# 1/4 Maine Coon



## Jackzv121 (Jul 25, 2021)

I have a 8 week year old kitten whose Grandfather on the male side was a Maine Coon. I researched online that half Maine Coons can grow to be as large as Maine Coon's themselves and I was wondering whether it also might be possible for him?


Also I was just checking before I get him done in a few months whether or not it was worth holding off doing that and using him to breed? How desirable would he be in the breeding world? I'm new to that sort of thing so I was just asking for opinions from experts. It was difficult for me to picture his coat fully but he has an amazing coat on his chest also that is stripey!

Thanks


----------



## spotty cats (Jul 24, 2012)

Hopefully he’s still with his mum given the young age.
Concerning the owners appear to be breeding generations of moggies. 

He needs to be neutered ASAP, while he’s very cute and will make a lovely pet he has no place in a breeding program as that consists of pedigree cats.


----------



## Maurey (Nov 18, 2019)

As far as the breeding world is concerned, he's a moggy/DSH mackerel tabby - I'd strongly encourage you to neuter him. It's highly atypical for anybody to produce 1/2 MCO, much less 1/4 MCO, so he's likely from a BYB, if he has any in him at all - it's common for people to call their tabby DLH MCO, when they're not, as most people are under the misconception that most cats are a breed or mix of breeds, when that couldn't be further from the truth. Most cats are randombred without any significant breed ancestry.

It's a misconception that half MCO will grow as large as full MCO - that highly depends on the genetics of the non MCO parent. When crossing with a moggy, you never really know what you're going to get.

Your kitten is cute, but I see no indication of MCO lineage, nor a reason to breed him. He also looks extremely young, nowhere near 8 weeks in the photos you posted - is he still with mum? kittens need to stay for at least 12 weeks.

Here's the only confirmed half MCO SH kittens I know of, from a local breeder's oops litter, all of which have since been neutered and rehomed. You can see that they all still have the distinctive MCO structure with the head and ear shape (though the head is, overall, much rounder than you'd see on an MCO), which I don't see in your boy. By a grandparent away, you're likely to see less resemblance, of course (which is why you don't crossbreed, especially on purpose), but things like eye and overall head shape tend to stay for a while. The ear shape and set will tend to stay, as well.


----------



## Jackzv121 (Jul 25, 2021)

Well I'm not an expert at all but there are lots of sources that indicate 8 weeks is perfectly fine. No he is not with his mother now, there is little I can do to change that now, he is at home with us and I'm playing with him and taking all the steps I can in these early days to make sure he grows up to be a good cat. All advice is taken on board.

I am getting a picture of his half Maine Coon father sent soon


----------



## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

His grandfather is alleged to be a Main Coon. Even if his grandfather is actually an MCO he is a domestic shorthair.

There is absolutely no good reason to breed from him, get him castrated as soon as your vet will do it. There are already more than enough beautiful kittens born in rescues and so on.

Hopefully your vet will castrate at 4 months, which is the age the main cat & rescue organisations in the UK recommend:

https://icatcare.org/advice/neutering-your-cat/


----------



## Jackzv121 (Jul 25, 2021)

I disagree about the lineage, the seller had no reason to lie, it was only when I asked the lineage that he even mentioned it


----------



## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Jackzv121 said:


> Well I'm not an expert at all but there are lots of sources that indicate 8 weeks is perfectly fine. No he is not with his mother now, there is little I can do to change that now, he is at home with us and I'm playing with him and taking all the steps I can in these early days to make sure he grows up to be a good cat. All advice is taken on board.
> 
> I am getting a picture of his half Maine Coon father sent soon


Rescues move kittens on quickly as they always have others waiting for their spaces. I breed registered pedigree kittens, mine are usually only starting to wean at 8 weeks and would be very unwell if they went to their new homes at that age - not to mention the GCCF require I keep them until at least 13 weeks by which time they are fully vaccinated.

What do you hope a photo of his father will achieve?


----------



## Maurey (Nov 18, 2019)

Jackzv121 said:


> I disagree about the lineage, the seller had no reason to lie, it was only when I asked the lineage that he even mentioned it


Because they don't know any better? As I mentioned in my post - many people assume that cats have a breed or breed ancestry, even though they don't. Loads of people around the internet calling their DLH Maine Coon or Maine Coon mixes when they don't look anything like the breed.



