By now, you may have heard that Puppy Mill Action Week is in full swing. There is a lot of information available about puppy mills these days. Puppy mills are businesses where dogs are bred in horrible conditions with little to no concern for the health and well being of the dogs involved. What about kitty mills? Does the same thing happen to cats? I turned to Mary, the owner of a TICA registered Bengal cat cattery, Purrfect Dreams Bengals, to learn about the difference between a kitty mill and an ethical cat breeder.
Title Image Credit: Purrfect Dreams Bengals on Facebook
What is the Role of Cat Breeders?
Image Credit: Purrfect Dreams Bengals
In a world where domestic cats are considered to be overpopulated, it may seem odd that anyone would want to breed cats. This is certainly a big concern for those involved in animal rescue who are working hard to find homes for kitties that would otherwise be out on the streets. What is, then, the purpose of cat breeders in our modern world? Here is what Mary had to say: “I personally will always have a rescue cat, especially when I am breeding. Breeders are needed to keep pedigree cats from going extinct. A responsible breeder will always make sure their breeding cats are Health tested. Responsible breeders do not overbreed their cats.”
She has a point. An example of a time when breeders have saved entire breeds of domestic cats would be following the World Wars. Between the carnage of the wars themselves and the number of cats that had to be euthanized to reserve resources for humans in that time, a number of cat breeds in Europe had all but disappeared. The Abyssinian, Chartreux, and Egyptian Mau breeds were only 3 of the breeds would have disappeared after World War II had it not been for the concentrated efforts of breeders.
If ethical cat breeders are very conscious of the number of cats being produced, then where does the overpopulation of cats come from? Do kitty mills exist? Mary says that they do. She refers to these unethical cat breeders as “backyard breeders”. “The overbreeding problem lies in the so-called ‘Backyard Breeders’. They think they see a quick way to make money. They are the real reason the shelters are flooded with kittens and cats.”
What Are The Characteristics Of An Ethical Cat Breeder?
Image Credit: Purrfect Dreams Bengals
Clearly, ethical cat breeders have a different mindset than backyard breeders. Ethical cat breeders care deeply about their favorite breed as well as the health and well being of both their breeding cats and the kittens they produce. Mary says that the health of her Bengal cats is so important to her that she thoroughly checks the lineage of the cats for any potential genetic diseases.
“All my breeding cats are tested for HCM (Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy) every 12 to 18 months. Cats that test HCM negative today can test positive at a later date. This is why I also check the lineage of my cats in the Bengal Database to make sure they have no relatives on the HCM list. I can feel pretty confident that if my breeding cats do not have a relative on the HCM list that my breeding cats should continue to test HCM clear. I currently have a retired 9-year-old queen that still tests HCM clear. They are also tested for PRA-b and Pk-def. Parents that are negative for PRA-b and Pk-Def will not produce any kittens with the disease so there is no need to test the kittens.”
There are a number of characteristics that a cat lover can look for to help them decide if a cat breeder is a legitimate or a backyard kitty mill breeder. Do your research and don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions. According to Mary, the following are characteristics to look for in ethical cat breeders:
- “The breeder should be registered with and in good standing with TICA (The International Cat Association), CFA (Cat Fancy Association) or both.
- Breeder should be able to produce health testing results on the parents.
- Breeder should be willing to provide video of the kittens.
- Breeder provides a sales contract which includes a health guarantee.
- Breeder should be willing to answer any and all buyer questions.
- Any good breeder will not hesitate to show you their cats and kittens. They will gladly show you their queens and studs, provided they didn’t use an outside stud who is offsite. If that is the case, ask if photoscan be provided of the stud so you can see what he looks like as well.
- They will happily show you where the cats and kittens live, how they are raised, and let you socialize and play with them. During this time, you should be observing their behavior. Watch and see if the cats and kittens are social and willing to visit and play with you. They should be clean and well fed, with no signs of runny noses, goopy eyes, sneezing, coughing, diarrhea, hair loss, fleas, ear mites, or other health concerns. The kittens should be alert and playful. They should not be fearful, timid or shy around people. You shouldn’t feel rushed or pressured to purchase a kitten by the breeder. If a breeder is unwilling to allow you onto their property to see their kittens, that is a sign of something being wrong.
