AMERICAN
BOBTAIL BREEDERS CLUB
CODE
OF ETHICS
1. PURPOSE:
In the breeding of American Bobtail cats,
emphasis shall be placed on good health, stable temperament, and intelligence as
well as appearance. Consistent with this policy, I agree to breed with
discrimination and only upon strong evidence of the probability of finding
suitable homes for the kittens.
2. RECORDS:
I
agree to keep accurate records of all matings and pedigrees and to register
breeding stock and litters with at least one recognized cat association.
3. BREEDING:
I shall use for breeding only healthy cats, free from disease or hereditary
deformity, who exhibit no radical departures from the American Bobtail Standard.
I will not use tailless cats known as rumpies or any registered breeds in my
American Bobtail breeding program. I shall euthanize any kitten with a deformity
incompatible with a happy comfortable life. If I discover subsequent hereditary
defects, I shall advise previous buyers of breeding stock.
Recommendations:
A. Females should not be bred until at least one year old, unless there have
been two heat cycles or medical indications.
B. Females shall not be bred unless they are in optimum breeding condition.
C. Stud service should only be offered to owners of pedigreed American Bobtail
Cats.
D. Any breeder should refrain from further breeding if having difficulty-placing
kittens.
4. HEALTH:
I agree to maintain a good standard of health and care including adequate room
for exercise, regular grooming, clean quarters, and adequate food and water.
Whenever possible, American Bobtails should be kept indoors. Where caging is
unavoidable, the minimum size for individual cages shall be 4 feet long, 6 feet
wide, and 4 feet high.
5. SALES:
I shall refuse to sell to, to buy from, or to recommend breeders who sell to cat
wholesalers or retailers, to donate an American Bobtail for raffle purposes, or
to buy or sell in litter lots. Before selling a kitten as a breeder, I shall
ascertain that the buyer is fully aware of all the ramifications of breeding,
such as expenses, time involved in care, necessary facilities, and good
placement of kittens, and responsibilities to buyers and other breeders shall
ascertain that all buyers know how to care for a cat or kitten properly, and
make myself available to give advice. I will give buyers an honest appraisal of
a kitten's potential as a pet, breeder, or show cat. All breeder and show
kittens should be sold with a written guarantee stating the seller's
responsibility should the kitten prove to be sterile or develop a genetic defect
that prevents breeding or showing. The course of action to be taken is a matter
for each breeder to specify in his guarantee. I shall provide a receipt for all
deposits received which states what happens if the buyer changes his mind. A
pedigree will be provided with pet kittens but registration forms will be
withheld until the breeder receives a veterinarian's certification of altering.
If a breeder does not want to provide registration or pedigree papers for a pet
kitten, the buyer must be informed of that fact before purchase. All breeder and
show kittens will have pedigrees and registration forms provided with them.
Before a kitten is sold, it must receive immunizations appropriate to age.
Kittens should be free of all external and internal parasites (worms, fleas, ear
mites, fungus, etc.) Breeders should supply written instructions on care,
feeding, and accommodations with each kitten sold.
6. ADVERTISING:
Advertising, oral or written, shall be factual and not worded to encourage
breeding as an easy money scheme.
7. SPORTSMANSHIP:
I shall conduct myself always in a manner that reflects credit upon the American
Bobtails cat breed and me, especially when attending shows as an exhibitor or a
spectator. I shall abide by the various cat association rules and customs. I
shall be a good loser and a gracious winner, remembering that having happy,
healthy cats is much more important than winning ribbons.
8. AGREEMENTS:
The American Bobtail Breed group strongly recommends that all transactions be in
writing. This includes stud service agreements, buyer's requirements, breeder's
guarantees for kittens, leasing of cats, deposits for kittens, etc.
9. SHIPMENT:
Shipping can be a frightening experience for any animal; consequently the
American Bobtail Breed group recommends that, if possible, the kitten be picked
up by its new owners. If this is not possible, the only method of shipping that
we recommend is airfreight arranged directly with the airline, preferably
counter-to-counter. This will specify exact routing and arrival time. Kittens
should not be shipped until they are fully weaned, eating on their own, and able
to withstand separation from littermates.
