Brown.Eyed.Girl
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2008
- Messages
- 6,893
So I''ve been in contact with a reputable Bengal breeder in the Chicago area, and put a deposit down weeks ago. I would be choosing a boy from the litter due this week...unfortunately, I got a call from her today, saying that all of the kittens were stillborn
Apparently, the mom had enough progestin to get the pregnancy going but not enough to birth the kittens alive.... anyway this is extremely sad, and also kind of throws ours (BF and I) plans into a crunch (sorry if I''m mixing metaphors - I''m exhausted). The breeder gave us a few options, and I need to decide what to do. I''m hoping any and all cat lovers, and also Bengal lovers in particular, will chime in. So the options:
1) The breeder offered to return my deposit, so I can look elsewhere.
2) The breeder is planning on breeding the same female cat when she gets back in heat (on vet''s recommendation) and I can wait for that or another litter. Those kittens will probably not be born until the fall.
3) The breeder is mentoring another breeder, whose cats have just had their first litter. They have one six week boy left, and I can have him - same guarantees, price and I would be using the original breeder''s contract.
Some pros and cons of each option:
1) I looked at other breeders in my area, and none jumped out. BF and I have a timing issue - we want the kitten this year, end of September or as close to, because we want to spend as much time with it as possible in our last year of law school. We''re going to be abroad until the end of Sept. and can''t take a kitten until then. None of the breeders in my area have either the type of kitten I want (rosetted, not marbled) or have any kittens being born soon....all being born late summer/fall. Timing doesn''t work out as well.
2) Same issue with waiting for the new litter...kittens will probably not be ready to go home until late fall.
3) Taking the 6-week kitten - this seems the more promising, because I did check the pedigree (it''s fine, and I recognize both sire and dam, and both sire and dam are from a very reputable breeder), and the kitten is adorable. I''m concerned about the age....this litter that would have been born now would still have been about 15 weeks by the time I got to take my kitten home (because of being abroad). If the kitten is 6 weeks now, and I can''t have him until end of September, he''ll be about 20 weeks old (5 months). I''m not sure - is that too old for him to properly bond with us? That''s my biggest concern.
Sigh, I''m not sure what to do. Advice please?
And for viewing pleasure, pics of the 6 week kitten attached
1) The breeder offered to return my deposit, so I can look elsewhere.
2) The breeder is planning on breeding the same female cat when she gets back in heat (on vet''s recommendation) and I can wait for that or another litter. Those kittens will probably not be born until the fall.
3) The breeder is mentoring another breeder, whose cats have just had their first litter. They have one six week boy left, and I can have him - same guarantees, price and I would be using the original breeder''s contract.
Some pros and cons of each option:
1) I looked at other breeders in my area, and none jumped out. BF and I have a timing issue - we want the kitten this year, end of September or as close to, because we want to spend as much time with it as possible in our last year of law school. We''re going to be abroad until the end of Sept. and can''t take a kitten until then. None of the breeders in my area have either the type of kitten I want (rosetted, not marbled) or have any kittens being born soon....all being born late summer/fall. Timing doesn''t work out as well.
2) Same issue with waiting for the new litter...kittens will probably not be ready to go home until late fall.
3) Taking the 6-week kitten - this seems the more promising, because I did check the pedigree (it''s fine, and I recognize both sire and dam, and both sire and dam are from a very reputable breeder), and the kitten is adorable. I''m concerned about the age....this litter that would have been born now would still have been about 15 weeks by the time I got to take my kitten home (because of being abroad). If the kitten is 6 weeks now, and I can''t have him until end of September, he''ll be about 20 weeks old (5 months). I''m not sure - is that too old for him to properly bond with us? That''s my biggest concern.
Sigh, I''m not sure what to do. Advice please?
And for viewing pleasure, pics of the 6 week kitten attached
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