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1. What does your cattery name Pendraig mean?
2. Why did you decide to start breeding Siberian cats?
3. Why do you believe so strongly in the Natural Rearing model?
4. Where are you located?
5. Do you allow visitors to your cattery?
6. Why don't you have kittens available all the time?
7. Why don't you post your address and phone number?

1. How much do your kittens cost?
2. Do you early spay/neuter?
3. How soon do you allow kittens to go to their new homes?
4. Do you ever have adult or older kittens available at a reduced cost?
5. Do you have a contract?
6. I saw a kitten/cat on your web site and I would like to adopt him/her, what should I do?
7. Why do your cats/kittens cost more than other breeders?
8. Are your lines hypo-allergenic?
9. Do you ship?
10. What type of health guarantee do you offer?
11. Are kittens vaccinated?
12. How healthy are your cats and kittens?
13. What about illnesses?
14. Why should I get on your waiting list?
15. Why do you require a deposit?
16. Will my cat or kitten have papers?
17. Can I show my cat or kitten?
18. Why do you no longer breed for Color-point (Neva Masquerade)?
19. Do I have to feed a Raw Diet?

Breeder's Questions :

1. What does your cattery name Pendraig mean?Well, it is the Welsh version of Pendragon. "From the very first records of the Welsh language the words 'draig,' 'dragon' mean 'warrior' and great warriors are referred to as 'pendraig,' 'pendragon,' i.e. 'chief dragon'."1  King Arthur Pendragon was first mentioned in the Mabinogion (Welsh Folklore and mythology) and has long been a legend among the Celts and an example of all that is kingly
2. Why did you decide to start breeding Siberian cats? - I decided to start breeding Siberian cats in 2003 after careful research into several different breeds.  I knew I wanted to breed cats, I had owned them all my life, and I had very specific goals in mind and a very specific type of cat I knew I liked.  It was a difficult choice between the Siberian cat and the Bengal or Chausie as I love them equally.  The Siberian cat ended up stealing my heart with their charm, loving and attentive personalities and cuddly looks.  I was also happy to find that the breed was relatively healthy and because of it’s rather “new” standing as a controlled purebred breed, having developed as feral cats that bred on their own; it meant that we had a lot more genetic diversity to work with than is found in many other breeds.  I may get into one of the hybrid breeds in the future but Siberians cats are a true devotion
3. Why do you believe so strongly in the Natural Rearing model? - I’ve seen cats condemned to death by their owners and veterinarians because they didn’t understand true wellness or nutrition.  I also see a serious mal-nutrition epidemic in humans as well as our pets and it is contributing to the high levels of serious chronic disease and obesity.  We can see by our animals who were suffering from these things long before us that we are on a road to destruction.  Only by embracing natural foods, sustainable agriculture and traditional nutrition are we going to see an improvement in the health of our animals and us.  I have made serious changes to my diet and health care and have seen marked improvement in my health.  It is an extremely serious issue with me because I suffer from chronic illness including Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, an auto-immune hypothyroid disorder.
4. Where are you located? - We live near the beautiful “park city” of Austin, Texas.  We live in a small town just outside of Austin.  We find Austin to be a gorgeous, open, bright and clean place to live as far as cities go.  Austin has a rich culture and is becoming known as the live music capital of the world.  Doug and I enjoy live music events very much and we try to attend small and intimate shows by our favorite artists.  It keeps us feeling young.
5. Do you allow visitors to your cattery? - No. We did previously however in the increasingly hostile climate towards breeders we can no longer put our family or pets at risk. We have also experienced unscrupulous people who like to cause trouble and will post personal information on the web allowing access to just anyone to our home and our small child. We are more than happy to meet you at a neutral location or at a show.
6. Why don't you have kittens available all the time? - Unlike some catteries we do not keep large numbers of cats in our breeding program. Our goal is not to produce mass amounts of kittens to make money or to fast-track show wins. We put the health and well-being of our cats first and we feel that mass-caging and constant breeding is cruel. We have also seen that catteries that produce in these numbers typically suffer from chronic epidemics of ringworm, upper-respiratory inflections (URI) and high stress levels that can increase the risk of development of FIP. There are a few catteries that manage to breed in these large numbers without all the health issues but they are few and far between and the cats and kittens are still caged most of the time and not treated as family members. To us this is unforgivable and we'd rather give up breeding than keep our cats in such a manner. We cage on a limited basis, mostly our stud cats to prevent accidental breeding. Otherwise cats are kept separated in rooms of our home and take turns enjoying run of the rest of the house.
7. Why don't you post your address and phone number? - Right now we do not post either. We will be obtaining a PO Box in our area shortly and posting that information for your use. Currently our only phones are our mobile phones and we do not want the numbers picked up just anyone. We tried this in the past and ended up with mass amounts of calls that can pose a problem at work and on our phone bills. We also have a small child and do not want to entice the sickos in the world to pay us a visit.

