Once upon a time ...
... well at the beginning (1990) there was a new flat and I knew we need a cat. When I was a child we always had cats - that always were run over by cars (after 1-5 years). Therefore it was clear from the beginning that my cats wont be allowed outside. It was my than boy friend that made the crucial decission for British Shorthair - not knowing what that would lead to.
Our first cat was Bobby - a blue British Shorthair. After a year we started to show him and were looking for a cream British as companion for our already neutered boy. Though I was unable to locate any cream British in Austria (this was befor internet) - that was the first time I started to thinl about breeding. The thought manifested in my head more and more: No cream British in Austria - it can't stay like that!
Meanwhile we got a seal point Birman - my first contact with a pointed cat and a crucial experience as it turned out.
The first ones: Bobbykatz Adagio - "Bobby", Britsh blue and Nemorino von Wildegg - "Nuki", Birma seal point
Nuki later moved to a family with another Birman as he was always very dissapointed when my lap was already occupied by another cat. Bobby moved to a single home after 5 years as it turned out he didn't like babies and gaine 1/2 kg with each litter for fear there wont be any food left for him.
I started looking for my first breeding queen. With the help of IG BKH/EKH of 1.DEKZV I got in touch with Mrs Wiesekopsieker - than the first address for cream British in Germany - and I was lucky, she was just expecting a suitable litter and only a few months later "Maus" - as we named her as she looked so small next to the alters - moved in. Later called "Mamamaus" when she raised her first litter in 1993 she became the foundation of my breeding. She was spayed after nearly 7 years and 4 litters and moved to live with Bobby. When Bobby died in 2001 aged 12 years also JJ and U2 moved there.
Int.Ch. Jacky vom Tonkay , blue tortie BS, *July 19, 1991-2007 alias "Mamamaus"
The rest is history...
After now more than 20 years of cat breeding I am still fascinated. It has often been difficult and heart wrecking but in the end the positive always outnumber the bad moments. Were I to describe cat breeding with just one sentense it would probably be: "You live and learn!".
The priorities stayed the same.
Health
is most important. If you deceive yourselve regarding health you get the bill all too soon.
We vaccinate against Panleucopenia and cat flue and show cats also get the leucemia vaccine - though not all at once while they are little.
Blood typing is nothing to skip when breeding British. You just need to know what you are having/doing to avoid problems, no need to dismiss 50% of the breeding population.
Screening for HCM and PKD has been standard procedure here for all breeding cats since 2005. We start screening at 1 year old and repeat every 1-2 years. After I have been explaining about it to everyone who wanted and didn't want to hear now finaly pet buyers are asking for it.
My girls are bred under the usual "no more than 3 litters in 2 years" guideline though most of the time much rarer than that. How long a cat stays entire depends mostly on her qualities as a mother and how well she passes on her qualities.
My boys are living with us, therefore it is important that they do not spray, otherwise the wont stay entire for long. Stud service is only available for breeder friends.
We show on a regular basis, though I am well aware that can be considered a health risk. Though I dont advocate placing my cats under a cheese cover. The immune system wants to be trained - so I see the shows as a fitness test for the immune system.
My maine focus in breeding are still the pointed British Shorthair, with preference for the undilute colors. The detour through carrier cats has proofen worth while so I am going to continue like that. All the years the cinnamons have stayed in the back of my mind and my breeding program, here as well I am using carriers and hope the resukts will proof me right.