06/04/2026
Things I’ve Learned Running a Cattery — The Truth Nobody Tells You
1. Purebred cats are some of the friendliest animals you’ll ever meet. Contrary to what many people assume, not all cats are aloof or skittish. Purebred cats were selectively bred over generations to be companion animals — to be handled, socialized, and shown. Their warmth and affectionate nature isn’t a coincidence. It’s in their DNA.
2. Breeding is an emotional journey you have to be prepared for. These are living beings. They get sick. Sometimes we lose them. There are incredible highs — watching kittens go to their forever homes — and there are devastating lows. If you’re considering this path, go in with your heart open and your expectations grounded.
3. This is a significant financial commitment. Premium nutrition, quality litter, routine and emergency veterinary care — the costs are real and often unpredictable. Responsible breeding requires a substantial financial cushion to ensure every cat in your program receives the care they deserve, no matter what.
4. Letting them go never gets easier — and that’s okay. You raise them, you love them, and then you place them. It’s one of the hardest parts. But we’ve come to peace with it knowing that our kittens deserve to be someone’s everything — not one of many. Letting go is an act of love.
5. Not every plan works out — and that’s part of the process. You may retain a kitten with high hopes for your breeding program, only to find that as they mature, things don’t develop as expected. Features change. Personalities evolve. Sometimes you invest everything into a cat and the path leads somewhere different than planned. Flexibility and grace are essential.
6. Responsible breeding is far more complex than it appears. Before running a cattery, I thought breeding was straightforward. It is anything but. Understanding feline genetics, health screening protocols, and breed-specific conditions is non-negotiable. Our Scottish Fold and British Shorthair cats all receive echocardiograms due to their predisposition to HCM — a cost and commitment I didn’t fully anticipate. As breeders, we are stewards of these lives. That responsibility is something we take deeply seriously.
7. The community will surprise you in the best way.
We never expected to find such a genuine, passionate network of people — fellow breeders who understand the sleepless nights, and families who truly appreciate what goes into our program. From cat shows to late-night calls helping a friend bottle-feed a fragile kitten, these cats have brought more human connection into our lives than we ever imagined. We’ve made people happy, touched lives, and built friendships we’ll carry forever.
We wouldn’t change a single moment of it. 🫶🏻
