Below is a list of questions that we are frequently asked, either by email, over the phone, or in person by prospective new kitten families,

Do your cats live indoors?
All of our girls and boys live indoors as part of the family and our babies are also all raised indoors. All of our cats have 24 hour access to a large, fully enclosed, wire cat run so they can go outside in the sunshine and fresh air yet still remain safe.

What do your cats and kittens eat?
Our adult cats' main dietary food is James Wellbeloved Turkey and Rice biscuits. These biscuits are left down day and night. James Wellbeloved is a complete, balanced food and our cats do extremely well on it. They are also fed morning and evening with a mixture of freshly cooked chicken, cooked fish, cooked mince, Hi Life, Natures Menu, and Felix. Our kittens are all weaned onto James Wellbeloved kitten biscuits, scrambled eggs and pilchards in tomato sauce, cooked chicken, fish, mince, Hi Life and Natures Menu.

What are your kittens vaccinated with?
Our kittens and our adults are vaccinated for Cat Flu and Enteritis. We will no longer allow the FeLV vaccine to be administered to any Schimmel cat or kitten. The reason for this is that the lines we are working with develop quite horrific reactions to the FeLV vaccine. This has happened on 4 occasions now, twice with cats that share our home, and twice with cats who are with their kitten families. It is written into our kitten agreement that your baby can not have the FeLV jab administered. The baby we home with you is from parents who are negative tested for FeLV so the only way your baby could contract this fatal disease, would be if they were in contact with another infected cat.

Do you use flea treatments for your kittens/cats?
No we don't. Why would we when none of our cats have fleas? If we were to see a flea then yes we would treat the whole household but we have never had a problem with fleas and we will not put unnecessary chemicals into a kitten's body. If you choose to have your Schimmel kitten treated for fleas when they are in your care, that is your prerogative but we would suggest that this is only done if you actually experience a problem with fleas.

Do you rehome your cats when they stop breeding?
No we do not. Whilst our cats are breeding cats, they are family members first and foremost. When they are no longer able to breed for whatever reason, they are spayed/neutered and remain in our home, still as family members. We already have 7 neuter cats. The only exception to this is when our outside stud cats who are extremely dominant, after being neutered, are then unable to share our home with the neuter boys we already have. In this situation, we place the retired male in a permanent, loving, family home.

Do your cats and dogs get on?
Yes they do, we have 2 dogs, and both our dogs "tolerate" our cat family. They are used to being jumped on, jumped over, slept with, and sniffed by our cat family. Our poor dogs are quite good natured and very tolerant of the small furry people who constantly seem to be invading their space.

Do any of your own cats fight?
Sometimes, yes! We are a multi cat household full of hormonal women (the cats, not the humans), and when girls are pregnant, or girls are calling, then they can snap and be cranky. It's part of breeding. We did once have an lengthy incident with our darling Drambuie who reached a certain age and started attacking all the other girls in the home. We were at our wits end as we had never experienced this kind of behaviour before, particularly in a kitten that was Schimmel bred. We talked about it, we cried about it, we eventually got help from a lovely lady named Cathy and we then went through a few months of behaviour therapy and the use of Bach Flower Remedies, and as a result, Drambuie is now perfectly fine and is happy again to share the home with the rest of the girls. Don't get me wrong, when just one member of a multi cat home causes problems like this, it is absolute hell and you do totally despair because while it's happening, you can not see a light at the end of the tunnel, and yes it did cross our mind that maybe spaying and re homing would be the best solution, however, with time, patience (more patience than you can imagine) and a small fortune on flower remedies, we got there and we have a happy home as a result. I would ask any breeder to please, please, not use the excuse of "Oh they fight" as an excuse to get rid of a cat. The majority of felines will fight for a specific reason. FIND that reason and treat accordingly. It can be done, Drambuie is living proof :) Cacao will often smack all of our cats on the head solely because she's the matriarch of the family and because she can! Tia Lusso will smack cats when visitors are here because she wants all of the attention and doesn't believe the other cats should be stroked. It's part of being a multi cat home, but these (apart from Drambuie's problem) are very minor things and are to be expected.

How many cats do you have?
There is never a straight answer to this as it does vary. As you can imagine, being breeders, we sometimes have a litter which has a baby in it that we either wish to add to our own cat family and breeding program, or we develop a special bond with a baby and can't bear to part with him/her, or if a kitten struggles during the first 13 weeks, then that kitten remains with us, or if a family can no longer keep their Schimmel cats, then there you have yet another addition to our home. I can say that every single cat that shares our home is featured on our web site as we are extremely proud of each of our cats regardless of whether or not they are breeding cats or neuters. So I guess the best way to answer this is by suggesting that you visit our Queens page, Studs page, and Neuters page, and then count how many are on each page and add them up :) But don't forget to check them again in 6 months' time as they could be another addition.

