Make sure there are pictures of cats/kittens in their new homes on the web site. Normally, people are sharing these with the breeder.

Breeders normally have pictures of kittens in different age ranges or can provide ones. Very often they will provide videos; not only on their web sites but also on other platforms like FB, Instagram, etc. Scammers, as a rule usually only have 1 picture which they downloaded from some other sites, and can be easily identified.

There are a lot of back yard breeders who would charge less than a real breeder, but they also will not give you any warranty if anything happens to your kitten and, of course, would not offer any replacement in most cases. They do not test their breeding stock and more often than not can't provide proof of breed certificates. Ask if a breeder is offering paperwork for your kitten's future registration in any of the associations and if in the contract there is a language about it. Check your responsibilities and the breeder's promises regarding paperwork. Your contract is a legal document that has power in any court. Also, keep all e-mail conversations because this is all legal proof for both sides.

IF THE PRICE IS TOO LOW - THIS IS A CLEAR SIGN OF POSSIBLE SCAMMERS! If they are offering 30%,40%, 50% off - this is a scam! Breeders normally do not give any student, senior or military discounts. Price is what the pet price is. Breeding rights and price for breeding are normally discussed personally with the breeder.

Nowadays a bad review is working for pet businesses! If you find reviews for any of cattery on Yelp or BBB – this is 100% warranty that the business is real and not scammer. These companies are doing their deep research and never place scammers on their web site. Any breeders may have troubles when dealing with nature and not all people are accepting or understanding of this fact, but scammers never create bad reviews on their testimonials pages. If something happens with your kitten/puppy - you always have a chance to get back to your breeder and resolve issues according to the contract and company policies. Scammers do not have policies and rules!

MYTHS & FACTS ABOUT SPAYING OR NEUTERING

The animal population is exploding. Each year millions of unwanted pets are born and most are treated like "living garbage" and disposed of. The primary causes of pet euthanasia are the failure of owners to have their pets spayed or neutered and animals that are abandoned or relinquished to shelters because of obedience problems. A responsible breeder can give you a warranty that proves parents of your kitten/cat are genetically healthy which can illuminate a lot of health issues with your pet in the future, and give you a warranty or replacement if such problems occur to make sure your new kitten is properly raised and socialized. 

FACTS ABOUT DECLAWING

Unlike most mammals who walk on the soles of the paws or feet, cats are digitigrades, which means they walk on their toes. Their back, shoulder, paw, and leg joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves are naturally designed to support and distribute the cat's weight across its toes as it walks, runs, and climbs. There is no such thing as "GENTLY DECLAWING". With declawing part of the cat's fingers are being removed, not the claws only. Your breeder will help you with the information on how to help your kitty to find the proper place for their natural needs without sarificing your furniture. With some of your help, this is not hard to achieve. Trimming your kitten's claws is something you should consider doing and this should be a regular procedure with a rewarding and pleasant experience for your furry friend. There is no way around it.

COMMON HEALTH CONCERNS IN AN OVERWEIGHT CAT

Concerned about how round your cat has become, or even notice your cat losing weight too quickly? It's easy for people to realize they've gained too much when their pants get a little snug. When it comes to a feline friend, however, it's up to you to watch for warning signs that she's a little too fluffy. The first sign is a decreasing activity level. When your kitty gets tired fast, hard to fill ribs due to fat ( not muscles) around them, etc. You need to manage your cat's weight yourself. Do not expect your veterinarian to tell you that your kitten/cat is overweight. They normally won't tell you.

Also, some breeds of cats tend to gain too much weight and British Shorthair is among one of them. The gaining weight, normally, starts after your kitty is altered and this is the time when you should consider diet change and amount of food to keep your kitty in perfect weight condition for the best health of your kitty.

PROBLEM OF KITTEN MORTALITY

Kitten mortality is distressing, as well as an economic problem, which occurs to some extent in any breeding program. A study by Scott et all, 1976, of over 3,000 kittens in over 800 liters indicated 34.5% mortality between birth and one year, which is a considerable number.

WHY PURE BRED KITTENS ARE EXPENSIVE COMPARED TO THE SHELTER PRICES

I believe there is no better way to say about this than what Lucy Robinson said,

"I saw a cartoon today where a shelter dog was "free" and a purebred was $1,000. Suggesting breeders were, again, money-grubbing bastards. This is not fair at all. Shelters get thousands and thousands of dollars donated. Free food, discounted medical treatment, etc... Some even have paid staff. Breeders do all the work themselves: buy top quality food, pay full price for medical care, and pick up the poop themselves. We don't have foster homes to stay up all night during birthing. We work 40 hour weeks at a regular job and yes, we charge a sizeable amount for the countless hours its taken us to create the precious life you seek. So please quit dissing the good breeders. We have a place and a purpose in this world too, and we love our babies just as much as anyone else."

We have a very limitted amount of Selkirk Rex (SR) cats which can be breed together with British Shorthair BSH. Kittens are considered purebreed kittens as well and may have the same paperwork as any other purebreed kittens from SRxSR breeding. These kittens can be curly or have strait hair. These 2 breeds have the similar standards. Please, review CATS 101 or TICA web site about these 2 similar breeds of cats.