I do want to state categorically that the text on this page is based on my own personal opinion and my own breeding ethics, because the way we do things here at Schimmel may certainly not be the way that other breeders would do things and that is their right, as it is our right to breed the way that we do. If you're about to buy your first Siamese or Oriental then it is very easy to be taken in by a disreputable breeder. I've listed some guidelines below to help you learn how to make sure that the kitten you are buying is coming from an ethical, moral breeder and not one who is just "in it for the money" (backyard breeder). Just because a breeder has a prefix, that does not make them a moral breeder who is trying to do the best things by their babies and their cat families so please don't be fooled into thinking it does. Some of the things that are a tell tale sign of a backyard breeder (in my personal opinion only) are: kittens being raised in pens and cages and not being part of the family home; kittens kept in one room only without access to the family home; breeders without any neuters in their home because these are the types of breeders who constantly get rid of their breeding cats when their career is over and they can no longer "earn their keep"; breeders who refuse to answer in depth questions about the health surrounding the lines they are working with; kittens who are allowed to go to new homes prior to 13 weeks of age; kittens who will not let you near them and run and hide when you visit; adult cats who will not let you stroke them and who appear fearful of you; breeders who don't ask you any questions and who are happy to take your money without even finding out the sort of home their baby is going to; breeders who have stud cats at public/limited stud and have a different girl into them every week; breeders who will not let you see their stud boys or touch them, stud cats who are kept in tiny pens without ever having access to people or the outside world, kittens who are not vaccinated; breeders who will not answer any of your questions; breeders who are unable to tell you straight away about their current babies' personalities; filthy litter trays; unwashed food bowls, half empty water bowls; kittens who are not registered i.e. breeders who provide a pedigree certificate but not a Transfer of Ownership (registration paper) paper; breeders who can not tell you about previous kittens they have bred, and who are unable to show you any evidence of updates on how their babies are doing or photos of these kittens in their new homes. If you come across a breeder who falls into just one of these categories, then go elsewhere. I have no doubts at all that the above statements may well make me an unpopular person amongst the Cat Fancy, but so what? I'm not here to win a popularity contest (just as well really), my only concern is my cats and their babies, and that new kitten families are not taken in by immoral breeders. There is an inordinate number of wonderful, caring breeders throughout the UK and the onus is on prospective new kitten families to do their "homework" and find these breeders.

Ask the breeder why they breed Siamese or Orientals?
Apart from striving to breed the "perfect" specimen of our chosen breeds, the other major factor in breeding is the love of our chosen breeds. A good breeder will never hesitate to explain why they breed Siamese or Orientals. I don't actually know any breeders who won't talk for hours about their beloved Siamese/Orientals. Most breeders will go on and on about their favourite breed to the point where they start to bore you. If a breeder doesn't seem interested in extolling the virtues of their breeds to you or if they aren't able to tell you why they breed Siamese/Orientals, then I would certainly question their love and knowledge of the breed.

Ask if their prefix is registered?
The breeder you choose should have a prefix which has been registered with either, TICA, Felis Britannica, or the GCCF. These are the 3 cat governing bodies that register prefixes and cats/kittens in the UK. The breeder should be able to show you proof that their prefix is registered with one of these organisations.

Do they show their cats?
It is not essential for a breeder to show their own cats however I personally would recommend you buy a kitten from a breeder who has been involved with showing and shows their own cats. If a breeder shows cats then they are constantly seeing other Siamese/Oriental's of great type that conform to the breed standard and it means that the breeder will know the quality of their own cats and will know how to breed to improve the quality and type. Apart from this, breeders who show cats are always in contact with other breeders and members of the cat fancy so there is always a network of support there that they can rely on.

Can you visit their cattery?
No breeder should hesitate in allowing you to view their cattery. Catteries will all vary, a breeder who has a lot of cats should have an outdoor run, or cat proof garden so that the cats have safe access to the outdoors, whereas a breeder who only has one or 2 queens will probably not have any outdoor facilities as there will be no need for it. It makes no difference whether the breeder you visit is a large or small breeder. Always make sure you ring/email and make an appointment though before visiting a breeder, don't just turn up at the door unexpected. Breeders are usually busy people and they can't just drop everything because someone has turned up without notice. If a breeder is very hesitant about letting you view their premises then go elsewhere.

Does this breed get along with other pets?
This is something you need to consider as you may already have a dog or may be getting a rabbit or even more cats in the future. Some breeds prefer to be the only animal in the house so make sure that you find this out before obtaining your kitten. If the breeder has cats as well as other animals, then this is a sure sign that their breed is a sociable one.

Can you see the kitten agreement before you buy a kitten?
Not all breeders use a kitten agreement when homing their kittens, however they are becoming more common and it's important that you know what they mean before undertaking to sign one. The agreement that a breeder uses will be the same for each kitten sold on the non-active register so there shouldn't be a problem with you being able to see an example of this agreement. Again, if the breeder won't let you see a copy beforehand, then find another breeder.

What support does the breeder offer to new guardians?
A good breeder cares about the home their babies go to and will always be on hand to help a new owner both before the kittens are born as well as after they go to their new homes. Any breeder that doesn't want to help or give advice to new guardians should NOT be breeding. When you get your new kitten, your breeder will be your lifeline as far as your kitten is concerned. You should always be able to telephone or email your breeder with any concerns you might have. Again though, if you phone your breeder with a concern and they ask can they ring you back, don't worry, they may be in the middle of cleaning out litter trays or they may have prospective new guardians with them at the time you ring.

