January 2008 Newsletter - United Burmese Cat Fanciers

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Mentoring New Breeders An Interview With Barbara Kish, Laki Cattery What do you think are the most important characteristics and abilities of someone thinking about becoming a Burmese breeder? Anyone can put two cats together and have kittens, or buy a show cat, but you will never become a Burmese breeder unless you have the love, patience, and unending devotion to this wonderful breed. You will have to be willing to put the cats before yourself many, many times, and unless one is able to start out this way you will fail. What are the best ways to find and mentor a new breeder -- prior clients, other breeders (of different breeds), friends, family members, people you meet at cat shows? I do not search out a new breeder, I feel they need to contact me. I want to get to know them, feel them out and see if they have that special touch to raise wonderful kittens. Thankfully I have, and the years helped super people to become outstanding breeders. The number one thing is that they be willing to learn, not become a know-it-all in a few years. I can usually tell who is going to be in it for the long haul. The saying goes if you can last 5 years you will continue through the good and bad. CH LAKI’S BARRELLIN BARRY, DM Br/Ow: Barbara & Richard Kish What should you watch for/be careful of in evaluating a potential new breeder? What are warning signs that there might be problems? The biggest warning signs are “we don’t want to be big breeders, we just want to have a few litters for our family and friends”, or “this looks easy, I think we can do this. It would be nice to have some kittens to sell now and then.” And when I try to start them out in showing in premiership, and I get an answer that says “no way, why should we bother?” What should you tell a potential new breeder in terms of the realities and challenges of breeding? I tell them the nitty gritty, the bad with the good. I usually like to have a new breeder have some experience with animals so they know how it sometimes can be heartbreaking and then sometimes it is great. I feel them out in regards to how far they would go to take care of their cats and kittens and what their goals are. How should you start a new breeder -- with a neutered or spayed cat, and ask them to show in Premiership? This is the ideal, but some people just do not want to show, so if I think they are going into this to improve the breed and breed top notch kittens, I will work with them. What are the most important tips for showing a Burmese -- preparing the cat, taking to the ring, etc.? Great show cats are made at home, the breeding behind it and above all the condition, and that can be the one thing that will impress the judge. A great Burmese requires very little care, a quick slicking down and clean the eye area, and then into the ring you go. What must a new breeder prove to you before they are ready to start with a kitten -- and should it be first a breeding female, bred to one of your males? Their intentions and the willingness to possibly sacrifice time and money to get the best they can to start with. I have sold bred females, and kittens of outstanding type, and it has worked out both ways, depends on who I am working with. Page 12 UBCF January 2008
What recommendations are most important for caring for their new kitten or breeding cat -- food, care, supplements, caging. Always keep your cat or kitten used to a cage, though a cage should only be used in training or raising kittens. Sometimes a whole male needs to be caged, but it should be big enough to give him a comfortable life. I recommend a good quality food to everyone, pet owners or potential breeders, but I do not hold them to that food. If their cat looks and feels good then the diet is fine. When it’s close to time for the first birth, what do you tell a new breeder? I walk them through the whole experience, and am available anytime to help. I tell them just be there to help if needed but allow the mother to do it herself, she knows how. What are suggestions you have for caring for new babies in the first few weeks, and weaning kittens. The first few weeks require no care other then you petting them, picking them up, and talking to them to get them used to everything. There are sometimes nervous mothers, but you have to let her know you are not going to take her babies away or hurt them. I allow the mothers to wean the kittens and them to wean themselves when they start eating soft food and raw beef. What are your recommendations, if any, for vaccines or supplements for breeding cats? I have a maintenance mix that I use and I explain it to them and advise them to use it. I advise very few vaccines. Once every three years after the initial shots. What are the best ways to help a new breeder evaluate the confirmation of Burmese kittens when deciding if they are show quality? The things to look for are the little golf ball head, short muzzle, short compact body, and then start to look for other things as they grow, such as heft to the kitten, just like they say, a little brick. Other things are explained as the kittens grow and the eye color starts changing, gold eyes are a must. CH LAKI’S DIABOLIQUE OF GRAY MARK, DM Sire: CH Laki’s Barrelin Barry, DM Dam: CH, GP Laki’s Proud Mary, DM Br: Barbara & Richard Kish Ow: Margaret & Ray Stevens What other suggestions do you have for mentoring new breeders? Don’t try to press them into doing something they don’t want to do, and above all do not start out with a whole male. Buy the best female you can, either a kitten or a young adult, and proceed from there with advice from me or another old time breeder, who knows the blood lines and can recommend who to work with. If you work alone it is very hard so try to find someone to work with you, to exchange kittens, give stud service so you can work with different lines. Try to get someone to help you along or work with you that lives close to you. Barbara Kish, Laki Cattery Interviewed By Nancy Reeves, Burma Pearl Cattery UBCF January 2008 Page 13
Page 1 and 2: United Burmese Cat Fanciers UBCF Ne
Page 3 and 4: No one knows how much time will pas
Page 5 and 6: UBCF History By RoseAnn Wheeler UBC
Page 7 and 8: ter, since we preferred the look. I
Page 9 and 10: in that timeframe the ACFA standard
Page 11: Rock-Land cattery and begged her fo
Page 15 and 16: Canadian Cat Association (CCA) Cana
Page 17 and 18: Rescuing Burmese Through a variety
Page 19 and 20: Breeding Pedigreed Cats Carolyn M.
Page 21 and 22: 9. Upstairs, make final sweep. Clos
Page 23 and 24: UBCF Membership Region 2 Central We

January 2008 Newsletter - United Burmese Cat Fanciers

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