Frequently Asked Questions about Birmans?

1)  Where can I get a birman?  From ME!  :-)  Birmans can be hard to find at times.  You may call me anytime at 618-443-5603 or email me at russpurrz@newwavecomm.net.    You may also fill out an adoption application and email it to me.  I will ask you to do this anyway because its easy to keep on file.  I live in southern IL and you are welcome to come and visit, just call to make sure we will be home first.   While we do prefer that you come to our home to meet us and the kittens and cats, we do realize that isn't always possible.  I do have a friend that lives 30 miles north of Decatur, IL, and she will work with me to get kittens delivered closer to Chicago for a $50 fee to help us cover gas costs.   We do not ship our cats in cargo because it is much too unpredictable and very dangerous for a cat.  But it is possible to fly in and carry a kitten/cat back with you in the cabin.   It is also possible that I will be attending a cat show closer to you where we could meet with a kitten.  If I don't have what you are looking for or if you live too far away and don't have a way of getting here to pick up a kitten, I will try to help you find someone that can serve you better. 

1a)  Is it bad to purchase my kitten from a cat show?  Absolutely not!
Sometimes you can buy kittens at cat shows.  There is nothing wrong with this.  I don't believe any breeder ever WANTS to sell kittens this way.  But many of us live in small towns or have to compete with other breeders that live closer to the cities or that have lots of kittens, making it difficult to find the right homes for our babies and then have no choice but to sell kittens at shows.   I very seldom have to do this anymore, but sometimes I do.  This is not my choice for selling kittens only because I would rather concentrate onf having fun at shows that I attend rather than worrying about finding a good home for a baby. 

Some breeders try to say this is the wrong thing to do, because kittens are exposed to germs, etc.  Well, if a breeder's kittens aren't healthy enough to withstand this kind of exposure, then I wouldn't buy one.  I don't have any more problems with kittens getting sick after being placed in their new homes than breeders who swear they keep their kittens locked up away from germs.  Unless they have a separate ventilation system for every room in their home or cattery, they aren't keeping them safe from other germs in the cattery anyway. 

I have never had a problem with selling kittens to people at shows, and have found some of my BEST pet homes this way.  I have unfortunately, seen some breeders - and not necessarily birman breeders - who sell to anyone who has the money without talking to them to see what kind of home they have to offer - I would not buy from ANY breeder at any time that isn't concerned about what kind of home their kitten is going to.

1b) Should I be concerned about whether a breeder is a CFA Cattery of Excellence?   Absolutely not!  This title really means very little unfortunately.  I know very upstanding breeders who have it and I know kitten mills that have it, so how can you go by this.  All this means is that a veterinarian of your choice has allegedly inspected your cattery on one scheduled visit a year.   Anyone can clean their act up for one day.  Also, unfortunately, no one can ever prove whether a vet really made a visit or not, or whether he was just paid to fill out the neccesary paperwork.  I know of one breeder in particular that has absolutely horrid living conditions for her cats, but she has one, so something is wrong here.  And, I have heard of other similar breeders also having it.  I do not have one because I refuse to pay anyone money for a certificate that means absolutely nothing.  Anyone is welcome to come see my home and my cats at anytime when I'm home. 

2)  Why do breeder's expect me to answer so many questions?   A good, reputable breeder cares very much about where kittens go to live.  We are not trying to pry into your life or be nosey.  My kittens and adults are my babies!  I want the same love and attention that they get here to continue in their new homes.  Your kitten was raised in a loving atmosphere and we will certainly be concerned about its future care and health.    We have done much research into issues that concern our cats and want to make sure that our baby's future homes agree with our ideas of what is best for this new family member. 

3)  What is a birman's temperament like?  I know I'm prejudiced, but I truly believe that Birmans are the most affectionate, loving breed of cats you will ever find.  They are very people oriented.  They are very playful even as adults.  My birmans many times give kisses and love bites.  They are a happy medium - they don't bounce off the walls, but they don't just sit around and look pretty all the time either.   MY birmans are very adaptable and very seldom stress out over being introduced to new cats or homes.  They like to be involved with you.  They are by far the most lovable, sweetest cats you will ever meet. 

3a) What is the birman "huff"?  The Birman has some unusual traits.  One is that they walk like a lion.  This is due to the fact they have longer legs in back than in front.  The other unusual trait is sort of a Bark/Cough/Hard Breath - this is the Birman “Huff” - they do this when they are playing, excited or upset. 

