Hi there!

I recently posted about whether to get an older cat or a kitten and in the end decided upon getting a kitten! Now i have been faced with the rather scary job of finding a reputable breeder which i am finding rather intimidating! i do still need to save up a little so i thought it best to spend my saving time researching breeders because that way i knew i wouldn't just go for the first kitten that i meet and potentially end up in a position where i have made the wrong breeder choice.

i live in Bristol so ideally would be looking for breeders in the south west and wondered if anyone on here has any recommendations for a breeder in that area?

I have contacted a few breeders that i came across and was initially very happy with both as they immediately responded to me with very kind emails discussing the bengal traits and the kittens they currently have. However, as soon as i mentioned that i wouldn't be able to get a kitten that they have right now, one breeder stopped responding despite a few follow up emails from myself.

I am worried that perhaps they are good breeders but felt i was wasting their time since they are currently trying to find homes for the cats they have but then at the same time, i would have expected a breeder to want to share their knowledge as best as they can if they were truly passionate about the breed...?

The second breeder still carried on emailing and even offered to place me on their waiting list for a litter that is due in June which i was very happy with...however when i asked whether they tested their cats for PK Def and HCM again, they seem to have disappeared even though before i was getting 2/3 emails a day which makes me a little worried...perhaps they are busy but again, i feel that its a question of quite high importance!

So, all in all i would be really grateful of any advice in regards to breeders in and around the Bristol area

Thanks in advance!!

Any breeder that stops responding to emails because you cannot have one now or ask about HCM?PKDef is really not worth worrying about. I know of a couple of breeders that screen but i am unsure of any in your area.... did you go through teh Bengal Cat Club?? There is a breeder in Birmingham area which may not be too far for you..... depends how far you want to travel.

When you email people, maybe ask straight off about health testing. That way you can make sure before you get too far in. Any that screen will be willing to add you to a list i am sure!!!

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Lollo

hi lollo!

I'm so glad you agreed, i did wonder whether i was expecting too much when the first stopped replying so it's nice to hear you think the same!

I'm afraid a breeder in Birmingham would probably be a little too far really as i don't drive so have sweet talked a friend into being my bengal driver So we have agreed that about an hours drive is really the furthest we would be looking if possible....mind you, if i'm unable to find a breeder in that range that i'm happy with, then i will most definitely look into it!

Also i forgot to mention that another breeder i asked about PK def and HCM said that they carried out regular tests for PK Def but no longer screen for HCM as they have 5 gens without it and dont bring in any new breeders unless they are from non HCM lines, is this ok or would you still generally expect breeders to carry on screening?

Oh and i found them all through the Bengal Kitten List...

Have you considered having a bengal shipped to you. I have purchased a bengal from bengal bungalow in Clarksville Tn and she is the best. I've had my kitten almost two months now and still talk to her almost everyday and have now decided to get another kitten. She has six right now that are stunning with wonderful personalities. I am getting another from her in about 8 weeks he was just born on the first of May. She prices her kittens at a very good price and she does ship anywhere for i think it is 250 Check out her site its BengalBungalow.com she doesnt have pics up of the new babies but I have seen them and they are beautiful I got the pick of the litter and it took me forever to decide. Thanks, Brandi and GOOD LUCK there is so many out there do your research!!!!!

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Thankyou for all of the extra info about HCM and PK Def, i've also received some really helpful PMs that have brought me to the decision that i do not feel 100% secure with the explanation that i received from the breeder and will therefore carry on looking. Although i'd like to think it was not their intention to mislead me, i think the information i have been given on here should really have been provided by the breeder!

