1. Selection Of Breeding Stock
Animals should be:
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Healthy
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Of good temperament
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Of lines free from any known genetic fault
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Not displaying any generally accepted genetic fault
2. General Care of
Breeding Stock
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Entire female
cats must NOT roam free unless under supervision.
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Calling females must NOT roam free
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Entire male cats must NOT roam free
All cats must:
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Be groomed and handled daily
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Be given a balanced and varied diet
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Be housed in hygienic conditions
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Be provided with
hygienic toilet facilities which are kept clean
and disinfected regularly
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Have food and
water bowls which are changed at least once daily
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Receive prompt
veterinary attention if and when required
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Be vaccinated in
accordance with the current veterinary advice
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Be treated on a
regular basis for internal and external
parasites, in accordance with the current
veterinary advice
3. Minimum Dietary
Requirements
Cats should be fed a varied diet except on veterinary advice to the
contrary. Guidelines are:
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Raw meat (no preservatives)
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Kidney, heart,
raw liver (nor more than once per week)
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Cooked and boned fish, chicken, rabbit
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Tinned food
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Cheese, cottage cheese, egg yolk
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Dried food
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FRESH WATER MUST ALWAYS BE AVAILABLE
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Adult cats should be offered food twice per day
4. Minimum Housing Requirements
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Outdoor units
must protect cats from rain, wind, extreme heat
and cold and must be partially enclosed to
provide sheltered sleeping area.
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Units must be escape proof and maintained to avoid injury
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The structure to
be non-porous or coated with non-toxic materials
to facilitate proper cleaning
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Units must be kept clean
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Cleaning and
disinfecting agents should be used only in the
recommended concentrations. Where a disinfectant
solutions has been applied, the area should be
allowed to dry before the cat is allowed to
return, as some solutions can be absorbed
through the skin/paw pads. PHENOLS MUST NEVER BE USED
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Minimum cage size
for a single cat confined at night time only, or
for no longer than 8 hours is 1200mm x 400mm x 600mm
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Minimum permanent
unit size for a single adult cat is 1600mm x 1600mm x 1950mm
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Minimum permanent
unit size for 2 to 4 cats is 3600mm x 2400mm x
1950mm, no more than 4 cats to be housed on a
permanent basis in a unit this size, as cats are
territorial animals and overcrowding causes undue stress
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Cats housed in
units within homes, garages, etc must have
access to sunshine and such areas must be well ventilated
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Where cats are
permanently confined to units, adequate
scratching facilities and high level shelving must be provided
5. Care Of The Pregnant Queen
and Kittening
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Queens shall not be overbred. A
maximum of two (2) litters per twelve (12)
months is recommended.
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All breeders must
familiarize themselves with kittening process
prior to breeding a litter
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Food amounts must
be increased to the queen as pregnancy
progresses or as the queen requires
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Ensure an
adequate supply of calcium during pregnancy and
lactation
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Provide a clean,
adequately sized box and bedding at least 1 week
prior to expected kittening
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Assist the
kittening process where necessary
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Queens must not
be left in unproductive labour for more than 2
hours before seeking veterinary advice
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Once all kittens
are born, replace bedding/box and change bedding at least every 2 days
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Queen and kittens
must be kept in a draught free but well ventilated area
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Check the queen
daily for undue bleeding and signs of mastitis
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Seek veterinary
advice on sickly or deformed kittens
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Eyes should be
checked daily in small kittens and if eye
infections occur, veterinary treatment must be sought
6. Kitten Care and Weaning
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Kittens shall not
be taken away from their mother until such time
as they are fully weaned, or upon veterinary advice
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Between 4 to 6
weeks kittens may be introduced to suitable
solid foods such as cereal, baby food (chicken,
fish broth), specially prepared commercial kitten food
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Between 6-12
weeks kittens may be introduced to finely
chopped or minced meat (not hamburger mince),
chicken or rabbit, grated cheese, cottage
cheese, egg yolk, tinned food
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Provide litter
trays suitable for kittens, i.e. shallow as soon
as kittens are mobile
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Kittens shall be
fed a minimum of 3 times per day until 3-4
months of age and thereafter twice per day
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Kitten quarters
shall be safe to avoid injury from falling
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Kittens shall be
vaccinated in accordance with current veterinary advice
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Kittens must be
treated on a regular basis for internal
parasites in accordance with current veterinary advice
7. Sale Of Kittens
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No Kitten may be
sold under the age of 10 weeks and preferably
not until 12 weeks of age
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Kittens sold
under 10-12 weeks cannot be fully vaccinated and
it is the breeder’s responsibility to ensure
that the new owners are provided with current
vaccination records and fully informed of the requirements
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Kittens shall be
healthy, fully weaned and litter trained
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No kitten with an
infectious disease shall be sold or placed
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Breeder shall
provide purchasers with a diet, grooming and care information
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Pedigree may be
supplied but in the case of PET ONLY this may be
with-held until proof of desexing is supplied to
the breeder’s satisfaction
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It is not
recommended that cats/kittens be sold to
commercial cat wholesalers or retail pet dealers.
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Cats/Kittens may
not be given as a prize or donation for a
contest of any kind, or be advertised as a giveaway
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A breeder shall
not misrepresent the characteristics of the
breed, nor falsely advertise or mislead any
person regarding the pedigree or performance of
any kitten on the show bench or as a pet
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Any kitten sold
as breeding stock shall only be sold to a registered breeder
8. Care Of the Stud Cat
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Quarters must be
a roomy as possible with the minimum size being
2100mm x 2100mm x 1950mm with an area set aside
within the enclosure for the introduction of visiting queens
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Quarters shall be
kept clean in order to keep odour to a minimum
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Climbing and
scratching facilities must be provided, plus a
high shelf for the stud to retreat to after a
mating. Studs require plenty of companionship
both human and feline. On a daily basis, some
time should be spent grooming and handling the
stud. A feline companion such as a desexed cat mat be beneficial
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Each stud must have individual quarters
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Current
vaccination certificates must be sighted before accepting a visiting queen
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Visiting queens
should be examined for cleanliness and state of
health prior to introduction to the stud
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Matings shall
only be accepted for cats owned by registered breeders
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Queens should be
permitted to remain with the stud for a
reasonable time after mating and not be removed
from the stud quarters before a minimum of three
(3) matings have been witnessed
9. Disposal Of Stock
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It is the
breeder’s responsibility to desex all stock on
longer required for breeding. Desexed former
breeding stock may be found homes. Creating
overcrowding within the cattery should be avoided
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No cat or kitten
shall be excessively passed around. They may not
be leased, loaned or sold in total more than 3
times. It is the owner’s responsibility to
ascertain the acceptability of the new owner’s
(lessee, borrower, buyer) premises and standard
of care before the cat is relocated
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No person may
advertise a cattery sell-out
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All breeders must
be registered with an approved Governing Cat Control Body
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No person may
knowingly intermate two breed groups without
having applied to a recognized governing body
and having been granted an experimental license to do so.
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