Jackzv121 said:


> Well I'm not an expert at all but there are lots of sources that indicate 8 weeks is perfectly fine. No he is not with his mother now, there is little I can do to change that now, he is at home with us and I'm playing with him and taking all the steps I can in these early days to make sure he grows up to be a good cat. All advice is taken on board.


That is extremely outdated and misguided - where are you located that 8 weeks is considered a good age to leave mum? Many kittens aren't even fully weaned at 8 weeks. Also, your kitten still has blue eyes - no way that he was 8 weeks when sold. I'd report the person who you bought the kitten from, as they're selling kittens way too early.


----------



## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Jackzv121 said:


> I disagree about the lineage, the seller had no reason to lie, it was only when I asked the lineage that he even mentioned it


So the grandfather was a registered pedigree? I've no idea where you got him from or if you knew the sellers, but we have come across all sorts of lying by people selling kittens. Age is a very common one - 10 weeks old kittens only have blue eyes if they are pointed. Weight is another - my rule of thumb for domestics is 100g at birth plus 100g per week of age. And 'breed' is yet another. A nicely marked tabby shorthair (even if it has white) is a 'bengal', a fluffy tabby is a 'maine coon', and so on.

Even if the grandfather was a genuine registered MCO it doesn't make his domestic shorthair grandson a cat that should be bred from.


----------



## Jackzv121 (Jul 25, 2021)

The photo will achieve nothing I was merely curious about lineage, I didn't expect to get such a backfire of comments. 

With regards to the weaning, can you please advise me what I can do now as now I am really worried, I've researched diets and I am NOT going to give him processed anything, I will either homemake the cat food with correct percentages or order from the best sources online. I'm worried now though, help


----------



## Jackzv121 (Jul 25, 2021)

I will most certainly report this now, I have messed up, so NO solids for how long? What have I got to order??? I need to know



Maurey said:


> Because they don't know any better? As I mentioned in my post - many people assume that cats have a breed or breed ancestry, even though they don't. Loads of people around the internet calling their DLH Maine Coon or Maine Coon mixes when they don't look anything like the breed.
> 
> That is extremely outdated and misguided - where are you located that 8 weeks is considered a good age to leave mum? Many kittens aren't even fully weaned at 8 weeks. Also, your kitten still has blue eyes - no way that he was 8 weeks when sold. I'd report the person who you bought the kitten from, as they're selling kittens way too early.


----------



## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

Jackzv121 said:


> I have a 8 week year old kitten whose Grandfather on the male side was a Maine Coon. I researched online that half Maine Coons can grow to be as large as Maine Coon's themselves and I was wondering whether it also might be possible for him?
> 
> Also I was just checking before I get him done in a few months whether or not it was worth holding off doing that and using him to breed? How desirable would he be in the breeding world? I'm new to that sort of thing so I was just asking for opinions from experts. It was difficult for me to picture his coat fully but he has an amazing coat on his chest also that is stripey!
> 
> Thanks


You have asked for the opinions of experts and you are getting them from breeders on here who are very experienced and well regarded.
Please do not consider breeding with your kitten. He would not be accepted by Maine Coon breeders and breeding moggies is certainly not the way to go.


----------



## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Jackzv121 said:


> The photo will achieve nothing I was merely curious about lineage, I didn't expect to get such a backfire of comments.
> 
> With regards to the weaning, can you please advise me what I can do now as now I am really worried, I've researched diets and I am NOT going to give him processed anything, I will either homemake the cat food with correct percentages or order from the best sources online. I'm worried now though, help


Guess you joined & posted without taking a look at what was already here. Any hint of a poster being a BYB and they get short shrift here.

If he is eating & putting weight & has normal poo on he is fine. Making your own food is laudable but has quite a few pitfalls. The best foods online are cereal & grain free, I buy mine from Zooplus & Amazon. There is a sticky about this:

https://www.petforums.co.uk/threads...-just-the-good-stuff-work-in-progress.440844/


----------



## Maurey (Nov 18, 2019)

If he’s eating his food, I wouldn’t worry about changing him over, especially quickly — that’s liable to upset his tummy, and kittens get dehydrated quickly from things like diarrhea. Given his age, I’d just keep feeding a kitten wet food until he’s around 12 weeks, as the milky smell that comes with a lot of these formulations will likely encourage him to eat. At that point, you can slowly transition to an all stages wet food.


----------



## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

Jackzv121 said:


> I will most certainly report this now, I have messed up, so NO solids for how long? What have I got to order??? I need to know


No one us saying no solids but weaning is a gradual process and shouldn't be over at 8 weeks. You can always try kitten milk replacer or goat's milk along with the usual wet food you are feeding.
Kittens also derive comfort as well as nourishment by continuing to feed from their mothers and it is this aspect they are missing by leaving so young.


