Need help buying Persian kitten

[rene]

I don't cage any of my cats and I agree - I hate it when cats are caged their whole lives - cats need to be free. I have to cage my foster cats and I always feel bad - but I know that it is temporary until they go to their new homes, and since their alternative was death, a month in a cage isn't such a bad thing. Some of the cats I have gotten from breeders that cage have never overcome their skittishness - others that were never caged are big in your face mushes. Sometimes it is harder to place the beautiful purebred cats who have spent years in a cage -

My cats are my family - including my whole Abby male Merlot - and none of them have ever been caged unless they were ill or due to deliver. Of course the kittens and moms need to be caged for their own safety (unless you are lucky enough to have a room just for a mom and her kittens like Sandie does), until they are old enough to be free, find litter, etc. There certainly are times when you must cage your cats if you are going to breed and when kittens are due, but all in all it is best to raise them along side your pets if at all possible. It makes for really well socialized adults and kittens.

But you also have to be careful your cats don't indiscriminately breed too - I assume that Harriet, you have only one whole male (like I do). because it certainly could be a disaster to have whole females and males running free in the home and not knowing what kind of breeding program you are on?

 

[harriet]

Hi, this will give everyone something to chat about for a while!!!

I do have two whole males and four girls running free as household pets!! Now before you think I breed indiscriminately, one male is homozygous for a dominant colour.

My main tom is the love of my life. If I need a new bloodline, I bring a tom in as a kitten. Everyone here accepts kittens without an issue. When the new male is old enough to breed and the girls are cycling, I send my foundation male to my girlfriend's house for a month. He knows and loves her too. I know this all sounds crazy, but the two males are the best of friends. They are the ones that sit on the couch together GROOMING EACH OTHER!!!

Usually, I keep a female kitten from the new male and then when she is ready, breed her back to my foundation male. The second tom usually gets placed in my other friend's home who is also a persian breeder, to be used there.

Yes, I do put the queen with their litter in a bedroom for the first few weeks. But, here is where some of you will gasp!!!, I let the queen deliver with the colony.

When I first began raising cats, 15 years ago, I had siamese. I was told by everyone, including my vet, NEVER let the tom near the queens that are about to kitten out! The toms will hurt the kittens!!

I came home one day to find a queen delivering a few days earlier than expected. The tom was standing at her front end licking her forehead as though he was coaching and comforting her. It was the most amazing site. From that day on, I have never separated the girls when they are going to give birth. Now, I usually find an experienced queen standing by helping and the tom watching over. When the birthing is all over, then I set the queen up in a safe place for a few weeks.

I know you all think this sounds crazy and I do not recommend you turn you toms out with your kittening queens if that's not what you usually do. But around here, that's the way it works best.

Only once did I ever see the tom actually lick a kitten, but he seems to be the head coach.

Weird but true!!

 

[rene]

I am surprised at your post - not letting my kittens be with the colony has nothing to do with my male - it has to do with well viruses being too easily passed on to unsuspecting kittens. I keep my kittens separated so that they stay healthy until they are about 10 weeks old - whether my kittens or rescues. But everyone has a different way of doing things -

 

[harriet]

I have a completely closed cattery. None of my cats get shown from my house so there is little chance of kittens getting anything they couldn't get from their own mother.