- Breeder is willing to provide assistance in rehoming the cat if the buyer ever needs to give up the cat.
- Breeder does not sell their kittens to pet shops.”
Keep in mind that TICA and CFA have the same standards for all of the breeders that they endorse, regardless of which cat breed they raise.
Image Credit: Purrfect Dreams Bengals
What Are the Red Flags That a Breeder is Unethical?
Kitty mills breeders prioritize making money above the interests of the cats involved. According to Mary, if any of the following are true, the cat breeder is likely a kitty mill breeder:
• “Buyer should walk away if a breeder does not provide pedigrees on the parents which proves the cats can be registered.
• No sales contract.
• No health guarantee.
• Breeder asks for payment via gift cards.
• Breeder does not allow Cattery visits.
• Breeder cannot provide veterinary references.
• Breeder does not provide core vaccinations.
• Breeder releases kittens before 14 weeks of age. Both TICA and CFA recommend that breeders not release kittens before this age.
• Breeder will only do business via text messages.
• Breeder is not willing to provide real-time (FaceTime, Skype, etc)video of kittens in or to prove they do have kittens.
• Breeder allows the queen to have more than two litters a year.”
What Should You Do If You Find a Kitty Mill?
Image Credit: Purrfect Dreams Bengals
Unfortunately, many people don’t do enough research to know whether they are dealing with an ethical cat breeder or a kitty mill breeder. The first signs might be a very sick kitty. If you purchase (or adopt for that matter) a cat that has medical issues that were not already discussed with you, contact the person from whom you received the cat immediately. Legitimate breeders will have provisions in their sales contract that will give you ways to resolve issues with illnesses that may come up.
Should you find yourself dealing with a kitty mill breeder, Mary has a few tips for how to report them.
• “Notify the local animal welfare or law enforcement.
• Notify TICA and/or CFA if the Cattery is registered.
• Make a public posting on Facebook in one of the various ‘Bad Cattery or Bad Breeder’ groups.”
Don’t be shy about reporting kitty mills. If you have seen poor living conditions or sickly cats, write down notes that can be shared with law enforcement. They may need documentation to take legal action.
All of our cats are rescues. When I recently visited the CFA’s Cat Historical Museum in Ohio, at first I was sure I would be ‘snooted’ out of the place, for loving ‘mutt’ cats, but that was far from the truth. Interesting post; thanks for the info! Each town, city, county, and state have their own rules on what is considered mistreatment, so it’s a crap shoot whether a kitten mill being reported will actually get fined or closed down.
I have been fairly surprised by how much breeders appreciate mutt cats too! I met Mary (the breeder I interviewed) at a TICA cat show a few years back and I found that her approach and that of many of the other breeders was much friendlier to “mutt” cats than I had thought it would be. You are absolutely right about the laws. Some locales have more stringent laws regarding the treatment of domestic animal than others. It is sad when it takes months (or years) of documentation to get justice for clearly abused animals.
It’s true … I haven’t heard much about ‘kitten mills’ but a lot about puppy mills. I always assumed backyard breeders were just people who don’t fix their cats then take the kittens to the local pet store (which happens here in this small town). Hoarding is an issue I hear more about than kitten mills. They just found nearly 300 – yes, 300 – in an apartment in Toronto.
Hoarders are definitely a problem. We’ve had a few big hoarder cases in my area lately too. You may be right about the hoarders being a bigger issue, but I also think the two issues cross over. There are a number of hoarders that consider themselves to be breeders – even applying for kennel licenses. I will have to look and see if there are any statistics out there that separate the issues regarding cats.
This was a valuable and informative post. And it is very good to see you post again !
Thank you so much! I’m trying to pull everything back together. 🙂 I’ve been dealing with so many medical issues and a lot of pain. It will probably be slow going for a while here, but I’m going steadily get some posts out and try to get around to visit as many blogs as I can manage.
