What is a nursery for?
A lot of people have a very strange idea about the work of a breeder. With the word "nursery" they imagine the very animal shelters that are often shown in American films and TV series: a large uninhabited room and cages in three rows from floor to ceiling.
Let's not dissemble, something like this really happens. Fortunately, not often. Such ways of organizing the life of a nursery are by no means the norm and are hotly condemned by both other breeders and civilized society as a whole. Naturally, it is not worth buying a kitten of cellular content. He will be absolutely not socialized, not ready for life in an apartment and proper communication with a person.
More savvy people know that a nursery is not a place, but a license obtained by a breeder in one of the feline systems and giving the right to engage in breeding.
A typical kennel is located in the breeder's house or apartment, where breeding producers live together with people, take an active part in their lives like all ordinary cats: they sleep in the same bed with breeders, help work at the computer, comfort in a difficult situation...
However, even people who understand well how the daily life of the nursery proceeds rarely understand what the essence of the work of a real breeder is.
Most often, the principles of the organization of the nursery are presented as follows: several cats and a cat. They are knitted together. Kittens are born. The breeder sells them. That is, the goal of breeding is seen simply in obtaining purebred kittens (ideally beautiful, healthy, well-mannered) and their further implementation.
Lying again does not make sense. There are also breeders who simply buy pedigreed cats and a pedigreed cat, just knit them and just get kittens. No, of course, not "just". Proper care of breeding animals of both sexes, taking care of pregnant cats, raising kittens - all this in any case requires a lot of knowledge, time and investment.
However, the work of a good breeder should not be limited to this level. The goals and objectives of breeding lie much, much deeper. And although such an idea of a nursery is largely true, it is too simplified and in this regard, questions, misunderstandings and even reproaches against breeders often arise.
Some are outraged by the number of cats in kennels. People do not understand why it is impossible to limit themselves to two or three cats and feel sorry for the animals living in a large collective.
Others do not believe that breeders can genuinely love cats. They are hurt by the fact that breeders part with adult cats and give former producers to a new home.
The third, on the contrary, is irritated by the excessive obsession of many breeders. After all, we not only often pester with various questions before the sale, but then we do not leave alone, we write, call, ask: "How are you?"
Initially, the purpose of breeding was (and should remain!) development and popularization of the breed. This is primarily a scientific activity. Despite the existence of a very clear and relatively specific standard, the ideal of an animal of a certain breed is gradually changing. For example, the British type, popular 15 years ago, is very different from the one that most people like today.
The breeder does not just perceive the cat as a whole, he critically evaluates all its advantages and disadvantages. He is not just looking for a beautiful cat for a beautiful cat, he sets himself specific goals, draws his ideal, decides what characteristic features of his cat he would certainly like to see in her children. He also understands that some shortcomings of appearance need to be corrected. And you can do this by finding a suitable partner.
It is not always possible to get what you want the first time. Often you have to make a single attempt, experiment. And one generation is usually not enough either. The breeder continues to work in pursuit of his ideal with children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren of the very first cat. In the process of this work, the ideal itself can transform, change individual features, become more interesting, nicer, better. In addition, sometimes work can be carried out in different directions.
We strive for our ideal. We want to get very beautiful kittens that will win the hearts of the judges at the exhibition, will interest other famous breeders and, of course, will appeal to customers. Of course, we wish that each new litter was even better and more beautiful than the previous one, so that parents passed on their main advantages to their children as much as possible.
If suddenly the first time it turns out to pick up such an ideal pair that almost every kitten is almost a masterpiece, this is incredible luck. But after all, it is possible and necessary to continue working on any masterpiece!
Therefore, the breeder's activity turns into a long and difficult, but interesting scientific and creative search.
The very essence of our work contradicts the ideas of the nursery as a "pair of kitties and a cat." It is impossible to realize your creative potential by bringing together only the same couples year after year, without having other animals, without working in parallel with someone else... And even if such results are enough for someone, the breeding career is not long. In 5-6, in rare cases - in 8, the producers will have to be neutered. And with good care, the animals will live another 10-15, and, God forbid, more years.
This means that even buying only one new pair of breeders every five years, the breeder will soon face the problem of overpopulation of the nursery. There will be too many cats in the house who need to be paid attention to, who need to be fed for something... As a result, the owner is faced with a serious choice: to give up castrates or close the nursery.
As for the very concept of "overpopulation", everyone defines a critical number for himself. Someone sets the bar in advance, someone simply realizes from their own experience that there are too many cats: there simply isn't enough time and effort for everyone. Some breeders do an excellent job with 15 cats and are able to organize their life so that no one feels deprived. For others, three pets are already an unbearable burden.
How much cohabitation burdens the cats themselves depends on the nature of the pets. Speaking about the fact that cats are not gregarious animals, experts mean "flock" as a well-defined term from zoology. Such packs of cats really do not form. Their form of mutual coexistence is officially called a colony and is formed according to slightly different principles. Among cats, of course, there are also ardent individualists who are really better off living alone, but still, a domestic cat is recognized as a social animal today and they do not suffer at all in the society of their fellow tribesmen.
It is also worth noting that nurseries are collective. If you see 30 cats on the site, it does not mean that they all live under one roof. In addition, some breeders manage to find a reliable co-owner for a particular pet. And it would be a great option, but, alas, it can be very difficult to find a person you can trust.
When the nursery is already full and suddenly a new kitten is born, which you definitely want to leave, but there is no way to find a worthy co-owner, you have to make a difficult decision and part with someone from the old men. If you think that this is easy for most breeders, you are mistaken.
But breeders try at such moments to think about their main goal, as well as about the welfare of the animal itself - to find him a good family where the pet will be comfortable, where he will be taken care of and sincerely loved. "How can I give my cat away?" Just like we give away kittens. A responsible, sincerely loving breeder gets used to parting with pets, tearing off a piece of his soul every time. We also get used to kittens, love them and wish them the best. It is incredibly difficult to say goodbye to each of them, and therefore the news from the new house is so dear to us. And behind the pain of parting soon comes the joy of being able to make both the cat and its new owner happy.
It is foolish to prove that all breeders, without exception, are the same, experience similar emotions and are guided by similar principles. In any field of activity, there are negligent, incompetent and untrustworthy individuals. It is impossible to judge all representatives of the profession as a whole by individual personalities - by the sad exceptions that some buyers were unlucky to encounter.
I know many responsible breeders who sincerely love cats and sincerely care for the breed.
Author Tatiana Teterina Megakun Nursery
A source: https://www.oldbluzcoon.com