Each Finnland cat (whether kitten or adult) is a piece of my heart and soul. I breed because I love it and the felines, not of profit. Kittens are born in my bedroom and I see them and handle them every single day while they are here. Because of this, it matters where the cats end up.
1) I do not have an official interview process or a list of questions you need to answer. The perfect home for my cats is one that will love them and care for them to the best of their ability, with humans who are willing to learn, as there always is more to learn. I want to get to know prospective owners, and get to know their home and family members and what they are looking for in a cat. This can be done through conversations in email or over the internet, with exchanges of pictures, in a relaxed manner. I am a member of several cat-oriented groups on social media and easy to find there. I can also be found at some cat shows. You can check Our Events to see where you may be able to meet in person and talk with me.
Concerning general attitudes, here are a few points that are non-negotiable:
a) Cats have claws, and claws are a part of having cats. Declawing is a horrible mutilation that can cause significant behavioural problems, including biting and poor litter box habits. Finnland cats will come into your house knowing how to use scratching posts and tolerant of nail trimming, and I'm happy to recommend appropriate ways to keep those good habits up. I will not sell a cat to a household where declawing is considered an acceptable way of dealing with cat claws. I can also show you how to use Soft Paws in case there is a family member on blood thinners where a slight unintentional scratch could cause a trip to the ER.
b) Outdoor cats are bad for the environment and bad for the health of the cat. My kittens will all be acclimated to wearing a harness and going outside with supervision, and any of my adults are harness trained as well. My cats should remain indoor cats. Outside access can be allowed in a safe, secured area (such as a catio or outdoor enclosure which I have.. and the cats love) or with a human on harness and leash. I will not sell a cat to a household where allowing cats to roam freely outdoors is normal practice. There is a difference between opening the door and saying "go, be free" and rushing panicked after Fluffy as she wanders out to the steps.
c) Turkish Angoras are extremely social cats. Left alone for long periods of time without feline company they can develope unpleasant habits, may become aggressive, jealous or harassing to their humans. I will not give a kitten or an adult cat to live as an only cat forever.There are several other breeds less interactive and more tolerant of not particularly stimulating lifestyles. But if you want a Turkish Angora and do not have any other cats, why not take two at the same time? I started with one Turkish Angora (and 2 other cats in the home). I can attest to the fact that 2 Turkish Angoras are better than 1!!
2) Once together we have determined that you're a good fit for one of our cats and that one of my cats is a good fit for you, I will take a deposit towards the purchase you wish to make. A deposit means commitment. Kittens can be reserved starting at 6 weeks, however, we encourage people to express interest in a specific kitten sooner rather than later. If someone reserves a kitten, and fails to send a deposit within one week of the kitten having reached 40 days, the reservation will be lost. Once a kitten is reserved, they are no longer available - they are off the market for anyone else. If you decide later that kitten is not for you, the process has to start over again. Because of this deposits are in most cases non-refundable. If the kitten is quickly placed into a new home, the deposit could be applied to a future litter, depending upon the reason you cancelled. I do understand that life happens and situations change and you won't be penalized for a temporary inability to welcome a kitten into your home.
3) I encourage you to visit my home to meet your kitten after a good acquaintance has been established and a deposit has been put down. I do not allow visits to kittens younger than 8 weeks.
4) Your cat will come with a Pet Contract, binding for both parties. Please feel free to peruse the contract at your leisure, and if you have questions, feel free to ask.
AFTER HAVING THE CAT......
5) I try to breed the healthiest cats possible, but sometimes, unexpected congenital issues occur. Most frequently it becomes evident shortly after birth, but very occasionally these issues may manifest later in life. If this happens, if the cat is discovered to have a congenital/genetic life-threatening defect, please get in contact with me as soon as possible, and we will discuss how to move forward from there. I will want to know, for the health of my breeding programs -- and I will not 'replace' your kitten, as kittens are irreplaceable, but I may provide a new kitten free of charge or refund your full or partial purchase price.
6) I am here as a resource for you. I have a great deal of behavioural, health, and environmental knowledge on how best to live with cats and am happy to share that knowledge. Please email as soon as you have any concerns, or if you have any questions, and I will be glad to help.
7) I breed Turkish Angoras because I love this breed and want to share that love with others. I also acknowledge that there are many, many cats out there needing homes, and I never want one of our cats to end up in that situation. Every cat that leaves my home, kitten or adult, still has a home with me for life. I will take back any one of my cats, no questions asked, in any situation or any condition at any point in their entire life. Just ask, and I will be there.
8) I love to hear how our cats are doing. Please keep in touch!
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT KITTENS......
1) My litters are planned first and foremost to produce kittens as close as possible to my ideal Turkish Angora standard, from whom I will choose my next breeding and show cats. Because I work in cooperation with a couple of other catteries, kittens could often be spoken for before they are born in order to continue the good lines and enrich the breed as we all work to one goal. Once I have determined who is pet quality and who is show/breeding quality, I will attempt to match the right kitten to the right household. If you have a specific s*x or colour request, please say so, but keep in mind that I can make no promises that a kitten of that variety will be born or will be appropriate for your house.
2) Kittens will be sent to their new homes at 13 weeks of age. It is not possible to let them leave earlier as they need 2 sets of vaccines before they go - they buyer will be responsible for the 16 week vaccinations, however if they stay around up to 16 weeks, the cattery will have them vaccinated. Their kitten kit includes a free trial of pet insurance, food samples and coupons for the high quality food they are eating, toys, and a kitten manual to help them adjust to their new homes. If you require a health certificate for the kitten that can be included.
3) All of my cats come CFA registered. If you are looking to show or breed in a different association, please contact me and we'll make sure you have all the right paperwork to get your new kitten registered in the registry of your choice.
4) By contract, all pet kittens must be spayed or neutered before they leave here. The buyer is responsible for the actual cost of the neuter or spay, which also happens before departure - I get a breeder discount at the vet so that price is reduced dramatically.
5) I love showing, and I love cat shows. If I think your new kitten has the potential to be a show alter, I will pay for you to enter your first show and attend with you if at all possible. Maybe, just maybe, you'll fall in love with showing too!
6) Delivery to Ontario and Quebec may be possible as I travel often for cat shows. Shipping is available at your own expense and may come with additional requirements for health documents, especially if borders have to be crossed. I have experience in shipping pet animals. Please feel free to contact me if you think Finnland is the right cattery for you, even if you aren't local.
SPECIFICALLY FOR BREEDERS......
1) Every one of us had to start somewhere and have been a new breeder once. The cat fancy thrives on new blood. If you are a new breeder who is looking for a breeding cat, I'd love to talk with you and see if our philosophies match. Someone took a chance on me. You deserve the same consideration.
2) As concerns breeding cats, I'm looking to work with people who fulfil all of the requirements of the pet owners, as well as demonstrate ethical breeding practices. Cats will be given to breeders whom we feel we can trust, who have a registered cattery, preferably who also show in a cat association, and whose breeding practices meet or exceed our standards.
3) If you are a breeder, old or new, who finds my lines interesting, please get in touch with me, tell us about yourself, tell me what you're looking for, and let's see what we can arrange.
4) My Breeder contract differs only marginally from our Pet Contract, mainly in the specific agreements we'll stipulate with the individual breeder about the individual cat.
