It seems to be going on an explosion of cats sold as purebred but without pedigree (without registration), I have talked to so, so many who bought those cats.

I just can’t stop wondering about what makes people buy a cat without pedigree just to save maybe 1000-1500 SEK (about 100-150 Euro or 105-158 Dollar)?

The only thing I could come up with is that you live in the belief that the pedigree is just a piece of paper, on which the shows relatives.
This couldn’t be more wrong it should rather be compared to some form of qualitystamp, of course there will be exceptions, I’m not in any way says that you without any reservation should go out and by just about any cat, without further examination. of the breeder just because the cat got a pedigree and are registered, absolutely not. But a pedigree says so much more then just the names of the relatives and their registration-numbers.

I will try to write down some good things a pedigree can tell you. Some of this below can be a bit different from country to country, I will write what goes for sweden mainly since thats what I know.

• The breeder is a member of an association and is obligated to follow their rules (in sweden and some other countries also the board of agricultural).
• Both parents is registered in a studbook.
• Both parents need a certificat that they are free from hernia. (Sweden)
• The father must have a certificat that he is not kryptochid, this can be done as earliest at 6 month of age.
• Kittens must be Id-marked with chip. (Sweden)
• Kittens must be vaccinated twice (Sweden)
• They are not allowed to be sold without a health certificate which cannot be older then 7 days.
• The breeder are not allowed to let the female have more then 3 litters in 2 years.
• The kittens are not allowed to leave their mother before they turned 12 weeks old, not a day earlier.
• No kittens are allowed to be withheld registration.
• A breeder who is a member of an association is not allowed to contribute to breeding housecats in any way. Not offer studservice, let a houscat have a litter, not do any mixed breeding.
• To breed to another breed a breeder need to apply for control-breeding, and will then get a pedigree for the kittens.
• A breeder who happen to get a accident-breeding (a female is sneaking out and are mated to a housecat or two breeds in the same home accidently mate, still need to register the litter with a “housecat proof” and report the misstake to it’s association.
• Most breeders do follow the health program for the breed, you can read about what a health program is on www.pawpeds.com or in the article on this page.

A breeder who is caught cheating with a pedigree, or in anyway missbehave will be suspended from the association and can then no longer reigster their kittens. Keep this in mind when you buy a not registred mixed breed or purebred, this can be a breeder who misbehaved and been suspended. Is this someone you want to trust your money?

Through the pedigree you can get help at the association if questions aries and you can follow the generations back and get a lot of information about as well health as other herited factors who might be present behind your kitten.
This is just a few of all that comes with a pedigree, as you can see a pedigree is a lot more then just a piece of paper.
Everyone who whish can a member of an association, in some associations 1 litter are allowed to be registred whitout a catteryname. So as you all can see, if everything is in order, there is really nothing in the way for register the litter.
The costs are not high eighter.

Membership is about 200-350 SEK/Year.

Catteryname is about 750-1500 SEK (this is something that pays just once).

Registration is about 200-350 SEK/Per Kitten.

By: Malin Sundqvist