I am looking at options to purchase another ragdoll I am tending to lean towards another kitten but have not ruled out a retiree - as per my post about the upcoming ragdoll show I am hoping to meet some new breeders and have a look at what's available to purchase 9 sleeps!!!!!!! I am so exicted LOL
I guess this question is really for the Aussies!! as this is where I live , I know there are quite a few members on the forum would you mind sharing please?
what price did you pay, what documentation did you receive, and any other information you can share would be great.
I am greatly concerned due to the amount of media stories of this breed that the increase in backyard breeders has increased many programmes like Dr Harry (Better/Homes) talk to the animals etc have highlighted this beautiful cat but have also caused an influx of back yard breeders selling cheap kittens. Thanks again I hope to get some good replies that will help me ask the appropriate questions one should ask of a breeder.
I'm not from Australia, so I can't help you in regards to cost, but I really want to say is how wonderful to hear someone so concerned about not buying from a back yard breeder. So many people want that "great deal" and end up spending more for vet costs by obtaining one from such a breeder.
Personally I have two retired breeders and if anything happens and I get another ragdoll, I'll look for another retired breeder. While all the kittens are cute, my girls are more laid back, but still enjoy playing. I just can't take the rambunctiousness of kittenhood - my husband and I are too laid back for it.
TeresaK Wrote:I'm not from Australia, so I can't help you in regards to cost, but I really want to say is how wonderful to hear someone so concerned about not buying from a back yard breeder. So many people want that "great deal" and end up spending more for vet costs by obtaining one from such a breeder.
Personally I have two retired breeders and if anything happens and I get another ragdoll, I'll look for another retired breeder. While all the kittens are cute, my girls are more laid back, but still enjoy playing. I just can't take the rambunctiousness of kittenhood - my husband and I are too laid back for it.
Thank you for your comment I have learn't a lot from this forum and reading the posts from the different breeders gives you a good picture of the hard work and dedication you all put in to maintain the qualities we seek in this breed. I have know doubt that alot of hard work and determination to do things right is required which is why I am keen to learn more and help keep the breed pure if that makes sense. Can I ask if you had any social problems with your ex breeders had they lived in the family home or been in outside cages and how did they adapt? my main concern is how social will they be and wether they are house trained etc your comments would be appreciated.
To me, good breeders dont have their cats in cages at all and they let the cats roam about the home freely as they are part of the family. Personally, I'd run from the person who cages their cats 24-7 and run even faster from the one who keeps the cages in a barn. Just because it sounds like the kitty version of a puppy mill. :S
Anywho, I'm not Aussie, but I think that retirees should cost approximately half of what you pay for a kitten, and they should be spayed or neutered BEFORE leaving their breeder's place. If they're raised in a home-setting where they are allowed to roam about the house freely, there shouldnt be too much of an adjustment period. The only thing that they would have to adjust to is suddenly not having 4 other cats around them (well, some people only have 1 male and 1 female, but we have 5 cats ourselves... 2 of which arent breeders). But cats adjust well to most situations
So I doubt there should be too many worries.
Best of luck!
-Mandy
My girls were free to roam the breeders house, and although I really liked my breeder, I have since come to realize that she was probably not the best of breeders, and she has since quit breeding. Simone was 18 months and had never been bred and the breeder charged me $600 plus the cost of the spay (another $100) for her. Samantha had already been retired from breeding and spayed, and she was $350.
Why I say my breeder wasn't the best, I say this because I chose Simone, but my husband said if I had one, he wanted us to have a second one to keep her company. Samantha was chosen more as a companion to Simone because the breeder had already told me that she was a very timid cat, would hide when people came around and not an affectionate cat but more aloof. That was ok with me - so when I went to pick them up, the breeder told me that she needed to get Samantha because she had to be picked up held facing away from you because she didn't like being picked up, and then she said "I never have given her much attention because I was told by my mentor not to become attached to breeders since you have to eventually let them go." That was my first clue that she probably wasn't the best breeder, second clue was when I got their records and got home and read them. Other than when Samantha had been in to be spayed, she had NEVER been to a vet. All shots were given in home. Samantha had only been to the vet 2 times -- once for a URI and once to be spayed.
