Wild Wisteria Cattery

Health is the most important aspect of my program, which is why I believe tests that are available to detect genetic issues should always be utilized. Many breed-specific health issues do not arise until later on in the cat’s life, therefore it is critical for all breeders at the very least, to complete genetic testing (for diseases such as PKD) on all breeding cats, regardless of “experience.”

All females(queens) are at least 12 months old before becoming a mother, and bred no more than once per year. All kings/queens are tested FIV/FELV negative, genetically tested for over 80 inherited diseases and traits including PKD, the fold mutation gene, and have received a preventative echocardiogram to screen for any possibilities of heart disease (HCM). Pedigrees are always examined carefully to ensure genetic diversity. Our breeding program participates in exhibits to be handled by CFA judges. Scottish Folds that perform well at exhibits suggests that they are free of OCD signs, meet the written breed standard, and in overall healthy condition.

All cats are fed a wholesome raw diet with nutritional supplements, have access to filtered water fountains, clean litter robots/boxes, plenty of natural sunlight with large windows, and multiple HEPA air filters.

Kittens will have their rabies and two doses of FVRCP vaccination, be microchipped, and spayed/neutered before arriving to their new homes.

Proper socialization through playing with litter-mates and learning from mom-cat is crucial in character development and confidence levels. Prior to 12 weeks, kittens should still be with mom and litter-mates to learn proper feline etiquette (i.e. not biting, scratching, interaction with humans, etc). This is one of the reasons why our kittens do not leave our home until they are 14-16 weeks old.

Kittens’ temperaments also depend on what they inherit. This is why I have selected well-tempered kings/queens. Kittens raised by happy, stress-free moms grow up to be confident, stress-free cats :)

Nurture plays a large role in confidence levels and overall personality. Our cats played with daily, exposed to grooming/baths, plenty of sunlight and space, and daily house commotion (vacuums, mops, music, etc.) Follow our social media account for up-to-date videos that will give you a good idea of our cats’ purrsonalities and temperaments.

To do my best in producing cats that best meet the written breed standard, I select cats from award-winning Champion Bloodlines that best compliment one another and continually study the breed. I exhibit at CFA cat shows to continue learning as much as possible. Exhibiting plays a crucial role in developing and improving any breeding program. Cats are evaluated by knowledgable and experienced judges from all over the world. Although it does not fully define health, when a Scottish fold does well in the rings, it proves many important aspects regarding health: the tail is fully flexible with no kinks or stiffness, joints are fully mobile and zero visible signs of OCD, the cat is kept in good overall condition, body is well padded and healthy, well socialized, free of parasites and/or ringworm, etc. Our cats have proven themselves in the rings and at shows to be of top quality by winning Best in Show, accomplishing their GC titles in 1-2 shows, and receiving National Wins (NW, which is top 25 kittens or cats of the world) on two of our cats. We continue to exhibit to showcase how healthy and beautiful scottish folds can be, and continue to be a part of the cat community.

Every breeder may have their own desired “look”, but it’s extremely important that these desired traits do not steer far from the written official breed standards. After all, that is the beauty of pedigreed cats: having breed standards.