ILLUSION VS REALITY

I often see breeders advertise their catteries as being "herpes free" or "coronavirus free" and I have to shake my head. One thing that really frustrates me as a breeder is seeing other breeders being dishonest just to make a quick sale.

Feline Herpes Virus is said to affect more than 90% of the feline population (please see the many studies and articles by reliable sources, available online). If your cat DOESN'T have herpes, it would be unusual. PCR tests are great HOWEVER you will often hear vets say that just because a test is negative, doesn't mean it is truly negative and this is because your cat must be actively shedding the virus for it to show up positive on the test (healthy cats do not actively shed the virus). For example, many cats will come up negative for herpes virus, time and time again, only to suddenly come up positive when their immune system is "compromised" and the herpes virus is able to replicate and grow in numbers (numbers large enough for a test to show up positive). Therefore, any NEGATIVE test you have that states your cat is herpes virus negative isn't necessarily accurate! SO, even if a breeder is to show you a negative herpes virus test for their cats, this does not mean for certain that their cats are in fact negative. It means they were negative (not shedding herpes virus) at the time of the test. Luckily, to date, I have NEVER had a positive result for feline herpes virus in any of my cats (touch wood!!) but I am not naïve enough to believe that it won't ever happen.

The same goes for coronavirus. Approximately 80-90% of cats in multi-cat environments and up to 50% of cats in single pet households will be exposed to coronavirus in their lifetime. Do not let anyone (including veterinarians who should know better!) worry you by saying that just because your cat tests positive for coronavirus that they will develop FIP. THIS IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE. MOST CATS that are positive for coronavirus never develop FIP (90-95% WILL NOT develop FIP). FIP is a terrible disease with no prevention or cure, and it is beyond heartbreaking when a kitty develops this disease. You see, when SOME kittens and cats are exposed to certain strains of coronavirus it sadly mutates and causes FIP. Despite the fact that the odds are in our favor, FIP is a disease that all breeders, rescues and pet owners fear because there is absolutely no way for us to know if and when it may strike.

I have included this paragraph because it is of the utmost importance to me that anyone interested in my kittens fully understands that THESE ARE LIVING THINGS that can and at some point, likely will, get sick. As an honest and reputable breeder, I do my BEST to ensure my cats and kittens are as healthy and as well cared for as possible. However; I will not go so far as to say that my cattery is free of all the ailments that affect felines because that would not be right. I am showing and breeding LIVING THINGS that attend cat shows regularly with many other LIVING THINGS whom I know nothing about (kind of like sending your child to a daycare with a hundred other children). I bring in cats from all over the world to improve the quality and health of my breeding program and cannot predict what cocktail of viruses/bacteria/fungi/parasites the new cat may be bringing in (or harboring). I can only DO MY BEST to use common sense, preventative care and to provide treatment/veterinary care if I feel its required. This is the life of a breeder. We all face the same challenges. Some of us are just more honest and upfront about it than others.

Bottom Line: If you would like to adopt a Heart'nsoul kitten (or a kitten anywhere for that matter) do not expect to get a real live kitten with the health of a stuffed toy. You are adopting a LIVING THING and there are NO GUARANTEES on ANY LIFE (as we sadly all know).

My kittens always leave here vet checked a minimum of one time. I have a conscience and obviously would not allow a kitten I was concerned about in any way to leave my care. My kittens are healthy, happy, playful, loveable balls of fluff when they leave here. This paragraph is included in "Important Information" simply to ensure the many people interested in my kittens truly understand the difference between a stuffed toy and a living, breathing being.

*** We are against de-clawing and will not place a kitten into a home where the new owner may declaw. We feel that many people are simply uneducated when it comes to declawing and why it is so inhumane. Therefore, if you are interested in adopting a kitten and do not fully understand what is involved in declawing, please take the time to watch "The Paw Project". If you still feel that it is okay to delcaw after watching this documentary then you probably should rethink getting a cat altogether. Soon enough declawing will be banned all over the world as it is in so many countries already.

*** No breeder can guarantee how far a cat will go in the show ring. Maturity, proper nutrition, grooming and health care (among other things) can affect the way a cat turns out. If when following the breed standards, a particular kitten looks as though he/she has potential to do well in show, then that kitten will be listed as "show quality". If we have a kitten who may not be quite show quality but has the potential to produce show quality kittens, then he/she will be listed as "breeder quality". All other kittens will be considered "pet quality".

PLEASE NOTE: We will sell breeder/show quality kittens as pets, however, please keep in mind that their price will be higher then that of a "pet" quality kitten.

All of our babies are equally loved and it is of the utmost importance to us that they all go to the very best homes, whether pet, breeder or show quality.

*** PET kittens must remain here until they reach a minimum of 12 weeks of age and will be neutered or spayed before leaving our care. Please read "Why 12 Weeks?" to understand why our kittens will not leave before this age.