Know who you are buying your kitten from! There are many types of Breeders and this is a guide to help you sort through the thousands of listings you will encounter in your search. There is good and bad in everything so be prepared to make some decisions based on your personal pet education.

Please be aware that there is no such thing as a Tea Cup or Toy Persian. A sound female Persian will normally weigh between 5 and 7 pounds, males between 7 and 9 pounds. Weights vary with different bloodlines and are not confused with a different "type" or "style" of cat.

The Persian Standard does not give a specific weight for cats, but it is stated that they are to be a medium to large breed. Most breeders who strive to breed to a registry's written Standard work to improve their bloodline to better comply with the Standard. This comes from years of breeding for a heavier bone structure and more muscle mass with the balance of a short, cobby body. Persian legs should be thick and sturdy and the cat should have an overall stout appearance. While they may be cute to look at, a Persian with a tiny, frail bone structure and no muscle mass is not a good representation of the breed and is most often considered to be pet quality.

Types of Breeders

There is always a lot of debate about what makes a Breeder a “Good Breeder” or a “Backyard Breeder.” To me, it’s not that cut and dry; there are many degrees of commitment to breeding animals and respect should be shown to each variation. The different types of Breeders have more in common than you may realize with intention being perhaps the most obvious, yet unseen, difference. As I see it, there are four types of Breeders:

• a person who breeds animals for for the soul purpose of financial reward
• has no interest in breeding their animals to a professional set of standards established by registry associations
• does not show their breeding stock or its offspring in registry association sponsored shows because their animals do not fit their breed's Standard and are therefore considered "pet quality"
• are generally known to keep large amounts of animals in a retail environment (warehouse, outbuilding, outside kennel, etc)
• sell their animals to pet stores, research labs, and in general, anyone who will pay their price
• Traditional and Classic Breeders never purchase breeding stock from Retail Breeders because the animals do not fit a registry standard and therefore do nothing to improve their bloodline

The Pet Breeder

• a person who breeds animals strictly as pets for emotional and financial reward
• has no interest in breeding their animals to a professional set of standards established by registry associations and have no cats with titles
  
• does not show their breeding stock or its offspring in registry association sponsored shows to attain titles for their animals because either they do not like showing or their animals do not fit their breed's Standard and their animals are what is considered to be "pet quality"
  
• keep their animals in a home environment
  
• does not have a specific breeding program where efforts are made to improve their line to conform to their breed’s written Standard as stated by a formal registry association
  
• are selective as to whom they sell their animals and do not sell to pet stores, research labs, or Retail Breeders
• Traditional and Classic Breeders never purchase breeding stock from Pet Breeders because the animals do not fit a registry standard and therefore do nothing to improve their bloodline
  
• Pet Breeders mostly buy their breeding stock from other Pet Breeders although some Traditional Breeders do sell to them (albeit at times unknowingly)
  

The Traditional Breeder

• a person who breeds animals for the emotional and financial reward
• shows their animals in registry sponsored shows and have some animals with titles
• most of their animals are sold as pets, some as breeder quality, and a few are occasionally sold as show quality to other breeders who are working to improve their bloodline
  
• keep their animals in a home environment
• has a breeding program wherein lie specific goals and objectives to improve their bloodline to conform to their breed’s written Standard as stated by a formal registry association
  
• shows their breeding stock and its offspring in registry association sponsored shows as they acquire and breed show-worthy animals in an effort to attain titles for them
  
• may or may not travel very far from home to show their animals, opting for local shows or those within a few hours drive and may only attend a few shows each year
  
• are selective as to whom they sell their animals and do not sell to pet stores, research labs, Pet Retail Breeders, or most Pet Breeders
  

 The Classic Breeder

• a person who breeds animals for the emotional and financial rewards
• some animals are sold as pets, but most are sold as breeder and show quality to other breeders who are working to improve their bloodline
  
• has a breeding program wherein lie specific goals and objectives to improve their bloodline to more closely conform to their breed’s written Standard as stated by a formal registry association
  
• keep their animals in a home environment 
• shows their breeding stock and its offspring in registry association sponsored shows as they acquire and breed show-worthy animals in an effort to attain titles for them
  
• are generally known to travel great distances to attend shows as well as attend shows in their local area
• attend a large number of shows each year; some attend shows nearly every weekend when they are busy acquiring points for specific titles on their animals
  
• are selective as to whom they sell their animals and do not sell to pet stores, research labs, Retail Breeders, or Pet Breeders, preferring to sell their animals to other Classic Breeders or Traditional Breeders only
  

All Breeders have many things in common and most Breeders fall somewhere in the concept of what I call the Traditional Breeder; but that’s not to say there is anything wrong with the other classifications. Everyone does what they want to do in regards to breeding animals and as long as they stay within the boundaries of the law and maintain their animals in compliance with what is decent and humane, there is nothing wrong with any of the last three classifications of Breeders. It’s not about how many animals you have, how many shows you attend, what titles your cats have, who you know, or how much money you have; it’s about personal choices and private decisions to meet your specific beliefs and needs.

The term Backyard Breeder or Kitten or Puppy Mill are derogatory terms that are generally used to hurt someone’s feelings. They have no real meaning other than what we put on it but them generally meaning to most people, someone who breeds animals without regard for their health, physical appearance (not to a registry standard), and only in operation for financial gain; these breeders fall into the Pet Retailer category. They are likely to sell to pet stores and to companies who exploit the animal’s well being in exchange for monetary gain. Although these unscrupulous people do exist, most breeders do not fit this stereotype and should not be confused with what I call the Pet Breeder. Remember there are degrees in everything and it is up to you to do research, make phone calls, visit facilities, and use your best judgment when you purchase an animal.