Buying a breeding queen

siamese

Before buying a breeding queen, consider the following:

Is your home suitable for rearing kittens? Ornaments scattered around a house may not survive a healthy litter of kittens and trailing wires may be hazardous.
It is better to buy a kitten rather than an older queen so that there is time to develop a bond before the first litter of kittens comes along. The potential queen should be visited in her home and her siblings and mother should be observed for type and behaviour. If the stud is owned by the breeder, he should also be viewed. The pedigrees of the queen should be checked to exclude potential problems.
Is there a suitable stud cat in the vicinity? Some of the rarer breeds of cats may be scattered around the country, requiring a long journey with a yowling queen. I know of one breeder in Northern Ireland who had to travel to England to find a stud cat. This is not advisable, so do your research first.
Although all kittens will have had a health check when they were vaccinated, you may wish your own vet examines the kitten before purchasing it.
The new owners of the kittens you will breed should receive a receipt of purchase, a four-generation pedigree, a certificate of kitten registration and transfer of ownership with a suitable body such as the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF). Expect all of this from the breeder of your queen.
It is very important to screen any queen for feline leukaemia virus before you breed with her.