What paperwork do you receive when you buy a kitten?
All new guardians of kittens should be given (when they collect their kitten), the Registration Certificate, as well as a pedigree certificate, vaccination certificate, kitten diet and care sheet as well as the kitten sales agreement (if it is applicable). Very occasionally, the Registration Certificate may have been delayed for one reason or another. If this is the case and the breeder isn't able to give it to you when you collect your kitten, then it is essential that you get it in writing that it will be sent on to you within a few weeks.

Ask if the kittens will have been vaccinated before going home with new owners.
Your new kitten should have been vaccinated at 9 and 12 weeks of age. It should be vaccinated for Cat Flu (FCV & FCR) as well as FIE. These are a must! It may also be vaccinated against FeLV (Leukemia) but this is not not a necessity. If the kitten hasn't been vaccinated against FeLV, then the new owner can choose to have this done at a later stage.

Ask how kittens were raised, how often they have been handled by the breeder etc.
No matter how many cats a breeder has, ALL kittens should be raised indoors. Kittens need to be properly socialised before going home with new owners and this involves getting the kittens used to everyday household events, such as the doorbell ringing, the washing machine being used, the phone ringing, the TV or radio on. As well as getting them used to people in the house and visitors coming to and fro. If a kitten isn't socialised like this, then when it goes home with you, it is likely to be a very scared little kitten who will run and hide at any noise or movement. You want a kitten that is a happy, confident kitten who will easily adjust to life with a new family and a kitten that wasn't socialised never will. So if the litter you see has been raised outdoors in a shed, or a cat run, or been confined to just one room, then don't buy it. That breeder is not doing the right thing either by the kittens or new owners.

Ask if there are any health problems which have been hereditary on the dam or sire's side.
As a rule, Siamese/Oriental's aren't prone to health problems, well certainly no more than any other purebred cat. Responsible breeders will not breed from a cat which has health problems in it's line. You may come across Siamese/Oriental which have kinked tails, or perhaps a squint. This is in no way a health problem though and certainly won't have any bearing on your new family member. These would only be a problem if you were showing your new pet.

Ask if you are allowed to view the kittens before going out to pick them up?
All breeders should allow new owners to come and view the kittens before buying them. Some breeders will prefer you view and handle them after they have had their first vaccination at 9 weeks of age, others will allow you to view but not handle them from an earlier age. When going out to view or handle a litter, please do the breeder the courtesy of not handling any other cats or viewing any other litters beforehand. Most breeders will ask you to wash your hands before handling their cats and kittens so please don't be offended by this as it's our way of trying to keep infection out of our catteries. If your breeder won't let you view the kittens before you buy them at 13 weeks of age, then find another breeder.

Ask how old the kittens are when they are allowed to go to their new homes?
Kittens should not go to new guardians under 13 weeks of age. If a breeder offers you a kitten to take home any earlier than that then say no. The reason for this is that as the last set of vaccinations are given at 12 weeks of age, this then allows an extra week should the kitten have any adverse reaction to the vaccine. I would query any breeder who wanted to let a kitten go before 13 weeks age.

Ask to view the kitten's pedigree?
A breeder obviously can not show you the kitten's pedigree before it has been registered as the kittens registered name and registration number must be on the pedigree you receive. However, all breeders should have both the dam's (mother) and sire's (father) pedigree there for you to view. As well as that, a breeder should have what's known as a "Litter Pedigree" which will show you all details of the sire and dam as well as their ancestry.

What to look for when viewing a litter.
When you enter the breeder's home, the adult cats in the home should all be curious about you and should come up to you to "meet" you. It's also important that any cats the breeders own are friendly, (it may take them a little while to get used to you) but they shouldn't be hissing, spitting, or be petrified of you. If a breeder is not prepared to introduce you to their adult cats then go elsewhere. All breeders should be proud to show off their feline family to you and if all you are allowed to see is the mum and babies, then something is not right! Make sure that the area where the kittens sleep is clean and hygienic. All litter trays in the home should be clean and there should be no unpleasant odour's. You are within your rights to ask the breeder if you can inspect the litter trays should you wish to do so. The queen may look a bit tired but should otherwise be in good health. The kittens bottoms should be free of any "muck", they should have no gunk in their eyes, and their eyes should be bright. Provided you don't see the kittens while they are asleep, they should be very playful and active (remember though, that kittens under 6 weeks of age sleep a lot but older kittens should be happy and playful). Be wary of any litter that are very fearful and hide behind things. Make sure food and water bowls look clean. Older kittens should have the run of the whole house, and not be confined to one room whereas younger litters will be in their own "kitten room".

Note: If a breeder isn't prepared to answer any of your questions, or doesn't give what you think is a direct answer then go elsewhere because that breeder is hiding something! Also, be wary of the breeder who doesn't ask you any questions as a prospective owner. Breeders who care about the kittens are bound to ask you things like: do you have a vet, have you had cats before, will you keep him/her indoors. Don't be offended by breeders questions as they are trying to ensure that their kittens are going to the best homes possible. Be honest with the breeder and make sure they are aware what you expect out of your kitten, i.e. show quality, pet quality as this will avoid all confusion.

Now after all of that if you think that this is an awful lot to take in prior to beginning your search for a new fur family member, then I strongly advise you read our own Kitten FAQ page to give you an idea of what we, as breeders, expect from our own kitten families :) Whilst it is your duty, and your right, as a kitten family to find the right kitten for your home, it is our responsibility as breeders, to ensure that the home our babies go to, is the best one in the world. A home that is permanent, a home that is loving and caring, and a home where the humans that abide in it can appreciate exactly what it means to share their lives with a Siamese or Oriental cat.