The decision to breed is not one to be taken lightly, many things must be considered.

Only top quality Birmans should be used for breeding i.e. show quality, or if not perfectly marked, any cat considered for breeding should not display defects or withholding faults such as squints, kinked tails or runners. Cats with low white markings are acceptable assuming they are of good type and temperament.

When deciding to purchase a suitable kitten you must also ask yourself if you could bear to lose her...as the road to becoming a breeder is often paved with pitfalls and a good measure of sadness.

Try to ensure that the breeder you have purchased your new kitten from will be willing to offer you some instruction and support in order that you will be as prepared as you can be for your first litter. Take their advice regarding suitable studs, they will know which lines are the best match for their own. Visit shows and talk to other breeders, and read as much as you can prior to the big event.

A maiden queen should ideally not be mated before she is twelve months old, and usually this works out quite well - she may have a 'kitten call' at around eight months and will then hopefully wait a few more months before you will experience the full blown often very noisy behaviour of your young queen. Occasionally this timing does not work out so well, with a young cat continually calling over a few months resulting in loss of bodyweight. Under such circumstances it is often better to mate at ten months than run her down waiting until the magic one year.

You will have arranged your chosen stud ahead of time, and completed the blood tests required . It is always advisable to visit prior to her coming into call, in order to see the conditions your girl will be placed in when the time comes. If all goes well in about three weeks from the mating, you will notice that her nipples have turned a bright pink colour - known as 'pinking up'. The kittens will be due around 65 days from the date of mating.

Ensure your girl is well fed throughout her pregnancy and advise your vet of her due date. Around one to two weeks before she is due, provide her with a kittening box - this can be a large cardboard box with newspaper in the bottom. She will soon show signs of nesting, shredding the newspaper to form a comfortable bed for her expected babies. When the birth is imminent, this can be changed for a suitable blanket or towel.

At this time you should be speaking with other breeders to learn about the signs you will need to look out for, not only for the birth itself, but also for some of the problems you may encounter such as the need for a C-section or a prolapsed uterus, at the same time you will probably be seen clutching a suitable book of instruction for weeks beforehand

If all goes normally, you will probably only have to give her a little help severing the placentas, and providing a heat pad to keep her babies warm while she gives birth to the next one. In fact it will probably be you who needs the stiff drink or who suffers the back ache from bending down for hours! Good luck and hopefully you will produce some show winners of the future as well as beautiful loving pets.

The Club is always available for help and advice at any time, do not hesitate to contact us.

© Linda Stevens for NBCC