What does it take to become a ''registered breeder''?

[Reynard]

What surprises me is that a breeder has readily and knowingly sold someone a kitten on the active register - and a female at that.

The breeders I know (mainly Burmese, but some other breeds too) won't sell a kitten on the active register to just anyone; they need to show interest and knowledge about the breed and have a goal for their proposed (or continuing) breeding programme before even being considered as a potential home for an active register kitten.

However, there are some less scrupulous breeders who will sell a kitten as active even though it has been registered on the non-active or even restricted registers. Money can be a factor as for some breeds, a cat on the active register is worth a lot more than cats on the non-active.

Then of course the paperwork never arrives or is incorrect, and problems arise when either trying to enter the cat in question for a show, register a litter of kittens or enter said kittens for showing. Sadly, this is more common than the cat fancy would like.

You also get the problem that a goodly proportion of these cats (and their kittens) are not show quality and carry faults, both from a standard of points perspective and a health perspective. It is hugely embarrassing for an unsuspecting owner to turn up at a show with a cat that isn't what it's meant to be AND then there's the more pressing problem of having to foot the bill for serious health problems.

Tigerbaby, you've done brilliantly but some folks won't get the message even if it's hammered home with a sledgehammer. All they see are pound signs. And as for the breeder who won't take her back - I'm sceptical regarding that since it is the done thing to do so, or arrange an alternative placement via the breed club welfare.

[tigerbaby]

Yes, I didn't reply to her e-mail as it would just annoy her further. Since having all the problems with my ex neighbour (Jamesons old owner) I have realised there is no point. She (old neighbour) is now selling her current cats cos she has a new puppy. That is the 9th dog since last June. I am biting my tongue not to say anything. Me preaching about it just backfired anyway.

So yeah, I will leave it like that. I am still surprised how 'easy' it is to be classed/registered as a breeder though!

[blackcat]

it is never useful to be judgemental. YOu have tried your best to give her sound advice, but basically the ultimate responsibility rests with her, not you. So unless you are willing to step in and offer a home for both cats and have managed to avoid alienating her to the point where she refuses, then I would let it rest. YOu can only do so much and we are not the cat police.

[tigerbaby]

That's the thing, I don't think her siamese has had any kittens, although I don't know. I hope not as the kitten is only 6 months. So she probably just made it up to sound 'good'. Maybe she thinks that having a registered siamese cat automatically makes you a breeder. In that case, my friend is a persian breeder, and another friend breeds chihuahuas. They are all registered, so.. 

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

So is she calling herself a breeder cos she has one kitten to sell? Did she breed this kitten? Sounds very strange!

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Hmm, she thinks it's ok to sell her cat online because that's what everyone does.  Sort of says it all really 

[tigerbaby]

I emailed her and suggested neutering/giving cat back to breeder or alternatively a siamese breed rescue but her reply was that the breeder didn't want the cat back, and NO she wasn't going to give her to a cats home because she doesn't see anything wrong in selling her cat online as that is 'what everybody does'. So she is definately in it for the money, and she is advertising the cat as Active so people can breed from her.

She said she is a breeder, but to me you would only be a breeder if you have actually 'properly' bred your cat (the right way)! She has a 6 months old kitten that I doubt has had any litters - sounds like she was pretending to come across as a breeder but when I started asking questions she had very little to reply back. She has now taken down the ad from Myspace, but she has another ad out on another site.

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Yes, registration is just one thing that contributes to being a good breeder.  I'd recommend everyone to make sure a pedigree kitten is registered, even if they have no interest in showing etc.  Many people don't care about the paperwork and unscrupulous breeders exploit this with vague promises to send it on afterwards in the hope that the buyer will not pursue it.  But an unregistered kitten is very likely from unregistered parents and is may not, therefore, be a pedigree cat and the buyer is being ripped off and is not getting what they think they are getting.  But being registered doesn't a good breeder make.

[blackcat]

In terms of quality of care, no. In terms of managing the fancy it does. Sadly, unless a breeder breaches the code of conduct there are few avenues for disciplining members. However, on the up side, if you want to be able to charge large sums for kittens, then you need to have a few champions in their pedigree, which means you have to show, and that means your animals must be in tip top condition because if they aren't they don't get past the vet check. Small consolation I realise, but registration is more about managing the bloodlines than managing the breeders.

[Millys Mum]

If you want your kittens to be registerable you need to register yourself and your stud name before you breed, so waiting for a litter of kittens would be a bit late.

It would be wouldnt it 

Think it just shows that being registered doesnt mean didly 

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Breeders who sell kittens on the active register to just about anybody really annoy me.  Even if a cat is excellent quality, comes from good lines and it suitable for breeding, you still don't sell him/her to just anybody.  If you cant or don't want to keep such a kitten for your own breeding plans, or don't have another reputable breeder willing to buy him/her, then you put on the non active register and sell as a pet. 

