I've always understood ethical breeding is all about health and wellbeing of the cats.
Health first, temperament second, looks definitely last.
I cannot reconcile that with inbreeding. No one has ever given me a valid argument for inbreeding except that it is a good shortcut when you are going for the good looks and the show ribbons.
I have attended several lectures by a population geneticist and his statistics about inbreeding in dogs really shocked me. A 10% higher COI means 1 less puppy per litter and also a 10 month shorter lifespan for the average dog of that breed.
Breeders cannot see things like this from where they are standing, especially since they happen so gradually everybody thinks certain littersizes or lifespans are normal for their breeds. It's a shame there is no immediate slap on the wrist, so to speak.
But I still don't know any breeders who would knock 10 months off a cat's life just to get better type, so I guess it's better for them not to look into things like this too much and just keep repeating after each other inbreeding no big deal. ("as long as your breeding stock is healthy" or "as long as you know what you are doing")
Just my 2 cents.
Health first, temperament second, looks definitely last.
I cannot reconcile that with inbreeding. No one has ever given me a valid argument for inbreeding except that it is a good shortcut when you are going for the good looks and the show ribbons.
I have attended several lectures by a population geneticist and his statistics about inbreeding in dogs really shocked me. A 10% higher COI means 1 less puppy per litter and also a 10 month shorter lifespan for the average dog of that breed.
Breeders cannot see things like this from where they are standing, especially since they happen so gradually everybody thinks certain littersizes or lifespans are normal for their breeds. It's a shame there is no immediate slap on the wrist, so to speak.
But I still don't know any breeders who would knock 10 months off a cat's life just to get better type, so I guess it's better for them not to look into things like this too much and just keep repeating after each other inbreeding no big deal. ("as long as your breeding stock is healthy" or "as long as you know what you are doing")
Just my 2 cents.