4)  How large do birmans get?  Birmans are a medium sized breed.  I have had males get to about 13 lbs, but normal for a male is about 9 - 12 lbs.  A female can be anywhere from 5 - 10 lbs.  But there are always exceptions to the rule.

5)  What does "raised underfoot" mean?  This means that your kitten has not been confined to a cage, cattery enclosure or separate room while it was growing up.   All breeders have their own ideas as to which way is the right way to raise kittens.  This doesn't necessarily mean anyone is wrong or right, but just that they have different opinions.  Some breeders claim that they keep their mothers confined because it keeps kittens more germ free, as I said earlier this isn't even possible unless they have a completely separate ventilation systems for separate rooms. 

Since all my adults get along well and don't have temperament problems, I can let my moms have free run of the entire house while they have babies.  I feel this makes them happier, more content and non resentful because they aren't "locked up", and babies are more sociable earlier in their life.   I also feel they build stronger immune systems this way by being exposed to normal germs in the house. 

6)  At what age can I get my kitten?  Three months is considered the minimum time necessary to completely “socialize” a kitten.  It allows for a slow weaning period, first vaccines, litter box training, experience living underfoot in a busy household, and the very important scratch post training.  The extra time with mom also assures that you will take home a happy, well adjusted kitten.

I let my kittens go at about 3 mos. of age - but it depends greatly on each individual kitten and how quickly they mature.  My kittens get run of the house at about 8 weeks of age or when they are litter trained - which I have noticed makes them much more sociable earlier than those confined up until almost time for adoption.  But some kittens do mature a little slower and they stay until possibly 4 mos. of age - but this is rare. 

6a)  Why can't I get my kitten at 6 weeks of age? Birmans mature at a very slow rate.   A 6 week old birman is still nursing quite frequently on their mother and is just learning to eat dry food and use the litter box.  A 6 week old kitten is about 1 1/2 lbs.  I just could never imagine placing a kitten that young.   The extra time spent with mom and learning socialization skills, such as scratch post training, litter box training, socializing with humans, etc. is a benefit for YOU as well as the kitten. 

7)  How do I know if I'm getting a healthy kitten?   I truly believe that my kittens are just as healthy as any other REPUTABLE  breeder.  And, I don't feel my kittens are superior or inferior to most other good breeders.   Some breeders seem to have this idea that their kittens are somehow better than others.  However, you do need to be aware of backyard breeders or kitten mills that only produce kittens to make a quick buck.   If you visit someone that seems to have kittens and cats in every room, or seem to have large numbers of kittens most of the time, this isn't a good practice.   This is one reason visiting is a good idea. 

We sell all our kittens and/or cats with a written contract and health guarantee.  We allow you 4 business days to have your kitten examined by a qualified veterinarian to make sure there are no problems.  To date I have NEVER had a kitten returned for ANY reason, let alone a health problem.  Selling kittens is a very stressful event for breeders too, and the last thing most of us want is an unhappy kitten buyer to deal with on top of everything else. 

I have heard a few people claim they bought a kitten and swear the breeder knew the kitten was sick.  While it may be true in some very rare instances, I find it very hard to believe.  I would rather deal with a sick kitten myself, even though its difficult, than to deal with a sick kitten from afar and feel responsible for causing someone else worry, stress and heartache!

8)  Will my new kitten get along with my dog?  While I do not have dogs, we do have neighbors with dogs, so they do hear barking and sometimes we have dogs in our backyard and they see them through the sliding glass door or screen.  I have placed many kittens in homes with dogs and there has never been a problem yet. 

9)  Will my new kitten get along with my other cat(s)?   I find that this usually depends on the nature of the cat you already have at home, but so far my birmans have not met another cat yet that didin't like them.  I feel that my birmans are very adaptable, and since I don't cage or separate anyone but the boys in my home, they are very used to having to share the limelight with several other cats.   And, I have placed a few birmans with people who really didn't think their at home cat would accept the new addition, because they had tried other new kittens.  I tell them to try it and see and of course I will take the kitten back if things don't work out, but they always have so far!  Even some older birmans get along well with other cats.   I always tell everyone that if for ANY reason this kitten is not working out in its new home, I will take the kitten back - to date I have never had anyone return a kitten to me for any reason!

10)  Why is the kitten I'm getting considered a pet?Sometimes the kitten you are buying is considered a pet only because I can't keep all my show quality kittens!  But usually a pet is a kitten that may not have good "gloves" - they may have mismatched gloves, be missing a glove, etc.  It may have a kink in its tail or other tail fault which has no baring on health.  Sometimes it because of the kitten's head structure, which only a breeder or judge can determine - such as the eyes and ears may not be set in the right manner for breeding or showing.  The cat may have a little pointier muzzle than we want to breed with.    And, many times we place a kitten that we considered a pet at time of adoption, only to get a picture later that makes us wonder what we were thinking at the time because it is now a wonderful example of the breed!

