SURVEY, kitten purchase

[kai bengals]

This survey is for everyone to feel free to answer, whether you would ever consider a breed cat or not. Even if you would only ever adopt from a shelter, please give your input if you want to.

I'm posting this here, versus the Breeder forum, as I would like all to feel welcome giving their responses.
I'm very interested to see what is and isn't important to folks looking for a kitten to add to their family. Most interesting to me, will be the level of importance of certain things.

Thank-you all in advance for your participation and please feel free to add comments in addition to the 1 thru 5 ratings if you like. Also if you feel an important consideration was left out, by all means add it to the list!

Please highlight the list below, copy and paste it to your response message and add your numbered ratings.

Thank-you!


Please answer each question on a scale of 1 to 5.
5: extremely important
4: important
3: somewhat important
2: nice to know but Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m not worried about it
1: not important

1.\tHow concerned are you that the kitten you purchase comes from parents/ancestors that are titled champion and higher cats?

2.\tHow concerned are you that your kitten meets all the breed standards?

3.\tRegardless if you plan to show your kitten or not, how important is it that your kitten is near show quality?

4.\tHow important is it to you that your chosen breeder shows their cats and has champion cats on the premises?

5.\tHow important is temperament/socialization in your new kitten?

6.\tHow would you rate the importance of good temperament over appearance?

7.\tHow important is it to you that your chosen breeder has a clean facility?

8.\tHow important is it to you that a breeder does not advertise in a newspaper?

9.\tRate your importance of the following statement: My breeder tests for known genetic diseases and will not breed without testing.

10.\tHow important is it to you that you have a contract for any animal you purchase?

11.\tHow important is a no-exclusion return clause in your contract?

12.\t How important is it that your cat be spay/neutered prior to transfer to you?

13.\t How important is it that your cat be up to date on Vaccines prior to transfer to you?

14.\tRate your importance of the following statement: Kittens will not be released to new owners until they are 12 to 14 weeks old.

Please rate the following in regards to a kitten:

15.\tAppearance and beauty is important to me

16.\tTemperament is important to me

17.\tHealth is important to me

18.\tLineage is important to me

19.\tBreeder reputation is important to me

20.\tBreeder alliance with breed organizations is important to me

Last 5 questions…….

21.\tHow important is it that your chosen breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s home not smell like cats?

22.\tHow important is it that a breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s cats not be caged?

23.\tHow important is it to you what your chosen breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s cats are being fed?

24.\tHow important to you, is it that you are able to visit the sire and dam of your chosen kitten?

25.\tHow important is it to you that your breeder send you weekly updates and pics of the kitten you are waiting for?

 

[carolina]

5: extremely important
4: important
3: somewhat important
2: nice to know but I’m not worried about it
1: not important


ETA - I changed my mind... Being that I can rescue a purebred cat (done twice), I would only BUY one from a breeder directly if to show - so I changesd some questions accordingly.
1.\tHow concerned are you that the kitten you purchase comes from parents/ancestors that are titled champion and higher cats? 4

2.\tHow concerned are you that your kitten meets all the breed standards? 5

3.\tRegardless if you plan to show your kitten or not, how important is it that your kitten is near show quality? 4 if pet, 5 if show

4.\tHow important is it to you that your chosen breeder shows their cats and has champion cats on the premises? 5

5.\tHow important is temperament/socialization in your new kitten? 5

6.\tHow would you rate the importance of good temperament over appearance? 5

7.\tHow important is it to you that your chosen breeder has a clean facility? 4

8.\tHow important is it to you that a breeder does not advertise in a newspaper? 2

9. Rate your importance of the following statement: My breeder tests for known genetic diseases and will not breed without testing. 5

10.\tHow important is it to you that you have a contract for any animal you purchase? 5

11.\tHow important is a no-exclusion return clause in your contract? 1, once the cat is with me, I would not return it - been there with Bugsy... Would never do it, even if the contract allowed me to do so. Now, if that was a refund, and I kept the cat, then that is another story.

12.\t How important is it that your cat be spay/neutered prior to transfer to you? 5

13.\t How important is it that your cat be up to date on Vaccines prior to transfer to you? 4

14. Rate your importance of the following statement: Kittens will not be released to new owners until they are 12 to 14 weeks old. 4

Please rate the following in regards to a kitten:

15.\tAppearance and beauty is important to me 3

16.\tTemperament is important to me 5

17.\tHealth is important to me 5++++++

18.\tLineage is important to me 5

19.\tBreeder reputation is important to me 4

20.\tBreeder alliance with breed organizations is important to me 4

Last 5 questions…….

21.\tHow important is it that your chosen breeder’s home not smell like cats? 3

22.\tHow important is it that a breeder’s cats not be caged? 5

23.\tHow important is it to you what your chosen breeder’s cats are being fed? 4

24.\tHow important to you, is it that you are able to visit the sire and dam of your chosen kitten? 2

25.\tHow important is it to you that your breeder send you weekly updates and pics of the kitten you are waiting for? 4

 

[clixpix]

Please answer each question on a scale of 1 to 5.
5: extremely important
4: important
3: somewhat important
2: nice to know but Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m not worried about it
1: not important

1.\tHow concerned are you that the kitten you purchase comes from parents/ancestors that are titled champion and higher cats? 2

2.\tHow concerned are you that your kitten meets all the breed standards? 3

3.\tRegardless if you plan to show your kitten or not, how important is it that your kitten is near show quality? 2 (as long as this is disclosed to me)

4.\tHow important is it to you that your chosen breeder shows their cats and has champion cats on the premises? 3

5.\tHow important is temperament/socialization in your new kitten? 5

6.\tHow would you rate the importance of good temperament over appearance? 5 (temperament being more important)

7.\tHow important is it to you that your chosen breeder has a clean facility? 5

8.\tHow important is it to you that a breeder does not advertise in a newspaper? 1 (didn't know this was bad?)

