10/21/2026
💯
❤️ So apparently being a breeder is enough to make some people dislike you before they even know anything about you. 🤦🏽♀️
Since starting Fall Line Bengals, I’ve noticed just how much negativity there is surrounding breeding. And while I understand where some of it comes from, I also think a lot of people have no idea what actually goes into doing it responsibly.
Are there bad breeders out there? Absolutely. There are people who shouldn’t be breeding animals, period. I’ll be the first to agree with that.
But I don’t think it’s fair to throw everyone into the same category.
We didn’t get into Bengals because we thought it would be an easy way to make money. Anyone who thinks breeding responsibly is easy clearly hasn’t looked into what it actually costs. 🤣 Yall would think I was insane if you knew how much I’ve spent this year.
We fell in love with the breed. Their personalities, their intelligence, their gorgeous coats, and the fact that they all seem to think they’re in charge of the house. Especially Nadia. That girl is a whole different level of something. Bengals are a one of a kind - they are a dog wrapped up in cat clothing 🤣🤦🏽♀️
And while having beautiful kittens is certainly part of it, there’s a LOT more that goes on behind the scenes.
Learning genetics and carefully planning pairings instead of just putting two cats together. The amount of $ spent on testing has been WILD.
Health testing, veterinary care, vaccinations, and doing everything we can to produce healthy kittens.
Raising our kittens right here in our home, around our children, other animals, and all the everyday chaos that comes with having a big family.
Getting to know each kitten individually so we can help families choose one that actually fits their home and lifestyle.
Making sure our kittens are spayed or neutered before leaving us. We’re not interested in sending kittens out into the world to become somebody else’s backyard breeding project. We are TICA ethical breeder certified.
One thing that really bothers me is this idea that you have to choose between supporting rescues and supporting responsible breeders.
Why can’t we support both?
I absolutely believe shelter cats deserve loving homes (we have 4 of them). But so do the kittens born in someone’s carefully planned breeding program. One doesn’t take away from the other.
And if we want breeds like Bengals to continue being healthy, beautiful, and true to the characteristics that make them special, somebody has to care about the genetics, temperament, and future of the breed.
You don’t have to buy a kitten from a breeder. You don’t even have to agree with breeding.
But I do think you should know a little about the person and their program before deciding they’re doing something wrong.
We’re still growing Fall Line Bengals, and I’m sure we’ll learn plenty more along the way. But I can tell you that a lot of thought, time, money, and love goes into these cats. We take what we’re doing seriously, even if half the time our Bengals act like they have absolutely no respect for us. 💀🤣❤️
Something else I’ve noticed is how differently people seem to view breeding dogs versus breeding cats. 🤔
People will spend thousands of dollars on a purebred puppy and nobody thinks twice about it. They want a specific breed because they love its appearance, personality, temperament, or certain characteristics.
But mention intentionally breeding purebred cats, and suddenly people act like you’re personally responsible for every cat sitting in a shelter. 🤦🏽♀️
I’ve never really understood that double standard.
Why is it perfectly acceptable for someone to want a Golden Retriever, a French Bulldog, or a German Shepherd, but wanting a Bengal, Maine C**n, or Ragdoll is somehow wrong?
Responsible breeding should be responsible breeding, regardless of whether the animal barks or meows. 💯💯💯💯
You can love animals, support rescue, AND believe in responsible breeding. I certainly do. ❤️🐆
Thanks for listening to my TedTalk ‼️
-Amanda
