# Question for Cat Breeders!



## EmmaFay (Nov 27, 2012)

*Here's the background:* I've put a deposit down on a gorgeous little Oriental Shorthair, Gallagher. (Pics posted below!) He was born on January 18, which would make him a little over two weeks old right now, and I'll be picking him up from the breeder on April 18, when he's three months old.

*And so my question is:* Is it normal to visit before than? I would love to visit him at one or two months old, to see him wobble around on little kitten legs, but I don't want to impose on my breeder. I just think it would be amazing to pop by for a coffee or something, and play with the kitten that I will (hopefully) be spending the next twenty years of my life with. I don't know if that's usual protocol, though.

I don't want my breeder to be sighing and rolling her eyes over my request, so breeders! Do you like it when people visit early, before the official pick up date? Or is just an inconvenience? The same question goes for people who've bought from breeders before...did you stop by beforehand, or did you wait it out?









Gallagher at 2 days









Gallagher at 12 days


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

As a former breeder, I had no objection to a prospective owner visiting to view and play with the kittens, in fact I encouraged it. When I bought my Devons I visited their breeder twice before they were old enough to come home with me. I've always believed that it is the kitten that chooses its owner, and sometimes when a prospective buyer was adamant about a certain color/pattern, often it was that kitten that was not interested in the buyer. imo, a kitten that chooses its owner usually has a closer bond with it. This was the case with my white girl Alkee. I really don't like white cats that much and prefer torties, torbies, calicos, but on my visits she was the one that kept coming back to me and getting in my lap while I sat on the floor, so I got her rather than the flashy cream & white bicolor boy I had my eye on.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

Well, I am not a breeder, but if I _was_ I would be surprised if the prospective parents _didn't_ ask or want to visit now and then, to take pictures and watch their little one grow up! Certainly would ask to visit as often as possible and not be concerned if eyes are rolled or not.


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## EmmaFay (Nov 27, 2012)

Well, those were exactly the answers I was hoping to hear. Thanks guys, I'll call my breeder up right away :]
Gah, I can't wait to see my little Gallagher in person! This is going to be fantastic.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

My family has bred a specific breed of dogs since the mid 1950's and when we had litters the prospective owners (from a waiting list) would be there *every* Saturday afternoon. My parents would let them start visiting once we could pull the mom away for a few hours without causing unhappy puppies. They would visit them in the whelping room(but not allowed to handle them at this age).

Once the puppies got older and were marked (colored collars) they would toddle around the moveable puppy pen in the yard. People would come and play with their puppies in the grass. A few hours later the puppies would all zonk out and the new owners would slowly leave. 

If a breeder fusses about you wanting to visit your new kitten, imo, it's not a very good breeder.


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## Arianwen (Jun 3, 2012)

Three months seems a long time to wait. Hope you will be able to see your baby before then!!


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

This is absolutely something you should ask for, should have done before sending the deposit even. If a breeder ever told me no I couldn't visit I would not purchase a cat from them. They may want you to wait until first vet visit and vaccines are done but after that there shouldn't be any issue...just be sensitive to their time. I drove 2.5 hours each way to meet Holly at 6 weeks and check out the breeder. Then did the drive again at 12 weeks to pick her up.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Heck, even the couple who were fostering my Calibratz told me I could visit them all I wanted. Unlike Lisa, though, I only had to wait about a week.


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## maewkaew (Jun 27, 2012)

I think most breeders do allow the people who will be getting a kitten to visit but not when the kittens are very young. I know some breeders who will allow visitors after 6 weeks. others not until 8 wks. I've heard of some who do allow it sooner. but most breeders I know don't let people visit kittens just 4 weeks old. However some of them do share photos and/or videos every week or two. and some may be able to Skype. 

I've heard of some who really would rather not have visitors in. which in some cases could be a bad sign. In others they may have had a bad experience with kittens getting sick after people visited and now they are paranoid. Hopefully your breeder welcomes visitors, and will just probably ask you to observe some basic precautions to avoid bringing in germs. like make sure that you don't visit any other litters that day before you go, don't go there after volunteering at a shelter , handling bedding used by ferals etc. and then not changing clothes and washing hands etc. 

I love Orientals and Gallagher has some seriously cute baby pictures there!


