I'm very curious if the breeders here feel kitten temperment is at all inherited. Have you found that litters at all take on their dad's personality - or is it more a matter of mom since she's their teacher and the one they spend time with? (or are they each so unique that you wouldn't begin to expect a certain personality based on who mom / dad are)
For instance - if someone comes to you looking for a kitten in the future and you have 2 or 3 litters due, would you ever steer them towards a particular pairing based on what they're looking for in a kitten's personality or definitely a matter of waiting to see the kittens themselves as they develop?
I have only bred from two different queens so far but, even though all kittens have been brought up in exactly the same way there was definitely a difference in Evie's kittens to any of Lola's kittens. All litters have been sired by studs from the same lines, father and son, so I can only assume it was down to Evie's more laid back nature. Not that her kittens are laid back, they are very brave, naughty, adventurous and totally lacking in any inhibitions.
Yes, temperament is highly inheritable, although each kitten is an individual. That is why there IS a breed temperament.
I have found it to be a combination of nature, nuture, and environment.
Do you find dad's temperment comes in to play much?
(07-09-2010 12:51 PM)halebop Wrote: [ -> ]Do you find dad's temperment comes in to play much?
yes
I feel the male (stud) temperment is important as it is adding to the gene pool in every mating. I would only use and want a sweet mild- mannered male in my breeding program.
That makes sense. If you had 2 males in your breeding program and both were very sweet and easy going but only 1 of the two was a climb in your lap and snuggle up sort of guy - would it be a stretch to assume his offspring would be any more likely than the other male's to be very affectionate? I think that might be taking it too far since you can have littermates where one is snuggly and affectionate and the other is also mild mannered and pleasant but less demonstrative.
Obviously, the male's genetic contribution is exactly the same as mom's. The mother adds her own socialization behavior to the process of developing the temperament of the kittens, a process from which the male is absent.
I have been very fortunate to have nothing but mushy boys in my program. I know of a particular male belonging to another breeder that was neutered because he didn't have the right temperment and neither did several litters of his kittens....nasty little rascals!
I think temperment is passed equally from mom and dad, but because the mom is with the babies all the time they tend to pick up some of her habits. For example I had a girl who always put one paw on the edge of the litterbox and daintily held her other paw in the air when using the litterbox. It was adorable to see 5 little babies doing the same thing.