How long have you been breeding and showing?
We bought our first breeding queen in 2002 however we did not have our first litters until 2003 so we still consider ourselves to be "novice" breeders. When we bought our first queen we started showing her in 2002 and have continued to show since then.

Why do you show your own cats?
Initially, we starting showing because we felt that as novice breeders, it was imperative that we knew and understood the difference between a cat of good quality and a pet quality cat because by understanding the differences is how we are able to strive to produce kittens who conform to the SOP (Standard of Points) set out by the GCCF. Over the years though, for us, showing has become a very enjoyable hobby and we tend to show our own cats, once a month, sometimes twice a month :). We love showing our own cats and any kittens we keep, we love doing the same shows that some of our kitten families do as it's a great day out.

Do you mate cats who are related to each other?
Sometimes yes......................what you need to realise is that if you have cats from "problem free" lines, then by doing line breeding, or inbreeding, what you are effectively doing is doubling up on the good points. For example, a mating between a half brother x half sister, who both have reasonable eye colour, may end up producing cats with stunning eye colour. I am not, nor have I ever been, against line breeding. Provided that a breeder knows the lines behind their cats, knows the possible problems, avoids breeding any 2 related cats that have even the slightest inkling of a problem, then yes, line breeding and inbreeding can be a very good thing and can do an awful lot for the breed. I have never hidden the fact that we do line breeding and inbreeding because quite frankly, I've been working with these lines for a little while now and there are definitely times when I can see that close matings are going to make a huge difference with regards to improving on any possible faults and when I feel that certain close matings are safe, I will do them. I am fully against breeders who do line breeding or inbreeding of cats with known problems in the lines. To me, that is barbaric and the effect this has on kitten families is awful, but more importantly, imagine the effect this has on a litter of deformed or stillborn babies. No queen, and no baby should ever be put through that solely for the sake of producing a Gr Ch.

If I don't know that I want a kitten from you or if I want a kitten from someone else can I still visit you?
Yes you can. If you aren't sure that perhaps the Siamese or Oriental is the right breed for you, or if you aren't sure which breeder you would like to actually buy a kitten from, then certainly come and visit us, meet our cat family. We don't mind where you obtain your baby from and we're more than happy to show off our cat family to visitors and chat with them about the breeds. The only thing I will say is please do not visit more than one breeder in a day. If you visit one breeder and then go straight on to another breeder, you are going to be spreading germs. Each multi cat household has their own "bugs" and they will all vary and it is extremely irresponsible to cause breeders to suddenly end up with an entire home of ill cats just because a thoughtless kitten visitor has been to see another breeder that same day.

Can we visit our baby when he/she is born?
Of course you can! We encourage all prospective new families to visit us while their "mum" of their baby is pregnant, as well as once the babies are born. The amount of times people visit does depend on their location. We have some families who have visited their babies once a week or once every 2 weeks when they have been born. Other families have only been able to visit 2 or 3 times during their babies' first 13 weeks. It is important to us that our new families feel that they are able to see their babies' development during the time they are with us. Obviously all of our new families can keep up to date with their babies' progress via our daily kitten diaries but this isn't quite the same as being able to see your baby and touch him/her.

I live far away and can't visit the baby before I collect him/her so what happens now?
We will not home a baby with anyone we have not met prior to collection and whilst I can appreciate that traveling long journeys to visit a baby can be difficult, at the end of the day, these are our babies and we are not prepared to let them go with the first person who walks in off the street. Email and telephone contact is simply not enough to convince us that a baby is going to a home where he/she will be cherished for life, so regardless of your location, we will insist on at least one visit prior to collection of your baby. The other thing to remember is that when you are looking for a baby, you should visit the breeder to ensure that the kittens are being raised properly and that the breeders' own cats are all friendly and well socialised. This is something that you can not be sure of with email and phone contact.

Do you accept deposits for kittens?
We only accept deposits when our babies turn between 6 - 8 weeks of age, and after we have met the new kitten families and are certain that they are the "right" family for one of our babies. We will not accept deposits for any unborn kittens at all. The kitten deposit you pay (£100) is non refundable, so if you change your mind, or decide to obtain a kitten elsewhere, you are not entitled to your deposit back. The only time that a deposit is refunded is if your chosen baby falls ill and we can no longer home your baby with you.

How do we pay our deposit and for our kitten?
All deposits and kitten sales are paid in cash or by postal order. We will not accept any cheques at all due to problems in the past.

