More tips on selecting a reputable breeder.

Ok, here are some more tips you may find useful-

-Inspect the animal, thoroughly.
Inspect the claws, make sure they're intact.
Inspect that the eyes are clear.
Inspect the fur, look for fleas. Fleas like the back by the tail, and around the face. Also if you see little black specks, this may be "flea dust," coming off the animal, which is the fleas feces. YUCK!!
Check for any sores or hair loss in spots.
Make sure it looks like the proper weight, if it's bones are protruding.
Check the tail.
See how the animal responds to you, it may be shy, but it should not show aggression towards you, the breeder, or other animals.
If you are buying a particular breed, check on what traits and characteristic the animal should have, verify them with the breeder.
If at ANY time the breader becomes agitated or will not answer questions, walk away. They should be cooperative, open, and willing to assist you in your purchase.

Internet sales

Ok, this is the first of my posts dealing with how to select a good breeder. The breed of cat I wanted did not have a local breeder, so I went looking on the Internet. I found one. I looked at her website, noticed she had a "Beware of bad breeders section," how ironic. I noticed she had sold cats to other breeders, she was a member of TICA, her cats were TICA papered, she was also a member of a "Highlander Breeders Group." I checked on the Internet for any complaints about her cattery, or herself. Nada. She had a contract that I had to sign, saying she would replace the kitten if found to have FELV (feline leukemia,) or a congenital defect. I decided that when all of this checked out, it was probably ok for me to buy from her. WRONG!!!

My beautiful kitten came to me directly from the out of state breeder infested with fleas, ear mites, and a claw that may need to be removed due to injury. This has caused me additional vet bills, medication for the kitten, cleaning and sanitizing my home and furniture to prevent flea problems there, as well as emotional distress and lots of time lost trying to take care of the issues. So, here are a few tips I have found (hindsight is 20/20 of course,) to help future pet buyers, and don't worry, there are more to come.


-First and foremost, do not buy an animal without seeing it first if at all possible!
-Make sure the animal comes with a Health Certificate stating it is healthy, and specifying in which ways.
-Make sure the contract is specific and fair to the buyer and seller, and that it specifies congenital diseases as well as parasites, worms, and things such as claws, ears etc

The beginning....

I am starting this blog to help prospective pet buyers know when they should purchase, or when they should walk away from a breeder. It's hard to know, but I have had a bad experience, really bad. I'd like to help you, the readers avoid these mistakes and be able to just enjoy your new pet.