Also, i have been taking a look at Blissnmore and am completely besotted with their beautiful bengals, plus it would only take about an hour and 10 minutes to get there so i think i can definitely talk my friend round to that one I have just contacted them to have a little chat and am awaiting a response but i have very good feelings about this one, especially since they come recommended! Thank you so much for letting me know about them

I have also found another breeder locally who screen for HCM regularly (results are on FAB) and have tested their cats for PK Def, their website also seems very open about health screening and how to choose a breeder that is responsible etc so they also sound good. the only odd thing is that their website seems to say over and over again that no refunds will be given and they cannot guarantee the future health of their cats once they leave their care. I expect this is probably a combination of putting off timewasters / those who are not committed to providing a permanent home for a bengal and just protection in general but the repetition of it made me a little nervous...
They also have a deposit to go on the waiting list to choose and then a further deposit to reserve your kitten which i hadn't seen before, is this normal?

Also they state that since a lot of kittens are reserved purely from photos, you can't enquire about a kitten and then arrange to come and visit it before putting down a deposit and expect for the kitten to still be available as someone else in the meantime could just put a deposit down from seeing photos...

i'm not sure if this seems a tad harsh to me as i would have thought the breeder would be happier to hold the kitten for the person who originally enquired first and get to meet the people who could be taking the kitten home rather than someone who is buying from photos? not that it means the people buying through photos is any less responsible but just that that interaction would be more preferable in my eyes plus the fact that they enquired first? Again, i'm a newbie at this so i'd be really interested to hear what others think in regards to this!!

I'm not sure whether i'm being too picky but i'm just so scared of making the wrong decision so have taken to analysing everything :S i think i must be a breeder's nightmare!

Hi piggle, I just wanted to say good on you for getting lots of info before your purchase.

If there is something about a breeder you don't like, for example the one you mentioned above that requires putting a deposit down before the kitten is born (!) or before you meet the kitten, then don't buy from that breeder. It doesn't mean the breeder is necessarily bad, but if you want a specific experience (meeting a litter and choosing your favourite) then by all means hunt for a breeder that will give you that experience.

I personally would never put down a deposit to go on a waiting list, as how can the breeder guarantee that enough kittens will be born for everyone on the list? What if you are bottom of the list and don't really connect with the kitten you are offered? And what if you find the perfect kitten from another breeder after waiting many months on the list, will you get your deposit back??? It is not a buyer-friendly situation in my eyes, but I don't know the ins and outs of how it works.

I'd be a bit wary of a breeder pushing the 'no refunds' line too much. Also, even though it's quite common for some breeders to have a waiting list, I would have thought that it would be for a particular litter, and if no suitable kittens were born then any deposit paid would be refunded.

No breeder can guarantee the health of a kitten, but a breeder should IMO stay responsible for a kitten if any health issues do arise.

I also wouldn't be too happy with paying two lots of deposits without even seeing a kitten.

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Best Wishes,
Maddy

Hi Piggle13,

I'm glad to hear a prospective Bengal owner is taking such trouble to choose their breeder and their new kitten
I would personally not contemplate putting a pet kitten deposit down unless I had:

1. Visited the breeder to check out the conditions in which their kittens are bred.

2. Seen the mother, and the father if the father was not an outside stud.

3. SEEN THE LITTER! To me, the idea of choosing a kitten purely from photos on the Internet is a very risky and impersonal way of going about buying a pet. I’m a firm believer in choosing your kitten by instinct. Either by you taking to a kitten straight away, or in many, many instances, the kitten will take to and choose you!

4. See the photos, arrange a visit, and then, and ONLY then, put down a deposit if the one you want is available.

5. A caring breeder will then send you regular updates and photos of your kitten until it is time for you to collect.

After all, when it comes to pets, I believe the Internet is just a shop window and NOT a shop.

Hope this helps.
Annie

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http://www.bengalcat-ziggianshowcats.co.uk

Agree with everyone else totally - I would only ever put a deposit down on a kitten I had visited and was sure of ....tbh I hate the pushy sales patter of oh well they may not be available by the time you come blah de blah.....I think Annies post is purr-fect

Am I the only one around here that isn't wary about going with a long distance breeder and having the kitten sent to you? I understand that this is sketchy, but if you go with very well acclaimed breeders that work with you well I think it should be like any other.