11)  Will my kitten already be spayed or neutered?  No, we do not believe in early altering, please see our Early Speutering Page for more information. 

12)  How much does a birman cost?  Please see our Pricing Page. 

13)  Why are birmans so expensive?   Please see our Pricing Page.

14)  Is there a way to get a birman for less than $600?Sometimes.  An older cat - for me at least 2 years or older may be less.  Usually a 2 year old I would still want $400 for.   If a cat is 6 years of age or older, I usually just require a payment of $100 to help with the cost of altering the cat.    I have also had a couple of kittens over the years that had some mild behavior problems - I gave those kittens away to someone that was willign to work with them or tolerate the problem - each time the problem went away when entering their new home - of course that may not always happen and is never a guarantee.  But sometimes for example, a cat may exhibit litter box problems because they don't like to be in an environment with multiple cats.

15)  Do birmans shed or require a lot of grooming?Yes, birmans do shed, but no more than any other cat.  They however do not shed like a persian.  Birmans have a single layered coat and a persian and some other breeds such as a Maine Coon have double layered coats.  This means a birman is less likely to mat and shed as much as a double coated breed.  They require a good combing about once a week, but they usually like to be groomed and will like you to do it more often if you have the time.   A birman that is groomed well once a week should not mat at all. 

16)  What grooming supplies do I need?  A good, metal comb should be used rather than a brush because a brush tends to ride on top of the coat and doesn't get through the entire coat to the root.   If you wish you may purchase a conditioning spray that will help keep you cat more free of static and will make the coat shinier, however, this is not necessary. 

17)  Do I need to worry about a cat destroying my furniture or home with their claws?  Most purebred cats are raised in an environment where they have their own furniture (scratching trees) and are very accustomed to having their nails trimmed on a regular basis since birth.  Once they begin running the house, they also learn where to scratch and not scratch by observing their mothers and other cats in the household.   Kittens will need their nails trimmed about every 2 weeks and adults about once a month.  This is not only important for you, but for the cat as well so they don't get their nails hung up on carpet, clothing, etc. - not only can they ruin fabric accidentally, but they can hurt themselves by trying to twist and turn to get that nail free.  It is very easy to trim nails and I will demonstrate this when you pick up your kitten.  To date no one has complained yet of one of my babies scratching inappropriately and ruining furniture or woodwork. 

18)  Should I worry about a male cat spraying?   There are many misconceptions about owning male cats.  For one thing a female can spray just as much as a male.  However, cats usually spray to mark their territory - to warn other cats away - and they usually spray because they are whole, breeding cats.  Most often if you get your pet neutered or spayed before they ever begin to spray, you will probably never have a problem.   It is also important to keep stress levels down in your household and to not have too many pets for the size of your family or home - usually if an altered cat is spraying it is because it is upset about something.  However, in most cases, birmans are pretty layed back cats and never have a problem with marking and/or spraying.  My whole boys don't even usually ever spray. 

19)  I found another breeder selling their kitten cheaper - why should I buy from you? Most reputable breeders sell their kittens at the same price that I do.  And many times you get what you pay for.  I do know one breeder - by their own admission - who reduces their prices only to steal kitten buyers from other breeders - this is a very deceptive and immoral practice, and I just have to hope that people won't support this person.   Why would you want to make such an important purchase from someone who is dishonest?  How do you know they aren't being dishonest about other issues as well?   If you'd like to know who this is, I will first ask who you have contacted.  I really don't like to knock other breeders, but if you tell me you've contacted this person, I will let you know. 

20)  What kind of food should I feed my new kitten?  I feed Sensible Choice kitten food and Nutro Max kitten food mixed together.  The most important thing about a kitten's food is that they like it.  It is also important to continue to feed a GOOD quality food - the best way to determine this is to look at the ingredients - if the first ingredient listed is a by-product - don't buy it!  This means you can't buy it at a grocery store or Wal-Mart - even though they sell Iams - which my cats don't like very much.  PetCo's sell both Sensible Choice and Nutro.  I also feed raw turkey that I buy from Wal-Mart in 1 lb. tubes.  You may continue this treat with your new addition, along with raw chicken or beef - never feed raw pork or seafood/fish. 

Do you have a question that isn't here?  Please send it to me and I will add it to the list.