How to Raise Himalayan Cats as a Business

The Himalayan cat is a type of the Persian breed, according to the Cat Fanciers' Association. The body of the Himalayan is white or fawn, and the extremities and face are pointed, which means they are a darker color than the body. This effect was achieved by crossing Persian cats with Siamese. There is not a lot of money to be made breeding cats. Many breeders break even, or lose money. This is especially true with Persians, who often need to deliver their large-headed babies via cesarean section.

Things You'll Need

  • Large box
  • Strips of cloth or old sheets
  • Postage scale
  • Pen and paper
  • Folders
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Instructions

  1. Registering Your Cattery

    • 1

      Register your cattery with one of the two main cat registration bodies. You can do this even before you purchase your foundation cats. Catteries are registered with either the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) or The International Cat Association (TICA), or both. Each association has a membership form, as well as a fee. As of the time of publication, the TICA fee is $80 and the CFA fee is $75.

    • 2

      Purchase your foundation cats, a queen and a stud (male and female), from a breeder. Alternatively, you may choose to only purchase a female and make arrangements to use a stud from another cattery. Both cats need to be registered with the association you registered with. Let the breeder know you are going to breed the pair. He or she will know which cats are breeding quality. Be sure the cats do not show obvious signs of disease, such as runny nose or large quantities of discharge from the eyes.

    • 3

      Apply for a business license. Each state and even community will have its own laws on how this must be done. Your local treasury department will be able to point you in the right direction.

    Breeding Your Cats

    • 4

      Have both breeding cats checked by a veterinarian. They should be tested for feline leukemia, feline immunodeficiency virus, and breed-specific genetic problems, such as polycystic kidney disease. The queen should be vaccinated a few months before breeding, but no more than three weeks before.

    • 5

      Set up mating sessions when the female is in heat, and both cats are at least 12 months old. A female cat in heat will hold her tail to one side, make load, moaning cries and stick her rear in the air when her back is scratched. While the act of intercourse causes a cat to ovulate, she usually will not accept a male if not in heat.

    • 6

      Confirm pregnancy at around three to four weeks after the mating with a trip to the vet, or wait six weeks to see if the queen is putting on weight. It is best to make a vet trip, however, since you will be able to find out how many kittens there are, and have her evaluated for any issues.

    • 7

      Feed your queen a diet suitable for a pregnant and lactating cat. Kitten chow is a good fit, since it has more vitamins. Ask your vet if you should be giving a dietary supplement, as well.

    • 8

      Prepare a safe place for the queen to give birth. A box lined with old towels will work well. You should be able to easily clean the lining without disturbing the occupants. The average cat pregnancy lasts 65 days, according to CatsInfo.com. The kittening box should be prepared before this date to give the queen time to get used to it. Watch your cat carefully as contractions begin. Ideally, keep your veterinarian on the phone with you throughout the delivery. If the contractions have gone on for a long time and there is still not a kitten visible, it may be stuck. Consult your veterinarian as to whether or not a cesarean section will be needed. Weigh each kitten when he or she is born, and write the weight down. Keep weighing the kittens periodically. Any loss in weight can be dangerous to a kitten.

    Homing Your Kittens

    • 9

      Begin finding homes for your kittens as soon as possible, preferably before they are born. Come up with a contract stipulating requirements of the purchaser. You should include things like a spay/neuter agreement and a no-declawing policy. It is standard to offer some sort of health guarantee. Since you have had both parents properly tested by a veterinarian, you can give a written guarantee against defects like polycystic kidney disease. It is up to you if you will replace the kitten or give a refund if the kitten does develop health problems, and for how many years the guarantee will cover. Have the purchaser take the kitten to see a veterinarian within 72 hours of purchase to check for health problems to protect both parties.

    • 10

      Ask questions to be sure your kittens are going to a safe, loving home. Ask if the purchaser rents or owns his home. Renters may have pet restrictions. Ask for the landlord's name, and call him to be sure pets are allowed. If the purchaser has other pets or small children, you may want them to come along to see the kitten, so you can get an idea of how they get along. Renters buying cats they aren't supposed to have and pets or children not getting along with the new kitten are common reasons for pet re-homing. Let the purchaser know that you will take the kitten back if at any time she cannot keep it.

    • 11

      Make sure the cats have been checked by a veterinarian and have received two rounds of vaccinations and deworming before homing. It is helpful to keep a file folder for each kitten, containing its date and time of birth, vet records, registration information and some pictures of the kitten growing. Give the folder to the purchaser of the kitten.