----------



## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Just checked your photos, he does indeed have blue eyes (I mentioned those above as a clue the seller is lying) and looks tiny. If he is eating solids that's fine, as long as he is growing properly. See my guidelines - 100g at birth and 100g per week. Well 70g at a minimum.

But if he's not really eating he can get dehydrated very easily. It's harder to tell on kittens than cats, but if you lift the scruff of his neck it should snap back, not o down slowly. Compare doing that on the back of a young person's hand and an older person's hand.

You could offer him a bottle of kitten milk replacer - this is not the same as 'kitten milk' sold as an (unnecessary) treat. Royal Canin, Cimicat and Beaphar are all reasonable makes. RC do a kit - or did - which I saw at my vets. It included a bottle & teats as well. You would also want sterlizing tablets from the baby section at the supermarket.

There are also lots of recipies on the Internet for 'kitten goup' - home made milk replacer.

This is the RC kit: https://www.royalcanin.com/uk/cats/products/retail-products/babycat-milk

I'm not sure if they do a similar drum just with the milk powder.

If you don't have a set of electronic kitchen scales that weigh in grams now is the time to get one. With bigger kittens I put a solid dish or mug on before I turn them on, the scales will show zero, pop the kitten in and note the weight. The bigger the weighing platform the easier it is.


----------



## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

lymorelynn said:


> No one us saying no solids but weaning is a gradual process and shouldn't be over at 8 weeks. You can always try kitten milk replacer or goat's milk along with the usual wet food you are feeding.
> Kittens also derive comfort as well as nourishment by continuing to feed from their mothers and it is this aspect they are missing by leaving so young.


They are also missing socialisation and their littermates for play.

Thinking on, I'd be checking him for fleas and worming him with Panacur paste (if not eating wet food enthusiastically) or granules.


----------



## Calvine (Aug 20, 2012)

Jackzv121 said:


> I disagree about the lineage, the seller had no reason to lie, it was only when I asked the lineage that he even mentioned it


But here's the thing: many do lie. Nearly every tabby kitten you see is a ''Bengal cross''. They charge megabucks for them if they say are just a bit different from your actual moggie. You asked him, so he told you something - maybe the next buyer will be told a kitten has a ''Bengal grannie''. He is a sweet and cute kitten; there'll be lots of advice here about the feeding which will be useful for you.


----------



## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

Many, many years ago I was 'gifted' an allegedly 1/2 Siamese kitten who can only have been 6-8 weeks old. She was full of worms. alive with fleas and not fully weaned. Once sorted out she was a lovely playful little kitten and my companion for the next 18 years. 
She was not happy when I met my OH and got married, even less happy when the chldren came along. 
My point is that the early rehoming and other problems are fixable with work, this kitten will regard you as her mum and rely on you to teach her how to be a cat.


----------



## Jackzv121 (Jul 25, 2021)

My point is I am the one who asked about lineage, he did not advertise him as a Maine coon, it was only when I asked! And I'm not being funny but that's a very distinctive M on his forehead and his ears are noticeably big, time will tell. This photo of the father is taking a while I must say



Calvine said:


> But here's the thing: many do lie. Nearly every tabby kitten you see is a ''Bengal cross''. They charge megabucks for them if they say are just a bit different from your actual moggie. You asked him, so he told you something - maybe the next buyer will be told a kitten has a ''Bengal grannie''. He is a sweet and cute kitten; there'll be lots of advice here about the feeding which will be useful for you.


----------



## Jackzv121 (Jul 25, 2021)

I've just bought kitten milk and goat's milk, I will see which he will prefers? He didn't eat on the first day but now he is drinking water and eating wet food so fingers crossed


----------



## Maurey (Nov 18, 2019)

I don’t see anything distinctly MCO about his ears, but the M is just characteristic of tabbies — in fact not all MCs even have one, as they come in solid colours like black; some tabby MCO won’t have an M, either, and that doesn’t make them meet standard any less. Not sure where the idea that “M means Maine Coon” came from. Perhaps because tabby MCO tend to be most popular.

In any case, best of luck with the little one! Good to hear that he’s eating and drinking. Would be a good idea to have him seen by your vet soon if he hasn’t yet — doesn’t sound like he came from the best start in life, though it’s always a good idea to have any new animal seen by the vet, regardless of origins.


