How to Breed Cats
Pick what breed of cat you want., Network., Pick a queen (female) carefully., Find a good stud., Make a vet appointment for your queen just before you breed., Plan a budget., Consider carefully.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Pick what breed of cat you want.
There are almost always plenty of kittens in animal shelters, and breeding pure-bred or pedigreed cats is a good way to make sure your kittens have something to recommend them over the rescue cats.
Picking the breed that you like most is certainly an option, but if you have any concern about finding homes for the kittens, consider selecting your parent cats from a popular breed that isn't already represented in your area. -
Step 2: Network.
Many breeders won't sell a cat with breeding potential to someone with no experience in the world of cat breeding and showing.If you already have a cat, take it to some shows (most shows have sections for cats that aren't a specific breed), and make some contacts. , In addition being in good health and of an age appropriate for breeding (at least 18-24 months), here are some things to take into account:
Does she display the standard characteristics of her breed? Does she have the correct paperwork detailing her ancestry? Does she have breeding rights? Did her mother or grandmother have any pregnancy complications? Cats that have been shown and done well will produce more desirable kittens, so consider whether you can show her successfully (or whether she has already been shown).
Is she friendly and sociable? (These are inherited traits!) , Most of the things you look for in a queen are very similar to those you want in a stud
- character, looks, breed status, and health are equally important.
Stud owners should have paperwork that demonstrates the current health and breed status of their cat.
It isn’t wise to use a pet cat as a stud.
Normal behavior for un-neutered male cats includes aggression and spraying,and this behavior doesn’t necessarily cease if the tom is later neutered.
Ask around at vets, cat shows, and breeders to find an eligible stud whose not too closely related to your queen.
It’s worth traveling to the right stud if you want it to be easy to find good homes for your kittens. , You need to make sure that both cats are healthy before breeding them.
Some things to have the vet check for are:
Vaccinations should all be up to date FeLV and FIV
- these tests should happen directly before each breeding Ringworm, ear mites and fleas A stool check should be performed for internal parasites Genetic diseases including polycystic kidney disease, hip dysplasia, patellar luxations, and heart disease.
Any breed-specific diseases, Raising kittens is expensive.
The following are estimates of some costs that you should take into consideration:
Veterinary care
- like human mothers, feline mothers need extra veterinary check ups to ensure that the pregnancy is going well, and can have unexpected complications necessitating procedures such as a C-section.
Pre-breeding check up
- $700 During pregnancy check up with ultra-sound
- $160 (or with x-ray $110) Emergency C-section
- at least $300Food
- good quality food for your queen is important thought her entire life, but especially during pregnancy.
You also need to make sure her kittens have good quality food as they are weaned
- this is essential to their development.
You should budget for things like fresh chicken, fish, special kitten food, and raw good quality minced beef, all of which are good for weaned kittens.Food for the queen during pregnancy and lactation
- $147 Emergency food for the kittens if something goes wrong with their milk supply
- $20 Registration fees
- $155 for your first year as a breeder.
If you want your kittens to have the advantage of a pedigree, you need to register yourself as a breeder and register your queen, and each litter.
Heating, in the winter.
Kittens need to be kept warm all the time, and in the winter, this can add up to a sizable bill., There are a lot of unwanted kittens in the world, so you should be sure you want to breed more cats before starting.
If your main reason for wanting to breed cats is to have kittens to play with, consider volunteering for your local animal shelter
- most shelters send rescue kittens home with trained volunteers until they are weaned and ready to be adopted.
Some other things to take into considerations are:
Money
- can you afford all of the costs of kitten-raising if you don't manage to make a profit selling the kittens? Time
- breeding cats and raising kittens are both time intensive activities
- you should not leave an expectant mother or little kittens alone for extended periods of time (even a work-day is too long).
Finding homes for the kittens
- is there a market for bred cats in your area? Are you prepared to do the marketing required to find good homes for them? Any home is not a good home; you're responsible for making sure that the people who adopt your kittens aren't going to get tired of them, or get rid of them because the cat developed bad behavior due to poor treatment.
Ethical issues
- while there are some people who are looking for specific appearance of characteristics in cats that are only found in purebreds, consider whether your kittens might end up in homes that would have been equally happy with a rescue cat.
Every year in the US
1.4 million adoptable cats are euthanized in shelters because no suitable home for them can be found., -
Step 3: Pick a queen (female) carefully.