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## Venusworld21 (Oct 23, 2012)

I'm not a breeder but I do foster quite a bit. Potential adopters are always welcome to come see my babies (let me know beforehand, of course) and I have a few friends I ask over every time I have fosters specifically because I want to make sure the kittens get handled (socialized) by someone besides just me.


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## yingying (Jul 19, 2011)

Visiting your kitty at one month old is most likely impossible. The kitten is too young for visiters and the nursing mom will get stressed. However, visiting at 2 months old should be acceptable, since kitten should be running around the house by then. I got to play with my cats at their breeders place when they were around 7-8 weeks old. But when I place my deposit (at that time the kitten were merely 2-3 weeks old), I'm only allowed to watch them through the glass door.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Emma Fae, did you contact the breeder? What did they tell you?


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## EmmaFay (Nov 27, 2012)

Sorry for the delayed reply, I've been having some trouble with my internet service.
I've heard back from the breeder, and I'll be able to little Gallagher in a few weeks time. The breeder was pretty firm, saying that she doesn't like visitors coming before they're 8 weeks old, because it could stress them out and compromise their immune systems. Sounds fair enough to me...but waiting is torture! 



> This is absolutely something you should ask for, should have done before sending the deposit even. If a breeder ever told me no I couldn't visit I would not purchase a cat from them. They may want you to wait until first vet visit and vaccines are done but after that there shouldn't be any issue...just be sensitive to their time. I drove 2.5 hours each way to meet Holly at 6 weeks and check out the breeder. Then did the drive again at 12 weeks to pick her up.


Don't worry, I've done my homework :] I visited three breeders before picking the one I felt most comfortable with. The first breeder was horrible...the place was disgusting, smelled strongly of cat urine, and she had a lot of "accidental pregnancies" and inbreeding. I've met the mother and father of my kitten-to-be, and they both seem very healthy and happy. Her kittens get snapped up pretty quickly (Out of 13 kittens, two litters, only three are still available), so it would have been near impossible to meet my kitten before putting down a deposit.

Here are the latest pics of Gallagher. He looks like a little bat!


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## spotty cats (Sep 23, 2011)

I do allow visitors, though most of my kittens fly to their new homes those who are local often visit weekly or bi-weekly.
My girls are not at all stressed by visitors, and we have hygiene rules before kittens can be touched. 

I update my site with photos weekly as well so people can watch their kittens grow.


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## Yuki'sMum (Dec 3, 2012)

I first saw Yuki when she was about 8 weeks old. That's when I met the whole family and spent time with all the kittens. It also gave the breeder a chance to get to know me. When Yuki snuggled in my hands I knew I'd found my baby  The breeder actually encouraged visits before I could take her home at 16 weeks. She asked me to let her know as soon as I had chosen her name so she could start using it with her. When I took her home, the breeder gave me a little photo album with pics of her parents and litter mates as well as Yuki's baby pics. I thought that was a lovely touch  


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## EmmaFay (Nov 27, 2012)

> I first saw Yuki when she was about 8 weeks old. That's when I met the whole family and spent time with all the kittens. It also gave the breeder a chance to get to know me. When Yuki snuggled in my hands I knew I'd found my baby The breeder actually encouraged visits before I could take her home at 16 weeks. She asked me to let her know as soon as I had chosen her name so she could start using it with her. When I took her home, the breeder gave me a little photo album with pics of her parents and litter mates as well as Yuki's baby pics. I thought that was a lovely touch


Oh, that sounds amazing! My breeder was updating photos every week for a while, but then she sort of stopped :[ The mother killed two of her kittens, lay on top of them and smothered them in the night, and I think my breeder had a bit of a hard time with that. 
I'll be able to visit in 17 days, and I am SO excited! I cannot wait to meet little Gallagher...and only a month after that, I can bring him home and introduce him to his big brother and sister :]


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## EmmaFay (Nov 27, 2012)

Well, now I know why the breeder stopped uploading pictures.
The mother contracted a URI, and passed it on to all the kittens. Despite the breeders best efforts, the entire litter was lost.
I wish she could have told me when they first got sick, so that I might have been a bit prepared. At the same time, she probably had her hands full hand-feeding seven kittens, so I can't blame her not emailing. I just feel so bad for her. That must have been terrible to go through.


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## NebraskaCat (Jan 15, 2013)

Horrible news. Poor little kitties. So sorry.


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## Yuki'sMum (Dec 3, 2012)

I'm sorry, that's so sad  


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