So, you have decided to get a kitten of the British Shorthair breed. First of all, you should think about the purpose for which you need it: whether you will keep it at home, like an ordinary domestic cat, or the animal will participate in exhibitions and breeding.

Kittens are divided into three classes:

Pet: category of pets that are intended only for the home and are not allowed to participate in breeding and exhibitions;

Breeding: animals for breeding;

Show: animals of the highest exhibition class, to which very high demands are made.

In accordance with belonging to a particular class, the price of a kitten will be set. Naturally, the Show-class kitten will be the most expensive. These are the best representatives of the breed who take part in exhibition shows.

The future owner of the British Shorthair should know that cats can only be of two categories – either Pet or Show, the Breeding class does not exist for them. Cats can be assigned to any of three categories.

It should be clarified right away that assigning kittens to one of three classes depends only on their quality: pedigree data, exterior and does not depend on the purpose for which the kitten is purchased (for home, for breeding, for participation in exhibitions).

Based on this: A pet of any of the three classes can be a pet. And only you decide what quality animal you want to see at home and how much you are willing to pay for it. For breeding animals and breed and show classes can be used. For a successful show career, of course, you need to look for a show-class animal. Pet-class animals are not allowed for breeding because of their non-compliance with breed standards or because of visible defects (this is a kind of “rejection”). Therefore, if you decide to buy a Pet-class animal, always check for what reasons it was This defect can be different. Some of them you will not notice if you are not a specialist in the field of felinology (color, set ears, eyes). Other defects can be serious (tail fractures, curvatures, any deviations caused by gene mutations) – they could so in the future affect the development and health of your pet.

SHOW -, BRID -, PET – CLASSES

Very often it is necessary to witness the misunderstandings arising from owners of nurseries in connection with the quality of kittens and manufacturers. This is because few people differentiate kittens by quality in litters, and many do not even know on the basis of what principles this should be done. The question seems to be very important because the quality of the kitten makes people think about the level of your professionalism, which will affect the rating of your cattery, and will also help to avoid conflict situations when selling kittens. After all, it is quality that determines the price of a kitten. The separation of cats depending on the quality and purpose of their future use is accepted worldwide, in all felinological systems, whether it be FIFe, CFA, WCF, or an independent association. But such a classification you will not find in any breed standard, or in any other regulatory documents: this is a collective concept that has been formed for decades, every self-respecting breeder knows about it and he knows how to use it. There are three definitions of animal groups.

Show quality (from the English show – a sight).

This indicates a high level and the highest quality, and the animals that fall into this group are intended for exhibition and breeding. Accordingly, these are the most prestigious and expensive cats. This includes animals that are fully compliant with the standard. They are highly bred, have a minimum of flaws and not a single defect, this is the standard of the breed. As a rule, such cats are decoration, pride and advertising of the cattery.

Breed-quality (from the English. Breed – breed). Animals of this category are intended mainly for breeding, that is, for the reproduction of kittens. Basically, all breeders consider only the female half in this group, because brid-quality cats are usually assigned to the next, third group – pet. An animal of breeding quality is a healthy cat, with an excellent pedigree and good reproductive hereditary traits. The number one task for such a cat is to give birth to live, healthy and full-fledged kittens. When the owner of the cattery is in a difficult financial situation and is not able to purchase a show-quality cat for his cattery, the brid-quality animal is an excellent way out.

Pet quality (from English pet – home) is the last group. This category can include both cats and cats of the lowest quality or having disqualifying defects and serious flaws (cryptorchidism, kinks on the tail, marriage by color, marriage by eye color, etc.), animals that due to other circumstances can not reproduce offspring, as well as cats of breeding quality and cats of lower quality than breeding (poorly expressed pedigree traits), in general those that are not of interest in breeding. Animals in this group should be cheaper than everyone else.

From the foregoing, it follows that all three groups have different purposes and prices. Thus, having started selling the litter, you should already have an idea about the quality of the kittens and their estimated cost. If during the sale of a kitten or an adult animal you have warned what quality you are selling a cat and have drawn up an agreement stating that you belong to one of the three groups – show, brid or pet, I think that you will save the troubles and surprises of the future owner of your pet and yourself as the owner of the nursery. It is quite natural that determining the quality of a kitten is a subjective question: for someone it will show a show, and for someone it is a shave. It all depends on the experience and, of course, on the decency of the breeder. Beginner breeders will always be given recommendations at the club when activating the litter. Unfortunately, in the metrics and pedigrees, no marks are made on the quality of the animal (except for the case when, due to obvious defects, the mark “without the right to breeding use” is put).

Most cattery owners tend to acquire cats and cats of only show quality. But we should not forget that cats of breeding quality still make up the backbone of the cattery. It is they who give birth to those wonderful Champions and Grand Champions that we see at exhibitions. And when buying abroad, almost all nurseries do not seek to boast of the mother of your future cat or cat. All this suggests that cats of breeding quality, although widely used in the breeding program of all Western European and American nurseries, remain outside of grandiose show shows and awards. Their destiny is to work and give birth to children of show-quality, and the title “Outstanding Producer” is obtained not only by show-class cats, but also by bridal-quality cats, after they give birth to five Grand Champions (CFA system). To the nickname of such an animal, two capital letters DM are added at the end.

When purchasing an animal, you need to think carefully about what purpose you are doing this and what means you have at the same time. Accordingly, you will immediately determine the class of cat or cat you need.

And yet, do not get animals on the “bird market” – you can become a victim of deception. But any solid club will guarantee that you get a really purebred animal and pay the corresponding price for it.