1. How much do your kittens cost? - Our kittens are priced according to their bloodlines, rarity of colors, champion lines, and based on what quality they are rated as well as if show and/or breeding rights will be given to the new owners.  To see a current pricing schedule please contact us via email after filling answering the 10 Application Questions.  Each kitten comes with our exclusive benefits package.  This is unheard of in other breeders and we are definitely the only Siberian cat breeders offering these benefits.
2. Do you early spay/neuter? - As of 2009 we have changed our policy and all pet & show alter Siberian cats and kittens will be spayed or neutered before going to their new homes. The cost of the proceedure will be included in the purchase price. This is a reversal of our previous decision because of growing concerns about the welfare of our cats and kittens once they go to their new homes. We do not want pet kittens bred for a number of reasons, it may be that their mothers had difficulty birthing and that can be hereditary, it could be another type of fault and also we want to protect the strength and integrity of the Siberian Cat. We absolutely do not want our breed used in any cross-breeding program such as the "Leopolds" and Ragamuffins. We also do not want our kitten buyers taken by surprise with a pregnant 5 or 6 month old kitten that they did not even realize had gone into heat. Add that to the obvious discomfort of the cat and the family when a kitten is in heat and it is not difficult to see why we had to change our position. We are still concerned with early castration and the possible side-effects but we feel that the potential for harm is much greater if we do not have the procedure done early. Those owners following a true and dedicated Natural Rearing lifestyle may inquire with us about getting an older kitten that was altered later or other options. Absolutely no pet or show alter kittens will leave Pendraig Siberians unaltered.
3. How soon do you allow kittens to go to their new homes?- No kitten will be permitted to leave the cattery until they are at least 14 - 16 weeks of age.  Each kitten is different and some may need to stay longer until they have matured enough to be out on their own away from siblings and their mother. All pet and show alter kittens will be castrated (spayed/neutered) prior to leaving and will need 2 weeks to recuperate before they will be released per our veterinarian's advice.
4. Do you ever have adult or older kittens available at a reduced cost? - Yes we do sometimes have an adult or older kitten (8 months +) that we are trying to place.  This may be due to several reasons such as a kitten we retained that didn’t mature as we had hoped for breeding or showing but is still a healthy and excellent pet. Another example is a kitten may have needs that are best met in a pet home such as a very needy/loving personality that needs lots of one on one attention best suited to a household with only one or two other cats. Other times we have retired breeding or show cats available.  These cats have worked hard throughout their lives to help our breeding program and the Siberian cat breed.  They are retired and then can live the life of luxury in a pet home to be adored and cherished. Please check our Available Siberians page for information on any available Siberian cats or kittens we may have.
5. Do you have a contract? - Absolutely.  We require everyone who adopts a Pendraig Siberian to read, sign and agree to our contract.  The contract is in place to protect the kitten or cat you are adopting as well as you as the Buyer and Pendraig Siberians as the Seller.  The Contract spells out exactly how the cat or kitten should be cared for as well as requirements the Buyer and Seller have towards this agreement and responsibilities of each towards the kitten or cat and one another.  Our contract is very detailed and thorough providing everyone the peace of mind to know what is expected of them.
6. I saw a kitten/cat on your web site and I would like to adopt him/her, what should I do?- First go to our Application Page and answer our simple 10 questions in an email.  Soon we will also offer a version you can download as a PDF copy of the Contract to print out and fill-out and then mail to us.  Only those who completely fill out the application questions will be considered for our waiting list or for a particular cat/kitten. We no longer require an application fee. You can pay the $50 waiting list fee immediately using our PayPal Pay Now button or you can wait for us to respond to your email applicaton. Your paid waiting list fee puts you on our first notification when we have the kitten you are looking for or when a new litter is born. The fee will be applied towards the final balance due of the kitten or cat. Waiting List Fee and Deposit are not refundable. For more information on fees, deposits and payments please refer to our Purchase Information Section. For a kitten buying walk-through please refer to our Application/Adoption How-To Section.
7. Why do your cats/kittens cost more than other breeders? - We strive to be very competitive in our pricing, but we go above and beyond what most breeders do for their kittens and cats.  The prices reflect the cost of breeding because our special diet, health care, rare bloodlines, and showing all cost significant amounts of money.  We don’t even come close to breaking even when we sell kittens or cats. Our cats are backed by years of research into natural rearing and nutrition.  Each kitten also comes with an extensive and exclusive benefits package and as of 2009 will be spayed/neutered prior to leaving.  When you want quality in your Siberian kitten or cat we are the breeder of choice.  You know you are getting the healthiest, most robust, well socialized kitten or cat for your money.  We also offer the best health guarantees of any breeder we know with specific guarantees for some of the most dreaded illnesses and diseases including FIP and HCM. Siberian cats are also very rare and it is difficult to obtain breeding stock compared to more common breeds.  The distinction of having this rare and special breed is part of what you are paying for when you purchase one of our kittens.  We also specialize in unusual colors and patterns and rare bloodlines which cost us to procure.  We know you will find it money well worth spending.
8. Are your lines hypo-allergenic? - They seem to be for many homes. We have successfully placed kittens in allergy homes though we do require testing and though we will always take the kitten back we cannot refund the purchase price. Doug has allergies to cats but is not troubled by this breed or by our cats.  We place in allergy homes with serious caution, however, and prefer to only do so locally so that the kitten does not have to be shipped there or back if things don’t work out.  We also require you to visit with us, and meet a cat, and take home some tufts of fur to test at home.  We are very careful with placing Siberians in homes with allergy sufferers because the kitten or cat can become quite miserable and depressed when the new owners do not love and play with them.  For those of you wanting to give Siberians a try, and you live within driving distance of Austin, we invite you to fill out an application and then schedule a visit. All visitors must complete our Application Questions before a visit will be scheduled. We plan to have each of our breeding cats tested for hypo-allergenic rating in a lab soon however even this doesn't guarantee little or no reaction. Each person, and each cat, is different.
