Breeding

[smudgley]

My posts were not directed at anyone Luke - Just simply making an example.

[Mags]

Originally Posted by Luke

Very good posts Smudgley
Directed at knowone in particular, but this thread is not about anyone intending to breed a litter of kittens etc it is simply our opinions on the matter, just too point out

I think that is what everyone has done Luke, given their opinions on breeding in general

[Luke]

I know that Smudgley, i was just making a general point to just say lets not get personal, it wasnt directed at anyone as i said in my post

[smudgley]

Another point ~

FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus) is a condition which is more common in entire male cats. Mainly because it's primary way of being transmitted is via blood through biting & scratching usually passed on when males fight. It can also be transmitted through sexual contact, if your healthy FIV negative cat went out & was mated to the local tom, he could then infect her with FIV, which can sometimes be passed through the umbilical cords to the placentas of the developing kittens. Hence leaving not only your cat but also possibly some or all of the kittens with an unpleasant condition affecting their immune system.

Another point ~

Quote from Luke ""Of course it is allways thought of as ethical for pedigree cats to be bred, but if one would go on the principle of cats in rescue centres then one surely coudlnt agree with the breeding of any cat, not just moggys and such, surely?""

Any responsible breeder would have their breeding stock checked for FIV / checked for PKD / wormed / vaccinated and any other relevant health testing / screening carried out, also would ensure that kittens would be reared in a way that they are well socialised / vaccinated / wormed / treated for fleas before leaving for their new homes, I don't think that many people letting their moggy get mated with the local tom cat would be so responsible. This obviously is reflected in the price of the kittens - but if people are spending £300, £400, £800 or whatever on a cat, I'm sure they would have thought long & hard about the cat prior to getting it & would be less likely to put the cat up for rehoming at some point. I know some pedigrees cats have to be rehomed, but I've not met one personally yet!

[borderdawn]

How can anyone possibly say they have homes for all the kittens? What divine intervention makes anyone know exactly how many a Cat will have? how many will survive? How many will develop health problems before leaving? Its utter rubbish to suggest someone can have homes for animals that dont exist! My friend had 5 homes for her Dobe bitches litter, plus they wanted to keep at least 1, she had 14!

Breeding pet Cats in my opinion is a terrible thing and no person who states a genuine interest in the welfare of their pet would consider it, let alone increase the numbers still further.

I still keep thinking about the "good for the Cat thing" I will put that to my Vet, he brings his pets in for boarding today.

Greed on whatever level is sickening when there are animals in mind, especially when potentially destroying their wellbeing for our gain. I turned down a 5 figure sum from the States for my bitch, at least 2 times a week and including 3 seperate occasions at the hunt the other week, I turn down stud requests for my dogs, why? because they are more to me than that, I could not be responsible for puppies they produced, I am not in a position to take puppies in should there be a problem, any self respecting, responsible breeder would.

When you speak of puppies or kittens that have come from dubious backgrounds, for example kittens that display, health or behaviour problems, what gives us the right to subject them to possibly more trauma for our own greed?
Dawn.

[Het]

From reading the posts it is obvious that some of you find it hard to believe that it would be reccommended a cat have kittens for 'the sake of her wellbeing or mental health'
As previously posted, this was a reccomendation made to me and my cat and I am very happy that I followed it. jazz was two years old when I got her, her previous owner felt unable to give her the correct commitment. I struggled with her for about ten months, she was highly strung, nervous and fairly aggressive with the other cats. I consulted a specialist Siamese breeder who knows the breed inside out and she spent time with jazz and was confident that a litter would be the way to go. I certainly didn't do it for the money, I wouldn't have kept two if that was the case.
All I can say is that it worked! Within the space of a couple of weeks she became a contented happy cat, all the neurotic behaviour vanished and to this day she is an affectionate and happy cat. So you can say all you like about it being wrong to breed for these reasons and that it can't possibly improve a cats mental wellbeing....but in this case it did. Oh I am sure it wouldn't work for all cats and I agree that breeding shouldn't be carried out as a matter of course, but as with most things it is not a 'black and white' issue. I personally got a great deal of pleasure from the experience, and in time I would more than likely let another cat have a litter of kittens, pedigree or not. Just because there are people in the world who don't go about this in a responsible manner doesn't mean that I should not be able to have the pleasure of kittens...or puppies, selfish as it may seem to some of you.

[borderdawn]

So the Cat was aggressive, highly strung and nervous, How can you feel right about breeding from a Cat with such a temperament? Would you have done the same with a dog that displayed similar characteristics? How would you of felt if kittens you sold developed similar behavour problems? I just find it really strange Het thats all, that anyone can see such incorrect behaviour then breed from that animal! Isnt breeding supposed to be for the good of the breed?
Dawn.

[Het]

Originally Posted by borderdawn

So the Cat was aggressive, highly strung and nervous, How can you feel right about breeding from a Cat with such a temperament? Would you have done the same with a dog that displayed similar characteristics? How would you of felt if kittens you sold developed similar behavour problems? I just find it really strange Het thats all, that anyone can see such incorrect behaviour then breed from that animal! Isnt breeding supposed to be for the good of the breed?
Dawn.

I suppose because in this case the problems were a result of her earlier life and the experiences she had...experiences which I was fully aware of and which made me persevere so long with Jazz. They were not problems bred into her which I though I had made obvious.I see your point Dawn and I agree with the value of it...but as I said this is not a black and white issue and breeding from an animal with any behavioral problem should not be frowned on as a matter of course. I kept two of the kits and am very closely involved with the lives of the other four...they show no signs of any of the behavior that jazz displayed before pregnancy. I put my trust in someone who was well experienced in the breed and as far as I am concerned the advice I received was correct. The alternative of rehoming jazz yet again was one I did not want at all.....who knows where she could have ended up

[borderdawn]

I see what you are saying Het, but what if it didnt work? What would of happened to Jazz then? Have you bred from her since, and the question about if it were a dog, would you do the same? I realise I am being a nosey cow cant help it, comes from a family of lawyers I am not judging you by any means, i am just trying to understand.
Dawn.

[borderdawn]

Another thing that interests me about Lukes thread, and I do feel you posted it because of your asking several members about Elsa Luke, where would anyone who had a moggy Cat find a SUITABLE stud Cat from? Any respectable breeder wouldnt allow it, so where do you go? Let the Cat out and away you go? The risk of infectious diseases will be HUGE.
Dawn.