Purchasing A Manx Kitten

Potential kitten owners have access to a wealth of information on the internet. Within this website you’ll find information provided to help you determine the quality of Manx kittens we produce and have in our Breeding Program. We take great pride in keeping our breeding standards higher than unregistered domestic tailless breeders. The most important thing to keep in mind is this breed can easily be counterfeited unless they’re registered. Backyard breeders are breeding domestic tailless cats at an alarming rate calling their kittens, Manx cats. They are not. Not every tailless cat is a Manx, this is a myth about the breed.

Our Manx cats and their offspring are registered with “The Cat Fanciers’ Association”, known as CFA, the predominant feline registry. Some of our cats are also registered with “The International Cat Association”, more commonly known as TICA where we own a lifetime cattery name. I’m a current member of the CFA Manx Breed Council and the CFA American Manx Club. Our kittens are raised in our home, underfoot with constant love and interaction, as if each one is to be our own beloved pets. Care is given to insure they are well socialized and grow to be the cherished, confident companions owners and judges are looking for. Our kittens and their parents are ALL registered in the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) or The International Cat Association (TICA).

What To Look For

Below are some examples that a potential owner should be concerned about when adopting a kitten from a breeder.

Cleanliness – Look at the cleanliness of the kitten, it will be your first indication of health and care given.

Questions: Are the kitten’s eyes weeping, swollen, red or half-open, do they have matter in them? Is there discharge in or coming from its nose?

Answer: Cats sometimes have normal matter in the corner of their eyes as humans do. This is ok, as long as the eye area is not swollen, red or have green or yellow colored discharge in or around it. Eyes shouldn’t weep or be held half open. These things could indicate a scratch, an ulcer or an infection. Infections can be health or due to stress, they could be indications but not always signs of poor living conditions, dirty litter boxes and fumes from them. Too many cats being housed in an area or outside building with poor ventilation and health are often signs of poor cat husbandry and over crowding.

Ideal: Eyes should be clean, open, crystal clear, have an overall appearance of health and be full of life.

Questions: Are the kitten’s feet, fur and/or bottom dark yellow stained? Is the fur matted, unkept or missing? Are fleas or flea dirt on it’s under side?

Answer: Yellow stains can be seen easily on white fur. It can be signs that feces and urine were on that area and a sign of uncleanliness. This could be an indication of poor health, such as diarrhea or leakage. It can also be evidence of an unclean environment with dirty litter pans, living areas or show poor cleanliness and care. Fleas and their feces can sometimes be seen by turning the cat over. Fleas are small black insects that crawl or jump very fast and eat blood. Flea feces looks like dirt or pepper on the skin, when placed on a white paper plate and moistened, let to sit, it slowly reconstitutes red like blood.

Ideal: Fur should be smooth and soft, look (and smell) clean from head to toes, with no staining, no mats, no areas of fur missing (except for surgical procedures) with no visible signs of fleas or flea dirt on the body. Fleas are very easy to control with the invention of monthly topical treatments. There’s no reason for anyone to have fleas on their kittens, this is totally unacceptable.

Question: Are the kitten’s ears clean?

Answer: Ears shouldn’t have anything resembling coffee grounds, brown wax, a discharge or any smell. This could be an indication of ear mites, an infection or fungus.

Ideal: Kittens ears should be as clean as you’d want your own to be. They should be dry, matter free and have no smell.

Socialization– This is the key to choosing a wonderful pet and companion.

Questions: Does the person keep their kittens in a clean, warm, loving environment protected from harm? Are they kept outside, treated like livestock animals?

Answer: A well socialized kitten is best raised and kept in a home environment around people, children and other animals to become accustomed best with those sounds, since that is where they are expected to be living their lives out.

Ideal: The ideal kitten is curious and playful, alert and confident, no matter what their surroundings. They may purr when stroked or spoken to, look into your eyes and join in when a toy is introduced. They should never run from you in fear or hide. It’s normal for any animal to have a transition period when first taken home. Contact your breeder sooner rather than later should issues arise.

That’s a good indication of the quality breeder and kittens we produce as well as what to avoid. Honesty and quality are high on the list of things to behold, without either, you’re just another animal breeder trying to turn an easy dollar.

“How we behave toward cats here below determines our status in heaven.” – Robert A. Heinlein