----------



## Jackzv121 (Jul 25, 2021)

Here is the mother


----------



## Jackzv121 (Jul 25, 2021)

Maurey said:


> I don't see anything distinctly MCO about his ears, but the M is just characteristic of tabbies - in fact not all MCs even have one, as they come in solid colours like black; some tabby MCO won't have an M, either, and that doesn't make them meet standard any less. Not sure where the idea that "M means Maine Coon" came from. Perhaps because tabby MCO tend to be most popular.
> 
> In any case, best of luck with the little one! Good to hear that he's eating and drinking. Would be a good idea to have him seen by your vet soon if he hasn't yet - doesn't sound like he came from the best start in life, though it's always a good idea to have any new animal seen by the vet, regardless of origins.


He has been to the vets and had his worm and flea stuff done!


----------



## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

Jackzv121 said:


> My point is I am the one who asked about lineage, he did not advertise him as a Maine coon, it was only when I asked! And I'm not being funny but that's a very distinctive M on his forehead and his ears are noticeably big, time will tell. This photo of the father is taking a while I must say


Yes but once you asked it sounded good to the seller so he just told you what you wanted to hear. this is what they do. With blue eyes your kitten was much younger than 8 weeks , but I'll let the experts help you with all that.

If you paid a fortune for this underage moggie kitten (which should have been wormed and flead before you bought him) well it's a lesson learned, move forward with your lovely moggie, neuter him as soon as he is big enough and have many happy years with him.


----------



## Jackzv121 (Jul 25, 2021)

lorilu said:


> Yes but once you asked it sounded good to the seller so he just told you what you wanted to hear. this is what they do. With blue eyes your kitten was much younger than 8 weeks , but I'll let the experts help you with all that.
> 
> If you paid a fortune for this underage moggie kitten (which should have been wormed and flead before you bought him) well it's a lesson learned, move forward with your lovely moggie, neuter him as soon as he is big enough and have many happy years with him.


That's actually not true, his eyes are not blue in real life when you look at them. I don't consider £75 a fortune so no, I haven't been tricked into buying a certain breed and no he didn't just go with it, when I asked he said the grandfather was Maine Coon and the distinct stripes on tabby cats come from either a Norwegian forest cat or a Maine Coone in the bloodline


----------



## Jackzv121 (Jul 25, 2021)

His eyes are more grey


----------



## Jackzv121 (Jul 25, 2021)

And what's even funnier is I spoke to a lady in the Pet Shop earlier and she said she had a kitten who was also 8 weeks old without mum, so there must be a lot of us out there doing it wrong


----------



## Jackzv121 (Jul 25, 2021)

A kitten can leave it's mother between 8 and 12 weeks old but not before, that seems to be a general consensus online so I'm no longer worried that it's been done too early


----------



## buffie (May 31, 2010)

Jackzv121 said:


> A kitten can leave it's mother between 8 and 12 weeks old but not before, that seems to be a general consensus online so I'm no longer worried that it's been done too early


You will always find an answer to suit a disagreement but it is always better to listen to those who know what they are talking about..............

https://www.thesprucepets.com/when-can-kittens-leave-mothers-555163


----------



## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

Jackzv121 said:


> And what's even funnier is I spoke to a lady in the Pet Shop earlier and she said she had a kitten who was also 8 weeks old without mum, so there must be a lot of us out there doing it wrong


I don't think it's "funny" at all. Yes, there ARE a lot of you out there doing it wrong. That's one of the reasons this forum exists, to teach people that kittens need those important 4 weeks with the mother and siblings for crucial social and physical growth.

Especially when they buy from back yard breeders and the kittens are actually even younger than that. It happens all the time to people just like you. Kittens are expensive to feed and litter when they start eating solids, so off they go.

As you say, it's too late for yours now, but no need to continue to perpetuate the fallacy, now that you .know the truth.

Neuter your lovely boy and have many happy years with him.


----------



## Jackzv121 (Jul 25, 2021)

lorilu said:


> I don't think it's "funny" at all. Yes, there ARE a lot of you out there doing it wrong. That's one of the reasons this forum exists, to teach people that kittens need those important 4 weeks with the mother and siblings for crucial social and physical growth.
> 
> Especially when they buy from back yard breeders and the kittens are actually even younger than that. It happens all the time to people just like you. Kittens are expensive to feed and litter when they start eating solids, so off they go.
> 
> ...