If I change my mind and bring my kitten back do I get a refund?
No. The kitten sales agreement you sign states you are not entitled to a refund should you decide for whatever reason you no longer want your kitten. Even if you bring him/her back to us within a few days of collecting him/her, we still will not refund you any money. Kitten families have no idea of the stress and trauma involved for a kitten when they are placed in a new home, only to be returned a few days or a couple of week's later. A baby is taken from a loving, caring environment, full of brothers, sisters and extended family members, their world is suddenly turned upside down when they are homed with a family. They then start to bond with their family and suddenly, their family decides that they don't want a kitten after all and bring them back to us. So for the 3rd time, this babies' world has been shattered, they have been uprooted yet again, returned to us which is yet another new environment as they were already settled with their new family. How dare anyone do that to a living being! So don't even bother asking us for a refund because we will not give one. Instead, we would suggest prior to obtaining a kitten, that you think long and carefully because a baby is a life time commitment.

Do you use a kitten sales agreement?
Yes, we use a 3 page kitten sales agreement which is legally binding and which must be signed by the new owner upon collection of their kitten. The reason we use our agreement is to ensure that our babies are protected for life and that their new families will do the right thing by them. A copy of our kitten sales agreement is sent via email or post to all prospective new kitten families who make inquiries to us regarding a kitten because it is very important that the new families are aware of our terms and conditions when they adopt a baby from us.

Are show kittens more expensive than pet kittens?
No they are not, and nor should they ever be! I do have problems with breeders who suddenly raise the price by £50 or £100 or even more, solely because a kitten has show potential. At the end of the day, all babies are raised the same. A show quality kitten is not fed any different food than a pet quality kitten. The show quality kitten is not loved or cared for any more, or any differently from a pet quality kitten so why on earth would the price be different? All of our babies are loved regardless of whether or not they might do well on the show bench. This aside though, NO breeder can guarantee show potential because babies can look stunning at 13 weeks of age and then totally "lose it" by 6 months of age, so if you are prepared to pay more for a show quality kitten, then I suggest you get it in writing that if that baby does not do well on the bench, the difference between the pet and show price is then refunded to you :)

Do you sell kittens for breeding?
We will no longer home any kitten on the Active register. All Schimmel kittens are now registered Non Active meaning they can not be bred from. We have previously homed 5 babes with 4 breeders as future breeding queens. These 4 breeders are people that I know will have our babies' best interests at heart and they are breeders who will keep our babies with them for life, regardless of how well they may, or may not do as breeding queens.

Can I choose my kitten when I first visit him/her?
Sometimes, but not always. It depends on a number for factors, such as where you are on the "waiting list". For example, if someone has been waiting longer than you, then they will first preference. Also, if someone has asked us if they can show their kitten, then we won't choose that kitten for them, until the babies are older and we are sure of show potential. But this is why we encourage new families to visit all of the babies as often as they can manage it. Also, the personalities have to come into play because if you have dogs, and for whatever reason, one of our babies doesn't accept our own dogs, then that baby really shouldn't be homed in a family with dogs.

Do I have to provide a written reference?
Yes, we ask that you provide a reference from your current vet, or a vet who has looked after your previous pets. The reference may be posted to us or you can bring it with you when you visit your future baby. If you have never had pets before and have not ever used a vet, then we require 2 written references from close friends.

Do you pen your kittens?
Most definitely not! We do not believe in the use of kitten pens or crates at ANY stage of our babies' lives. It is relatively easy to keep kittens safe from harm without having to resort to locking them pens. In our personal opinion, caging kittens stifles their development. Young babies from the age of 3 weeks love to explore, run around and play and if babies are penned, they are extremely limited as to what they can do. Playing games and running around is imperative for muscle growth, and exploring is also imperative as it stimulates the mind and teaches the babies to be confident.

Can we let our Schimmel kitten/cat go outdoors?
No, again, it is a clause in our kitten sales agreement that all Schimmel babies are to remain indoor cats. At no stage of their life are they allowed to roam outdoors at all. The only exceptions to this clause is if you have a fully enclosed cat run, or if you wish to take your baby for a walk on a leash and harness. Indoor cats are incredibly happy cats so long as they have company and stimulation. Cat runs are incredibly cheap to construct or buy and they are a wonderful alternative to allowing a cat to be safely outdoors where no harm can come to him/her.

