BOOK REVIEW: A Manual for Cat Breeders
by Eveleth C. Cowles

The author of this book has bred Siamese cats for 35 years, always with the objective of raising healthy and beautiful kittens that families could enjoy. After hundreds of litters, she has drawn upon her experience to provide the basic information that newer breeders need to have.

She starts with the selection of breeding stock, emphasizing robust bloodlines, and not merely numbers of grand champions. She describes how to evaluate pedigrees and the significance of inbreeding. Recessive genetic defects are explained and how to test a breed for such problems.

The housing and handling of stud males is covered clearly and succinctly. The author says that in some respects, keeping a stud is like housing a lion or tiger: "the husband is often in charge of studs in a husband-wife cattery." The queen, on the other hand, may be less intimidating, but does present the matter of managing heat cycles, as well as other hormonal and behavioral problems which may arise.

Two chapters cover pregnancy, birth of the kittens and care of the litter. Subjects included in these chapters run from nest boxes, to breech presentations, to resuscitating distressed kittens, to syringe feeding. A complete kit of birthing supplies is also described.

Care of sick kittens and cats is addressed in a helpful end practical way and vaccinations are treated in light of the new protocols issued in the year 2000. Sound advice is also offered on finding a vet.

A chapter on selling kittens includes a list of questions to ask a prospective buyer, as well as a sample instruction sheet to give the buyer of a kitten. Finally, the author presents useful advice on setting up and equipping a cattery.

The last chapter in the book is called "Thirty-five Years with the Cat Lady." In it, the author tells how she and her husband became involved with breeding, how they learned, where they lived and how they set up for breeding. It is a testimonial to her love for cats and to the standards she established and followed in a sound breeding program.

In addition to the author's clear and common sense advice, she identifies additional resources. She presents a bibliography of only eight books: McGinnis, Carlson & Giffin, Cornell, Pedersen, Gebhardt, Vella & McGonagle, Robinson and Plumb, which could hardly be improved upon. There is a list of veterinary supply houses with addresses and 800 numbers. A short section on homeopathy lists organizations as well as books by Yarnall and Frazier.

This book should interest any breeder; for new breeders it is a top recommendation!

Softcover, x + 99 pages
published by Tapestry Press, 01720,
ISBN 1-56888-562-8

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