KITTENS

Kittens
    I am compiling resources on kitten care from birth to twelve weeks, the ideal age for them to be weaned from the mother and graduate to their new homes.

Having kittens might just be your most compelling reason to breed. Sure, they are so much fun but they can also cause you heartbreak because they are indeed, very fragile.

Which Cat Breed Is For You?

People often wonder what breed is their cat.
Genetically, there is no such thing as a cat breed. A definition of it depends on specific features such as coat length and body type. Mostly the inherited features are recessive (such as long hair).
So, what breed is your cat? To explain it simply, if your cat is not registered under any cat registries, he is a domestic cat. He can be a domestic short hair (DSH) or a domestic long hair (DLH). And that’s it.
True, he can look like a Siamese , or a Persian , or a Maine Coon , or aBengal for that matter, but if he is not registered, he is only a domestic short/long hair.
Only if the parents are registered then you can claim him as a pure-bred. You can even register him if he's qualified and you decided to do so.

Cats In The Womb

Cats In The Womb is a superb educational video from National Geographicabout kittens and lion cubs development from inside their mothers' womb.

The video will show you that mating is a painful process for cats. Since procreating is purely hormonal, female cats are willing to go through all the pain so she can ovulate (and she had to go through mating atleast four to five times to stimulate ovulation!) Otherwise her eggs will be 'trapped' inside her ovaries risking cancerous growth.

This video is divided into 5 parts, each of which will cover various parts of feline reproductive systems and other additional feline facts, including the big cats, in particular the lions. So watch, and enjoy the show!

Breeding Systems and
How they Guide Your Breeding Program

Any breeding systems no matter what the species comes with strong recommendations to have a plan.

• Know what you are breeding for. 
• Do you want to breed top show cats? 
• If so would you be selling those kittens or competing yourself and at what level? 
• Are you looking for a particular color established in your breed or perhaps you want to get closer to the standard simply for the satisfaction of doing so and spending time with cats.

Whatever your reasons for breeding have them clear in your mind. There are so many ways to get there and even experienced breeders – of all species! – argue the benefits and detriment of each. A wise horseman noted once that a particular horse traced to a single stallion on both sides of his pedigree and said if it was a nick that worked its line breeding and if it didn’t then it’s inbreeding. Some rabbit breeders will breed relatives to try to fix a certain color or to see genetically what the animal might be.
Of course we don’t ride cats nor do we eat them when the cross doesn’t work! For this reason cat breeders give careful consideration to the breeding systems of close breeding, line breeding, line crossing and outcrossing.
Close breeding or inbreeding examples are

• mother to son, 
• full siblings, 
• father to daughter or 
• grandchildren to grandparents. 

This can fix certain traits genetically and increases homozygous traits. However it can also bring out the weak genes and create a lack of health and thriftiness that medicine can’t overcome. Too much close blood can result in an increase in congenital problems, smaller litters, smaller adults, lower fertility, immune diseases and losing more to disease due to decreased immunity. This is true whether it is cats, cattle, rabbits or any other animal.Linebreeding too can bring out the same problems but allows for more genetic differences than close breeding. Linebreeding uses animals that may be related but are more distantly so – perhaps sharing a grandsire or great granddam.
Linecrossing is using good animals that are of different bloodlines. This can maintain the vigor needed genetically and produce top quality animals, although some argue it takes longer to achieve than through linebreeding. It takes more effort and a longer time to get those top quality animalsthan with linebreeding or inbreeding.
Outcrossing or crossbreeding increases hybrid vigor as you’re using two different breeds. However, one must then create a cat that is consistent in look or it is just producing crossbred cats. Some dog breeds have been big examples of this when it’s a breeding just for money. Keep in mind too that with those weak genes if those match up it still results in genetically weak animals.
Looking closely at your goals directs your breeding program in a way to make decisions to reach those goals! Select well, choose carefully and have a plan in your breeding systems!

What Kind of Cat Food?

   The maze of cat food claims can be confusing. There are more varieties of pet foods in America than people food insome parts of the world, each claiming to be the best. There’s regular ol’ cat food, hairball formula, weight formulas, higher priced special foods and as if the commercial kibble wasn’t enough now the raw food focus the dog world is in is shifting to cats. What’s a cat owner to do?!There’s the common foods found atgrocery stores and feed stores which are inexpensive due to the use of grains.Cats, like dogs, were not developed to thrive on grains but these kibbles keep them in reasonable health. Most peopleserious about health and production opt to get a ‘higher grade’ cat food, such as Iams, Science Diet or Purina. As if this isn’t confusing enough there’s dry foods, moist diets and canned foods


Cat Breed Directory

I hope you find this breeders list in our cat breed directory useful. I have ordered the breeders' links according to breed and then location. If you have your own cattery and wish to add yours, add your cattery here.p/s I'm still working on other cat breed list, so watch out for them, if your breed link is not active (or not here) and you have submitted your link, I will activate the link of your breed. Or if you are interested with banner list, you can click here to get a banner list.