One thing you might think about is whether you are looking for just pets or to breed or to show. I'm sure you've said so please excuse me for forgetting!

If it's show then the breed recognition is going to be an issue. It's really good fun, in my experience, to be in early on a breed, before it has full recognition, so that you can help with breed progress. I was just able to do this with the Burmillas but wish I had been in earlier. But go in too early and you run the risk of getting a breed that is never going to be recognised. There are several Burmilla breeders who like the idea of the Australian Mist for example but we can't see the GCCF ever recognising it because it is too much like a Burmilla. Other bodies may be different, I wouldn't know.

I don't see why finding good breeders should be an issue. If anything I'd say you are most likely to find the bad breeders with the most popular and / or most oversubscribed breeds. At the moment I'd say that is British and Bengals.

Liz