im not a breeder, though i am fascinated. i would LOVE to breed cats, but do not feel i will be ready for a loooong time, i have recently had my kitty neutered. but would love to eventually look into breeding. ive been stalking the breeding section for weeks and googling lots of information, perhaps in the distant future i may be able to join you ladies and become a breeder(perhaps not).

would love to visit a show at some point and meet some of you ladies

i love hearing about experiences and different breeds, how did you become a breeder? and what cats do you breed?? im fascinated about the cat shows too do you ever get nervous?? and how do they judge the cats?? xx

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I started the wrong way 5 years ago - and then turned it into the right way very quickly - not the way uyou shold do it. I started because I liked kittens and THOUGHT I could make money selling them - hahahahahahahahahah. However, I was very quickly a) set right and b) hooked. I started with a Birman who since developed HCM and now breed RagsMuffins (and hope to get a Selkirk Rex too) - I love the idea of helping a new breed become established in the UK, I love the genetics of it all, introducing new bloodlines and colours etc. I get excited learning about it all.

I've only recently started showing but am hooked on that too - the first show is scary but after that it quickly loses it's fear and it's a good social event most of the time. It's great talking to other breeders and breeders of other cat breeds. Having few rosettes helps too. Peds are judged on how well they conform to the breed standard in colur sections etc. The judges are in the hall without the owners at a GCCF show - TICA shows are different and I have yet to experience one. We always need new breeders willing to do it right - we are on average a quite old bunch! HTH

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please look at my website - www.finesthourcats.webs.com - for gorgeous GCCF registered RagaMuffins and Selkirk Rex

I've not yet bred but hope to do so this year. I did so because I fell in love with my breed [Birmans] and enjoyed showing them. When I was looking at breeds I was thinking about personality, looks and health. Birmans had the semi-long haired look I wanted with the very sweet colourpoint coat and an adorable lapcat personality. Health wise they are generally quite strong with many living to 20 years old.

As for shows, that's how we started with the cats over three years ago. We started showing our Maine Coon and decided that they are an amazing breed but not THE breed for us. Birmans have a bit more to the show prep that I feel gives me as an exhibitor something I can aim for on the show day rather than only a wipe down of a cat and the decision being pre-determined at my cat's birth. I was nervous when we first went but am not so much now. You always get a buzz when your cat does well, though, and if you don't it doesn't matter as my cats are gorgeous to me. We've met some lovely people at shows too and is certainly the best way to get involved in breeding if that is what you want to do.

The decision made by judges is based on a 'standard' set out for each breed. Each breed has a weight to different features to demonstrate how important it is such as coat, colour, tail, feet, ears etc. Most cats being judged are a high standard as most breeders don't show cats/kittens that they don't think will do well so most decisions are hard though there may be faults that develop or have not been seen by owners or judges may prefer a 'type' to another.

Cat shows are great fun, it usually involves a very long tiring day and the amount of info on your breed that you can pick up at shows is amazing. plus you get to make some great friends ( and the odd enemy )lol....ive met quite a few members from this forum at different shows, most of them like me are Barmy though hahahahaha, if your a cat owner i can really recommend attending shows...........best wishes.....Chris

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wow thanks so mcuh for the replies,i would love to visit a show . perhaps i will when we finally decide on our new one(mc).

spid, im am intrigued by the different personalities and temperments thedifferent breeds have...

i was very naive and probably ignorant in thinking a cat is just a cat.... for the past year ive been obsessing over pedigree cats(i love the moggies too, ofcourse i have one and shes my baby ) but something about the genes intrigues me.. the more im reading about specific breeds the more i realise how fascinating they are , i would like to think im knowledgeable about cats >>but im not not yet anyway. there are a few breeds that have attracted me with their looks and nature.. maine coons,persians and ragdolls


messy hearts thankyou so much! i love birman`s , i think its wonderful looking at the genetics off a certain cat to determine what kind of kittens that cat may have,its wonderful. you ladies are very clever . hope i can learn alot from you. even if i dont try my hand at breeding i still find it fascinating how much you care about your cats. x

chris it sounds like a lot of fun! may i ask where any of the shows are? im happy to travel i live in north wales so closer ofcourse would be great.

id love to pop along some time thanks for the info.

i will say when i first become interested in cats..i wondered how breeders could justify creating more lives when they are so many already needing homes... what i didnt realise is that there are positive reasons for this, to make happy , healthy cats. i happily spayed my beautiful moggy as beautiful as she is, she is not pedigree(altough her parents were-but they are different breeds), i knew one i would not have the experience i needed to breed her, and two not being a pedigree kittens would be difficult to sell and to the wrong people too!

still hope to learn lots more before i even consider it. i know there is also alot of cost involved and i imagine its so time consuming!x

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Hi if you click on the link ive attached it will give you all the GCCF sanctioned shows for 2012.and i think there will be a few quite closed to your area ....best wishes........Chris

the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy

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Support Bacteria, its the only culture some people have.