9. Do you ship? - We do offer shipping and we will work with you to find the most convenient, but also safe and least traumatic for the cat, method possible. Shipping charges are the sole responsibility of the Buyer and will be due two weeks (14 days) prior to the cat being shipped.  The shipping charges include the cost of veterinary health certificate, transport expenses, and sturdy airline approved carrier. We will not ship kittens or cats in temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit or above 85 degrees Fahrenheit unless we can arrange for a hand carrier agent.  We usually ship our kittens using Pet Pass with Continental Airlines as they have pressurized cabins with temperature control and the kitten/cat will be hand carried to and from the airplanes and kept in climate controlled vehicles between flights if the temperatures are too high or low. Our preferred method of shipping is via hand carrier agent but that requires flexibility in your schedule to meet the agent in baggage claim when they are available to fly.
10. What type of health guarantee do you offer? - We offered tiered levels of health guarantees that vary depending on which Diet & Care Plan you agree to follow.  If you follow our Ideal Diet & Care Plan you will be given the best health guarantee on the market.  Please see our Diet & Care Requirements Section or our Health Guarantees section for more information. We test our breeding stock for FIV & FeLV yearly. We guarantee, in writing, that all of our kittens will arrive FIV, FeLV and FIP negative. We also do not have any documented PKD or HCM in our lines but as soon as DNA tests become available for our breed we will begin testing. We also screen all of our breeding stock for HCM at the age of 3 and they will be re-screened every few years.
11. Are kittens vaccinated? - The new owners of a kitten can decide if they want the kitten vaccinated according to our modified vaccine schedule involving the use of an ultranasal for Rhinotracheitis, Calici, and Feline Panleukopenia.  Owners can also choose instead to go with homeopathic nosodes for these viruses if they are dedicated to Natural Rearing and will be following the Ideal Diet & Care Plan.
12. How healthy are your cats and kittens? - We take pride in our cats being the healthiest purebreds out there. Our cats and kittens are seen by a Veterinarian and kept in the peak of health.  If we have any illness or injury we opt for Natural modes of treatment except in emergency situations where allopathic medicine will be used.  We do not vaccinate our breeding stock, except as required by law, but do provide for nosodes in times of need. We use automatic litter-boxes, despite the considerable expense, to help prevent transfer of disease. We also quarantine all new cats or cats we've taken out of the home to attend a show. Our kittens and their dams are kept separately from the other cats but given plenty of room to exercise and develop.
13. What about illnesses? - If a kitten or cat does become ill we nurse him/her through it and help him/her build a strong immune system.  Once a cat experiences and recovers from an acute disease he/she will gain immunity for life instead of passive immunity offered by vaccinations.  We can also avoid chronic illness and vaccinosis often associated with vaccination. We will not place a cat or kitten who is ill, they must receive a clean bill of health from our veterinarian and this record will be provided to you when you take the kitten/cat home.
14. Why should I get on your waiting list? - Getting on our waiting list early helps to insure that you are next in line to get the color, gender and quality kitten you want out of the breeding you've chosen. We only accept a limited number of waiting list reservations for each litter. This commitment on your part allows us to know that you are serious about a kitten and we officially take that kitten off the market for you as soon as it comes available. Waiting List Fees are non-refundable.
15. Why do you require a deposit? - Once you have settled on the specific cat or kitten you want we require you to put down a deposit if you want us to hold that kitten or cat. We do this because we are taking the cat/kitten off the market and no longer offering him/her for adoption. Too many people make commitments they do not keep and that kitten could end up without home. However when money is on the line people make a much more concrete decision and follow-through. The deposit is our security that you truly mean to adopt this kitten and it is your security that we will not sell the kitten to another buyer. Deposits are non-refundable.
16. Will my cat or kitten have papers? - Yes! Your cat or kitten will come with registration papers from either TICA or CFA. For an additional fee you may request papers from both registries if that litter is eligible. In most cases your kitten's paperwork will be available when your kitten has been altered and you take him/her home. For breeder and show quality kittens other rules apply. We are selling pedigreed and registered kittens and we have the paperwork to back that up. Do not trust breeders selling "purebred" cats and kittens but are not offering papers from a reputable registry (such as CFA, TICA, FIFe, WCF, ACFA etc).
17. Can I show my cat or kitten? - That can only be determined on a case by case basis. Many of our pet kittens are actually show quality and we'd be delighted if you wanted to show them. But even the most beautiful cat may hate being at the cat show so there are no guarantees. Please tell us about your desire to show when you contact us with your Application questions.
18. Why do you no longer breed for Color-point (Neva Masquerade)? - We never bred specifically for this color but didn't worry about it in our lines and even wanted a color point for our cattery. However after more research into the history of the breed, the political and social-climate in Russia when the breed was in the process of being recognized etc we've discovered that many of the color-point lines have been subjected to unnecessary cross-breeding. From what we understand it is because in Russia these cats are considered common street-cats and if a breeder wanted to sell their cats, especially to Americans or Europeans for what was in Russia an entire month's pay, the flashy pointed cats did much better than an average black tabby. Due to circumstances there are many suspected instances of crossbreeding to Himilayans, Siamese and Thai cats ensued. Because we believe in preserving the true, natural breed, Traditional Siberian Forest Cat as it developed over centuries we have decided to breed only with Traditional lines in the future. We will write on article on this and provide links soon.
19. Do I have to feed a Raw Diet? - No! The raw diet is an option in both our Ideal Diet and Care Plan and in the Advanced Diet and Care Plan. If you prefer not to feed raw you can choose our General Diet & Care Plan which still includes one of the best kitten health guarantees you'll find anywhere! Our requirements are that the commercial food you choose meet our standards of being no-grain, not contain soy and a few other ingredients. There are many affordable and easy to find commercial foods available on the market that meet these standards and we are here to help you find the right food for your cat and your personal needs and lifestyle.

