THERE'S MORE TO 'RESPONSIBLE BREEDING' THAN IS GENERALLY TALKED ABOUT

We lost one of our kittens over night.

It's a sad part of being a breeder, but, unfortunately, it is part of it.

Not every kitten or puppy we help bring into this world will be 100% healthy. Some are improperly formed and some are just not born healthy enough to live or to live for very long.

A responsible breeder is someone who will start their program with the healthiest animals possible. They will make sure the animals are physically fit by having a veterinarian examine them, run blood tests, and test for conditions and diseases through blood panels and possibly X-rays etc.

Genetic testing is the next step. Our goal is to avoid deliberately breeding animals that have genetic markers for heart disease and other issues. However, given the vast array of combinations and possibilities our bodies and genes can produce, our current understanding is just beginning to explore this area, especially when considering epigenetics, which involves the environmental impact on genes.

A conscientious breeder ensures that their breeding animals are provided with the best possible nutrition. Fortunately, nutrition is being talked about more and has become a top priority.

If you belong to groups sharing their knowledge and experiences about breeding, you will also hear a lot of heroism - and that seems to be required.

Some discuss staying up all night with the mother to monitor her, while others describe the heroic actions they take if the birthing encounters difficulties or if a kitten or puppy is in distress, and this is the aspect of breeding I want to talk about here.

Is it ethical or humane to 'save' an animal that is unhealthy and struggling to survive?

I don't think it is.

Dogs were intentionally bred for their farm duties, and those with outstanding herding or guarding capabilities were included in breeding programs because of their health and natural talents (an inherent and innate trait present in the individual from birth). Consider the challenge of having to train every new puppy to herd, guard, or help with hunting.

These traits were important to maintain and pass on, and these animals were an important part of the farm and the culture.

Cats, on the other hand, have been selectively bred solely for their appearance.

Working cats, the ones kept on farms and in barns to control mice and rats are valuable to their people. But, they live outside in the barns and on the land, and when they have kittens no-one is out there to help with the birthing process.

I live in an area where cattle ranching and grain farming surrounds us for hundreds of miles, and even though I was born and raised in a city, my fathers family were farmers and ranchers, so I learned early about that way of life, albeit only scratching the surface.

The UNYIELDING PRINCIPLE is that each animal must contribute its share. Cats on the farms and in the fields are no exception. Those that are capable and have the smarts survive to reproduce, while those that are unhealthy or unable to adapt to the outdoor and farm life - do not.

Each succeeding generation tends to be healthier and more intelligent than the previous one. This is the natural course of life and it is the essence of positive and progressive evolution.

BUT, animals raised for human amusement, companionship, and fancy do not have that luxury - and yes, it is a luxury.

Nowadays millions of animals are living with health related issues. Obesity, allergies, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, epilepsy, seizures, hip dysplasia, luxating patella. deformed skeletons, and internal organs that can't do their jobs - the list goes on and on.

When an animal is not able to survive at birth or close to birthing, there is something wrong.

While it's heartbreaking for us, the mother cat will simply leave the kitten to die. They do not perform CPR. In a litter of kittens, without our interference, only the fit survive.

This is what AI says, for humans, "If someone is dying, the most important actions you can take are to provide comfort and support by being present, offering physical contact like holding hands, listening attentively if they can communicate, managing pain with medication if available, creating a calm environment, and respecting their wishes and needs as much as possible."

So why is it desirable or 'heroic' to do everything possible to prevent death in our breeding programs or in rescue efforts???

In my opinion, it is neither desirable nor heroic.

It is something the human psyche has created to soothe the human soul. It gives value to rescuer personalities and white knighters.

Then, there's the money thing. Every live kitten or puppy has a value in the purebred world. A kitten or puppy who does not live is a financial loss.

The more the human race interferes and insists on fixing or preventing things - the unhealtheir the overall population becomes.

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The following quote originates from an early Maine Coon club.

CODE OF ETHICS

MAINE COON BREEDERS AND FANCIERS ASSOCIATION

(Revised 5/2006)

Code of Ethics

This Code of Ethics is binding on all Breeder Members and Provisional Breeder Members of the Maine Coon Breeders and Fanciers Association (MCBFA). It sets forth high standards of ethical conduct which constitute a body of principles upon which Breeders can rely for guidance in specific situations.

Protection of the Breed. First and foremost, I agree to protect and preserve the Maine Coon breed by employing responsible practices on personal, social, and business levels. No Maine Coon Cat shall be bred to any cat other than a registered Maine Coon Cat. The Maine Coon Cat shall not be used as an outcross for any other breed.

Aims. In breeding of Maine Coons, I will emphasize good health, stable temperament, and intelligence, as well as appearance. Consistent with this policy, I shall breed discriminately and only upon good evidence of finding satisfactory homes for all kittens. I shall emphasize quality, not quantity.

Records. I shall keep accurate records of all pedigrees and matings and shall register breeding stock with at least one recognized cat association. These records shall be made available, for legitimate reasons, upon request by a Breeder Member in good standing.

Breeding. I shall plan and implement a breeding program with the preservation and protection of the breed kept foremost in mind. I will offer stud service only to breeders with an established cattery registered in as least one recognized association, and preferably to breeders who are members of MCBFA.

My breeding stock shall be free from disease or hereditary deformity and shall exhibit no radical departure from the Maine Coon Standard (e.g., monorchidism, deafness, kinked tail, excessive shyness or viciousness, unusually small size, or other physical or mental abnormalities).

