Finding a Responsible Breeder Home About the Breed Care for a Devon Cat Shows Finding a Responsible Breeder For the Breeder
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You want to buy a Devon Rex, but do not know where to start. Please let us help.   When searching for a RESPONSIBLE BREEDER of Devon Rex, it is important for you to understand the differences between a responsible breeder and someone who breeds for profit or those who breed "just for the fun of it." RESPONSIBLE BREEDERS commit themselves first to the well being of their cats and kittens.  They only breed Devon Rex to preserve, sustain, and improve the best qualities of the breed
THE RESPONSIBLE BREEDER WILL: Only place a cat or kitten with you when they have taken the time to thoroughly interview and feel comfortable with you on a more personal level.   This means they are willing to turn down a buyer's request for a cat or kitten, if they are not confident that the placement is the best possible home. Every cat and kitten needs to be placed in a home where its unique personality, and the new owner's personality, lifestyle, and temperament are ideally suited for one another.  Create a healthy environment by only breeding cats that are in good health and fit, without any known or suspected genetic defects, or personality disorders.   A responsible breeder will limit the number of cats and kittens they keep to ensure they receive regular, loving, human interaction to be well socialized; have sufficient clean and safe space in which to play and rest; receive scheduled, as well as emergency, veterinary care; and the highest quality food.  Sell only a healthy cat or kitten to you and give an assurance of current good health. A responsible breeder will provide you with documentation of the cat or kitten's medical history, including vaccine records and any medicines previously prescribed for a treated illness. While no breeder can guarantee the future health and life span of a cat or kitten, a responsible breeder will document what will happen should the cat or kitten become ill.  You may also be provided with contact information for the breeder's veterinarian should you and your veterinarian have any questions. Sell a kitten or cat with a contract that everyone understands.  It will clearly spell out for you the breeder's obligations and your rights and obligations in a fair manner that respects and protects all the parties signing it.   It will include a spay/neuter agreement clause if the cat or kitten is intact when sold, in order to preserve the health and well-being of the individual cat or kitten - and the Devon Rex breed. Sell and place a kitten with you that is at least 14 - 16 weeks of age. Kittens will have had sufficient time with its mother and  litter-mates to be well socialized and old enough to have been fully vaccinated against Calici, Panleukopenia, and Rhinotracheitis Virus.  A responsible breeder will never take a deposit on an unborn kitten nor risk breaking your heart by permitting you to reserve a kitten too young to have a reasonable certainty of survival (i.e., before the age of six weeks).  Participate in The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) sponsored cat shows. This is to receive objective feedback from judges, and compare their cats to those of other Devon Rex breeders.  (Note: The reader is reminded that you are viewing this buyers' guide on the official website of the CFA, Devon Rex Breed Club, where all Devon Rex Standards of Perfection, shows and titles mentioned will be exclusively those of CFA.)  Will work with pedigrees containing multiple titled cats beyond the preliminary show title of Champion (CH)  This typically requires only presentation at one cat show without requiring the cat to actively compete for points. The goal is to produce cats capable of earning the highest title-of- merit awarded by CFA, Grand Champion (GC).  Exemplary breeding programs are slowly built from such pedigrees.  Often newer breeders will not yet have achieved advanced titles, but will be actively involved in showing their cats and working to earn them. (A complete listing and explanation of CFA titles and rankings can be found elsewhere on the Education page.)  It is important for you to understand that breeding Devon Rex is an expensive hobby  and not a business for profit.  The cost of producing a well-bred Devon Rex kitten or cat is  high because the responsible breeder makes the necessary time and financial commitments to  produce quality cats and kittens with good health and temperament that are suitable for the show  ring and will, if bred, sustain the overall high quality of the breed.  Should they produce a kitten  that, by 16 weeks of age, is not of show quality, have a cat aging out of their breeding program,  or determine that a cat or kitten is more suited to a pet home, the responsible breeder will find a  buyer, perhaps you, that is the best possible match. You are now a more informed buyer as you look for a Devon Rex.  If you interview a breeder who  does not reflect the philosophy or practices of breeding we have listed for you, this should  concern you and raise a "buyer beware" flag. We suggest you take the time to interview other  breeders and ask more questions.  Take the time to properly interview and get to know a breeder,  as this will be to your advantage when looking for a Devon Rex to join your family.