Yes I even read the article, I guess we will have to fill that void by playing with him and making sure he gets that physical growth I'm doing my best haha. You're all wrong about the age though he is most definitely 8 weeks and three days old. Thank you for your kind words and support


----------



## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Jackzv121 said:


> That's actually not true, his eyes are not blue in real life when you look at them. I don't consider £75 a fortune so no, I haven't been tricked into buying a certain breed and no he didn't just go with it, when I asked he said the grandfather was Maine Coon and the distinct stripes on tabby cats come from either a Norwegian forest cat or a Maine Coone in the bloodline


Sorry but the distinct stripes can be in almost any breed, and in moggies. Not sure who told you that - the person you brought him from?


----------



## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Jackzv121 said:


> And what's even funnier is I spoke to a lady in the Pet Shop earlier and she said she had a kitten who was also 8 weeks old without mum, so there must be a lot of us out there doing it wrong


There is a lot of mis-information, a lot of greed and a lot of impatience.


----------



## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Jackzv121 said:


> Yes I even read the article, I guess we will have to fill that void by playing with him and making sure he gets that physical growth I'm doing my best haha. You're all wrong about the age though he is most definitely 8 weeks and three days old. Thank you for your kind words and support


Why do you think he is such an exact age? Ah yes - the person you brought him from told you. How much does he weigh?


----------



## Jackzv121 (Jul 25, 2021)

OrientalSlave said:


> Sorry but the distinct stripes can be in almost any breed, and in moggies. Not sure who told you that - the person you brought him from?


That's just something I read and can probably be proved false, I'm just browsing whereas you probably have comprehensive knowledge of all of this.

I do now agree, he seems to be dodging the picture of the father, claiming he is out at the moment... I said no worries, I don't think I'll be hearing from him. I do now see why I'm under fire because it was probably obvious breeding a Mackerel tabby is pointless and I could have rescued one...in my defence I have a three year old ex feral cat that I took in and neuteured and he seems happy enough.

What do you feed your cats? Raw or mixed? What's best


----------



## Jackzv121 (Jul 25, 2021)

OrientalSlave said:


> Why do you think he is such an exact age? Ah yes - the person you brought him from told you. How much does he weigh?


He can jump up onto a bed confidently my gripped and launching


----------



## Jackzv121 (Jul 25, 2021)

OrientalSlave said:


> There is a lot of mis-information, a lot of greed and a lot of impatience.


Can you explain why mixing breeds is so bad? What's actually wrong with a half moggy half Siamese or whatever? Is it genetics?


----------



## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

Jackzv121 said:


> What do you feed your cats? Raw or mixed? What's best


My cats are raw fed. When I first transitioned to raw 10 years ago, I fed raw and canned for a couple of years before going 100% raw.


----------



## spotty cats (Jul 24, 2012)

Maurey said:


> Not sure where the idea that "M means Maine Coon" came from


a popular YT series years ago featuring different breeds and "facts" about them.



Jackzv121 said:


> He can jump up onto a bed confidently my gripped and launching


How much does he weigh as has been asked previously, that is a greater indication of age.
My kittens clamber onto the bed long before 8 weeks for example.


----------



## QOTN (Jan 3, 2014)

Jackzv121 said:


> Can you explain why mixing breeds is so bad? What's actually wrong with a half moggy half Siamese or whatever? Is it genetics?


There is nothing necessarily wrong with a moggy but most people worry about the large numbers of random bred cats in rescues looking for homes so it is better to find them homes rather than breed yet more.

When ethical breeders breed pedigree cats, it is usually because they have a passion for the particular breed and wish to breed really good examples. We could be criticised for adding to the overall population of cats but actually pedigree cats are only a tiny proportion of the total.

I bred Siamese and Oriental cats for twenty years and felt I had made a contribution to the colours I helped to develop and the difference I managed to make to the temperament by careful selection of studs etc. With a random bred cat it is much harder to know how a kitten will turn out as it grows.


----------



## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

Jackzv121 said:


> Can you explain why mixing breeds is so bad? What's actually wrong with a half moggy half Siamese or whatever? Is it genetics?


 Mainly because there's no need for it. There is a vast overpopulation of moggie kittens and cats needing homes, there is no need to breed more and sell them for money. Of course there are back yard breeders selling "pure bred" kittens as well. But they cut corners, not health testing for genetic diseases, poor conditions, and fake papers, so one still has to be on guard, to avoid bad breeders, and, by the way, selling at 8 weeks is a sure red flag of a bad breeder, even if they are claiming pure bred.

