Siamese ~ Thai ~ Wichien-Maat

How to pick a "Quality" Siamese Breeder
by Amy Adolph

If you are looking for a Siamese I always encourage potential owners to interview all the possibilities before limiting your choice. I recommend obtaining information to get a clearer picture, of the following:

*The place where the cats (not kittens) are kept is extremely sanitary. This will tell you a lot about the health of your kitten. Breeders, will tell you all about the greatness of their kittens but are often vague on the parents and additional cats.

•All cats are registered and have pedigrees from a MAJOR association: CFA, TICA, ACFA (there are a couple of fake registries that are very popular on the internet)The pedigrees show the parents are not related (Older breeders tend to still inbreed which diminishes the health and vigor of a cat. Some breeders will tell you, while others will skirt around the issue. I recommend asking the breeder how many generations they personally know and if any of the generations are related).

•A Vet referral is easily given (Most vets won’t break confidentiality, but if a breeder is willing to give you their vets information easily, then it’s a safe bet they at least work with a vet. Many breeders sadly don’t work with a vet.

•The kitten has ALL of their shots (up to twelve weeks which means two vaccinations, this actually causes the most health problems in kittens, because their immunities are weaker).

The internet is a VAST marketing arena where it is extremely easy to manipulate people. When it comes to paying money for a kitten, make sure you do your homework. Ask questions like:

1.Do you separate your kittens from the rest of the cats. (Kittens immune systems are not matured until one year of age)

2.Are you cats caged? If so, can I see the type of cages.

3.How often do you breed your queen? (This helps establish a really good idea of the care their cats are given.)

4.Where do your studs live?

5.How many cats do you have?

6.What type of support do you offer you kitten clients?

7.Can I speak with your vet? (Vets generally will not disclose client information, but the answer a breeder gives you SPEAKS volumes)

8.When is the last time your queen was checked by the vet?

9.Do you know the health of the Parent’s parents (This is very important as it will tell you about the attention the breeder pays to the quality of health – over a long period of time).

Some breeders see this as a business, and DO cut corners on health. Note, that if a kitten is under priced you need to ask the serious questions on where the money is being spent!! Running a cattery for a hobby take a toll on both to the pocket book and emotions!

Let me also encourage you to pick a kitten based on the breeder. It is easy to pick a cute baby, but what your really want, is to focus the quality, longevity of ownership and a match in personality. Kittens are cute when first brought out to potential owners. A good breeders should be the type of person that cares enough to place the right kitten with the right family above all else.

The end point is, don’t settle for nice talk. This is a long term emotional investment.

There are a lot of other great types of questions you can ask, but since your using a "marketing" driven medium to find your next pet, be sure to be prepared. Breeding quality Siamese takes dedication, hard work and lots of money -- simple good natured breeders do not necessarily make for healthy pets. However, those breeders who are educated in their hobby, are the ones you want to seek out and purchase your kitten from.

I hope this information is useful.