Hi all, I'm Angela. The post by Shelly was pointed out to me by someone who bought a kitten recently ... I see it's from a couple of years ago, but thought I might as well weigh on the topic, since I'm the breeder Shelly was talking about
I make a big deal of my heath guarantee because (in the event of a sold kitten becoming ill), breeders are required to offer a replacement or RETURN THE KITTEN for a refund. But by that time, buyers often have fallen in love with their new cat, and don't want to return it for a refund, or return it for a replacement.
So I guarantee it's healthy when it leaves (as we all do), AND will cover all their vet bills if it becomes sick in the first week or so for ANY reason, not just with something it may have picked up here ... eg it might get diarrhea (when none of the ones here have it), simply from re-homing stress ... or whatever. I mentioned "first few days" in the case of a reaction to vaccination because they're done about 10 days before leaving and any reaction would appear within a fortnight. I don't know of anyone that would guarantee a kitten past the first week, since if it got sick then, it wouldn't be anything related to breeder's premises or re-homing. Nobody would guarantee your new cat won't get (eg) food poisoning from contaminated/less than fresh meat that the new owner has fed it!
I also refund purchase price if the buyer's vet picks up a congenital defect AT ANY AGE that would affect it's long term health. If they find a heart murmur (for instance) at two years old, I'll refund the purchase price.
I honestly don't know any other breeders that offer that extensive a guarantee - most guarantee it to be healthy when it leaves, and will only cover vet fees if it gets sick with something that was incubating when it left (ie picked up at breeders premises). But I feel that offering such a complete guarantee DOES make the buyer feel very comfortable that they are indeed buying a very healthy kitten, which will grow up to be a very healthy cat, and that they have a guarantee that I wont just say "Oh well, sorry to hear that" if they find in two or three years that their cat has late-onset PRA, or a heart murmur, or whatever
On my "premium diet", it's Royal Canin Babycat biscuits, human grade tinned tuna, human grade raw beef and chicken chopped or minced, and a porridge of (human grade) lactose free milk and Farex babyfood (one meal of each, per day), and chicken necks once or twice a week. I tell the butcher I want the necks to make stock, to make sure they give me FRESH ones, not "ok for pets" ones. I don't use any "pet grade" foods except the biscuits. That's a fairly usual diet for any reputable breeder, nothing special ... but it's not usual for a farmer or backyarder (or a registered breeder who's not particularly reputable - and yes, they're out there!), which was the point I was making.
As far as selling kittens goes, no I don't have any trouble with that, lol. I have 7 breeding queens now, but could breed twice as many kittens as I do, and still not keep up with demand. My last two litters (4 kits in one, 5 in the other, born a week apart), were all sold by two weeks old. Half of them were sold (deposit paid) at only 2 days old, to people on my waiting list. They're a rare-ish breed here in Australia, with only a couple of (registered) breeders in each State. Pricing, I charge $550 for pet, same as the other Reg Breeders in my State (Victoria), but I know for a fact that the NSW breeders charge $750.
I'm not sure whether it was Shelly, but somebody with a Bengal did buy a kitten from me, a beautiful Seal Point girl called Miracle. She and the Bengal adore each other. Pic attached.
Cheers,
Angela Watson
http://www.anjaymatonks.comuf.comAustralia
Miracle 1.jpg
Login
Register
FAQ