9.\tRate your importance of the following statement: My breeder tests for known genetic diseases and will not breed without testing. 5

10.\tHow important is it to you that you have a contract for any animal you purchase? 5

11.\tHow important is a no-exclusion return clause in your contract? 1

12.\t How important is it that your cat be spay/neutered prior to transfer to you? 5

13.\t How important is it that your cat be up to date on Vaccines prior to transfer to you? 5

14.\tRate your importance of the following statement: Kittens will not be released to new owners until they are 12 to 14 weeks old. 5

Please rate the following in regards to a kitten:

15.\tAppearance and beauty is important to me 4

16.\tTemperament is important to me 5

17.\tHealth is important to me 5

18.\tLineage is important to me 3

19.\tBreeder reputation is important to me 5

20.\tBreeder alliance with breed organizations is important to me 5

Last 5 questions…….

21.\tHow important is it that your chosen breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s home not smell like cats? 4 (clean, but okay if there is a bit of litterbox smell around kittens...I know how hard it is to keep that smell at bay. Must be evident that they're cleaned at least daily, though. This is different to me than a house that smells like cat pee.)

22.\tHow important is it that a breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s cats not be caged? 5

23.\tHow important is it to you what your chosen breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s cats are being fed? 5

24.\tHow important to you, is it that you are able to visit the sire and dam of your chosen kitten? 5

25.\tHow important is it to you that your breeder send you weekly updates and pics of the kitten you are waiting for? 5

 

[weldrwomn]

Please answer each question on a scale of 1 to 5.
5: extremely important
4: important
3: somewhat important
2: nice to know but Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m not worried about it
1: not important

1.\tHow concerned are you that the kitten you purchase comes from parents/ancestors that are titled champion and higher cats?1

2.\tHow concerned are you that your kitten meets all the breed standards?1

3.\tRegardless if you plan to show your kitten or not, how important is it that your kitten is near show quality?1

4.\tHow important is it to you that your chosen breeder shows their cats and has champion cats on the premises?1

5.\tHow important is temperament/socialization in your new kitten?3

6.\tHow would you rate the importance of good temperament over appearance?5

7.\tHow important is it to you that your chosen breeder has a clean facility?If I were to buy from a breeder, which I normally would not, then 5

8.\tHow important is it to you that a breeder does not advertise in a newspaper?1

9.\tRate your importance of the following statement: My breeder tests for known genetic diseases and will not breed without testing.5

10.\tHow important is it to you that you have a contract for any animal you purchase?1

11.\tHow important is a no-exclusion return clause in your contract?1

12.\t How important is it that your cat be spay/neutered prior to transfer to you?3

13.\t How important is it that your cat be up to date on Vaccines prior to transfer to you?4

14.\tRate your importance of the following statement: Kittens will not be released to new owners until they are 12 to 14 weeks old.4

Please rate the following in regards to a kitten:

15.\tAppearance and beauty is important to me3

16.\tTemperament is important to me5

17.\tHealth is important to me4

18.\tLineage is important to me1

19.\tBreeder reputation is important to me2

20.\tBreeder alliance with breed organizations is important to me2

Last 5 questions…….

21.\tHow important is it that your chosen breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s home not smell like cats?5

22.\tHow important is it that a breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s cats not be caged?5

23.\tHow important is it to you what your chosen breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s cats are being fed?4

24.\tHow important to you, is it that you are able to visit the sire and dam of your chosen kitten?5

25.\tHow important is it to you that your breeder send you weekly updates and pics of the kitten you are waiting for?5

 

[alicatjoy]

5: extremely important
4: important
3: somewhat important
2: nice to know but I’m not worried about it
1: not important

1. How concerned are you that the kitten you purchase comes from parents/ancestors that are titled champion and higher cats? 2
* This answer stems from the fact that I have never had a show cat and am not interested, at this time, in showing. If I were to purchase a show cat, this rating would be significantly higher.

2. How concerned are you that your kitten meets all the breed standards? 1
* Again, if I were specifically purchasing a kitten to show, this answer would be a 5 -- no question.

3. Regardless if you plan to show your kitten or not, how important is it that your kitten is near show quality? 5
* I'd have to answer 5 for this question since if I were to purchase a purebred cat or kitten, it would be because I wanted a cat matching the breed specifications and, thus, be show quality.

4. How important is it to you that your chosen breeder shows their cats and has champion cats on the premises? 5
* From reading as much as I have on the breeding and showing forum, I'd have to insist that the breeder show their cats and that they had some of their best cats on premises.

5. How important is temperament/socialization in your new kitten? 5

6. How would you rate the importance of good temperament over appearance? 5

7. How important is it to you that your chosen breeder has a clean facility? 4
* Ideally, I would want to see a spotless facility. However, being an animal owner myself, I know that is not always possible. Life gets in the way, accidents happen, and cats are going to get into things. Thus, having a facility that smells and appears organized would be more important to me than seeing a spotless facility.

8. How important is it to you that a breeder does not advertise in a newspaper? 1
* I believe that, with any purchase, it is "let the buyer beware." Just because someone advertises in a newspaper does not make them a BYB or otherwise irresponsible. I would question their reasoning, but I would not necessarily hold their methods of advertising against them.

9. Rate your importance of the following statement: My breeder tests for known genetic diseases and will not breed without testing. 5

10. How important is it to you that you have a contract for any animal you purchase? 5

11. How important is a no-exclusion return clause in your contract? 5
* I don't think I would ever be able to return an animal once it was in my possession. I do not make decisions lightly and would hope that I had my ducks in a row prior to adopting. I do feel it is important, however, that a breeder would require that I return the cat or kitten to them should I not be able to keep them for any reason. That, to me, shows that the breeder has a vested interest in ALL of the cats they have produced. I wouldn't ever choose to return a cat, but should something happen, it would be in the cat's best interest to return to the breeder unless other arrangements were already discussed and agreed upon.

12. How important is it that your cat be spay/neutered prior to transfer to you? 5

13. How important is it that your cat be up to date on vaccines prior to transfer to you? 5

14. Rate your importance of the following statement: Kittens will not be released to new owners until they are 12 to 14 weeks old. 5

Please rate the following in regards to a kitten:

15. Appearance and beauty is important to me. 3

16. Temperament is important to me. 5

17. Health is important to me. 5

18. Lineage is important to me. 1
* Again, if I were purchasing a kitten with the intention to show, this answer would rate a 5.

