Hello!! Im Char and i wanted to know if it is reccomended safe to buy a Bengal kitten from out of state. I found a breeder by random on craigslist. She has provided pics and a copy of her TICA certificate.. Im just a little unsure because I've never done this before. So idk if her certificate is truly valid. The kitten is being shipped to me from Minnesota. Please help.

Personally, I don't trust anything from Craigslist. A reputable breeder will have an official website or a Facebook page. There are scams galore out there where people pay for a cat and never get a cat. This does not necessarily mean this breeder is not legitimate. TICA certificates can be manipulated too. If the cost was your only consideration and this kitten is cheaper than what you would normally pay for a purebred bengal, I would be suspicious. Do you due diligence and research this breeder -- dig deep! If there is anything negative, it is probably on the internet.

Shipping a kitten is not a huge issue. However, this means you have not actually visited your kitten and you are getting a cat from a photograph and a description from the breeder. Know that your kitten needs to arrive with a health certificate and its first round of vaccines. It would be great if the kitten were already spayed.

I always recommend that you visit the breeder in person. Legitimate breeders allow this, even if their cattery is in their home. You can see the environment the queens and kittens are kept in and you can actually SEE and hold the kittens. Surely there are breeders closer to where you live.

This is just my opinion. I would not get a purebred cat from anyone on Craigslist. If they aren't willing to spend the money and time to create a better web presence than an ad, I'd stay away from them.

Here's what I think of when I see a breeder advertising on Craigslist:

* they are lazy and haven't bothered to build up a website, visit cat shows, build relationships etc.
* they are supremely unconcerned about landing their kittens into a good home (just so long as they get paid)
* there is little to no demand for their kittens (wonder why?)
* because of the above points, you have to wonder if they are cutting other corners, like shots, socialization, selecting a good quality queen and stud, and the paperwork necessary to run a cattery.

Conversely, I feel a lot better when I see:
* A breeder with a nice website
* Having lots of cat show activity and ribbons etc
* Having lots of detail about their queens and studs
* Having lots of detail about re-homing their kittens (a conservative re-homing age, medical care, terms of a health guarantee, the food and litter to use, when you'll get the kitten registration paperwork, etc).
* Lots of detail about how the kittens are raised (including pictures)
* What health screenings have been done, both to parents and kittens
* Criteria for prospective new owners (they won't rehome to just anyone!)
* Advertisements in legit cat magazines
* A waiting list for kittens!

Honestly, if you spend 1 hour on google, you'll be able to find a number of prospective, legit, breeders that you can check out. Getting a pure bred kitten is not like getting a used laptop. I would never use Craigstlist for that. And btw, legit breeders are often very versed in doing business with out-of-state customers, so they should have some reasonable policies regarding that and let you know exactly what you can expect and what they expect from you.

Whether the certificate is valid or not should be the least of your worries imo.

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The little monsters 3

Thank you thank you!! I was suspicious because the cat came with all vaccinations and a microchip litter and food and a food certificate. Plus pedigree credentials. Biggest issue all that plus shipping for $250.. Claims because she was pregnant and wasn't doing well for her new litter. But i thank you for the responses. It just secured me in my decision that I'd rather spend a pretty penny for what i want versus getting an unbelievable deal!!

I never said or implied that you had to do the show circuit to be a good breeder, or that doing so makes you a good breeder. I merely said that doing so is one of a very long list of things that makes a positive impression on me personally. And I certainly stand by that.

Doing well in cat shows certainly doesn't make one a great breeder, but it demonstrates a certain level of commitment, knowledge of the breed, that you select your breeding queens and studs with great care, and do a pretty good job of socializing your kittens. All of those are undoubtedly good things.

Conversely, you're making my point by throwing yourself out there as a new breeder, not doing those things, advertising on Craigstlist, and saying "you have to start somewhere". Here's a very simple question: If you keep going as a breeder, are you going to be a better breeder 5 years from now than you are now? And if so, how much better do you think you'll be?

It's not simply checkbox of being reputable or non-reputable. Like anything else it's a skill that you work on and improve as you go.

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The little monsters 3

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The little monsters 3

Truthfully, it costs very little to have a basic website hosted on the internet with the domain name of your cattery. These days, there are software programs that basically design themselves! You just type in the information and enter the images. If that is too much trouble, you have Facebook. Suri has her own page, so I know this is easy for you to do. I just think CraigsList is the dingiest place to advertise anything. The long list of criminals perusing their ads is crazy and people have been murdered. But, for the bengals -- you, Deputy, do have to start somewhere, but social media is a great (and free) tool. GREAT breeders have testimonials and word of mouth spreads fast. You shouldn't have but a few kittens to find homes for.

Everyone has their own opinion on what makes a great breeder -- and yes, there are probably some out there who are members of every bengal organization out there, have a beautiful website and still sell sick kittens. That is probably not how they started out their cattery. Good luck with your Queen, Deputy.

As for the original poster -- you should NEVER find a purebred bengal kitten for $250. It will be 3 to 4 times that amount, plus the shipping is incredibly expensive! Thanks for walking away.

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The little monsters 3