I shall not breed a female until she is at least one year old, unless she has been in heat twice; I shall not intentionally breed a female more than twice in twelve months. If a dam has severe birthing difficulties, I shall alter her.

I agree to allow stud males seven to ten days between breeding females.

I shall arrive at a written agreement concerning shipping and boarding charges for females sent to a male, registration of the litter, payment methods for stud service, and options to cover a female's failure to conceive or her reabsorption of kittens, and shall provide a copy of the agreement to the owner of the female before the date of breeding.

I shall take care that breeding males and females are not accidentally bred. Kittens of unknown lineage of offspring of accidental matings to another breed shall be altered and responsibly placed.

I shall provide proper care for the safe and healthy delivery of kittens, and shall, whenever possible, be available to assist the queen if necessary, without undue interference with natural parturition. I shall in any event assure that a responsible person is available for the birth. I shall consult a veterinarian at the first sign of life-threatening difficulty.

I shall have euthanized a kitten born with a deformity which a veterinarian deems incompatible with a healthy or comfortable life. If I suspect genetic defects, I shall consult a veterinarian or geneticist as soon as possible; I shall report all findings to purchasers of kittens from the same breeding stock, and to the owner/breeder of the sire and/or dam.

Health. I shall maintain a high standard of health and care, including adequate room for exercise, regular handling and grooming, clean and comfortable quarters, adequate ventilation and light, a balanced diet and clean water, regular inoculations and veterinary care, and love and affection.

I shall make advance preparations for the care of my cats should I not be able to care for them.

I shall not allow a cat to run loose outdoors.

I shall provide any outdoor runs with security from weather, other animals, and parasites.

I shall protect my cat and others by not exposing at shows a cat which is ill.

I shall not declaw cats bred or owned by me. I shall advise any buyers of my opposition to this procedure and my reasons for my decision.

Sales. I shall conduct sales in a manner designed to promote maintenance of the cat's health and to provide reasonable protection for the buyer.

I shall conduct myself in a professional manner in all sales. I shall refuse to buy from or sell to, or to recommend breeders who do not conform to this Code of Ethics. I shall not deal with wholesalers or retailers, shall not provide a Maine Coon Cat for raffle purposes, or buy and sell in litter lots.

I shall not allow any kitten to leave my cattery before it is twelve weeks old, though a sales agreement may be finalized prior to that date, and shall not ship any kitten before it is twelve weeks old (domestic) or sixteen weeks old (overseas).

Before selling any kitten, I shall honestly appraise the quality and potential of the kitten and shall inform the buyer as to the differences between pet, breeder, and show quality.

I shall encourage buyers to join MCBFA and shall provide an MCBFA Information booklet to all buyers. I shall continue to be available to all buyers for advice on the proper care of the cat or kitten.

I shall put into writing all sales transactions, with buyer and seller each holding a copy of the agreement. The written contract of sale should contain:

1. Complete description of kitten/cat to be sold, including color, quality, and sex.

2. Immunizations received (recommended: feline enteritis, feline rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and chlamydia) and a health record sheet.

3. A guarantee of freedom from external and internal parasites.

4. Written instructions on the care, feeding, and accomodations of the kitten/cat.

5. Clear and specific enumeration of the buyer's responsibilities to the breeder, including the procedure and time period for notification of defects and other limitation of guarantee.

6. Whether registration papers and pedigrees will be provided at the time of sale (breeder and show quality kittens) or within thirty days after receipt of proof of alteration (pet quality kittens).

7. Additionally, I shall provide for breeder and show quality animals a five-generation pedigree complete with registration numbers and colors.

8. I shall also specify in the sales contract the course of action to be taken should kitten/cat prove to be sterile, in poor health or suspected of a genetic defect, or incompatible with the buyer's family.

Advertising. Advertising, written or oral, shall be factual and not misleading, shall be in conformity with federal, state, or local consumer protection laws, and shall contain no price quotations.

While I am a Provisional Breeder Member, I shall not advertise myself as an MCBFA member, recognizing that such designation is reserved for those who have achieved full Breeder Member Status.

Sponsorship. While I am a Provisional Member, I shall maintain close relations with my sponsor and shall use my sponsor as a guide and resource in this period.

After I have advanced to Breeder Membership, I shall view any role as a sponsor of another beginning breeder as a solemn and meaningful one.

I shall endeavor to know as well as possible the person whom I sponsor, the breeding program planned, the conditions of the cattery involved, the extent to which the person is truly devoted to advancing and protecting the breed, to what extent the person is making an effort to meet and get to know other breeders and to participate in showing the Maine Coon Cat.

I shall try to limit my sponsorship role to my own geographical region and to sponsor only so many at one time as I am truly able to guide and help.

Sportsmanship. I shall behave at all times in a manner that will reflect credit upon myself, the Maine Coon Cat, and MCFBA. I agree to abide by the rules and customs that govern each show, whether I am a spectator or exhibitor. I shall view success as a concern secondary to the health and well-being of the cat and to my relationship with others among the cat fancy and MCBFA.

Agreements. In accordance with MCBFA's strong recommendations, I shall document in writing all transactions, including contracts for stud service, sales of kittens/cats, agency agreements, leasing arrangements, and the like. I shall also follow MCBFA's recommendation that all moneys be exchanged by check and that receipts shall be issued for all payments received.

Enforcement. I am aware that upon sufficient proof of violation of this Code of Ethics, action shall proceed according to Article 7 of the MCBFA By-Laws.

Amendments. The MCBFA Code of Ethics may be amended by action of the Executive Council upon recommendation from the Ethics Committee.