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Typical a Backyard Breeder

Typical a Reputable Breeder

1. The motive: 

  • "it's fun"
  • "it's nice for the children"
  • to "earn money". 

The will not make andy selection of the buyers and selldom refuse to sell, even if the buyer is inappropriate. 

1. Is devoted to produce kittens of good quality and is seriously interested in their hobby. They will invest so much in their kittens that they struggle to make it even and rarely or never with any profit. Will only sell kittens to approved buyers and will refuse to sell if they feel that they buyer is not appropriate.

2. Is happy to mate the familys pets of the same breed or mixed breed or domestic cat just to get cute kittens.
Many do mix breeds just to be able to charge a bit more even though they in most cases just make up stories about the background of the kittens. Have no understanding or interest in genetics, pedigrees, bloodlines, health tests or breeding programs. Note that a cat "can" have a pedigree and still be from a BYB.

2. Can explain how well planned matings can be used to bring out or minimize specific qualitys through careful selection and outcross. Depending on who experienced the breeder is, they can tell you about health programs, the history of the breed and knows the standard as well as knowing there is no way to predict neighter typ nor size. If they are new the can refer to their mentor who can help with questions they cannot answer themselves.

3. Even if the pet (father/mother to the kittens) might be dearly loved, it has not been tested for genetical problems within the breed in question, neighter regarding other healthproblems like umbilical hernia or  cryptoshism.

3. Will not breed on cats who not met appropriate age. Will make sure to get the cats tested for genetical diseases whithin the breed in question. Can show documents on tests that have been done.

4. The kittens will not get a health certificate, id-marking or be vaccinated. They are unqualified to give help if problems occure. The kittens will be allwas be sold complete.

 4. The kitten will be sold with a healthcertificat not older then 7 days. Vaccinated twice and will be marked with id-chip and a salescontract will be written. The breeder is qualified and willing to help the owners deal with problems that might occur.

5. The seller have no or very little knowledge of the history of the breed/breeds, nor about the rekommendations from the breedclub or the standard. They often claim this is not necessary since the kitten will be "only a pet".

5. Love the breed and can speak a long time about the background, the history, the temper and the idealtyp. 

6. Kittens will be born in temporary housing facilities, sometimes unhealthy, which indicates, lack of longterm investments in breeding and the lack of true care for the kittens wellbeing.  

6. Invested in time and equipment for the female and the kittens. They are born in a good enviroment which is sanitary and loving.

7. Even though they are only selling "pets", they can show registrationpapers of the parents and talk about titles in the pedigrees, as proof of quality.  Still the owner have not bother to increase their own knowledge by attend in catclubs, breedingrings or local lectures. Is not interested in going to shows with their own cats to "prove" quality. 

7. Will always belong to an association like for example FIFe, WCF, CFA, TICA, CFF and so on. Most times also some breeding ring. They show great dedication to their hobby to breed purebred cats. They might go on shows to get an objective test of how well their cat/cats meets the standard. But even if they not go on shows they got good knowledge about what the standard says and knows and can tell about both the good and the bad in their cats regarding to standard.

8. Can be unwilling to show a buyer all of the litter or being unable to show the mother even if she is in the location. Can or will not compare/criticize the kittens or their parents. Will let you pick the kitten without reservation. The often want you to decide quick and pay deposit early often when the kittens are very young.

8. They will show you all of the litter and the mother in a sanitary environment. They will help you evaluate and pick out a kitten. Explain the criterias of a "breedingquality" versus a "petquality" Will explain why only a few will be sold for breeding purpose, they will not be in a hurry to get the deposit while the kittens are very young, they will rather evaluate them long and well.

9. The prices is normaly a couple of thousand to a couple of hundreds below the standard for a purebred registred kitten, but will be marketed as a purebred unregistred or mixed breed. Since a BYB want to get rid of the kittens quickly, they want them to move fast and get paid well. They often got no problem selling kittens over the phone or by mail or to deliver the kitten quick and easy. In many cases they have no problem at all of deliver the kittens before the age of 12 weeks even though there is an animalprotection law that forbids this.

9. The prices will be in the range of the breed. The price will not reflect all the breeder invested in the kittens. A reputable breeder will selldom make any profit. They selldom sell kittens without personal contact. They will not let any kitten leave before 12 weeks of age, they will often keep them longer. Will most of the times demand a visit from you before you will be allowed to pay deposit on the kitten.

10. Does not worry about the future of the individual kitten, or the breed/breeds as a whole. If you cannot keep the kitten you will not get any help or support in the rehoming-process. 

10. Will keep helping you with questions about the care of the kittens, guide you through problems. Will eighter take back the kitten or help you and guide you during the process of rehoming, rather then see it fall into the wrong hands. 



Some guidelines when you will pick your breeder!

  1. A reputable breeder will not breed on cats younger then a year old. A reputable catbreeder will do (and can prove) health tests for the breed in question. And will also demand that the father of the litter also got those if they would rely on studservice: So make sure whats applies for the breed you are interested in.
  2. Watch out for breeders who mock testing and says their lines are without problems. There is not lines without problems, we can only do as much as we can by testing and make sure to evaluate generation for generation.
  3. A good breeder will explain the importance of neutering all cats who are not planned to go into a breeding program and will explain that they will be enjoy life best as neuters. Birthcontrol pill increase the risk of mammary tumors and the risk of uterus infection is big. Both of those are life threathening.
  4. A reputable breeder will sell the kitten with a written contract. What this looks like will vary a lot but it will contain the buyer and sellers obligations and rights, healthinformation and maybe repurchase policy.
  5. A reputable breeder shows passion, love and good knowledge about the breed. He or she cares about placing the kittens in good homes and will interview potential buyers well and can ask for referenses and also refuse to sell if the home is not considered appropriate.
  6. A reputable breeder will keep the kitens as long as it takes for them to find the kittens a good home.
  7. Most breeders will not sell a kitten that will be allowed to run outdoors freely. The will demand cat run or leash. 
  8. Environment (usually a home) where the breeders cats lives will be clean. Do not accept to meet a breeder outside the home. Trust your instinct here!
  9. A reputable breeder is activly engaged in cats in general, including cat shows, breeding rings, or cat associations. Even if there is exceptions of course - an older retired breeder maybe already been going for shows for 20 years might not be that interested in going on the cat shows anymore. A person that got no contact at all with other breeders is more suspicious. 
  10.  A reputable breeder will give you guide you and give you answers on questions you might have, and can give you name on earlier buyers of kittens (of course after given consent from the earlier buyers).
  11. At a reputable breeder you can meet all the kittens and both parents IF the father is living there, if the father is not avalible pictures will be shown and give you information about how to contact the owner of the father in case of questions, if you are interested in that.
  12. A reputable breeder will do some followup of the kittens. He or she is interested to follow how the kittens will develop physical and in temper and would like to know if there are any trouble in the relation to the owner or with other cats or if there are any healthproblem.  
  13. A reputable breeder will not let the kitten move until they are 12 weeks old and many times not before 12-16 weeks of age. This is for your own sake, so that you will get a kitten as confident and nice as possible.

By: Malin Sundqvist

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