How do you know the difference between a Reputable Breeder and a Kitten Mill?
Questions to ask the Breeder:
- What type and brand of food do you feed your Kittens and Cats? --- "Best quality high protein food only" should be the answer, check our "Kitten Care" page for more details and brands. Santa Fe Bengal Cattery only feeds the highest quality food.
- What type of litter do you use? --- If the answer is "Clay" -- FIND ANOTHER BREEDER; check our "Kitten Care" page for the correct answer. Santa Fe Bengal Cattery spends the additional money on the safest Cat litter.
- Where are the Kittens raised? --- The
answer should be "in our home in a Kitten safe room or area with daily
supervised "playtime" in the whole house. If they are at all caged -
LOOK FOR ANOTHER BREEDER.
- How do you clean the Kittens living quarters? ---
Chemicals should be used sparingly and floors, toys or litter boxes
should be rinsed thoroughly and dried after cleaning; BEST cleaning
method is "STEAM CLEANING" to disinfect and to prevent illness from
cleaner contamination -- remember, Cats lick their feet! At Santa Fe Bengal Cattery we steam clean!
- May I meet the parents? ---
If the answer is "no" -- FIND ANOTHER BREEDER, unless the parent has
been sold or retired and sold and no longer at the Cattery -- Ask where
they are.
- Do you only sell "Breed Standard" Kittens? ---
If a Breeder has non-Breed Standard Kittens they may not be following the
"Breeder Code of Ethics" and are selling sub-standard Bengals; all cats
deserve a good home, so these Kittens can be sold at a very reduced
price, if the buyer is not concerned about breeding attributes and will
not be breeding. The Breeder should not pair the parents of non-breed
standard Kittens again; ask about their Breeding Program and Breeding
Philosophy. Read about our Cattery Philosophy
- Which Professional Cat Associations do you belong to? --- Easy answer... the two most important for a Bengal Breeder are TICA and TIBCS.
- Do you follow Cattery "Code of Ethics"? ---
This is an official statement that is signed by the Breeder and on file
with each Cat Association; the Breeder should be happy to provide you
with a copy or you can go to the Organization web site to review the
information and check to see that the Breeder has signed the agreement. Santa Fe Bengal Cattery has signed and follows both TICA and TIBCS Code of Ethics.
- Do you sell to "approved" homes? ---
A Breeder must be concerned with where their Kitten is going and how it
will be cared for -- this shows that they are breeding Bengals for the
"right reason" and is part of the "Code of Ethics". The Breeder has the
choice to refuse to sell a Kitten, if they feel that the new environment will not be
safe for the Kitten. Kitten Mills sell to anyone with money without any concern for the Kitten. Santa Fe Bengal Cattery is very concerned about the Health and Happiness of every Kitten and Cat and is careful about matching a Kitten with a New Owner. One of our mottos is "We strive for Happy Felines and Happy Humans".
- Do you vaccinate your Kittens? ---
Kittens must be vaccinated at eight and twelve weeks of age with the
Distemper and "Kitty Cold" vaccine, prior to sale; this is mandatory and part of the "Code of Ethics." Santa Fe Bengal
Cattery vaccinates with "Felovax 4" and also will be vaccinating with the new avian-based FeLV/FIV vaccine. Check our "Health Alerts" page for more information!
- Will you be available to answer my questions in the future? ---
The answer is always "yes" or LOOK FOR ANOTHER BREEDER. A Breeder who
is available to provide Continuing Education and answer Questions from their Kitten
Buyers is a Responsible Breeder. Santa Fe Bengal Cattery is dedicated
to assisting their growing Cattery family. This web site is purposely
extensive with it's information and advice and is designed, not only
for our Kitten Buyers, but also for all Cat Owners as a public service
for the health and happiness of Felines.
- Are you listed in a telephone directory? Do you maintain a web site? Do you Advertise? --- A Responsible Breeder intends to Breed Cats for many years and puts a tremendous amount of effort into their Cattery. They are very knowledgeable about Cats, in general, specifically about Bengals and up-to-date on Cat's Health Issues. Santa Fe Bengal Cattery is listed in the telephone directory and all Catteries should be. A web site is one of the best methods to allow the public to learn about Bengal Cats and a Cattery. Santa Fe Bengal Cattery is represented by TICA and TIBCS web sites and is in the top Cat magazines' Breeder listings. Often "word-of-mouth" is the best advertising.
- Why do you Breed Cats? ---
If the answer is "it is a business" or "to make money" - FIND ANOTHER
BREEDER. If a Breeder uses sub-quality, lower cost products for their Cats; you
will get a sub-quality Bengal. Providing the best environments, food
and litter for twenty-five cats is costly. It is a seven day a week,
365 days a year "job". It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to run a Top-Quality Cattery. At Santa Fe Bengal Cattery we love Cats; we love
Bengal Cats; ...and we don't mind scooping twenty-five wheat/pine-based litter boxes twice
a day. We feel that our Bengals deserve to have to most comfortable,
cleanest living quarters possible, as well as only having the highest grade of food possible. And we love to love them and give them a lot of attention every day! This is why we call our Cats "Distinctive Lap Leopards"! They are truly Distinctive, because of our effort and Cattery Philosophy.