So you think you want to breed?
Written by: Konnie Surmann (December, 2009)
My name is Konnie and I have been a Pixie Bob breeder for over 6 years and this is my story.
Several years ago I was showing a Bengal in the Alter class. During one of those shows I met a Pixie Bob breeder. I was immediately smitten with these beautiful cats and vowed that one of these days I would own one.
About 2 years later in October of 2003 I purchased my very first Pixie Bob – a male, shaggy coated, polydactyl bundle of joy by the name of Monte. His breeder let him go when he was just 10 weeks old. Monte made himself at home right from the start, displaying all those wonderful and typical Pixie Bob characteristics.
Monte was bought as a pet to be shown in the alter class. At the time he turned 6 months old, I brought him back to his breeder to show him off. I thought he had turned into a very handsome young man. The breeder agreed and told me I should just breed him. My dilemma of not having a female to breed him to was answered by handing me a little female that she thought was perfect as a first “wife” for my boy. We wrote up a very short contract and I took Dakota home.
Right after her first litter Dakota was diagnosed with an adult onset Grade II heart murmur and she had to be spayed. One of the kittens of her only litter subsequently died of HCM – a routinely fatal heart condition. In the meantime I had purchased another male and also a female. The male turned out to only have one descended testicle and had to be neutered.
I proceeded to purchase another male and yet another female. I no longer have that male. He took 2 years to mature and then produced problematic offspring. The female is still with me at the time of writing this article.
At this time – about 4 years into my “breeding program” I had suffered through losing several breeding cats to genetic issues with no replacements offered. I had produced some kittens, but none were turning out the way those cats looked at that show when I saw a Pixie Bob for the first time. To make matters worse, I lost 7 out of 8 kittens to FIP. I had to deal with replacements, demands for refunds, an upset Regional Director and an irate California pet buyer calling animal control on me. I was ready to hang it all up and just figured there was nothing I could do to improve my situation.
That is when my current mentor approached me. Mind you, prior to this I had no mentor. Nobody told me anything or helped me in any way to select breeding cats, evaluate kittens, etc. My mentor suggested a particular breeding to her stud for very reasonable terms. I agreed and the result is my beautiful Thunder N’Lightning. We decided to breed another female to the same boy and that gave me Thunder Rayne and Thunder Glory. At this time, other breeders started to take notice that I was someone who took this whole breeding “thing” seriously and I was in this for the love of this truly wonderful breed and not to make a quick dollar.
My mentor facilitated the acquisition of Frank – my pride and joy. She also taught me how to evaluate kittens, how to read pedigrees and how to plan out breedings several generations in advance to aid in deciding which offspring to keep and which one to pet out.
My program has grown leaps and bounds. I just wish I would have had her guidance when I first got started.
And let me paint you the financial picture of the incorrect way to start a breeding program. I purchased a total of ten cats over the course of the first 2 years. That cost me a combined $11,500. I still own two of those cats – a mere 20%. All cats I no longer own were retired for two reasons. A couple had health issues (heart murmur and only one descended testicle). The vast majority was retired because they were pet quality. It’s the old “garbage in, garbage out”. You cannot expect to get superior quality out of sub-standard cats. And if you do the math, this error cost me over $9,000. For that amount I could have purchased two very, very nice top quality cats from winning lines with written guarantees to attain certain titles. All I would have had to do is listen and wait.
Why am I telling you this story, you might ask? I hope that you will do what I failed to do;
research the breed and the breeders. Be sure to select one that provides you with support after placement or you could just be throwing away your money.
My experience inspired me to propose the development of the
CPBB/APBB program. I strongly feel that it will aid in preventing new breeders from having the same
challenging experiences I had and that it will provide the best possible start to a successful breeding program
while supporting the ultimate goal, improving the breed.
Konnie Surmann
Forest Hunter Pixie Bobs
|