19. Breeder reputation is important to me. 3
* Reputation is a tricky thing. I wouldn't necessarily discount a breeder because of one or two negative views -- especially since it is my understanding that, as with any business, there can exist resentments and issues unrelated to an individual's ability to practice business properly. I would again refer to "let the buyer beware." Reputation is important, but has it's place. I would be more interested in objective research than word of mouth.

20. Breeder alliance with breed organizations is important to me. 1
* This would again shoot up to a 5 if I was purchasing a kitten for the purpose of showing.

Last 5 questions...

21. How important is it that your chosen breeder’s home not smell like cats? 4

22. How important is it that a breeder’s cats not be caged? 5

23. How important is it to you what your chosen breeder’s cats are being fed? 5

24. How important to you, is it that you are able to visit the sire and dam of your chosen kitten? 4

25. How important is it to you that your breeder send you weekly updates and pics of the kitten you are waiting for? 4
* This would be preferred, but I understand that it's not always possible. I would feel that some kind of updates would be in order regardless of what was going on, but given certain situations, that could be waived -- but only if discussed first.

 

[sharky]

Please answer each question on a scale of 1 to 5.
5: extremely important
4: important
3: somewhat important
2: nice to know but I’m not worried about it
1: not important

1. How concerned are you that the kitten you purchase comes from parents/ancestors that are titled champion and higher cats?3.5

2. How concerned are you that your kitten meets all the breed standards?5 if a breed I want what I am both paying for and looking for

3. Regardless if you plan to show your kitten or not, how important is it that your kitten is near show quality?4

4. How important is it to you that your chosen breeder shows their cats and has champion cats on the premises?2

5. How important is temperament/socialization in your new kitten?5 if from a breeder , 3 if from a shelter.... Realize I have semi ferals so this is a hard one to answer as I spend time daily on it

6. How would you rate the importance of good temperament over appearance?5 +

7. How important is it to you that your chosen breeder has a clean facility?5 +

8. How important is it to you that a breeder does not advertise in a newspaper?3 In my area even Awesome breeders sometime are placing ads in the paper

9. Rate your importance of the following statement: My breeder tests for known genetic diseases and will not breed without testing.5 plus

10. How important is it to you that you have a contract for any animal you purchase?5 plus... protection for both parties

11. How important is a no-exclusion return clause in your contract?5 plus , I am in questionable health and want to ensure safety and love for my babies if I am unable to care for them

12. How important is it that your cat be spay/neutered prior to transfer to you?5 plus, plus, plus , I even bought fish in ratios NOT to encourage breeding

13. How important is it that your cat be up to date on Vaccines prior to transfer to you?5

14. Rate your importance of the following statement: Kittens will not be released to new owners until they are 12 to 14 weeks old.breeder 3, shelter 2 ... Having raised kittens from as little as 5 weeks this is important but not as much as other items

Please rate the following in regards to a kitten:

15. Appearance and beauty is important to me2 , realize I LOVE pointed cats yet I have 5 picked by me cats ... NOT one is pointed

16. Temperament is important to melol... having semi ferals this is mute... but If I was purchasing a kitten 3.5

17. Health is important to me5

18. Lineage is important to me2

19. Breeder reputation is important to me5

20. Breeder alliance with breed organizations is important to me2 realize many have little to no understanding as to what they do.... In dogs I know AKC is even a joke as far as quality

Last 5 questions…….

21. How important is it that your chosen breeder’s home not smell like cats?5... My house does NOT smell of cats

22. How important is it that a breeder’s cats not be caged?5 for females and nuetered males ... A 2 for un neutered males as I understand spraying and aggression are often issues

23. How important is it to you what your chosen breeder’s cats are being fed?5.. One I want to know that the parents were feed well before and during mating ... and Queens are well feed... also can I get the food or a comparable one in my area

24. How important to you, is it that you are able to visit the sire and dam of your chosen kitten?4

25. How important is it to you that your breeder send you weekly updates and pics of the kitten you are waiting for?3
__________________

 

[ldg]

I only rescue ferals - do you want me to answer the questions as I would if I were interested in buying a breed?

 

[pookie-poo]

Originally Posted by Kai Bengals

Please answer each question on a scale of 1 to 5.
5: extremely important
4: important
3: somewhat important
2: nice to know but Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m not worried about it
1: not important

1.\tHow concerned are you that the kitten you purchase comes from parents/ancestors that are titled champion and higher cats? #2 - nice to know but I'm not worried or obsessed about it
2.\tHow concerned are you that your kitten meets all the breed standards? #2 - nice to know but I'm not worried or obsessed about it


3.\tRegardless if you plan to show your kitten or not, how important is it that your kitten is near show quality? #2 - nice to know but I'm not worried or obsessed about it


4.\tHow important is it to you that your chosen breeder shows their cats and has champion cats on the premises? #2 - nice to know but I'm not worried or obsessed about it


5.\tHow important is temperament/socialization in your new kitten? #5 temperment and socialization in a kitten is one of the few things I find extremely important....and could very well be the deal breaker6.\tHow would you rate the importance of good temperament over appearance? I believe it would be easy to love a cat or kitten with great temperament/wonky appearance

7.\tHow important is it to you that your chosen breeder has a clean facility? #5+! Clean facilities = healthy cats.

8.\tHow important is it to you that a breeder does not advertise in a newspaper? I'm not sure how I feel about this, as I've never purchased a cat from a breeder. I have done some inquiries by word of mouth, and been very happy. Maybe #3

9.\tRate your importance of the following statement: My breeder tests for known genetic diseases and will not breed without testing. After raising rescue cats with CRF PKD and Hyperthroidism, I believe that breeders SHOULD TEST!!! If I were to purchase my dream Wegie....I'd certainly want every test known to God and Man done!
10.\tHow important is it to you that you have a contract for any animal you purchase? From a breeder? It would be important #4, from an animal shelter, not so important, but a necessary statement of tests and test results.
11.\tHow important is a no-exclusion return clause in your contract? I'm not sure what this involves, so I don't think I should answer
12.\t How important is it that your cat be spay/neutered prior to transfer to you? I would prefer my vet of choice, as she has been my vet for over 20 years.
13.\t How important is it that your cat be up to date on Vaccines prior to transfer to you? #4 important
14.\tRate your importance of the following statement: Kittens will not be released to new owners until they are 12 to 14 weeks old. Good time frame, should be weaned, socialized, eating food, fairly autonomous. #5Please rate the following in regards to a kitten:

15.\tAppearance and beauty is important to me #5
16.\tTemperament is important to me #5
17.\tHealth is important to me #5
18.\tLineage is important to me Not sure if it means much to me

19.\tBreeder reputation is important to me #3

20.\tBreeder alliance with breed organizations is important to me Don't really care
Last 5 questions…….

