We all start from somewhere at one point. In my case, cats have been a part of my life eversince and it was my choice to further explore my horizons. With very limited information about cats, I found myself confuse with all the terminologies. Books were not enough for me, I'd like to hear the facts from someone who has hands on experience. Lucky enough I found my mentors in the cat fancy. I think it's important to find someone that can take you under there tutelage and nurture you with priceless bits of advice.
I still have a lot to learn and cannot claim that I am a "breeder," all I know is I am a cat lover. But I try to learn from the "consummate breeders" that I met along the way (some of them even became my friends) and absorb the things they gladly share. My mentor once told me that "breeding" (be it cat, dogs, whatever) should be base on three important principles --- HEALTH, TYPE and TEMPERAMENT; and I try to abide with these goals.
With any breeding, I think HEALTH is a priority and should not be compromise at all cost. Breeding cats should be thoroughly vet checked, screened for genetic diseases and vaccinations should be updated regularly. We don't want to use sickly cats in a breeding program. Same with TYPE, inferior specimens should never to be bred (we do not want inferior offspring, right?). One has to know the "breed standard" to know the breed type and this cannot be neglected, period! Some breeders acquire the eye for type early in there career, but some needed years of experience and the help of others to find the right cat. TEMPERAMENT is also essential, a bad disposition is considered a genetic flaw and this can be passed down from one generation to another. Nobody wants an unpleasant cat or one with an unpleasant nature.
I still have a lot to learn and cannot claim that I am a "breeder," all I know is I am a cat lover. But I try to learn from the "consummate breeders" that I met along the way (some of them even became my friends) and absorb the things they gladly share. My mentor once told me that "breeding" (be it cat, dogs, whatever) should be base on three important principles --- HEALTH, TYPE and TEMPERAMENT; and I try to abide with these goals.
With any breeding, I think HEALTH is a priority and should not be compromise at all cost. Breeding cats should be thoroughly vet checked, screened for genetic diseases and vaccinations should be updated regularly. We don't want to use sickly cats in a breeding program. Same with TYPE, inferior specimens should never to be bred (we do not want inferior offspring, right?). One has to know the "breed standard" to know the breed type and this cannot be neglected, period! Some breeders acquire the eye for type early in there career, but some needed years of experience and the help of others to find the right cat. TEMPERAMENT is also essential, a bad disposition is considered a genetic flaw and this can be passed down from one generation to another. Nobody wants an unpleasant cat or one with an unpleasant nature.
With any breeding program, a breeder should aim for perfection (or somehow close to it). It's not easy and there will be a series of highs and lows. But somehow all the hard work and perseverance is compensated when we see the ribbons and rossettes. It's an absolute satisfaction!
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