Cats Site: Starting Your First Cattery

I hope that the following article will help you to better understand this topic.

If you ask any cattery owner how they got started in the business of breeding cats, they will probably tell you it wasn't because of the money. Most breeders started out with a strong liking for a particular cat breed. They purchased a cat, and then another, and the two cats turned into many.

A cattery is the feline equivalent of a dog kennel. The cattery is where multiple felines are kept on the same site for the purpose of breeding and improving the line of a specific breed. One of the biggest challenges for the cattery owner is maintaining the houseful of cats. Cats are not "pack" animals like dogs are. Felines have no hierarchy, and males usually won't bother with a female unless she's in heat.

Forcing a lot of cats to live in one place can be pretty stressful at times. You want to keep them happy and healthy to the best of your ability. After all, your cats are more than dollar signs, they're your pets above all, and they depend on you.

When you decide to get down to the business of starting a cattery, there is one very important key factor to remember. It is your responsibility to create and maintain an acceptable environment for the felines to live in. This means having enough space, air, light, food, water, and sufficient sanitation.

Make the rounds and visit other catteries in your area. Visiting a cattery in person will offer you the opportunity to see the layout of an existing cattery and ask questions of the owner. A cattery can be set up anywhere, including an apartment if you have a big enough room. Each cat will require at least 30 cubic feet. This is only the minimum space you'll require, and if you can afford more space, all the better.

Proper ventilation is important too. Everyone needs fresh, clean air and your felines are no exception. Fresh-flowing air will help decrease the spread of airborne diseases and germs harmful to you and your cats. If there are no windows available in the space, you will have to look at having ventilation installed. The easiest solution is installing a ventilation system like the one you would find in a kitchen or bathroom.

If you're lucky enough to have a sun porch or a room with a lot of windows, lighting isn't difficult. If you don't have a bright, sunny room, you will have to install some form of artificial lighting. A lack of sufficient light might have an adverse affect on the coats of the cats, as too little light can cause the cat to shed. You need to maintain a natural cycle of light so the feline biological triggers respond accordingly.

Water is probably the most important thing you can provide for your cats. You could have the best food and vitamins in the world, but without fresh water readily available, all of your other efforts will have been in vain. The best way to keep water fresh is to use water bottles. Leaving water to sit in open bowls makes the water susceptible to bacteria. Even your cat's saliva can affect the water. You can use the same water bottles used for small animals like rabbits or guinea pigs.

When it comes to food, your best bet is to talk to your veterinarian about your options. Breeding cats have different nutritional requirements than an average house cat. You want your cats to be in optimal health to produce healthy litters. Also, a nursing mother might need a different diet than a female cat who isn't nursing.

Finally, we have the portion of cattery care that isn't so much fun but is essential to the health of your cats - sanitation. You can have the best food and the best of everything else under the sun for your cats to enjoy, but if your cattery isn't clean, you're inviting trouble. Disease, bacteria and viruses will thrive in any waste that builds up. This could be harmful to your cats and to you. Air out the rooms at least once a week and clean the litter box daily.

I hope the information in this article was helpful and I thank you for taking your time to read.

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Today's Tip On Cats

Before you think of bathing, give your cat a good brushing. Use a soft brush or grooming glove for short haired felines. For cats with longer fur, use a wide-toothed comb. Don't brush too hard. Cats don't have very thick skin like their wild cousins, the big cats. Brush out any tangles and check the cat over for any sores or abscesses. Clean the cat's ears and trim its nails. If your cat starts to get a little antsy, take everything in stages. Start with one task, then put the cat down and come back to the next task later.