How To Spot A Bad Cat Breeder

I hate to say it, but there are a few breeders out there that have despicable breeding practices and are just plain evil. Yes, this is a strong statement to make, but you must know that not all people who claim to be “professional breeders” are as they seem. There are some people out there that are only concerned with the fast buck and who cannot even provide the basic essentials and needs of their animals. The good news is that these types of people are easy to spot and can be avoided.

Most of these bad breeders that I am referring to do not think that they are being non-caring or poor breeders, they are just uneducated and uninformed as to the proper etiquette and lifestyle that a professional breeder is supposed to maintain. At some point in their life they saw a moneymaking opportunity with selling pets and decided to take advantage of it. You can spot a lot of these types of breeders, or what I call backyard breeders, who sell in major newspapers and on Internet ads. They will make claims of pure pedigree cats available but their prices will be insanely low.

What these people do not realize is that most of these cats that they are selling are being provided to other uneducated people who are just looking for a nice pet (at a cheap cost) but will end up giving this pet away or placing the animal in a shelter. Kittens and adult cats that are sold at cheap dollar will also end up obtaining some sort of illness or virus because they are not being raised in a proper environment by pet owners who have passions for their animals. Keep in mind that these are not bad people or bad pet owners, they just do not understand the scope of what it takes to raise a healthy cat, or any other animal for that matter.

Below is a list of red flags that should give you the signal to walk away from a breeder:

1. The breeder has no participation in showing cats. Your odds of getting a high-quality purebred are much higher if you are dealing with the breeder that takes pride in showing his or her cats. This proves that the breeder has a commitment to their passion.

2. The breeder lacks particular knowledge of the breed. This should be common sense but some people do not ask the right questions and cannot discover whether the breeder is truly educated about the bloodline or not. If the person does not know the history, the standard, or other information about the breed then they should be avoided.

3. The breeder denies your request to meet the other cats from the litter or allowing you to see where the animals were raised. This is a big red flag that should go up in your head when you request these items. Should a person refused to allow you to see the litter or the grounds in which they are raised, then it is obvious they are maintaining a dirty environment and/or are in possession of diseased and sick cats. You should choose another breeder immediately.