The state I live in doesn't really have anyone I would consider purchasing a Bengal from.

Thanks for all of your comments, it's rather nice to hear that you don't think i'm just being ridiculously picky!!

I have to say that to me, while obviously the beauty of bengals is one of the things that drew me in (plus a slight obsession with leopard print if i'm honest), the most important thing for me is that the little furball that i choose will turn into a lifelong companion. So at the end of the day, no matter how cute and perfectly rosetted a kitten might be in a photo, it doesn't tell me the personality of the kitten and whether we will be a match! Also the deposit before a litter is even born just doesn't feel right to me...

as paiviaso said what if i have already paid and then there aren't enough kittens in this litter for all the people there and then i meet the perfect kitten at another breeders...just feels a little risky for me since it clearly states everywhere that any deposits (even for the waiting list) are non refundable!

I have recently received an email from my top breeder of the moment (this seems to keep changing :S) who, without me even particularly asking, gave me lots of information about HCM, how it only guaranteees health on the day so they regularly screen, esp when they are planning new matings and also test for PK Def / FIV/FELV etc which filled me with confidence

She did mention that she doesn't allow viewings until the kittens are 9 weeks old and have had their first round of injections, i think to protect the kittens really but i thought this was a little later than usual isn't it?

It's not something that would put me off at all as you are probably just more likely to see their personailities a little more at that point but i always like to hear everyone's opinions on here! She did also mention i should be aware that the kittens may generally be a bit nervous with strangers upon the first meeting so they may not necessarily "bond" in the way i would like as they tend to be a lot more confident with the people they know.

While this makes complete sense to me, i do remember reading on here that if kittens are properly socialised at the breeders, there should be no reason for them to be nervous at all....so again, your thoughts would be much appreciated!! I do think perhaps in this case though, she meant more that the kitten just might not be quite as confident with me as they would be around just people he/she has met before...

Sorry for ANOTHER essay!!!

tbh I think more breeders are making visiting abit later in age - ive heard of alot of breeders who have problems with people bringing in germs and making unvaccinated kittens poorly - so I think that is quite a reasonable thing to do.

Bonding - im not so sure about ....when I say that I mean ive always found with people they love everyone regardless if they know them or not at a young age...I mean I had people visit at 4, 6, 8 weeks and then pick up at 13 weeks, or just 4 & 6 weeks and pick up at 13weeks and theres been no issue with bonding at all. My last litter I kept it from 6 weeks old for visiting - they were visited twice before being picked up slightly later at 14weeks.....hasnt made any difference

Glad to hear you don't think the later viewing age is odd! From talking to this breeder, i do genuinely believe that it is simply to protect the kittens until they have had their first vaccinations in case of any people bringing in germs like you mentioned.

She seems genuinely caring and passionate about bengals. Also, in the kitten contract she supplies, it actually says on there that her "duty" as a breeder is to provide assistance and support for the whole time that we have our bengal should we ever need advice and that she will remain responsible for the health and general welfare of the kitten after he/she has gone to the new owner.

Given that, i think she may have just meant that we may not see them being quite as cheeky and relaxed straight away as they are with her, but not necessarily saying that they will be really shy. Anyway, i have decided the only way to know for sure is to pay a little visit so i think that's what we will be doing very soon

Was a bit gutted as my landlord has now asked for an additional £250 deposit to be allowed to have a cat which stretches our budget a bit but still, it'll all be worth it

ahhh so this has been the most exciting day of my life it's all gone pretty speedy over the last couple of days getting everything sorted but we have now found our breeder and chosen our kitten!!! He is currently 9 weeks old so we don't get him until the start of june...which may kill me...

thankyou so much for all of your guidance and advice on the post, i am so grateful for all of your assistance in making such a big decision and i am confident that we have made the right choice

I am just about to attempt to put some pictures up of our new boy in the gallery so please all come and have a peek!!