Читать книгу Cats For Dummies - Gina Spadafori - Страница 50

A very few breeders are downright evil and fail to provide for even the basics of their animals’ needs. A few more are mentally ill, living in filthy homes packed to the rafters with freely mating cats. These people are fairly easy to spot and avoid — unless their kittens are cleaned up and sold elsewhere.

The majority of “bad” breeders are not uncaring. They’re just uninformed. They don’t know that many of the cats they produce can end up in shelters or spend their lives in pain from a congenital illness. They just want a litter “so the kids can see” or because “kittens are fun” or because they heard that breeding cats is an easy way to make a little money. They aren’t bad people, but they’re still not good breeders.

Following are a few things that should give you pause in dealing with a breeder:

 Lack of knowledge about the breed: Someone who doesn’t know much about the breed, its history, or its normal behavior isn’t someone who’s too concerned about producing kittens that are healthy examples of the breed.

 Ignorance or denial of genetic defects: Many breeds have some problems, some of which can be avoided by careful breeding. A person who isn’t aware of congenital defects certainly isn’t planning her breedings to avoid them.

 Not letting you observe the litter, meet the mother or other cats, or see where the kittens were raised: Healthy, well-mannered adults and a clean, well-run cattery are a breeder’s best testimonial. If a person doesn’t want you to see anything except the kitten she’s trying to sell, you ought to be wondering why.

 No documentation: If the kitten’s represented as “CFA registered,” the registration papers should be available. (The same goes for other registries, too.) So, too, should the papers backing up health claims. A sales contract spelling out the rights and responsibilities of both parties is highly desirable. Such a document provides you with recourse should the kitten not turn out as promised — if it has congenital health problems, for example, or isn’t suitable for showing, if that was part of your intent in buying him.

 Doesn’t seem to understand the importance of socialization: Kittens need to be nurtured, loved, and handled to make good pets. Someone who can’t explain what they’ve done in this area or who tries to sell a kitten less than 12 weeks old probably doesn’t understand enough to be breeding cats.

Such caution is all about increasing the odds of success. Can you find a pedigreed kitten who’s going to be a good pet from a casual breeder advertising online? Without a doubt. But you’re more likely to find one if you take the time to find a reputable, knowledgeable breeder. And the best way to see if you have one is to meet the breeder and see the operation.