Breeding

Health Issues in the Persian Cat: Polycystic Kidney Disease

CH Donegal’s Irish Mist (Misty)

Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) is similar to Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) in that it only takes one parent to pass the disease. PKD is an inherited kidney disease that passes from a genetically affected parent at a statistical rate of about 50%. It can be a relatively silent disease for many years until it manifests later in life as renal failure. Or it can strike early and unexpectedly with renal demise characterized by multiple cysts in both kidneys. This disease, like HCM, can have variable expression from cat to cat.

Health Issues in the Persian Cat: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Heart Beats

Donegal Cattery -- In recent years another disease has permeated the Persian breed and that of several other breeds. It is a disease of genetic origin that involves a mutation in a cardiac gene (cardiac myosin binding protein C) that codes for structural proteins, which in turn has an effect on the muscular development of the heart.

Tags: 

10 Steps to Becoming a Respected, Successful Breeder

Purrkeepers Annabelle Jade & Samarkand Gold

So... you have decided you want to become a breeder. Warnings about expenses, hours of grooming and feline care and rumors about heartaches did not kill those dreams about kittens of your own that would make their mark on the world, and you now wonder "how do I even start without making terrible mistakes?". Well, here is a 10-step formula to "making it" - or at least having a go as an ethical respected breeder in the Fancy.

Step 1 - Your goal

Before You Breed a Persian

Yellow Light

Spring is in the air, daylight hours are getting longer, and our girl cats are coming into heat...

"Hmm..maybe just ONE litter of kittens would be fun."
"We should have just ONE litter for the kids."
"I want to breed her so i can have kittens just like her."
"I just want ONE litter to make back the money i spent on buying her."
"Well, she's a purebred, papered Persian - why NOT breed her?"

Breeding Purebred Cats

Happy Persian Cat Couple

If you are interested in breeding purebred cats for monetary gains, you have to consider the pros and cons first before going down this road. While the rewards are generous and rewarding, cat breeding is not for all. People have this mistaken perception that cat breeding is as easy as just letting cats mate. In fact it’s just the opposite. While earning money is part of the plan in breeding, it should not be the main motivating factor.

Pages

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • next ›
  • last »