It's a difficult one though isn't it? I read recently that the Siamese/ Burmese/ Tonkinese type breeds retained the suckling reflex till 12-14 weeks, as opposed to the more usual 8 weeks. Added to the fact that Tonks often have large litters, that can be a physical strain on mama cat. Having had Indigo be on/ off poorly, I can sort of understand the reasoning behind doing that, especially if Mama spends the latter half of her working year as a show cat, she has to be in optimum health. (this might not be the reasoning, I am speculating)
But I wouldn't do it myself. For me, the kittens learn so much from Mama, staying with her makes for happier, more well balanced kittens (IN MY OPINION!)and surely that's part of why we keep them till 13 weeks. If nursing and- perhaps- a longer recovery time is the price we pay for that, then frankly thems the breaks.
But every breeding establishment is different, and that's why it's important to like the breeder and her methods before you commit to a kitten. What works for someone won't work for another. We all have our ways that other people will think 'oooh no! I don't agree with that!' I'm sure people have (or will) read some of my ramblings with absolute horror!
That was about the only thing I didn't like about the way she raised them to be honest. She said it was only for a week (the mums had sore nipples, she showed us), but they are way younger than 12 weeks - would it be ok for me to ask next week "are they back with their mum yet"? Also 4 had a tummy upset (she had 2 litters), she did offer to show us them too just to reassure us that "they aren't dying or anything".. she said they probably had a reaction to their worming medicine and she was keeping them seperate just in case it was something else (a bacterial thing). The kittens I saw looked very healthy and active and cuddly and they had a posh diet of special raw food and didn't look unhappy or ill. She even let me see (and cuddle) the dad! Which is unusual, most studs are off limits and reared to be sex machines as far as I've seen, but these boys were like big teddy bears. The pen the adults were in was very clean and didn't smell either. Its so hard. I'm not a breeder, I have only fostered kittens (aged 8 weeks - 8 months!) so I only have limited experience and have to decide based on what other people say, and, like you said, gut instinct. I want to give my trust (and money) to the right breeder, and I dont want to find that my new family member has got any physical or psychological problems later on. The GCCF and Club websites aren't very helpful either, they are not clear. They have guidelines of course but they are only guidelines and a lot of it is in breeders jargon. It is especially hard as this litter is not 5 mins down the road, in fact it took us 2 hours to drive there today.. so its not like I can look in on them again in a couple of weeks. I feel bad questioning breeders when they have more experience than me...
See, although I don't agree with the seperating kittens, its good that she was totally honest with you otherwise. Its not necessarily what the breeder tells you that's worrying but what they don't, if you see what I mean. Kittens are babies and DO sometimes feel a bit peculiar after a worming tablet, or have a vaccine lump, or have a goopy eye or whatever, well, as you'll know much better than me as your fosters will probably have had coccidia and giardia and all sorts of other nasties mine don't get exposed to! But some breeders wouldn't admit to this in a million years.
Me, I merrily bang on about all that, and just hope it doesn't put new and potential families off too much! But then honesty is one of the aims of this blog. I know breeders who have been burned by a similar approach. Still, a good breeder won't mind questions, I love when people ask questions, it shows they are genuine IMO.
I think you could visit again, but be warned the kittens may very well be reserved by that stage, especially at this time of year when there arent so many Tonks available. But give it a go, certainly. Or phone the breeder for a chat in a week or so? You could phone to ask about the poorly kittens and what it was ailing them?
I've met a few Tonk studs... at shows as well as when I've taken Inds to stud, they are all cuddlebugs. They only turn into sex machines when a ladycat is in the pen. Oh and they do spray of course- a lot. You can't keep them in the house. But completely soppy, yes!
They have a lot more room now, don't they? :0)
ReplyDeleteI went to see some kittens today and they were "being weaned" and their poor mums were outside in a pen! It kind of put me off a bit...
ReplyDeleteI'm a big believer in gut instinct, Amanda.
DeleteIt's a difficult one though isn't it? I read recently that the Siamese/ Burmese/ Tonkinese type breeds retained the suckling reflex till 12-14 weeks, as opposed to the more usual 8 weeks. Added to the fact that Tonks often have large litters, that can be a physical strain on mama cat. Having had Indigo be on/ off poorly, I can sort of understand the reasoning behind doing that, especially if Mama spends the latter half of her working year as a show cat, she has to be in optimum health. (this might not be the reasoning, I am speculating)
But I wouldn't do it myself. For me, the kittens learn so much from Mama, staying with her makes for happier, more well balanced kittens (IN MY OPINION!)and surely that's part of why we keep them till 13 weeks. If nursing and- perhaps- a longer recovery time is the price we pay for that, then frankly thems the breaks.
But every breeding establishment is different, and that's why it's important to like the breeder and her methods before you commit to a kitten. What works for someone won't work for another. We all have our ways that other people will think 'oooh no! I don't agree with that!' I'm sure people have (or will) read some of my ramblings with absolute horror!
That was about the only thing I didn't like about the way she raised them to be honest. She said it was only for a week (the mums had sore nipples, she showed us), but they are way younger than 12 weeks - would it be ok for me to ask next week "are they back with their mum yet"?
ReplyDeleteAlso 4 had a tummy upset (she had 2 litters), she did offer to show us them too just to reassure us that "they aren't dying or anything".. she said they probably had a reaction to their worming medicine and she was keeping them seperate just in case it was something else (a bacterial thing). The kittens I saw looked very healthy and active and cuddly and they had a posh diet of special raw food and didn't look unhappy or ill. She even let me see (and cuddle) the dad! Which is unusual, most studs are off limits and reared to be sex machines as far as I've seen, but these boys were like big teddy bears. The pen the adults were in was very clean and didn't smell either.
Its so hard. I'm not a breeder, I have only fostered kittens (aged 8 weeks - 8 months!) so I only have limited experience and have to decide based on what other people say, and, like you said, gut instinct.
I want to give my trust (and money) to the right breeder, and I dont want to find that my new family member has got any physical or psychological problems later on.
The GCCF and Club websites aren't very helpful either, they are not clear. They have guidelines of course but they are only guidelines and a lot of it is in breeders jargon.
It is especially hard as this litter is not 5 mins down the road, in fact it took us 2 hours to drive there today.. so its not like I can look in on them again in a couple of weeks.
I feel bad questioning breeders when they have more experience than me...
See, although I don't agree with the seperating kittens, its good that she was totally honest with you otherwise. Its not necessarily what the breeder tells you that's worrying but what they don't, if you see what I mean. Kittens are babies and DO sometimes feel a bit peculiar after a worming tablet, or have a vaccine lump, or have a goopy eye or whatever, well, as you'll know much better than me as your fosters will probably have had coccidia and giardia and all sorts of other nasties mine don't get exposed to! But some breeders wouldn't admit to this in a million years.
DeleteMe, I merrily bang on about all that, and just hope it doesn't put new and potential families off too much! But then honesty is one of the aims of this blog. I know breeders who have been burned by a similar approach. Still, a good breeder won't mind questions, I love when people ask questions, it shows they are genuine IMO.
I think you could visit again, but be warned the kittens may very well be reserved by that stage, especially at this time of year when there arent so many Tonks available. But give it a go, certainly. Or phone the breeder for a chat in a week or so? You could phone to ask about the poorly kittens and what it was ailing them?
I've met a few Tonk studs... at shows as well as when I've taken Inds to stud, they are all cuddlebugs. They only turn into sex machines when a ladycat is in the pen. Oh and they do spray of course- a lot. You can't keep them in the house. But completely soppy, yes!