purebred cats is actually a byproduct of showing cats. Kittens that are not competitive in the show ring for any number of reasons, are sold as pets. A cat show is the proving ground for showing quality and improvement in a breed. Cat shows are extremely competitive -- Scottish Fold's are getting better all the time and winning is getting harder. Also, keep in mind that not every kitten in a Scottish Fold litter will have folded ears. It can take 5 to 8 litters of kittens before you produce that one nice show quality cat. The rest will be straight ears or pet quality kittens.
a cat takes all weekend, Saturday & Sunday -- assuming that the driving or flying to get to the cat show doesn't add more time. Showing a cat is not cheap! There are entry fees, travel expenses, supplies, equipment and in most cases a fee to the pet sitter that takes care of your cats while you are away.
Scottish Folds takes hours of work a day, money to feed, house, pay for vet bills, register, advertise and for purchasing quality breeding stock for your program. If you want to breed Scottish Folds (or any breed) to make money, forget it!! It costs far more to breed, raise and show cats then you will ever make. Breeding cats is a hobby & labor of love, not a business opportunity.
If you are breeding unregistered Scottish Folds, you are merely providing competition for other unregistered cats looking for homes (strays). If your cats are registered, but you aren't trying to improve the breed, then you are hurting the breed. To my way of thinking, neither one of these options shows a true love and appreciation of the Scottish Fold breed or any other breed of cat.
For the children -- A film is a safer bet. If something goes wrong, you end up scaring the kids and demonstrating the worst in birthing. Kittens, like humans, can have birth defects, get sick, die, etc. You could also lose the mother cat - your children's pet.
A female cat needs to have at least one litter. She doesn't care and dispite the old addage, it does not improve their temperament or health. In fact, some cats are not good mothers, which is a whole new set of problems. Some may reject their kittens or not have enough milk to nurse them. Whole females can also "spray" all over the house when they come into season. Spay her and she will make a wonderful pet.
You also need to consider what it can cost if things go wrong. A caesarian can happen to cats as well as humans and you will be looking at a substantial vet bill ($1500 to $1800 in the ER) with a possibility of losing the kittens or the mother or both. Hand raising a litter is a 24 hour a day commitment.
So all your friends can have Scottish Fold kittens. As a breeder you are now responsible for guaranteeing that every kitten/cat has a place to go if the new owner can't or doesn't want to keep it years later. If you sell the kittens, you are responsible for the health, soundness and temperament guarantees as well as making sure each & every kitten/cat goes to the best possible home. This involves written contracts and lengthy interviews with perspective buyers. These are all long term responsibilities NOT to be undertaken lightly. In many cases, friends who admire your Scottish Fold really don't want to own one themselves (even though we know they are really, really missing out).
If you think this is the hobby for you, the first thing you will need is all the information you can get on your breed of choice and showing cats in general. I recommend going to several cat shows and talking to breeders, watching the judging and generally getting acquainted with the process. Contact CFA (Cat Fanciers' Association) for show schedules.
The next thing you will need is to talk to a lot of breeders in your preferred breed. Most cat breeds, Scottish Folds included, have two or more groups with differing philosophies and goals. You will need to find this out and align yourself with the group you agree with. This is very important because, in the cat fancy, unlike dogs or horses, bloodlines are very proprietary. Having a cat from one Scottish Fold breeder may mean that another breeder with a different philosophy will not want to sell you a Scottish Fold.
The best place to start showing is to purchase a "Premier". This is a purebred cat that has been spayed or neutered. The division is, perhaps, even more competitive in some ways then the other two divisions - Championship (breeding cats) and Kittens (4 to 8 months old). This will give you a real feel for the sport and enable you to learn what a good representative of your chosen breed looks like. It may also allow you to change your chosen breed if you made your initial choice in error.
If, after all these steps, you really like showing and want to raise some kittens of your own, your next step is to find a mentor. This is an experienced breeder who will work with you, providing you with breeding stock, answering your thousands of questions and giving solace when things go wrong. Without the help of an established breeder, you would be putting yourself at a very great disadvantage.
You must also know that there are many areas that have laws limiting or prohibiting breeding of cats and dogs. There are zoning laws in some areas. To avoid future problems, it's important that you know what your sate, county, city and even HOA's have as laws and where they are "heading" (ie: what laws they are trying to get passed). There are also state laws pertaining to the sale of kittens to the public that you will need to find out about.
Earmark Cattery
Dawn & Patrick Sartz
Chandler, Arizona
480-732-0198
Special thanks to:
Gale Thomas-Goodman