21.\tHow important is it that your chosen breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s home not smell like cats? #2 - you have to take in to consideration what they do for a living!

22.\tHow important is it that a breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s cats not be caged? #5 caged cats freak me out.
23.\tHow important is it to you what your chosen breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s cats are being fed? Not sure how important. I am interested, and will ask, to form an opinion
24.\tHow important to you, is it that you are able to visit the sire and dam of your chosen kitten? It would be nice to see how the personalities meld, but I've never had the opportunity to do it before, so I'm not sure what my take home value/moment would be
25.\tHow important is it to you that your breeder send you weekly updates and pics of the kitten you are waiting for?

It would be awsomely cool!

 

[mews2much]

Please answer each question on a scale of 1 to 5.
5: extremely important
4: important
3: somewhat important
2: nice to know but Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m not worried about it
1: not important

1. How concerned are you that the kitten you purchase comes from parents/ancestors that are titled champion and higher cats?.
5 If you are showing it is important.


2. How concerned are you that your kitten meets all the breed standards? 5 It is a must if you are showing.


3. Regardless if you plan to show your kitten or not, how important is it that your kitten is near show quality? 4

4. How important is it to you that your chosen breeder shows their cats and has champion cats on the premises? 5 That is very important.
That is part of the reason Wrinkles does not do well.
How can a breeder that does not show know what the judges like.

5. How important is temperament/socialization in your new kitten?
5
6. How would you rate the importance of good temperament over appearance? I would rate them both even because if you show you need to have a cat with both good temperament and appearance.

7. How important is it to you that your chosen breeder has a clean facility? 5 I would not want to get a kitten/cat from a dirty cattery.

8. How important is it to you that a breeder does not advertise in a newspaper? This is a tough answer because I do know of some good breeders that do advertise in the paper.

9. Rate your importance of the following statement: My breeder tests for known genetic diseases and will not breed without testing.
5 That is very important.
There are many HCM pos sphynx and I know of so many people that got sick sphynx.

10. How important is it to you that you have a contract for any animal you purchase? 5

11. How important is a no-exclusion return clause in your contract?
The breeders have a right to take the kitten/cat back if they are not treated right of if something comes up and you can longer keep the cat.

12. How important is it that your cat be spay/neutered prior to transfer to you? Wrinkles was not altered and it cost me almost $400 to have it done because I wanted it done the safest way. I prefer breeders that alter the cats first unless you are buying a whole cat.
My sister has a unaltered sphynx right now and the breeder has never said anything since she got her last summer.
13. How important is it that your cat be up to date on Vaccines prior to transfer to you?
5 Is is very important

14. Rate your importance of the following statement: Kittens will not be released to new owners until they are 12 to 14 weeks old.
5 Wrinkles was only 11 weeks old though.

Please rate the following in regards to a kitten:

15. Appearance and beauty is important to me The quality of the kitten matters to me.

16. Temperament is important to me
4.5

17. Health is important to me
5 Health is very important to me.

18. Lineage is important to me
5 The lines of the kittens are very important.
19. Breeder reputation is important to me
5 It is very important that the breed has a good reputation.
I refuse to buy from breeders that have bad reputations.


20. Breeder alliance with breed organizations is important to me
5 They need to know a lot about the breed.

Last 5 questions…….

21. How important is it that your chosen breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s home not smell like cats?
I have 6 cats and you would never know they were here.
I have been to some breeders houses and they did not smell at all.

22. How important is it that a breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s cats not be caged?
5 Cats that are caged seem to be more timid.
We believe my sisters sphynx was cages.


23. How important is it to you what your chosen breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s cats are being fed?
It depends on the breeder.
They must feed a good food though and not cheap junk like store bought food.

24. How important to you, is it that you are able to visit the sire and dam of your chosen kitten?
3
I would love to visit the catterys that my cats came from but that will not happen.
I will get to visit Wrinkles breeder though.
She has already invited me there.
When I show in So Cal we will go see her cattery.

25. How important is it to you that your breeder send you weekly updates and pics of the kitten you are waiting for?
I do like updates but do not need to see pics every week.
I also understand most of the breeders have other jobs and can be very busy.

 

[kai bengals]

I thank-you very much for the answers so far. I know it's a bit of a pain to answer a survey like this, but please participate if you can, and thank-you!
I plan to put the results of this survey to good use.

Chime in please!

 

[denice]

1. How concerned are you that the kitten you purchase comes from parents/ancestors that are titled champion and higher cats? 4

2. How concerned are you that your kitten meets all the breed standards? 3

3. Regardless if you plan to show your kitten or not, how important is it that your kitten is near show quality? 3

4. How important is it to you that your chosen breeder shows their cats and has champion cats on the premises? 4

5. How important is temperament/socialization in your new kitten? 5

6. How would you rate the importance of good temperament over appearance? 5

7. How important is it to you that your chosen breeder has a clean facility? 5

8. How important is it to you that a breeder does not advertise in a newspaper? 5

9. Rate your importance of the following statement: My breeder tests for known genetic diseases and will not breed without testing. 5

10. How important is it to you that you have a contract for any animal you purchase? 5

11. How important is a no-exclusion return clause in your contract? 4

12. How important is it that your cat be spay/neutered prior to transfer to you? 3

13. How important is it that your cat be up to date on Vaccines prior to transfer to you? 5

14. Rate your importance of the following statement: Kittens will not be released to new owners until they are 12 to 14 weeks old. 5

Please rate the following in regards to a kitten:

15. Appearance and beauty is important to me 3

16. Temperament is important to me 5

17. Health is important to me 5

18. Lineage is important to me 3

19. Breeder reputation is important to me 5

20. Breeder alliance with breed organizations is important to me 4

Last 5 questions…….

