I've read various posts about strange, unethical breeders. I wanted to ask those of you that breed Bengals [or other cats] what are your strangest stories about potential adopters. Any weird requests or bizarre questions?

I went to visit the cattery where I am getting my new kitten - waiting for birth any day! I had taken homemade catnip pillow toys and asked if I could hand them out to her free roaming queens. I asked, respectfully, if I could hold the one male cat that I had seen previously at a cat show. She said Yes. We visited 2 week old kittens where I was told that I could not touch. Fine by me. Then, after washing hands, she took me to the other kitten room where we sat and talked and played with the 4 six-week old kittens. I was in kitten heaven. I'm sure I got bonus points because I already had 2 Bengals and was familiar with the personality and activity level.

I must have made a good impression because she gave me a Bengal calendar. Those things aren't cheap. I sent her a thank you email the next day. She commented on how wonderful it is to meet someone that the cats gravitate towards. That made me feel warm and fuzzy.

So I figure for everyone like me or any other Bengal lover, there has to be an oddball, right? Do tell.

I breed Tonkinese. I had a lady emailing me for months leading up to my litter last year. She was desperate for a Tonkinese and loved my website and the kittens in my previous litter so wanted to wait for the next litter. I had offered for her to come and visit the adult cats in the meantime to make sure a Tonkinese was for her but she struggled with transport as she didn't drive so was reliant on her neighbour and I was 20 miles away so a bit far for just a social visit.

So, kittens born and I let her know. I told the people waiting for kittens that they could be viewed from 6 weeks old. So they were waiting until then. She could only get transport towards the end of that week after a few other viewings. She was 2nd on the list of people asking for kittens but 1, 3 and 4 on the list came before her so had expressed a preference. We were keeping 1 and ere was 1 going as a breeder. She did not mind about sex or colour and had read the kitten diary so had no preference at all, she would have whatever was available she said.

I knew a bit about her. She had a 2 year old Korat who was a little bored. She was an elderly lady but was very able. She had a terminally ill husband and really wanted a companion cat as her Korat did not like to sit on her lap at all. Tonkinese are very social cats and love cuddles. I frequently have 2 or 3 on my lap (more if we have kittens).

So, she arrived with her neighbour and stood in the room talking very loud. I asked if she wanted to sit down but she seemed not to hear me the neighbour did though. The lady stood there talking to the kittens and wanting to know why they were running around and not stopping so she could see them properly, they were nearly 7 weeks and very active kittens. I explained that they were just playing. Did she want to sit down and they might come to see her, still no reaction. She asked which ones were still available and I showed her the two that were. She wanted to hold one so I picked one up for her and she kept holding it out to see, which made them squirm. Her neighbour now had two asleep in her lap. After about 20 mins she finally sat down. She wanted to hold them again but they wouldn't stay with her. Mostly because of the way she was holding them. They kept climbing onto her shoulder and running away. She was concerned about how much they were playing as she doesn't have the time to spend with her Korat playing, she gets tired before the cat does. She was concerned that the kittens didn't like her because they wouldn't let her hold them. She kept holding them out in front of her asking them why they didn't like her?? She was completely batty. She said, well I'll just have whichever you think will be best for me (I was thinking, none of them!). I managed to get her to go home and think about it. I then had the task of formulating an email to say that she wasn't suitable for one. I think an adult cat would have been a much better choice, but a kitten was just not suitable. I emailed her but followed it up with a call. She cried down the phone as she was so worried about being alone when her husband died and thought a cat would help but her Korat didn't like her. I found her several older cats that would be suitable for her but I don't know what she did in the end.

I did have to warn a couple of breeders that she might have been after kittens. Because I felt she was so unsuitable for kittens. She did say that she had the opportunity to have a Tonkinese kitten the year before from a breeder that offered to drive 60miles to bring her the kitten to see. But she felt that there must be something wrong with the cat for the breeder to offer to do that as, apparently, breeders are not to be trusted. She said that to me in my home and her neighbour was trying to shut her up?

Most visitors are great though.

Enquiries are sometimes a bit amusing though. I did get one reply back after I sent information on cost and what it covers. They asked why I do not leave neutering up to the discretion on the buyer. They were going to start breeding if they felt like it but were going to see how she progressed over the next 12 months. I said that they would not be registered on the 'active' register and that was fine because they had no plans to register the kittens needless to say they did not get a kitten and their contact information was sent to all breeders on the Tonk breed sites.

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Lollo

Normally they dont slip through my net so dont get invited, but when they do get through, they are very nutty

Was going to say a few here but it will take forever to write!

Oh dear, feel a bit bad laughing at that old lady, I hope it doesn't make me an awful person.

Just to flip it around for a second, when we were choosing our dog we went to a breeder just to look at some dogs not to buy that day. We were really happy with one of them and explained we would be back one day next week to pay for him and collect if she could hold him until then. She said she can unless someone comes in the mean time who really wants him and has the money there and then. Which is fair enough we were fine with that but she kept trying to badger me for a deposit. I explained numerous times we did not have any cash on us and the amount she was asking for a deposit i wouldnt carry around in my purse on a daily basis anyways . Then she started suggesting well couldnt we bring something else round as part payment in the mean time like drop the kids nintendo wii with games or our playstation and this could be half the price!!

We managed to leave and didnt go back in the end, nothing to do with the dog i just didnt want to give my money to her and fund her breeding in any way. Obviously she would of sold all the pups cus they were gawguss but i feel better knowing i didnt contribute to her obviously desire for purley financial gain!

I'll add one from my rescue group. Had an older gentleman show up at our pet adoption site looking for a nice, calm cat to be a companion. He said his wife had recently passed away he had a large house and was lonely. He took a liking to a sweet, young calico we had. Everyone has to be approved before taking a cat. We explained the procedures and took his information. He seemed like such a nice guy.

The cat foster called to talk to him and complete the application. Well the next day he called to say he couldn't adopt her. He had a dream the cat died and he wouldn't be able to handle that. Next day he calls back says he is interested. He went back and forth the entire week. He did adopt the cat a week and half later. But the story doesn't end there.

A few days later he calls again to tell the original foster mom she better come get the cat before he kills it. It doesn't like him and she is hiding under the bed. Foster mom ended up going to the house [with police] to reclaim the cat.

We added him to our local Do Not Adopt list for all the organizations.