Why Do You Breed?

If you have been breeding for more than, say, a month, you have probably already had someone ask "How did you get into breeding?"

- Teresa Keiger

The answers to that question are probably as varied as the breeders themselves, and usually a summation of the breeder's journey from cat lover to breed lover to breeder.

But have you ever been asked "WHY do you breed?" I am certain that we have all asked ourselves (usually after standing vigil over sick kittens, or cleaning up the aftermath of a particularly bad case of diarrhea) "WHY am I doing this?" We probably never actually ask ourselves why we breed. What keeps us involved with this hobby, despite the various hardships and heartaches that we have had and know that we will encounter again?

Our annual "Breeding" issue seemed to be a good venue to explore this question, and I sent out a series of messages to breeders. I cannot say that I am surprised by the answers that I received; actually, many of them mirrored my own feelings. Still, reflecting on the "why" of something gives clarity, and helps to point us in a direction for the future.

Preservation Breeding

Several breeders responded that because they cherish their chosen breed, they began breeding to preserve and to grow the breed. RagaMuffin breeder Sara Thornton (iCandy cattery) replied that "I bred and exhibited Labrador Retrievers for 25 years. I got my first pedigreed cat, a RagaMuffin, after about 21 years of the Labs. The cat show bug bit me hard. I ran into fertility issues with my small Lab program, so decided to pursue being an AKC judge and show and breed only cats. I love my young breed. It is a work of art in progress. As a veterinarian, I appreciate the health of the breed; as a cat lover, I appreciate the wonderful temperament and the sweet expression. Breeding RagaMuffins to develop consistency in type and maintain the health and good nature of the breed is a challenging balancing act."