Great post. I have never dealt with a breeder- al my cats just showed up.
Thank you so much! I’ve actually never purchased a cat from a breeder either. Both of my cats came from friends who found pregnant community cats.
Thanks for sharing this really interest8ing and important information! All of our cat have been rescues, so we haven’t really run into this situation.
Rescue cats are awesome! My kitties have all been rescues too. People often think my kitties are Bengals though. 🙂
I am so sick of seeing breeders labeled as “evil” from people who don’t understand their importance – so this post was SUCH breath of fresh air! My human knows loads of ethical breeders, including the tiny cattery I come from, since we are part of the cat fancy world. And there is a world of difference between them and kitten mills. Worse yet are the irresponsible people who allow their non-pedigreed “found” cats have litters! They are the REAL problem. Did you know that only somewhere between 2 and 10% of owned cats are purebred? And it is probably closer to 2% when you count the ones who actually come from cats registered with CFA or TICA. So they are not the problem when it comes to overpopulation.
That is a really interesting statistic! I didn’t know that. I agree that people who just allow their non-pedigree cats to breed are a big problem – it’s just irresponsible pet ownership. Ethical breeders have done a lot to help their breeds and further the knowledge we have about feline genetics.
Totally agree with Summer! My girls also came from a CFA registered breeder.
Great article! I’m a rescued tabby but Mum suspects there may be some Bengal in me.
Thank you! There just might be some Bengal in you. You have those beautiful tabby markings just like they do! 🙂
Good points ! This is great information ! Purrs
Thank you so much! 🙂
Great post and thanks for calling attention to the fact kitty mills exist too! There’s so much talk about puppy mills, it’s rare to hear mention of the same fate befalling cats and kittens. Personally I only rescue, but for anyone that wants to go to a breeder, thanks for pointing out what to look for so they know they’re going to someone ethical. If you have suspicions definitely report them.
I rescue my pets too, but I know a number of people that have purchased cats from breeders. All kitties are beautiful! We need to hold breeders to a high standard. Thankfully, there are a lot of breeders who keep themselves to those high standards.
Ethical or not, I would like to see breeders reduced to a minimum when there are so many pets in shelters euthanized every day because the can’t find a home.
I agree. Every kitty that has been a part of my life has been a rescue. Breeders have a place, but rescues should get more attention.
My breed of choice – Norwegian Forest Cats – were nearly wiped out because no one was preserving the breed. Thankfully there was a breeder group that saved them. Breeders are not the problem. Less than 5% of cats are purchased from breeders- any kind of breeder. It is the random bred cats that are allowed to breed due to ignorance or lack of easy accessibility to affordable spay neuter options that is the problem. Do your due diligence but don’t be afraid to purchase a breed cat from a breeder – or rescue from a breed rescue if you feel led. The show world is so much fun! Even if it’s just in hhp. My rescue persian and I love it.
That’s a really interesting statistic! Thank you for sharing that. You are right about spay and neuter options – there is no reason why people can’t get their pets spayed or neutered these days.
I’ve never seriously looked into pure-breeds – but this is fabulous advice about what to look for!
Thank you so much! I’ve really only looked into purebreds out of curiosity. All of the kitties that I’ve shared my life with have been rescues.
Nice to see you Robin and I hope you are doing better. Great article, the ethical breeders don’t get enough credit these days, but keeping the breed going is a god thing.
Thank you! Rescuing a kitty is definitely the better choice. You do amazing work with rescue kitties. 🙂
So glad to see your back! I love this post highlighting that breeders do indeed have a place. People should know the difference and not lump all breeders in the same basket. I got my Bengal girl Sarabi from a very nice ethical breeder from Ireland when I lived there many years ago. Sarabi is almost 17 and she’s travelled to three different countries with me back in her youth. And now of course I have my 8 other rescue cats!