Its far better to keep your mouth shut, and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.!!!!!!!

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cats all have different personalities - and every breeder obviously think their breed it the best. I'd never met such a wonderful temperament whenI got Minnii my Birman - she confidence and affectionateness was a real compliment to her breeder. But h=she huffs, and is also sulky (yet hilarious with it). I still love Birmans but breeding them is hard (there's the HCM and those blooming foot markings are so difficult.) Coda is another kettle of fish - take Minnii's good points and multiply them 10 fold and you have her. SHe is just even more brilliant again! She is loving, and gentle and funny, and cuddly, and scrumptious and I don't need to worry about markings! The Selkirks that I am looking at are much the same supposedly - as are Ragdolls etc. I expect every breeder will tell you the same about their breed. Really you need to go to shows talk to breeders and also visit some breeders in their homes to assess the cats temperament there - a show is an alien place for a cat.

I chose the RagaMuffin for the colour choices, semi-longhaired, no worries about markings, friendly, soft, cuddle-able, confident etc. I visited two different breeders to convince myself I liked the breed. I emailed loads of people, read up on the breed and then made my decision. Selkirks I love for the coat and the quirky looks. They seem similar to Muffins in temperament too so I reckon they would go nicely in the house together. I don't want a very noisy or needy or energetic or skinny/ bony or to extreme a cat. So no Burmese, Siamese, Devon Rex, Sphinx, Persian extremes or Bengals for me. I also want my cats to be quite pretty and not require too much grooming. Muffins are okay with twice a week. I'm a wee bit fussy. I do also like Maine Coon, NFCs, Siberians, and Somalis - but I can't have them all. I also like being at the introduction of a breed - makes me feel a little special.

EDIT: excuse the mistakes Coda is sleeping no my tyoing hand!!!!

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please look at my website - www.finesthourcats.webs.com - for gorgeous GCCF registered RagaMuffins and Selkirk Rex

I agree with spid. All breeds are wonderful. None are perfect though, it's a matter of finding one that you love the most. We've had two breeds so far that we love, Maine Coon and Birman, we just love Birmans more and even then it is for 'silly' reasons like their wees/poos are smaller and cause less damage as energetic kittens!!

I had wanted to breed since I was 18 years old, I am now 48 and me and my husband Kevin have just started my dream to breed at the beginning of last year.

There is so much to think about so before I started I wrote down all I could and this is a list I put together, it really helped me decide which breed to go for and how to go about everything...

Hope it will help you too if you decide to breed....

Check List
Breeding kitten… buy her £450
Queen Blood Tests - we will need to show the owner of the stud cat a note from our vet confirming she has been tested and is negative for feline aids and leukaemia... around £60 This has to be done 24 hours before each mating.
Membership costs for the Siamese Cat Association £12
GCCF Prefix Registration £75
Queen Insurances
Kitten Insurances will be offered
Health check for Queen + each litter...
Stud fees - £150 to £200 per visit
Annual vaccinations and worming for the Queen...£30 but can vary depending where you live
First and Second vaccination per kitten...around £60 put varies from town to town
Worming per kitten.
Kitten pack per kitten - we plan to make up a pack to accompany each kitten; comprising of pedigree papers, GCCF registration papers, transfer of ownership certificate, kitten food, a few toys and a small photo album for each kitten; from them being born until going to their new home or a photo cd and a cat book.
Registration per kitten with GCCF... Which costs around £10
Pedigree Papers - purchased from GCCF a pack of 10 blank pedigree certificates costs £7.50 we fill them in using the pedigree certificates for our queen and stud (the owner of the stud provides us with a copy of his pedigree).
Extra Food for Queens per litter
Food per kitten (allowing from 3 weeks to 12 weeks old)
Litter for Queen and kittens


All in all it came to quite a total and made us realise that it wasn‘t going to be much of a money spinner; it would however be something that we had both set our hearts on to do together and a programme that we would not be prepared to cut corners on…our Cats and our Kittens would always be our most important concern and not the pounds and pence.

We have three kittens all have homes to go to in a few weeks time.

If you get the chance take a look at our website... we have also designed websites for other breeders so if you do set up breeding and need a site feel free to get in touch if you would like.

Also depending on the breed you choose you may need to have them PKD or HCM tested which can be quite expensive. HCM needs to be done at every mating and is a few hundred pounds I think... also some have to be compatible with the stud and has to have a blood group test otherwise kittens could die if she isn't compatible with the stud...This isn't necessary with Siamese and some other breeds.

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