# I need some help from the experts please



## polly (Apr 17, 2009)

Hi!

I am the parent of two beatifull kitties! (I have posted before but can't remember my username) I have a Birman of 14 months old, and a tabby of 8 months old. Both have been spayed.

I have been saving money, and have been interested to either start to foster kitties or even to start breeding. I am moving out to a new place by end of May which has a LOT of space for breeding/fostering purposes. I can't wait - and please, although I am new at this, I am a level headed person, I know about the overpopulation of cats etc etc. I truly love cats, I enjoy them, and I feel if I can't get enough of kitties. I do have a few questions though.

1) I'd love to breed with either Birman or Chinchillas. Anything specific I should know about these two breeds? I plan on buying a queen and a stud as soon as I move, and hope to start to breed next year.

2) Is it fine to only have one male and female to breed with? Should I try and get another female? I'm not sure how many times a female should have babies in say for instance one year? Isn't it bad for their own health and bodies to keep on having babies?

3) If that is a problem... should I then just keep her away from male when she is on her heat cycle?

4) I plan on building a huge outside cage whith a catdoor to the inside of the house. The cage is going to be very big, with lots of space and trees. I'd say about 8 x 8 meters. But I want them to come into the house whenever they want to. Should I keep pregnant mommy seperate from the others then? Or only after she had the babies?

5) I plan to register as a breeder with the vet

6) Should I decide to foster one or two cats, will I have to keep them seperate from the others, inside the house, or I plan to build maybe a cage within the huge cage (if that make sense)

7) I will have a spare room inside the house as well, where I will probably keep babies with mommy after birth. How warm (temperature) should the room be for them. I saw somewhere on the internet that you get "safe" heaters for kennels and catteries. I would like to buy one of these.

I tried to attached a picture of what i plan with my outside cage, but it doesn't seem to work. Anyway I'd be very greatful for any help and assistance!

Thanks


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## polly (Apr 17, 2009)

This is similar to what I want, but my garden will have lots of grass, and then the one big cage with lots of plants and trees. In fact, the trees will be inside the cage.










My biggest problem is do I need to seperate the breeding pair, from my two cats I have now? and then if I should decide to foster, should I seperate them as well?


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## TerriNye (Mar 4, 2009)

1) I'd love to breed with either Birman or Chinchillas. Anything specific I should know about these two breeds? I plan on buying a queen and a stud as soon as I move, and hope to start to breed next year.

Well first, there is no such breed as chinchilla. Birmans are large, very laid back cats - I think they are quite beautiful. Are you looking to breed to the show standard? Then I would contact breeders that show or go to shows to meet breeders.

2) Is it fine to only have one male and female to breed with? Should I try and get another female? I'm not sure how many times a female should have babies in say for instance one year? Isn't it bad for their own health and bodies to keep on having babies?

One, maybe two litters per year is plenty, deciding on two girls is based on how many kittens you want

3) If that is a problem... should I then just keep her away from male when she is on her heat cycle?

Yes a girl can go back into heat within weeks of giving birth - you don't want to leave boys and girls together all the time

4) I plan on building a huge outside cage whith a catdoor to the inside of the house. The cage is going to be very big, with lots of space and trees. I'd say about 8 x 8 meters. But I want them to come into the house whenever they want to. Should I keep pregnant mommy seperate from the others then? Or only after she had the babies?

I would plan to have an area JUST for boys - you can leave the pregnant female out (with other females) until a week or two before she is ready to deliver - then it's better to cage her (so you don't have to hunt for kittens)

5) I plan to register as a breeder with the vet

Are you planning on registering with one of the cat registries - I've actually never heard of registering with a vet as a breeder but, I'm unsure where you live

6) Should I decide to foster one or two cats, will I have to keep them seperate from the others, inside the house, or I plan to build maybe a cage within the huge cage (if that make sense)

If you breed I WOULD NOT also do foster cats. My reasoning - there is a lot of time and money involved in getting purebred cats (you have to get cats with breeding rights and this costs a lot more than buying a pet out of the paper) especially if you wish to register these kittens as purebred with which ever cat registry you decide on. I would be too concerned with the health of my breeding animals to allow fosters near them - and just seperating them is no guarantee you won't carry something from one to the other on your clothing or shoes.

7) I will have a spare room inside the house as well, where I will probably keep babies with mommy after birth. How warm (temperature) should the room be for them. I saw somewhere on the internet that you get "safe" heaters for kennels and catteries. I would like to buy one of these.

A nursery is a good idea - where only babies and moms are. Babies should not go into "general population" until they have had their first set of vaccinations. I keep the room draft free, put a heating pad wrapped in towel on low under half the queening bed. That way when mom gets out for a break babies can move to the warm side, if they get too warm they can move off.

Hope that answers some of your questions.

Terri


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## polly (Apr 17, 2009)

Thanks so much for the response.

It make sense to seperate the boys and girls, specially if she is already far in pregnancy. And I understand what you mean with not fostering others while breeding. Which is sad, and then i wonder if I should focus a while on fostering first, specially pregnant mommies. Lol i just feel I have to give something back for the joy I get from my kitties and will get from breeding. Sometimes i feel I can adopt allllll the kitties in need, to care for them. 

Thanks a lot for your help


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