-
Step 4: Find a good stud.
-
Step 5: Make a vet appointment for your queen just before you breed.
-
Step 6: Plan a budget.
-
Step 7: Consider carefully.
Detailed Guide
There are almost always plenty of kittens in animal shelters, and breeding pure-bred or pedigreed cats is a good way to make sure your kittens have something to recommend them over the rescue cats.
Picking the breed that you like most is certainly an option, but if you have any concern about finding homes for the kittens, consider selecting your parent cats from a popular breed that isn't already represented in your area.
Many breeders won't sell a cat with breeding potential to someone with no experience in the world of cat breeding and showing.If you already have a cat, take it to some shows (most shows have sections for cats that aren't a specific breed), and make some contacts. , In addition being in good health and of an age appropriate for breeding (at least 18-24 months), here are some things to take into account:
Does she display the standard characteristics of her breed? Does she have the correct paperwork detailing her ancestry? Does she have breeding rights? Did her mother or grandmother have any pregnancy complications? Cats that have been shown and done well will produce more desirable kittens, so consider whether you can show her successfully (or whether she has already been shown).
Is she friendly and sociable? (These are inherited traits!) , Most of the things you look for in a queen are very similar to those you want in a stud
- character, looks, breed status, and health are equally important.
Stud owners should have paperwork that demonstrates the current health and breed status of their cat.
It isn’t wise to use a pet cat as a stud.
Normal behavior for un-neutered male cats includes aggression and spraying,and this behavior doesn’t necessarily cease if the tom is later neutered.
Ask around at vets, cat shows, and breeders to find an eligible stud whose not too closely related to your queen.
It’s worth traveling to the right stud if you want it to be easy to find good homes for your kittens. , You need to make sure that both cats are healthy before breeding them.
Some things to have the vet check for are:
Vaccinations should all be up to date FeLV and FIV
- these tests should happen directly before each breeding Ringworm, ear mites and fleas A stool check should be performed for internal parasites Genetic diseases including polycystic kidney disease, hip dysplasia, patellar luxations, and heart disease.
Any breed-specific diseases, Raising kittens is expensive.
The following are estimates of some costs that you should take into consideration:
Veterinary care
- like human mothers, feline mothers need extra veterinary check ups to ensure that the pregnancy is going well, and can have unexpected complications necessitating procedures such as a C-section.
Pre-breeding check up
- $700 During pregnancy check up with ultra-sound
- $160 (or with x-ray $110) Emergency C-section
- at least $300Food
- good quality food for your queen is important thought her entire life, but especially during pregnancy.
You also need to make sure her kittens have good quality food as they are weaned
- this is essential to their development.
You should budget for things like fresh chicken, fish, special kitten food, and raw good quality minced beef, all of which are good for weaned kittens.Food for the queen during pregnancy and lactation
- $147 Emergency food for the kittens if something goes wrong with their milk supply
- $20 Registration fees
- $155 for your first year as a breeder.
If you want your kittens to have the advantage of a pedigree, you need to register yourself as a breeder and register your queen, and each litter.
Heating, in the winter.
Kittens need to be kept warm all the time, and in the winter, this can add up to a sizable bill., There are a lot of unwanted kittens in the world, so you should be sure you want to breed more cats before starting.
If your main reason for wanting to breed cats is to have kittens to play with, consider volunteering for your local animal shelter
- most shelters send rescue kittens home with trained volunteers until they are weaned and ready to be adopted.
Some other things to take into considerations are:
Money
- can you afford all of the costs of kitten-raising if you don't manage to make a profit selling the kittens? Time
- breeding cats and raising kittens are both time intensive activities
- you should not leave an expectant mother or little kittens alone for extended periods of time (even a work-day is too long).
Finding homes for the kittens
- is there a market for bred cats in your area? Are you prepared to do the marketing required to find good homes for them? Any home is not a good home; you're responsible for making sure that the people who adopt your kittens aren't going to get tired of them, or get rid of them because the cat developed bad behavior due to poor treatment.
Ethical issues
- while there are some people who are looking for specific appearance of characteristics in cats that are only found in purebreds, consider whether your kittens might end up in homes that would have been equally happy with a rescue cat.
Every year in the US
1.4 million adoptable cats are euthanized in shelters because no suitable home for them can be found.,
About the Author
Hannah Johnson
Experienced content creator specializing in creative arts guides and tutorials.
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