Hello everyone,
In a few days I'm going to be looking at a litter of Burmese kittens, the breeder has told me they'll be ready to go in mid Feb so I assume they're about 8 weeks old or so. My current cat is a DSH rescue from a haven, so he was 'free' (just paid for his de-sexing and microchipping), and there wasn't much I felt I should be asking, just checking that he seemed healthy and perky and purr-y!
I've owned pedigree dogs in the past, so I plan to use my 'sit with the litter and see who picks you' technique which has served me well with dogs in the past. My Fox Terrier chose me and she was the most wonderful pet I've ever had, much more special than the dog which we just chose because she was pretty! (She is gone now, and the second dog lives with my parents now - and I don't! :))
But what more do I need to know when purchasing a pedigree cat?
I would like to have the 'papers' - are they called something else when a cat is brought as a neutered pet? And do I have a right to them?
I'm going to ask to see and interact with both of the parents, I assume that this will be ok, as long as the father wasn't a stud from another cattery.
Are there any diseases Burmese are prone to that I should be asking about, like incidences in the parents or grandparents? I think they might be more prone to Diabetes, though I have known many people with Burmese cats and none have had a problem with this.
Also I am vaaaaguely interested in showing the cat in the future, as I've (finally!) finished uni and am working I'll have time for some hobbies and I think entering cat shows could be a really fun one. I understand that I need the breeder's permission for this (and that they will need to assess the cat and say that it is good enough to show, or something?) - is it a good thing to ask on the day, since I'm not sure I want to pursue it for certain - it depends how much entry costs and how the cat reacts to car trips when I take it to the vet after getting it - if it's too traumatic I wouldn't want to put the poor thing through it just for my benefit!
Is it rude to ask whether the breeder is registered with the Burmese cat thingy of W.A? If I do ask and she's not, what do you all think it says about her as a breeder? Does it actually mean that they are less... good?
Last thing! Since I have a 2yo male neuter at home, and I conveniently have an empty games room separated from the living room by french style glass doors, I was thinking of setting up the wee catling in this room so that the two can see each other in a neutral situation, and when nobody is at home put the kitten with it's things in a spare bedroom, hidden from my adult's view. Maybe I'll put some of the kitten's bedding in the living space for Exo to smell, and a scarf that Exo sleeps with in with the kitten. Exo is a very peaceful cat, but is there anything else I can do to make the transition smooth for both of the cats? I'm going to be very careful to give both cats equal amounts of love and play time!
Thank you so much for reading my long long post, and also for any and all advice you can give me! :D