so many breeders, including Babybrat cattery, void any health guarantees on kittens or cats given the vaccine for FIP and Leukemia, which is also questionable although still frequently given.

Q:  I see you breed LH Manx and Persians, do you breed them together?

A:  No. Both our Persians and our LH Manx (Cymrics) are Pure bred registered Breeds and are kept strictly confined from the opposing breed of the opposite sex.

Q:  Are you an open cattery?

A:  No, We do not supply any stud service for female cats.  This is referred to as a closed cattery.  If you are interested in a breeding male , please send in the Breeder Cat application above.

Q:  What is the difference between, Chinchilla, Silver and Shaded, or Golden?

A:  First, Silver and Golden are 2 different color classes in the Persian Breed.  In both of these color classes of Silver and Golden there are degrees of tipping which are now accepted by CFA in Blue and Black.  If not noted specifically, the assumption is the tipping is black on the base coat of a silver cat of white or the base coat of a golden cat or Golden.  The degree of tipping determines the silver or golden specific color category as follows:

Tabby-  The base coat color has distinct black lines showing a striped pattern in particular on the legs of the cat as well as the entire body including markings on the face and head and can be found in almost all colors of cat.

Shaded-  The Shaded silver or golden aside from it's base  color has black OR Blue tipping on the fur that follows from the tip of the hairs  at least half way to the root and to the root in many instances.  The over all appearance tends to be as though someone drizzled silver over the cats head and it fell in a ring down from the head throughout the fur around the back of the cat's body.  The shading can also be seen more heavily on the flanks and legs as well as the tail.

Chinchilla-  Confusing at times because there is an entirely different animal known as a chinchilla, but this is a color degree for silver and golden in this case.  Chinchilla means the coat of the cat is primarily the base color with just a very slight tipping on the hairs to give the appearance of a shimmer on the coat which gives it more of an actual sparkle to the silver or the golden cat.  Because the Shadeds and the Chinchillas have often been bred together over the years, it's difficult to get a  truly pure chinchilla coat and is prized with their trademark Teal eye color and makeup.  This color is more difficult to obtain in the goldens because of the higher pigmentation in the golden coat.  Chinchilla silvers and goldens are not supposed to have any tipping to the root of any hairs and what shimmer is there will typically be seen on the tail and in a ring around the entire body  just as the shadeds.

Q:  What is tarnish?

A:  Tarnish is a yellowish fur seen in silvers that is undesirable and often due to goldens knowingly being bred heavily in the pedigree behind a silver.  Small amounts of tarnish often grow out, and can be trimmed out if it bothers you as a  pet owner, but a fault found in silvers.

Q:  How old can a kitten be before it will be too difficult to bond with a new owner?

A:  Bonding tends to have to do with personality rather than age.  Personable Persians and LH Manx here have been known to bond to new homes as old as 11 years old.  Most any cat will bond with a safe home and attention in a very short time.  At times a young kitten can have more difficulty simply because it misses it's siblings and may cry for a day or so looking for them when first at a new home, but between 14-16 weeks they are typically ready to be more independent and another reason why we prefer to adopt babies out at this age to their new homes.  Adult cats are usually all too happy to get the additional attention and pampering of being the center of attention in a  new home although most cats ideally prefer to have at least one playmate or companion and can become very bonded to another animal just as we humans can..

Q:  What is the difference between a male and a female?

A:  This again depends entirely on each individual kitty!  I would say that quite often we find that male cats tend to gravitate more to the female of the house, and female cats to the man of the house, BUT.............while we have several here that go along with this theory, there are likewise a few who defy it?  I have seen tht if a cat is going to defy the rule it's usually the females who will dislike a male in the home for it's own reasons and through no fault of the man or boy, yet when they are going by the rules, they are deeply in love with that male in the house.  Males seem to be overall more relaxed in general unless hormones get in the way here, but in terms of altered pet cats, it makes no apparent difference as far as we have seen or heard from any of our owners over the past 20 years.  I highly recommend choosing the pet for it's personality first, appearance second and sex last aside from any unusual circumstances.

Q:  Why do I have to alter my pet if I know I absolutely don't want to breed it?

A:  The first response is for your well being and the cats.  Both males and females can develop life threatening health issues such as cancer or pyometra if left intact and not bred.  Alteration is for the health of the cat, but as for your well being there are multiple reasons you need to alter your pet.  Animals can display more aggressive and unpredictable behavior when intact, especially around other cats whether the same sex and seen as competition or the opposite sex and seen as a target they want!  Both males and females can spray or mark with urine if left intact and wanting to mate.

Secondly breeding is designed to maintain the breed as pure and with careful planning and considerations of what is behind each cat and complications and kitten rearing can be an experience you may not have expected or were as prepared as you thought you were for and can involve a lot of heartache with losing babies as well as your own cat. 

Lastly, and realistically, you will be breaking a  contractual agreement you legally signed, paying a pet amount for a cat.  We are always willing to consider breeding rights up front with anyone, but we have put years of work into this program we work very hard at and others have paid for the privilege of being able to work with our lines for breeding after lengthy discussions about their plans and feel this is only fair to require the same of everyone.  Responsible breeding is not something to take lightly and to just "let the cat have one litter."  It's to work with a breed to help maintain or improve it and if you ask any reputable breeder they will be the first to explain how there is rarely any profit in doing things the right way. lol!

 *** We will be adding more onto this section as new questions consistently come to us, we also hope to add additional links for assistive information, so keep checking back.