Wow! Sarabi has had quite the life! I have to say I’m a little jealous of all of the travelling that she has gotten to do. 😉
I have heard of kitten mills and backyard breeders but I know it might sound crazy I still would rescue a kitten as there are so many that need homes although at the moment I am a dog owner. My cats in Israel were rescues and I did have a pedigree Persian as one of them and although with her I paid the person I rescued her from abuse and was happy to do so.
Whether a person is buying a pedigree kitten or puppy people must check everything and if there is any red flag, however small it is rather walk away than pay the price in the end.
Great post for those that are deciding to get a pedigree as I hope they will learn from your post
That doesn’t sound crazy at all. All of the cats that I have shared my life with have been rescues. Adopting pets is the best way to go.
Interesting post. Honestly I’ve only ever adopted from rescue shelter or taken in off the street. You are right, we often hear about puppy mills but not kitty mills. Thanks for sharing this very informative post. It’s nice to learn about ethical and responsible breeders actually helping to preserve some breeds in history. I didn’t think of that. The bengals are beautiful.
I had no idea people were so underhand until a UK friend began to tell me about her (similar) Maine Coon and Norwegian Forest cat search. The amount of money demanded without any guarantees is breathtaking. I would report them all!
Great post and thank you.
I agree – it will never cease to amaze me that people can be so awful. Unfortunately, in my area of the world, the Midwest USA, kitty mills are a real problem. When I approached Mary about being interviewed for this post, she was so excited that someone wanted to get the word out about the kitty mill breeders. I would definitely report a bad breeder if I became aware of one.
I’m so pleased to read a positive post about reputable breeders. I don’t advertise it a lot, but both Truffle and Brulee came from a reputable breeder. I was able to visit her home and see all of the queens and stud cats before the girls were even born. Not only did I interview and check out my breeder, but she interviewed and checked me out. I love the Persian breed and know they do have specific health issues connected to the breed, so I wanted to make sure I could see the health history of their parents, grandparents, etc. I’m not against rescue at all – in fact – I fully support it. I do have a problem when some people want to shut down all breeders just because others haven’t taken care of their cats and they end up in a shelter/rescue. I feel it’s really bad that I don’t want to publicly advertise that my beautiful cats came from a breeder because I’m afraid of the backlash! I did have some when I first showed kittens from the breeder and that made me a little more hesitant to post about it.
Your girls are so beautiful! I actually expected quite a bit of backlash in publishing this article, but it was something I really wanted to say. Ethical breeders don’t just pump kittens out all of the time. Those that do overbreed and that don’t put their cats first need to be called out for that.
What a great post! Although I am a big fan of rescues, I know that ethical breeders play an important role in keeping pets healthy and reducing the number of puppy and kitten mills. I’m really glad you shared what to do in case a person meets an unethical breeder. I think that a lot of unethical breeders stay in business, because people don’t really know what to do to stop them.
Thank you so much! I’m a big fan of rescues too. All of the kitties that have shared my life have been rescues. I agree with you – many people don’t know what to do when they encounter a bad breeder. We all need to be calling them out if we find them for the sake of the puppies and kittens we love.
Oh no, they have kitty mills too? Makes sense, I guess. So sad.
It is really sad. There are some people that I will never understand. I personally can’t think of a kitten or a puppy as a commodity.
Yep, backyard breeders are pawful. Me came from one that was bein’ shut down. Unfurtunately, they missed Raena’s breeder, so her litter and maybe many others came into being. We do hope they furinally shut her breeder down too, but don’t live in the area, so we didn’t hear back ’bout the results. However, backyard breeder kitties are in desperate need of savin’. We’re glad mommy rescued us.
Luv ya’
Dezi and Raena
Fantastic post. Such a good question…are there kitty mills? And backyard breeders…oh, a real issue for dogs, and I never thought about it affecting cats as well. I see such an overpopulation of cats even just in my own neighborhood. So many abandoned…many ferals, too. We are caring for one of the ferals that comes around, even managed to get him in a crate to get rabies vaccination! Those Bengals are beautiful! Pinning to share!