Welcome to PIF Tails Neuter Site

Breeder

Responsible Breeder

Back Yard Breeder

Mentored

Mentored by respected responsible breeder

No mentor

Educated

Well read on possible genetic problems

Little or no knowledge on genetic problems

Breeds

Breeds to improve breed standard and for the love of cat. Understands that it will overall cost money to breed a good quality litter.

Breeds because they want to and/or they want to make money. No understanding of true cost of breeding to the cat population as a whole or the problems to the badly bred cats

Responsible

Realises that their kittens will be adding to the over population problem. Some of their kittens will be abandoned or bred by back yard breeders. Tries to contain possible problems by taking back any cat bred by them for any reason and adding this to all new kitten contracts.

Thinks that none of their cats add to the over population problem or does not care that they do.

Contracts

Every kitten is adopted after the new owner signs a contract outlining the new owners responsibilities and gives the breeders a legal right to collect any later abandoned cats

No contracts

Cattery

Registered Cattery Name in order to be recognise on the show circuit. All kittens bred under this cattery name will have a common prefix to their registered name. This allows easy tracking of future offspring descending from one of your cats.

No cattery name, no desire to track cats future offspring.

Work

Takes a week off work to be with Queen at time of labour in case of complications

Does not take time of work.

Queen

Responsible Breeder

Back Yard Breeder

Age

Only breeds when Queen is two years old.

Breeds whenever Queen comes into heat.

Papered

Registered as a breeding standard cat. Kittens can be registered and assigned as pet quality or breeding quality dependant on their potential to improve the breed standard

No papers or registered as pet standard pet. In either case none of the kittens can be registered, all kittens will be classified as moggies.

Showed

Showed, to prove that Queen is a good example of breed. Not all pure bred cats are suitable for breeding, cat shows are the best way of ensuring that the cats bred are meeting the breed standard.

Does not show as cats are too poor quality, unpapered cats which can not be entered in shows or the cost of showing is not affordable.

Blood Tested

Regularly blood tested clear before and after each mating.

Does not regularly test their queens, the worst breeders may have never tested their queens and potentially breeding positive kittens.

Genetic Tested

If required for the breed, genetically tests Queen before breeding.

No idea that genetic testing was even an option.

Family Tree

Three generations of papered genetically sound cats on both mother and fathers side.

Little or no knowledge of previous generations and any genetic problems which might be carried.

Lifestyle

Queen kept inside only or has limited outside access via cat run or walks on a leash and harness to prevent unsuitable matings.

Queen inside/outside with no effort made to control additional breeding partners. Cats carry on average four kittens each can have a different father, in a free roaming Queen.

Stud

Responsible Breeder

Back Yard Breeder

Papered

Only considers using Stud services from a fully registered breeding quality cat. This ensures that the kittens can be registered and assigned as pet quality or breeding quality dependant on their potential to improve the breed standard

Does not care if Stud cat is papered as often the Queen is not papered. In either case none of the kittens can be registered, all kittens will be classified as moggies.

Showed

Looks for a Stud which has shown well, to prove that Stud is a good example of breed.

Does not care if Stud cat has been shown.

Blood Tested

Requires two clear blood tests of the Stud a month apart before each mating.

Does not care if Stud is tested, the worst breeders may just let the queen wander the streets to mate with any cat they encounter and may potentially breeding positive kittens.

Genetic Tested

If required for the breed, genetically tests Stud before breeding.

No idea that genetic testing was even an option.

Family Tree

Three generations of papered genetically sound cats on both mother and fathers side.

Little or no knowledge of previous generations and any genetic problems which might be carried.

Lifestyle

Stud kept inside only or has limited outside access via cat run or walks on a leash and harness to prevent unsuitable matings. So the Stud has no chance of getting infected with FIV or FELV or STD's all of which can be passed onto the Queen and any resulting kittens.

Stud is an inside/outside cat who is likely to be infected with either FIV or FELV or an STD maybe all three. All of these will be passed onto the Queen and any resulting kittens.

Stud Fee

Expects to pay a good stud fee for use of a proven healthy Stud, only by choosing the correct Stud can the kittens be of a good quality.

Will not pay Stud fee, plenty of local people willing to let them use their entire untested, unpapered tom cat free of charge.

Breeding

Responsible Breeder

Back Yard Breeder

Waiting list

Only breeds when there is enough interested owners waiting for kittens from a particular mating

Breeds when the cat comes into heat, looks for homes when kittens are due or are born. Sometimes advertise kittens as free to good homes or sells to pet shops to sell on.

Litters

Only has one or two litters a year from different matings, so time and attention can be given to each Queen during labour and aftercare.

No forward planning of litters, kittens come as and when.

Breeding Program

Only cats which will advance the breed standard will be bred with specific goals in mind.

What breeding program.

Retiring

Queens will be retired from breeding after a couple of litters and neutered. They will be either kept as a family pet or adopted out to a loving home at a low adoption fee. To enable the new owners to get a good example of the breed at a reasonable price.

Queens will be continually bred until the breeder has difficult selling the kittens, up to this point why stop breeding.

Emergency Vet Bills

Have money put aside to cover emergency vet bills

No provision made for unexpected vet bills or any other problem

Register Litter

Every litter is registered

Never registered

Vaccinated Kittens

All kittens vaccinated before adoption

No vaccinations

Profit

No profit on litters due to cost of buying and caring for a high quality queen, show fees to establish queens potential, stud fees, time off work, registration of every litter and cattery name, kitten vaccination, additional vet care, legal contracts and rehoming of owner surrendered cats.

Profit can be made on litter due to so many corners being cut during the breeding procedure.

Result

The kittens from a responsible breeder are registered, vaccinated, free of FIV, FELV and genetically sound.

The kittens from a back yard breeder are unregistered, unvaccinated, may have FIV, FELV and genetic problems