I hope that if she finds someone who wants to buy her cat, she will check them out thoroughly before agreeing to sell.  But the most important thing here, imo, is that she neuters the cat before selling.  At 6 months, she is old enough to be neutered.  Best way of making sure that someone irresponsible doesn't get their hands on the poor thing and breed her without knowing what they are doing or just let her outside with the inevitable consequences.

[blackcat]

If you want your kittens to be registerable you need to register yourself and your stud name before you breed, so waiting for a litter of kittens would be a bit late.

[Millys Mum]

She probably isnt actually registered herself (you would need a litter of kittens for that?!) but just managed to find another registered breeder crap enough to sell her an active cat without too many questions!

[tigerbaby]

Thanks for the info.

It is not a scam - I know who this person is and have seen the pictures of her with the cat. She is only 23 or something like that so a bit silly to advertise herself as a 'breeder' - hardly much experience, and how many litters has she really bred, baring in mind her kitten is only 6 months old!

You are right though, the responsible thing to do is to give the cat back to the breeder. I will suggest that to her, although in her 'I would like to meet' section on Myspace she has put 'Someone who wants to buy my cat''.

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Sadly, it doesn't take much to be a registered breeder.  All it really means is that the breeder is registering the kittens, which means the parents must also be registered and that the kittens are, therefore, actual pedigrees (many backyard breeders will use non pedigrees in their breeding cos they're cheaper and easier to get hold of but will still claim their kittens are pedigrees).  So anyone can become a "registered breeder" and it doesn't mean they are a good breeder.   Kittens are placed on either the active or non active register (I assume this is GCCF - I don't know much about the other registries).  Only those placed on the active register can be legitimately bred from as kittens born to a cat on the non active register cannot be registered.  A good breeder will be very careful to whom they sell a kitten on the active register to, regardless of the kitten's quality.  Most will only sell to people they know, those who have demonstrated a committment to the breed by owning and showing a neuter or those who have been recommended to them by another breeder etc.  That's the good breeders.  The less scrupulous ones (of whom there are many) don't care who buys their kittens or are just not careful enough.  It is certainly not good to advertise a cat in this way as being on the active register.  If she is selling for legitimate reasons, she should neuter the cat first and transfer her to the non active register.  Also, if the siamese is only 6 months old, she should be getting in touch with the breeder she bought her for as most will take back a kitten if the owner can no longer provide a suitable home.  If the breeder can't or won't, she would be best off contacting a breed rescue.  If she bred the cat herself, she needs to take a more responsible approach to rehoming.  Either way, advertising the cat for general sale, and as active, is not the way to go about it.  She may well be a registered breeder but she doesn't sound like a responsible one.

[blackcat]

In Tasmania you have to register with the Cat Control Council which maintains the records of papers for pedigreed cats and also maintains the register of breeders and organises the shows. I imagine it would be something similar here. When a breeder sells a kitten they do so either as a 'pet' or for breeding. Pets may not be bred and the owner of a pet animal who breeds it without the prior permission of the breeder cannot register the kittens. The fact she has referred to her kitten as 'active' means she seems to know what she is tailking about as that it the term used to refer to a cat that has been sold for breeding. The fact she is selling the half breed kitten also means she is in it for the money and not for the animals. The fact she has 2 cats that young and is upping sticks to 'move around' a fair bit means she is not a suitable owner. But then, if she was planning on breeding and changed her mind so soon, it's probably a good thing she is getting rid of the cats. Sad she is not doing the responsible thing and returning the siamese to the breeder who would take it back if it is entire ...

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

Most likely to be a scam, there are lots going about!

[tigerbaby]

Reason for asking - someone I know reckons she is one. She has a siamese cat that she is selling, and advertising her as ''active''. Separately from her ad (on myspace) I posted a blog about how much I hate it when people are selling pets to make a quick buck. She answered to that, saying she is registered and is only selling the cat because she is moving.

I find it hard to believe and wondered what really makes you a registered breeder? For some reason I doubt she has the knowledge and experience!!!!

This is her ad:

''Siamese and tabby for sale!

I am leaving the country in Jan. I am selling my beloved siamese cat which is 6 months old and my half persian half moggy. Obviously I dont want to but I am going to be moving around a bit and I think if they could go to a nice home they would be more comfortable. They are both 6 months old so technically still kittens. I am selling them for £400 for the 2 of them.


The siamese is a pure breed and on the active register. So you can breed and sell siamese kittens from her. I have the family tree for her and all the registry documents. The reason she is so expensive is because it is really hard to get a siamese that is active. Usually siamese go for anything from 350 - 450 she is really really well behaved and has had all her injections, i would ideally like crunchy the tabby to go with her as they are the bestest of friends. Crunchy is a tom cat and has had the snip. He licks you a lot and is so affectionate it can get quite annoying. They are both really playful and wont leave you alone. Coco also growls sometimes like a dog which is cool. They are both used to staying indoors.


If you genuinely want them please mail me. I will probably cry but its fine.''