21. How important is it that your chosen breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s home not smell like cats?3

22. How important is it that a breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s cats not be caged?5 except whole males

23. How important is it to you what your chosen breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s cats are being fed?4

24. How important to you, is it that you are able to visit the sire and dam of your chosen kitten? 4

25. How important is it to you that your breeder send you weekly updates and pics of the kitten you are waiting for? 3
______________

 

[katiemae1277]

I answered these based on the one day possibility that I will purchase a pair of purebred Siamese brothers

Please answer each question on a scale of 1 to 5.
5: extremely important
4: important
3: somewhat important
2: nice to know but Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m not worried about it
1: not important

1.\tHow concerned are you that the kitten you purchase comes from parents/ancestors that are titled champion and higher cats?3

2.\tHow concerned are you that your kitten meets all the breed standards?3

3.\tRegardless if you plan to show your kitten or not, how important is it that your kitten is near show quality?2

4.\tHow important is it to you that your chosen breeder shows their cats and has champion cats on the premises?3

5.\tHow important is temperament/socialization in your new kitten?5

6.\tHow would you rate the importance of good temperament over appearance?5

7.\tHow important is it to you that your chosen breeder has a clean facility?4

8.\tHow important is it to you that a breeder does not advertise in a newspaper?5

9.\tRate your importance of the following statement: My breeder tests for known genetic diseases and will not breed without testing.5

10.\tHow important is it to you that you have a contract for any animal you purchase?5

11.\tHow important is a no-exclusion return clause in your contract?3

12.\t How important is it that your cat be spay/neutered prior to transfer to you?5

13.\t How important is it that your cat be up to date on Vaccines prior to transfer to you?5

14.\tRate your importance of the following statement: Kittens will not be released to new owners until they are 12 to 14 weeks old.4

Please rate the following in regards to a kitten:

15.\tAppearance and beauty is important to me2

16.\tTemperament is important to me5

17.\tHealth is important to me5

18.\tLineage is important to me3

19.\tBreeder reputation is important to me4

20.\tBreeder alliance with breed organizations is important to me4

Last 5 questions…….

21.\tHow important is it that your chosen breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s home not smell like cats?2

22.\tHow important is it that a breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s cats not be caged?5

23.\tHow important is it to you what your chosen breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s cats are being fed?4

24.\tHow important to you, is it that you are able to visit the sire and dam of your chosen kitten?4

25.\tHow important is it to you that your breeder send you weekly updates and pics of the kitten you are waiting for?4

 

[sarahp]

If I ever adopted from a breeder, it would never be to show or to breed, it would be as a family pet because I love the breed (it would be a British Burmese or an Abyssinian

)

Please answer each question on a scale of 1 to 5.
5: extremely important
4: important
3: somewhat important
2: nice to know but I’m not worried about it
1: not important

1.\tHow concerned are you that the kitten you purchase comes from parents/ancestors that are titled champion and higher cats? 3 - to me it helps show the dedication of the breeder, but it's not by any means the most important thing

2.\tHow concerned are you that your kitten meets all the breed standards? 2

3.\tRegardless if you plan to show your kitten or not, how important is it that your kitten is near show quality? 2

4.\tHow important is it to you that your chosen breeder shows their cats and has champion cats on the premises? 3

5.\tHow important is temperament/socialization in your new kitten? 5 - definitely the most important thing for me

6.\tHow would you rate the importance of good temperament over appearance? Good temperament is much more important than appearance, but then, if there's one kitten that's butt ugly for some reason, I'd be likely to take it 'cause I feel sorry for it

7.\tHow important is it to you that your chosen breeder has a clean facility? 5 - if they can't keep the facility clean, how well are they taking care of the cats?

8.\tHow important is it to you that a breeder does not advertise in a newspaper? 1

9.\tRate your importance of the following statement: My breeder tests for known genetic diseases and will not breed without testing.5 - I would expect a breeder to go out of their way to not pass on known genetic defects

10.\tHow important is it to you that you have a contract for any animal you purchase? 5 - it shows dedication from the breeder

11.\tHow important is a no-exclusion return clause in your contract? What's that?

12.\t How important is it that your cat be spay/neutered prior to transfer to you? 4 - shows that the breeder cares about what happens to their lineage

13.\t How important is it that your cat be up to date on Vaccines prior to transfer to you? 5 - wouldn't trust a breeder that doesn't have cats/kittens shots up to date

14.\tRate your importance of the following statement: Kittens will not be released to new owners until they are 12 to 14 weeks old. 5

Please rate the following in regards to a kitten:

15.\tAppearance and beauty is important to me 3

16.\tTemperament is important to me 5

17.\tHealth is important to me 5

18.\tLineage is important to me 2

19.\tBreeder reputation is important to me 4

20.\tBreeder alliance with breed organizations is important to me 2

Last 5 questions…….

21.\tHow important is it that your chosen breeder’s home not smell like cats? 2 - I expect it to smell like cats, but it shouldn't smell like cat pee

22.\tHow important is it that a breeder’s cats not be caged? 4 - I'd prefer the cats to be treated like pets, not as a commodity

23.\tHow important is it to you what your chosen breeder’s cats are being fed? 3

24.\tHow important to you, is it that you are able to visit the sire and dam of your chosen kitten? 4 - but I understand if the sire is at another breeder

25.\tHow important is it to you that your breeder send you weekly updates and pics of the kitten you are waiting for? 4- if I'm paying a small fortune for a kitten, I would definitely like regular updates on what it's up to, particularly while it's in its cutest stage!

 

[kai bengals]

Originally Posted by LDG

I only rescue ferals - do you want me to answer the questions as I would if I were interested in buying a breed?

Yes, please do. And thanks!

