Mousekateers Persians Frequently Asked Questions

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Frequently Asked Questions

Question: At what age should I spay or neuter my cat?
Answer: At 5 months of age before he or she starts territorial marking (spraying or urinating outside of the litter box).

Question: My cat has fleas, what should I do?
Answer: Click here for the answer.

Question: I want to buy a cat from you, what should I do?
Answer: Email me at mousekateers@mail.com or call me at (760) 788-3755 and tell me exactly what you want, or fill out my guestbook. Once I receive the payment I will make the counter-to-counter shipping arrangements at the proper airport. I will call you with the flight information and exact instructions of where to pick up your cat or kitten.

Question: When kittens are very young, how do you tell if it's a boy of a girl?
Answer: It is very difficult when kittens are very young to tell males from females since the testes are not well developed. The best way is to compare all the kittens and check for the distance between the anus and the genitalia. The opening in females is very close to the anus, whereas in males the distance is longer. This is often how breeders can tell the sex of newborn kittens. Breeders can often tell by coat color the sex of the kitten since certain colors only occur in females.

Drawing by Julie Birmingham How do I care for my new cat of kitten?

Food (available at all times)	Cats - Iam's dry cat formula Kittens - Science diet feline growth formula * Iams, Science Diet, Eukabana, Nutra Max are all very similar, I use the two listed above here at Mousekateers. These brands are far superior to any grocery-store brands and are important in maintaining that wonderful Persian coat, preventing FUS, and decreasing the amount of waste products, thus decreasing the amount of litter box changes that I have to make. Always avoid fish based cat foods, they are high in magnesium which can lead to FUS.
Water (available at all times)	Change water daily
Canned Food (offer occasionally, especially when giving oral Program)	Canned Whiskas GC Polcann's Suzie-Q of Mousekateers will only eat Canned Whiskas chicken and tuna flavor cat food. She has never eaten dry food and any other brand or flavor of Whiskas. Cats, like people, have their preferences.
Hair balls (use monthly)	Petromalt Place a small amount of the cat's foot and they will lick it off. Could be used more frequently if necessary. Best to use it judiciously since overuse can lead to malabsorption of nutrients. It coats the small bowel blocking nutrient uptake.
Grooming	Greyhound combs Comb daily, make it a pleasant experience. Never use a flea comb on a Persian.
Matts	Never use scissors to cut out a matt. You will cut the skin. Pull it apart with your fingers, then use a matt comb available at a pet supply store.
Spay or Neuter	By 5 months of age, before territorial marking starts. See the newest research on this topic.
Fleas (Once a month)	Oral Program and topically applied Advantage. See your vet for products and instructions.
Worming (fecal exam every six months to a year)	Kitten - every six months Cat - once a year Use Drontel, Droncit, or Nemex as prescribed and given to you by your veterinarian, never use over-the-counter worming products. Very dangerous.
Nails	Cat nail clippers Clip monthly or more frequently if needed.
Scratching post (available at all times)	Sisal rope type or corrugated cardboard impregnated with catnip.
Baths (once a month; more frequently if cat is especially greasy)	Any tearless cat or kitten shampoo available to you is fine. May use Agree cream rinse if your cat's coat is of a cotton type and matts easily. Rinse cat for a full 5 minutes with clear, running tepid water.
Stud tail (even females can get this)	Use goop or Dawn directly on tail, then scrub with a human nail brush, back and forth, across the affected area. Rinse until the cows come home, then dry thoroughly and apply a grooming powder for harsh coats, or corn-starch to the area.
Eyes (daily)	Use generic sterile saline solution on a cotton face pad, saturate it, then wipe the eyes paying special attention to the grooves along the nose. Use Clear Eyes in the eye if needed. See vet for conjunctivitis.
Ears (check daily)	Look for waxy buildup, if dark wax, have cat checked for ear mites. Never get water in your cats ears during a bath. Don't use a Q-tip in your cat's ears, let your vet do that. Use cotton pad to wipe debris from the ears.
Litter (assessable at all times)	Clumpable or clay - whatever you or your cat prefers. Hooded litter boxes are neater for your walls and floor, some cats prefer the open style.
Cat bed (available at all times)	Unless you prefer he sleep with you.
Safety	See my safety page by clicking on link button at botttom of page.
Reference books	Check my on-line library for suggestions. I have too many favorites to suggest just one.
Questions?	Ask your veterinarian or breeder; or search for your answer in a book or on-line. I will answer those that I can!

Do all stud cats spray? I would like to buy a stud for my female and just breed one litter.

Male Persian cats sold for stud purposes spray urine and you will need a stud cage or cattery area to house him. Any pedigreed cat used for stud purposes should be of the highest standard representing the desired show traits for the breed. Studs start at about $2,000 and go on up to (believe it or not) as much as $3000 or even $4000 for a Grand Champion, proven (already sired litters) male.
Most reputable breeders would not sell a male cat of lesser than show quality to be used for stud purposes, as the goal of most breeders, is to improve the breed as a whole. The stud must be perfect since he is used to impregnate all the cats in the cattery. Buying a "breeder-quality" male for $800 is senseless. You
should invest the most money into your stud male and get top-show quality, if possible.

Go to www.breedlist.com. This is the Cat Fancier's Association list of breeders who have registered, pedigreed cats. Write, email, or call any of these Persian breeders for information of purchasing a stud. You will find that the price of a show-quality stud is very expensive.

Most breeders sell kittens already neutered, or without
papers so that they can not be bred without the buyer purchasing the breeding rights to the cat or kitten. Breeders who breed pedigreed cats without showing
them are known as "back-yard" breeders and no reputable breeder wants his or her cattery name on any papers associated with this type of breeder. This is because only the best animals that represent the breed should be used for breeding and serious breeders take the time and spend the money to show their animals. I hope that this information has helped you.

If you just want to breed one litter, perhaps the best solution is finding someone in your area who offers stud service. Most reputable breeders do not offer outside stud service because of the risk of introducing diseases into their cattery. There are many viral diseases that are sexually transmitted or transmitted by close contact, such as the feline leukemia virus, FIP, feline aids, respiratory diseases, and distemper. There are also parasites and fungal infections (ringworm) that are highly
contagious.

Also, breeding Persians is not easy. The heads are huge and often get stuck, requiring emergent C-section to save the life of the mother and kittens.

I do not recommend breeding "just one litter." Either you are a serious breeder, or you are not.

Email me your questions and I will answer them as best as I can and add them to the list! mousekateers @mail.com

The Cats