Breeder's Questions:

1. Do you test breeding stock for Color-point carriers (Neva Masquerade)? - Yes! For those cats that may carry we test their DNA through VGL Labs (UC Davis). As of 2008 we are virtually color-point free. We have one female left to test who may or may not carry. We were extremely happy when our stud Aslan, who has Color-Points in his pedigree, tested as negative for the color-point gene. As we transition to being a fully Traditional breeder we may still have the occasional color-point carrier. Should that occur we will test any kitten wanted by a Traditional Breeder prior to placement. It is our goal that by 2010 to have absolutely no color-point genes in our cattery. This has been a long road, and we have faced discrimination and doubt from those we called friends but we are proud to be nearly free of the CP gene. We are extremely proud that our exclusive foundation line, through Aslan and now his daughter Dica and son Favst, is free of the gene and can be embraced as Traditional. If you are a dedicated breeder already breeding Traditional Lines, working towards Traditional or ready to make the switch please feel free to contact us.
2. Do you place kittens with non-traditional breeders?- At this time we are no longer accepting applications from non-Traditional breeders for one of our kittens for non-traditional breeding programs.
3. What are Leopold Cats? Do you sell kittens into Leopold Programs? - There is apparently a breeder (or two) crossbreeding Bengals with Siberian Cats to create something they are calling a "Leopold". Through misleading photos on their website they allude to the breed resembling snow leopards when in fact they do not. There is no reason to crossbreed to create long-haired Bengals as they already exist as a breed called Cashmere Bengals. We will not sell any kitten or cat, or stud our males out, to any program using or working with or promoting the Leopold. Breeders who purchase from us will sign a contract stating that our cats, and our lines will not be used in any crossbreeding programs.
4. Do you allow your lines to be used in Ragamuffin programs? - Absolutely not. Though we do not object on principle with the creation of new breeds we do not feel that the Siberian cat is at a stage that it can be used effecitvely in a breeding program for another breed. Ragamuffins also have a standard very similar, confusingly so, to the Siberian cat and we feel it is not in the best interest of our beloved and rare breed, and Russian Treasure, to allow our Siberian cats to be used in Ragamuffin programs. There are plenty of Ragamuffin breeders who are working on their breed without compromising the integrity and the future of Siberian Cats.

 

 

We are constantly updating our FAQ so please check back often and if you have a question not answered here please send it to us so that we can answer it and add it to the FAQ.



 

We are located near Austin, Texas USA