 

[nurseangel]

Please answer each question on a scale of 1 to 5.
5: extremely important
4: important
3: somewhat important
2: nice to know but I’m not worried about it
1: not important

1. How concerned are you that the kitten you purchase comes from parents/ancestors that are titled champion and higher cats? 1

2. How concerned are you that your kitten meets all the breed standards? 2

3. Regardless if you plan to show your kitten or not, how important is it that your kitten is near show quality? 1

4. How important is it to you that your chosen breeder shows their cats and has champion cats on the premises? 1

5. How important is temperament/socialization in your new kitten? 5

6. How would you rate the importance of good temperament over appearance? 5

7. How important is it to you that your chosen breeder has a clean facility? 5

8. How important is it to you that a breeder does not advertise in a newspaper? 1

9. Rate your importance of the following statement: My breeder tests for known genetic diseases and will not breed without testing. 5

10. How important is it to you that you have a contract for any animal you purchase? 4

11. How important is a no-exclusion return clause in your contract? 5

12. How important is it that your cat be spay/neutered prior to transfer to you? 2

13. How important is it that your cat be up to date on Vaccines prior to transfer to you? 5

14. Rate your importance of the following statement: Kittens will not be released to new owners until they are 12 to 14 weeks old. 3

Please rate the following in regards to a kitten:

15. Appearance and beauty is important to me 3

16. Temperament is important to me 5

17. Health is important to me 5

18. Lineage is important to me 1

19. Breeder reputation is important to me 5

20. Breeder alliance with breed organizations is important to me 2

Last 5 questions…….

21. How important is it that your chosen breeder’s home not smell like cats? 3 (I would expect a whiff "cat smell" if there are a number of cats on the premises, particularly unaltered males. As long as it is obvious the animals are being well-taken care of and their area is kept clean, I can forgive some cat smell. It goes with the territory.)

22. How important is it that a breeder’s cats not be caged? 5

23. How important is it to you what your chosen breeder’s cats are being fed? 3 (I would like food suggestions and a take home starter kit with the food the kitten is used to eating, but that's just me.)

24. How important to you, is it that you are able to visit the sire and dam of your chosen kitten? 3

25. How important is it to you that your breeder send you weekly updates and pics of the kitten you are waiting for? 5 - This may be a little extra trouble for the breeder, but I would love this. I would be so excited and want to see my kitten as he grows.

I am only interested in pet quality kittens, so I'm sure my answers differ somewhat for those who wish to show. I had the opportunity to buy a show quality Bengal kitten at the same price as a younger pet quality kitten. Because he was almost half-grown, she offered me a special price. He was beautiful, but to my untrained eye, he looked no different than the other kittens - just bigger.

I love Bengals, but ended up getting my DSH Speck instead from a high kill shelter. (This is a little off the subject of your survey, but I had also considered adopting a Bengal from a rescue group in SC. They never returned my emails. Communication is so important.) Thank you for allowing me to participate in your survey. You've always been so helpful when I've had questions.

 

[KittenKrazy]

Nial, when you read my answers, remember that I am a retired breeder....but I am going to answer your questions like I would if I were only planning to adopt a kitten for the kitten itself, not as a potential breeder, you and I both know that falls under a whole different line of questions, lol!!!


1. How concerned are you that the kitten you purchase comes from parents/ancestors that are titled champion and higher cats?2

2. How concerned are you that your kitten meets all the breed standards?3

3. Regardless if you plan to show your kitten or not, how important is it that your kitten is near show quality?2

4. How important is it to you that your chosen breeder shows their cats and has champion cats on the premises?2

5. How important is temperament/socialization in your new kitten?5

6. How would you rate the importance of good temperament over appearance?4

7. How important is it to you that your chosen breeder has a clean facility?5 although I know that some days are better than others, most definitely!

8. How important is it to you that a breeder does not advertise in a newspaper?
2
9. Rate your importance of the following statement: My breeder tests for known genetic diseases and will not breed without testing.4

10. How important is it to you that you have a contract for any animal you purchase?3

11. How important is a no-exclusion return clause in your contract?2

12. How important is it that your cat be spay/neutered prior to transfer to you?3

13. How important is it that your cat be up to date on Vaccines prior to transfer to you?3

14. Rate your importance of the following statement: Kittens will not be released to new owners until they are 12 to 14 weeks old.5

Please rate the following in regards to a kitten:

15. Appearance and beauty is important to me5

16. Temperament is important to me5

17. Health is important to me5

18. Lineage is important to me3

19. Breeder reputation is important to me5

20. Breeder alliance with breed organizations is important to me3

Last 5 questions…….

21. How important is it that your chosen breeder’s home not smell like cats?4 I think that depends on the type of odor? I know that if a breeder works all day that it's a job to keep on top of every odor, all the time....and if you have intact males on the premises, that's some tough stuff!

22. How important is it that a breeder’s cats not be caged?5 This is probably my biggest problem with a lot of breeders...yes there are times when it is necessary, but I will not buy from a breeder who's kits spend all their life in a cage, or even in a totally separate facility 24/7....they're rarely ever properly socialized to humans...been there, seen it...ugh!

23. How important is it to you what your chosen breeder’s cats are being fed?4as long as it's good nutrition, not so worried about the brand

24. How important to you, is it that you are able to visit the sire and dam of your chosen kitten?3It's a great thing when it's possible, but since some breeders only keep dams and "rent" stud service, sometimes can be impossible...we kept both when we were breeding, so wasn't an issue, but both of our original breeder pair we only got to meet the dam.

25. How important is it to you that your breeder send you weekly updates and pics of the kitten you are waiting for?2

 

[whiteforest]

1. How concerned are you that the kitten you purchase comes from parents/ancestors that are titled champion and higher cats? 5

2. How concerned are you that your kitten meets all the breed standards? 4

3. Regardless if you plan to show your kitten or not, how important is it that your kitten is near show quality? 4

4. How important is it to you that your chosen breeder shows their cats and has champion cats on the premises? 5

5. How important is temperament/socialization in your new kitten? 5

6. How would you rate the importance of good temperament over appearance? 5

7. How important is it to you that your chosen breeder has a clean facility? 5

8. How important is it to you that a breeder does not advertise in a newspaper? 5

9. Rate your importance of the following statement: My breeder tests for known genetic diseases and will not breed without testing. 5

10. How important is it to you that you have a contract for any animal you purchase? 3

11. How important is a no-exclusion return clause in your contract? 2

12. How important is it that your cat be spay/neutered prior to transfer to you? 2

13. How important is it that your cat be up to date on Vaccines prior to transfer to you? 4

14. Rate your importance of the following statement: Kittens will not be released to new owners until they are 12 to 14 weeks old. 3

Please rate the following in regards to a kitten:

15. Appearance and beauty is important to me 4

16. Temperament is important to me 5

17. Health is important to me 5

18. Lineage is important to me 4

19. Breeder reputation is important to me 5

20. Breeder alliance with breed organizations is important to me 2

Last 5 questions…….

