# Opinions needed please on ex breeding cats for adoption



## ClothieDolly (Aug 12, 2020)

Hello 
I am a first time want-to-be cat owner and I've just been to view 3 ex breeding ragdoll females. I am wanting 2 cats as I work and the cats will be home alone. The breeder told me she was closing her cattery which is why she was selling. Only 1 has had a litter and the others had not. She told me that the cats were kept outside in a cattery during the summer and brought inside during the winter. I didn't see where the cats were being kept but they were brought into me one at a time to view. All the cats seemed somewhat stressed but is just my unprofessional opinion. It's been a very hot day and each cat was placed into my (a strangers) lap (which wasn't what I was expecting to happen) so maybe that contributed to the cats being stressed? The breeder did seem a little concerned about the cats running off and second cat I saw got away from me and hid under the table. I am unsure how used they are to being in a house although she assured me they were all litter trained. The breeder said there was one dominant cat that she wasn't selling as she had a difficult temperament but that this cat was not getting along and bullying the 3 younger cats. The first cat sat in my lap and seemed to be mostly relaxed and quiet. The second cat mewed the entire time she was in the house but sat in my lap OK. The third cat had been imported from abroad about a year ago by the breeder. She was very nervous and shy and didn't want to sit with me but settled with the breeder. The breeder felt that given time she would settle in a home and if going with another cat she was familiar with would be OK. The breeder assured me that the nervous cat gets along fine with the other two but I never saw how they interacted with each other. I am leaning towards the first and third (nervous) cat that I saw. I was shown pictures of a recently rehomed cat that had settled quickly into their new home. I've never been to a breeders house to view cats before so wanted some opinions please. Are there any glaring red **** here that should make me walk away? Thanks


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## ChaosCat (Dec 7, 2017)

Hello and welcome to the forum!
Did the breeder give you a reason for showing you the cats one after the other?
It’s really strange she didn’t show you how they are together. If they get along fine why not?

Cats that are used to staying outside in a catio all summer might find it difficult to settle into an inside only life.

If you thought the cats stressed they most probably were. Altogether it sounds very strange to me and I think I wouldn’t choose my cats there at all.


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## ClothieDolly (Aug 12, 2020)

Thanks for your reply chaoscat. I was a bit worried no one would read such a long post To be honest I didn't ask to see them together as I didn't think of it until I was going home but she knew I was thinking of adopting two. There is a big part of me that thinks maybe they are not happy in their current environment and by giving them a safe comfortable home they will be fine but they are £350 each which is a lot of money if I'm not sure. 

They are the first cats I've been to view. I guess I was expecting all 3 of the cats to be wondering happily around the living room rather than being plonked in my lap. Maybe that was naive of me.


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## ChaosCat (Dec 7, 2017)

Not naive at all! I would have expected that, too.


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

Have you looked at rescues?

I’d be much happier handing over my money (much less too) to a reputable rescue, especially if you’re having doubts about this breeder.

Are they being neutered before you have them?


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## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

It does sound an odd situation. I have rehomed retired queens but prospective new owners have met them in the home environment with my other cats.
If you are intending to have two I think you need to see how they interact with each other not just go by what the breeder is telling you. Ask if she can send a video of them together. If she didn't breed them herself check that their breeder is aware that she intends to sell them. I assume the ones that haven't had kittens yet are still young and the breeder may want them back 
Also make sure that they will be spayed before leaving if they haven't been already.
I'm not up on prices but £350 sounds a lot. If you are unhappy with anything please walk away. There are rescues specifically for pedigrees and breed welfare societies which help in rehoming. Check breed club websites where you can find out. There's also a Facebook group where breeders offer retired,, neutered pedigrees


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## ClothieDolly (Aug 12, 2020)

Lurcherlad said:


> Have you looked at rescues?
> 
> I'd be much happier handing over my money (much less too) to a reputable rescue, especially if you're having doubts about this breeder.
> 
> Are they being neutered before you have them?


I have tried a local rescue but they didn't currently have a suitable cat for us. I'm looking for a house cat only but being a first time cat owner I am a little wary of any adverts that say the cat is aggressive which is the case currently with the local rescue. I am looking down various avenues at the moment.

They are already neutered.


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

ClothieDolly said:


> I have tried a local rescue but they didn't currently have a suitable cat for us. I'm looking for a house cat only but being a first time cat owner I am a little wary of any adverts that say the cat is aggressive which is the case currently with the local rescue. I am looking down various avenues at the moment.
> 
> They are already neutered.


Rescues will soon be overflowing once the "Lockdown impulse kittens" lose their appeal, I'm sure.


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## ClothieDolly (Aug 12, 2020)

[QUOTE="lymorelynn, post: 1065654444
If you are intending to have two I think you need to see how they interact with each other not just go by what the breeder is telling you. Ask if she can send a video of them together. If she didn't breed them herself check that their breeder is aware that she intends to sell them. I assume the ones that haven't had kittens yet are still young and the breeder may want them back. Also make sure that they will be spayed before leaving if they haven't been already.
I'm not up on prices but £350 sounds a lot. 
If you are unhappy with anything please walk away. There are rescues specifically for pedigrees and breed welfare societies which help in rehoming. Check breed club websites where you can find out. There's also a Facebook group where breeders offer retired,, neutered pedigrees[/QUOTE]

To be honest I didn't know what to expect yesterday so was just going with the flow, but like I say I had assumed to see them altogether from the start. I plan to message her and tell her what my concerns are and give her opportunity to address them.

She told me the breeder that she got the one cat from was aware she was looking to sell it and hadn't yet found a home for it. 
Looking at all other adverts for ex breeding queens £350 looked to be a low price but I am unsure myself of how much to pay.


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## ClothieDolly (Aug 12, 2020)

Just to update. I have not agreed to adopt any of the cats. I sent the breeder a polite but honest message outlining what I had expected to see and the concerns I had over adopting any of her cats and said I may reconsider if she addressed my concerns. She sent a reply back just saying "good luck???"

It's a pity as I feel really bad for those cats but I am not convinced that if I brought 2 of them into my home that I would be able to manage them.

Thank you for all your replies.


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## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

I think you have made the right decision.
Do check breed club websites and even breeders own websites.
Are you set on a Ragdoll or would you look at other breeds?


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## ClothieDolly (Aug 12, 2020)

lymorelynn said:


> I think you have made the right decision.
> Do check breed club websites and even breeders own websites.
> Are you set on a Ragdoll or would you look at other breeds?


From my researching of breeds I love ragdoll and would love one day to have one or two but the breed is not as important as having a cat that I can manage and live with. I have seen today that a local rescue has a couple of Selkirk rex Cross I don't know much about that breed but I think I will contact the rescue and ask about them. I will have a look on club websites aswell as you suggest.


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