Samantha was incredibly withdrawn and antisocial - but with some advice from JanH (thank you Jan!) - Samantha has become the most loving of cats - and she also no longer hides when someone strange comes into the house. Simone has always had a mind of her own and is scared of NOTHING!
I had to search quite a long time before finding my girls. I knew I wanted a retired breeder, and I tended to thoroughly question the breeders about any they were retiring. I always asked about litter box habits, spraying (yes, whole girls can spray too and I was concerned it would carry over even after being spayed). At least my breeder was very honest with me in terms of their personalities and litterbox habits and I have NEVER regretted getting my girls.
Sorry for the long reply -
Whole cats must be confined in some way. They cannot be allowed to just roam freely all the time. The males spray and the females spray when in heat. Females may not get along when in heat. Males and females must be kept apart, since they will know about heats long before the breeder. New litters should be quarantined to some degree to limit exposure (and it is typical for a queen not to get out of the nest for many days with newborns anyway except to eat, drink and use the litter. (She basically confines herself to an area the size of a not so large cage.) Sick cats must be kept apart. One cannot treat the cats as one would the same number of pets. That is one of the challenges of breeding.
Some "cages" are room size areas. For example, some breeders have a large room in which there are large subrooms that are walk in cages to permit all to get light, air and exposure to other cats without the risk of oops litters. In our case, the confinement areas are rooms (bathrooms and bedrooms and the like), but I am not sure how different it is from large cages as far as the cats are concerned.
One then must spend time with all and make sure they have human contact as well as contact with other cats. Although male quarters are probably better stable, since it reduces marking and stress, the rest of the cats tend to be moved around in terms of what rooms they are in and what other cats they are with.
EVERY breeder must confine the cats in some fashion to be responsible. However, small cages that the cats do not get out of enough or cats that do not get the human and feline (short of carnal) companionship they want and need are inappropriate too. Each breeder has to work out a method that works for her based on the house and the number and sexes of the cats.
I agree with you to a point JanH.
When I say cats in cages... I mean just that.. cats kept in little dog cages who are tossed together whenever there is a female in heat. I have seen cats confined to dog cages with nothing but a litter box and a couple of bowls which food and water are tossed in there when the owner remembers. I have also seen large room-sized cages where all of the cats are confined to 24-7 with little to no contact... this is also wrong. Yes, cats should be confined when they are ill, have new litters, and when there is a female in heat that is not going to be bred.
I do not agree with confining cats to any sized cage 24-7 for the entirety of the year... its cruel in my eyes.
BlueSkyRagdolls Wrote:Yes, cats should be confined when they are ill, have new litters, and when there is a female in heat that is not going to be bred.
If you wait until a female is in heat to keep males apart, then you will have many oops litters and that is at least as irresponsible as using small cages, much less room size cages. Males must be kept apart from whole females ALWAYS other than with something like stud pants while a person supervises (since a cat can get out of them). Whether the cats are confined, including by appropriate cages, is not the same as being locked away without contact, human and feline. Obviously, being constantly caged and without contact are totally different issues. Many queens will go into heat when their current litter is only two months old - or less.
Hello all.
Our girl was $550 Aust including the spaying. we are extremely happy with our breeder and have our second on the way from the same breeder.
Our girl seemed like a very well adjusted/raised kitten, had lots of human contact and was also brought up with children during her first few weeks of life, she fit in to our home so quickly and so well.
Completely litterbox trained.
We possibly could have got a raggie cheaper and also from closer breeders but just felt right about our breeder.
Cheers, Paul
Thankyou TereseaK for your reply and to all you have contributed their thoughts you certainly gave me a good idea of what questions i should be asking the breeder as to the personality and toilet habits of any retiree i might consider these were the main issuse i was concerned about also wether they will spray!!! and if they were probably socialized.