21. How important is it that your chosen breeder’s home not smell like cats? 5

22. How important is it that a breeder’s cats not be caged? 5

23. How important is it to you what your chosen breeder’s cats are being fed? 3

24. How important to you, is it that you are able to visit the sire and dam of your chosen kitten? 3

25. How important is it to you that your breeder send you weekly updates and pics of the kitten you are waiting for? 5

All answers are assuming I was buying a purebred cat for a pet. That said, all of my cats are rescues so I kind of used how I approached finding a breeder when I got my dog to help me answer some of the questions.

 

[goldenkitty45]

Please answer each question on a scale of 1 to 5.
5: extremely important
4: important
3: somewhat important
2: nice to know but I’m not worried about it
1: not important

1.\tHow concerned are you that the kitten you purchase comes from parents/ancestors that are titled champion and higher cats?

5 - very important to me in a purebred cat.

2.\tHow concerned are you that your kitten meets all the breed standards?

5 - since I would be buying a show cat, it wuold be very important.


3.\tRegardless if you plan to show your kitten or not, how important is it that your kitten is near show quality?

5 - same as #2 - I would not be buying a purebred just as a pet - so it would have to be near or show quality.

4.\tHow important is it to you that your chosen breeder shows their cats and has champion cats on the premises?

4 - important - shows me they keep on top of what is out there and is not cattery blind, just breeding purebred cats to breed them or make money.

5.\tHow important is temperament/socialization in your new kitten?

4 - important - I can work with them, so they don't have to be perfect when I get them.

6.\tHow would you rate the importance of good temperament over appearance?

3 - somewhat important - you can work with temperaments for the most part and make them better.

7.\tHow important is it to you that your chosen breeder has a clean facility?

4 - important - you want a good healthy cat - being clean will prevent a lot of problems.

8.\tHow important is it to you that a breeder does not advertise in a newspaper?

2 - nice to know. I have advertised my Cornish in newspapers once or twice if needed but had a waiting list so it usually was not needed.

9.\tRate your importance of the following statement: My breeder tests for known genetic diseases and will not breed without testing.

4 or 5 - for the most part, I've never bought from a breeder that didn't test before breeding.

10.\tHow important is it to you that you have a contract for any animal you purchase?

5 - VERY important - I always had a contract for my cats and expect the same from any breeder I buy from.

11.\tHow important is a no-exclusion return clause in your contract?

???? - not sure what you mean by a "no-exclusion return clause" Nial.

12.\t How important is it that your cat be spay/neutered prior to transfer to you?

4 - since most all breeders do it now, there is no problem and its more convienent to me. But in the past breeders never neutered before 6-8 months old and there was usually no problem in the people getting it done. Our first Cornish Rex we bought as a kitten was neutered by 8 months old by us.

13.\t How important is it that your cat be up to date on Vaccines prior to transfer to you?

4 - most all breeders have given all shots by the time you get the kitten at 3-4 months old - so not an issue.

14.\tRate your importance of the following statement: Kittens will not be released to new owners until they are 12 to 14 weeks old.

5 - VERY important (and be neutered/spayed too) - personally I would rather it be 16 weeks old and everything done. Don't really agree with earlier then 16 weeks for purebred cats.

Please rate the following in regards to a kitten:

15.\tAppearance and beauty is important to me

4 - important - even when choosing a HHP to show.

16.\tTemperament is important to me

4 - important

17.\tHealth is important to me

4 - important

18.\tLineage is important to me

4 or 5 - I love to study the pedigrees of my cats and trace them. I like to learn what are the good cats/catteries in the background.

19.\tBreeder reputation is important to me

4 - and recommendations from other breeders is very helpful too.

20.\tBreeder alliance with breed organizations is important to me

4 - since the breeder is showing, there is no problem because they would be in a breed organization anyway

Last 5 questions…….

21.\tHow important is it that your chosen breeder’s home not smell like cats?

4 - because a breeder has studs, its sometimes hard to have a really clean smelling house, but you need to have clean cages, litter pans, etc. and keep up with any kind of spraying.

22.\tHow important is it that a breeder’s cats not be caged?

4 - most all breeding males have to be caged sooner or later. Not everyone has a room to keep a male, but if the cages are close to or walk-in cages its ok - I have no problem with caged breeding cats.

23.\tHow important is it to you what your chosen breeder’s cats are being fed?

5 - duhhhhhhhhhhh is you want a healthy cat you feed them quality foods!

24.\tHow important to you, is it that you are able to visit the sire and dam of your chosen kitten?

3 or 4 - you cannot always do this if the breeder lives far away but you can find out a lot in other ways.

25.\tHow important is it to you that your breeder send you weekly updates and pics of the kitten you are waiting for?

3 - somewhat important - breeders are busy. Some can get you updated pics more often then others. I would say at least contact once or twice a month - weekly is pushing it

 

[catnurse22]

Originally Posted by Kai Bengals

Please answer each question on a scale of 1 to 5.
5: extremely important
4: important
3: somewhat important
2: nice to know but Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m not worried about it
1: not important

1.\tHow concerned are you that the kitten you purchase comes from parents/ancestors that are titled champion and higher cats? 2

2.\tHow concerned are you that your kitten meets all the breed standards? 3

3.\tRegardless if you plan to show your kitten or not, how important is it that your kitten is near show quality? 3

4.\tHow important is it to you that your chosen breeder shows their cats and has champion cats on the premises? 2

5.\tHow important is temperament/socialization in your new kitten? 5

6.\tHow would you rate the importance of good temperament over appearance? 5

7.\tHow important is it to you that your chosen breeder has a clean facility? 5

8.\tHow important is it to you that a breeder does not advertise in a newspaper? 4

9.\tRate your importance of the following statement: My breeder tests for known genetic diseases and will not breed without testing. 5!!!!!