Can I get my new baby earlier than 13 weeks?
No, not in a million years, certainly not from us! Quite often we will keep the babies here until they are 14-15 weeks of age if we feel it necessary. The first 13 weeks of any babies' life is very important for both socialisation and health aspects. Sometimes new families think that their baby will not bond with them as they are over 3 months of age, as opposed to the kittens sold in pet shops or by unscrupulous breeders when they are 8 weeks of age, or younger. Of course your 14 week old baby will bond with you, we have spent the first 14 weeks raising him/her to ensure they they will bond with you and be part of your family. You only have to visit our Owners Gallery for proof of how well the babies bond with their new families.

Can I show my new kitten?
Yes you can, however, as of January 2008, no Schimmel kitten will be able to be shown at any cat show held under GCCF rules. This is a clause in our kitten sales agreement. Schimmel kittens can only be shown at TICA or FB governed shows. Prior to having a baby from us, if you are interested in showing and would prefer a kitten with show quality, please do let us know because at least this way we can try to ensure the kitten we home with you does have show potential, rather than home pet quality kitten to someone who has a keen interest in showing. If you decide, a few months or a year after sharing your home with a Schimmel baby that you would like to try your hand at showing him/her, you are more than welcome to give it a go. We will not make any guarantees that a baby will do will on the bench, if they do, then great, if they don't, then there is always another show. Showing is a very fun hobby and we will help you in any way we can. We will go through the procedure with you, we will help you choose your classes and help you fill in your entry form. We are also happy to try and show our own cats at the very first show you do so that you have someone with you to give you a hand throughout the day. The thing to remember about showing is that it IS a hobby, it is not the be all and end all, and if you don't get the results you want, does it really matter? You are still taking home the best cat in the show. We will not home any of our babies with a family who want a cat purely for showing. Our babies are homed only to loving, caring pet homes where they are valued for their personalities and who they are, rather than for how many rosettes they have won.

What do I get when I collect my kitten?
Well apart from taking home a wonderful fur child, you are also given a folder which contains: Kitten Sales Agreement, Transfer of Ownership paper (registration paper), Vaccination Certificated, Pedigree Certificate, Neutering Certificate (to be signed/stamped by your own vet and returned to us), Kitten's weight chart and personal information, 6 weeks insurance cover (with Pet Plan), Kitten Care Sheet, Kitten Diet Sheet, Copy of the GCCF Code of Ethics for Breeders and Owners, Kitten Recipes, Poisonous Plants List, Household Safety List, Contact Details for Siamese/Oriental organisations, Receipt for your adoption fee, 1 year's paid membership to a Siamese & Oriental Cat Club, 1 SAE for the Neutering Certificate to be posted back to us, 1 stamped envelope addressed to the GCCF so you can send in your Transfer of Ownership paper. You are also given one or two kitten toys, 2 kitten bowls, and samples of kitten food, wet and dry.

What happens if I can't keep my Schimmel kitten?
As per the kitten sales agreement you sign when you collect your baby, then if you can't keep your Schimmel kitten/cat, they are to be returned to us. It makes no difference whether or not the cat is 2 years old or 12 years old, either way, they come back home to us. You do not even have to tell us the reason that you are no longer able to keep your baby. Sometimes people's circumstances changes, you may have split up with your partner, there may have been a death in the family, you may have to move overseas, we don't care what the reason is and we are certainly not here to judge or condemn you because you can't keep your cat. Please don't ever be ashamed to come back to us and say that you need to return your cat. All that matters is that our baby does not get passed on to someone else or end up in rescue. We raised these babies for the first 13-14 weeks of their life and to us, they will always be our children. As breeders, every kitten we breed is our responsibility for life, the duty of care does not just stop once a baby is in a new home.

Why don't you let other breeders use your stud boys?
Our boys are at Closed Stud for a couple of reasons. The first is that we like to have a "clean" household and we are not prepared to have another breeders' "problems" contaminate our own cats. Another reason is that we refuse to let another breeder into our boys to then cause problems for us at a later stage. This can, and does happen quite frequently and we will not put ourselves in a position where it can happen to us. Also, taking in outside queens for stud work is time consuming, tiring, and quite frankly, not worth the hassle. When we had our first stud cat, he was at Limited Stud and we did take in outside queens sometimes, however, when we retired him, we stopped all stud work and became a Closed household. We are much happier this way, our cats and our lines are protected. The only exceptions to this is should Maroochydore Siamese and Orientals or Lorimnailie Siamese & Orientals wish to use our boys.

Where do you stud cats live?
Our 2 stud boys both live inside the home. They have their stud room where they live side by side.

Do you make a lot of money breeding?
You are joking aren't you? Breeding is a hobby, it is not a business and any decent, ethical breeder, spends far more money than they will ever make. To give you an indication of this, please visit our Cost of Raising a Litter page.