Breeding pedigree lines is not just for love of breed, it is to better and perpetuate the breed.


----------



## Maurey (Nov 18, 2019)

Also with moggies, you’ll rarely know history of diseases, as compared to pedigree cats, where you can track lineage very far back, and through that know what a cat might be genetically prone to. Sure, there are healthy moggies out there, but there are plenty that carry or even have genetic issues that emerge later in life — the idea that moggies are healthier than pedigrees is, on average, false. The purpose of breeding any animal should be, before anything else, improving health and longevity. Then come other important factors, like improving temperament, conformation to breed standard, and quality of colour. None of this is achievable with breeding just because any given cat is pretty.


----------



## Calvine (Aug 20, 2012)

Jackzv121 said:


> This photo of the father is taking a while I must say


Honestly, I wouldn't worry about it; just love him for what he is. I'm sure you will get years of enjoyment with him.


----------



## Calvine (Aug 20, 2012)

Jackzv121 said:


> A kitten can leave it's mother between 8 and 12 weeks old but not before, that seems to be a general consensus online so I'm no longer worried that it's been done too early


When I was fostering, the charity let them go at nine or ten weeks - this was simply to free up fostering spaces so that more kittens could be taken in, otherwise they had to pay for them to stay with a local vet which was not ideal as they were confined kennels with little of the socialisation that they would get living in a house with a family and domestic noises etc.


----------



## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Calvine said:


> When I was fostering, the charity let them go at nine or ten weeks - this was simply to free up fostering spaces so that more kittens could be taken in, otherwise they had to pay for them to stay with a local vet which was not ideal as they were confined kennels with little of the socialisation that they would get living in a house with a family and domestic noises etc.


And they would be at a greater risk of picking up a respiratory respiratory infection at the vets.


----------



## Jackzv121 (Jul 25, 2021)

So it's okay for you to breed orientals to make a contribution to colour but it's not okay for people to breed interesting moggies to create colours?



QOTN said:


> There is nothing necessarily wrong with a moggy but most people worry about the large numbers of random bred cats in rescues looking for homes so it is better to find them homes rather than breed yet more.
> 
> When ethical breeders breed pedigree cats, it is usually because they have a passion for the particular breed and wish to breed really good examples. We could be criticised for adding to the overall population of cats but actually pedigree cats are only a tiny proportion of the total.
> 
> I bred Siamese and Oriental cats for twenty years and felt I had made a contribution to the colours I helped to develop and the difference I managed to make to the temperament by careful selection of studs etc. With a random bred cat it is much harder to know how a kitten will turn out as it grows.


----------



## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

Jackzv121 said:


> So it's okay for you to breed orientals to make a contribution to colour but it's not okay for people to breed interesting moggies to create colours?


Moggies already come in every color under the sun. There are millions, pick a color, waiting for homes or being dumped in a sack in traffic or abandoned and left to starve and worse.


----------



## SusieRainbow (Jan 21, 2013)

Besides which, pedigree cats in a breeding programme are tested to ensure any kittens are not affected by inheritable diseases.


----------



## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Jackzv121 said:


> So it's okay for you to breed orientals to make a contribution to colour but it's not okay for people to breed interesting moggies to create colours?


I'm sorry but nothing interesting colour or pattern wise will come from your boy. He is nicely marked, that's it.


----------



## Jackzv121 (Jul 25, 2021)

Maurey said:


> Also with moggies, you'll rarely know history of diseases, as compared to pedigree cats, where you can track lineage very far back, and through that know what a cat might be genetically prone to. Sure, there are healthy moggies out there, but there are plenty that carry or even have genetic issues that emerge later in life - the idea that moggies are healthier than pedigrees is, on average, false. The purpose of breeding any animal should be, before anything else, improving health and longevity. Then come other important factors, like improving temperament, conformation to breed standard, and quality of colour. None of this is achievable with breeding just because any given cat is pretty.


It makes much more sense that moggies are healthier in my opinion. That's why the oldest cats in the world have all been moggies. Hybrid vigour


----------



## Jackzv121 (Jul 25, 2021)

Spoken like a true cat lover


OrientalSlave said:


> I'm sorry but nothing interesting colour or pattern wise will come from your boy. He is nicely marked, that's it.


----------



## Jackzv121 (Jul 25, 2021)

Genetic problems in moggies might not be as easily identifiable but they certainly aren't as common as the ones you all breed


----------



## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

I am closing this. Please do not be rude to those who have offered you their advice.


----------