10.\tHow important is it to you that you have a contract for any animal you purchase? 5

11.\tHow important is a no-exclusion return clause in your contract?
4
12.\t How important is it that your cat be spay/neutered prior to transfer to you?
2
13.\t How important is it that your cat be up to date on Vaccines prior to transfer to you? 4

14.\tRate your importance of the following statement: Kittens will not be released to new owners until they are 12 to 14 weeks old. 5

Please rate the following in regards to a kitten:

15.\tAppearance and beauty is important to me 3

16.\tTemperament is important to me 5

17.\tHealth is important to me 5

18.\tLineage is important to me 3

19.\tBreeder reputation is important to me 4

20.\tBreeder alliance with breed organizations is important to me 4

Last 5 questions…….

21.\tHow important is it that your chosen breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s home not smell like cats? 4

22.\tHow important is it that a breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s cats not be caged? 5

23.\tHow important is it to you what your chosen breederâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s cats are being fed? 5

24.\tHow important to you, is it that you are able to visit the sire and dam of your chosen kitten? 5

25.\tHow important is it to you that your breeder send you weekly updates and pics of the kitten you are waiting for? 4

I would never purchase a cat, other than rehoming fees. There are just far too many kitties needing a home.... I would get a purebred cat in a rescue situation. But really...maybe a sphnx or a bengal or an oci. Nothing like a Maine Coon, Persian, Exotic Shorthair, etc. I've just seen way too many health problems with them being a vet tech. You can't beat street cat genetics,

.

 

[fisheater]

All the following questions are answered for purchasing a purebred as a pet and not for show.

1. How concerned are you that the kitten you purchase comes from parents/ancestors that are titled champion and higher cats?
3 - our purebred kitten is a pet and we do not plan to show

2. How concerned are you that your kitten meets all the breed standards?
3

3. Regardless if you plan to show your kitten or not, how important is it that your kitten is near show quality?
3

4. How important is it to you that your chosen breeder shows their cats and has champion cats on the premises?
3

5. How important is temperament/socialization in your new kitten?
5 - It is very important to me that the kitten be socialized properly. In fact this is the main reason why we decided to get a kitten from a breeder over a shelter rescue. We wanted a kitten who had been treated with nothing but love from day 1 by humans.

6. How would you rate the importance of good temperament over appearance?
5 - Having a good temperament is very important to me

7. How important is it to you that your chosen breeder has a clean facility?
4 - cleanliness prevents health problems and the health of the kitten is very important to me

8. How important is it to you that a breeder does not advertise in a newspaper?
1 - I wasn't aware that this is a bad thing for a breeder to do?

9. Rate your importance of the following statement: My breeder tests for known genetic diseases and will not breed without testing.
5 - For the kitten to be happy and healthy is my main concern

10. How important is it to you that you have a contract for any animal you purchase?
4 - I feel that a contract is just as important to the breeder as it is to the buyer.

11. How important is a no-exclusion return clause in your contract?
not sure what is meant by this... return for a full refund or returning without a refund?

12. How important is it that your cat be spay/neutered prior to transfer to you?
5 - personally I prefer the cat be fixed before transferring to me. That way the breeder already knows the cat is fixed and doesn't have to rely on the buyer to do it and the buyer doesn't have to run the risk of health complications during the procedure. (This actually happened to me with my Maine Coon I got from a breeder. There were genetic complications with the neuter and ended up costing us about $150 extra). If the breeder adds this extra cost into the purchase price of the kitten I would prefer kitten to be fixed prior to transfer.

13. How important is it that your cat be up to date on Vaccines prior to transfer to you?
4 - Its not a big issue to me if not up to date although I would expect them to be if the breeder was a reputable one, as long as the records of what the kitten has received are provided then I do not have a problem. I would expect records to be provided by the breeder regardless.

14. Rate your importance of the following statement: Kittens will not be released to new owners until they are 12 to 14 weeks old.
5 - I always have the best interest of the kitten as my main concern. I believe its best for the kitten not to be released prior to 12 weeks.

Please rate the following in regards to a kitten:

15. Appearance and beauty is important to me
3 - keep in mind we purchased our purebred as a pet and not for showing

16. Temperament is important to me
5 - I specifically got a kitten from a breeder because we wanted a kitten that had been socialized properly. Appearance is important yes, but having a wonderful loving healthy companion was our highest priority

17. Health is important to me
5 - very important!

18. Lineage is important to me
3

19. Breeder reputation is important to me
4 - I would not buy a kitten from a breeder with a bad reputation. I would adopt a kitten from the shelter before I would buy from a breeder with a bad rep.

20. Breeder alliance with breed organizations is important to me
3

Last 5 questions…….

21. How important is it that your chosen breeder’s home not smell like cats?
4 - not necessarily that it not smell like cats but that the home not smell like feces/urine, and litterboxes kept clean and maintained. This helps prevent health problems in the cats.

22. How important is it that a breeder’s cats not be caged?
5 - I prefer the cats not be caged but that is my personal opinioin

23. How important is it to you what your chosen breeder’s cats are being fed?
4 - As long as the cats are not eating complete junk food like Meow Mix, I understand if the breeder doesn't feed the highest quality food available. But I do expect a moderately healthy food to be fed.

24. How important to you, is it that you are able to visit the sire and dam of your chosen kitten?
3

25. How important is it to you that your breeder send you weekly updates and pics of the kitten you are waiting for?
3 - while updates are always nice, they certainly are not required weekly. I would however expect to be updated immediately if there is any problems with the kitten.

I would like to add one additional thing not mentioned above. Good communication from the breeder is very important to me. While I realize that breeders are busy and have their own lives, I do expect e-mails and phone calls to be returned in a reasonable amount of time. The breeder we bought our kitten from was really bad about returning e-mails and never answered the phone. We had no idea for about two weeks if she received our deposit check or how our kitten was doing. It was in our contract that we also were to receive our kitten's registration papers upon sending her proof of getting the kitten neutered. We sent her the proof and so far we have tried to contact her numerous times and no response. We love our baby. He is happy, healthy, beautiful and has a wonderful personality, but we will not be purchasing from this breeder again simply due to the lack of communication on the breeder's part.