We are a medium sized home based hobby breeder and do not have a huge number of litters per year. For this reason our kittens are highly sought after and there may be a considerable wait of 6-12 months for the right kitten. We advise all prospective owners to research about breeders and cat ownership before deciding to contact a breeder. Please read how to find a good breeder further down this page for information on what you can expect from a good breeder.

All new prospective owners are screened before joining our waiting list. We do not sell kittens off list generally nor on a whim to people wanting one quickly for a present etc. Our list is deposit only this helps ensure only serious owners willing to wait adopt from us. We only really breed when we know we have homes waiting as we do not like to advertise on free websites or last minute. We like to get to know the people adopting from us and believe the best owners will research and ask questions. We welcome any questions you may have and are proud of our high standards. The typical questions we ask can be found further down this page under how to join the waiting list. If happy we can then add you to the list pending receipt of a non-refundable deposit. All our kittens are special to us and we want the best possible homes for them hence why we have to screen potential owners. We advise basing your breeder choice on breeding practice and ethics rather than location and who has kittens available first.

Why choose a Druzhina Siberian

Here at this cattery I consider myself to breed responsibly. My main aim is to breed for health, temperament and type. I breed from health tested parents who are genetically diverse to help limit inbreeding. I have no more than 2 litters at any given time meaning I can give the attention they need to develop into friendly, confident kittens. I do not mix litters or kittens with any cat other than their mother; this helps limit stress and risk of infections. All are bred indoors and raised in a home environment. Kittens are handled from birth and socialised to household noises. I feed a super-premium diet to all my cats to ensure optimal growth and all preventative healthcare is given as needed. I am also a registered veterinary nurse and feline diploma nurse. I have been in veterinary practice since 2000 and breeding since 2008 so I have a lot of knowledge in various areas.

I am a registered breeder with Tica and abide by their Breeder code of ethics (see links page) to help ensure only healthy kittens are rehomed. I am also a member of the Siberian cat club. All kittens are registered even if pets to prove they are 100% pedigree as without this you could be getting a fake Siberian. I breed only traditional pedigrees with minimal to no neva masquerade presence (cross resulting from Siamese with Siberian). I sometimes show my cats when I have time and encourage new owners to partake in this if their kitten is good enough as it is great fun and helps promote the breed. I offer lifelong breed and veterinary advice to all my kitten owners should they need it. I have stable health tested lines and offer a 5 year health guarantee for genetic/hereditary illness. So should your kitten develop such an illness and pass away a replacement will be given upon proof of condition via post mortem.

All my girls live in the home and have access to the outside via purpose built enclosures. The males generally live outside in high end upvc catteries with time inside away from females as they can often spray urine being entire. We also do not want any accidental mating’s as we only allow our girls to have 1 litter per year as this is best for their health. I am closed stud allowing my males only to breed with my females which helps reduce the risks of diseases from outside catteries. So you can also see dad as well as mum when visiting your kitten. All cats are vaccinated annually and health tested. You can see the results on each cat’s page. If you would like to see official reports please contact me. All kittens go with a care pack and advice to help them off to the best start in their new home.

How are Druzhina Babies raised?

All our kittens are born in a purpose built nursery which is safely away from any household items which may be dangerous to them and other cats. I will monitor mum and be there for the birth to assist if needed. As soon as they are born they are checked for any congenital abnormalities and mum is given help cleaning them etc. if needed. They will then be weighed and monitored daily to ensure they are getting adequate milk and growing normally. Their environment is kept warm, clean and dry. A high quality kitten diet is fed to mum throughout pregnancy and lactation to ensure she is a good weight with adequate milk. A log for each litter is kept which I can then refer back to in the future. This helps me manage my future breeding to help minimise issues.

The kittens are handled daily and accustomed to various house hold noises. I start weaning and toilet training the babies around 4 weeks and normally by 6 wks. they are eating solids and using a litter tray. They are accustomed to both wet and dry kitten foods so should not have any fussy behaviour. Once I am happy with them they will then come down stairs into our living area to carry on being socialised. They do not mix with other cats but will stay with their mum until they leave here. They are wormed and flea treated regularly and have their vaccines at 10 and 13 weeks. All pets are also neutered and microchipped before leaving us. If it is warm enough they will also get to spend time outside to play in a safe enclosure with no other cats apart from mum. They will leave here calm, well-adjusted kittens ready for their new homes. Many owners comment on how quickly they settle and how friendly and loving they are. This is down to proper socialisation in a home environment and lots of handling and love.

What do I look for in a responsible breeder?

A responsible breeder should be registered with a pedigree cat registry like GCCF, TICA OR FIFE. You should ask to see this along with the cat’s official pedigrees and registration to prove they are genuine pedigrees. Ideally they should also be a member of at least one breed club. However being registered does not always mean reputable so you will still need to look more closely. They should have tested their cats for any common health issues in the breed i.e. HCM, PKD1 and pk def are the main issues to be aware of. It goes without saying that all the cats should be negative for felv/fiv. In the case of HCM annual heart scans done by a veterinary cardiologist are necessary to prove a cat does not have heart issues at time of mating. They should only be breeding from healthy cats once a year. As cats can be prolific callers it is possible for a female to have 3 litters a year if left to her own devices. This would leave the cat exhausted and in very poor health if this was allowed to happen not to mention causing harm to her kittens.

Ideally all mating’s should be with cats not closely related as high inbreeding can increase the risk of sickly cats. They should not be selling cats before 13 wks and having had a full course of vaccinations as a bare minimum. Cats are also better able to cope with rehoming when at this age as they are more socially developed. Before 12 weeks is too young and could result in cats with unacceptable behaviours. You should receive a kitten care pack with food samples, dietary advice, 5 generation pedigree and registration. You should sign a contract that ideally includes some form of health guarantee however the length of this will vary between a few days and in my case covers the kitten until they are 5 yrs old.

 

A good breeder will be contactable and offer lifelong advice should you need it. They will also help with rehoming should you no longer be able to keep them. Never buy from newspapers and be wary of online adverts with little information on the breeder. They should ideally have a website that gives you all the information you need and be registered. Unregistered back yard breeders breed only for profit and will not look after their animals in an appropriate manner. You will get no health guarantees and often end up with a very sickly kitten.

They should be willing to answer all questions you ask and also ask questions of you. A good breeder wants to know where their kitten is going. If they do not ask anything about you take it as a warning, they probably only care about a sale. ALWAYS visit the cattery before collection. Never let the breeder drop the kitten off without seeing were the kitten is raised. Ask to see parents and examine the home environment. The cats should look a good weight with no discharges from eyes, nose, ears or back end. No sneezing or coughing. The kittens should be playful and bright. Handle the kitten, does it feel well-muscled or bony and thin? Are they happy being handled etc.? Sometimes they may be sleeping so it can be hard to judge. Coat should be free from dirt and parasites. Be wary if there are a lot of animals in a small home or a lot of kittens for sale. The home should look and smell clean. Unhygienic, overcrowded conditions can result in sick animals so it is important hygiene is at the highest standard. I would also be wary buying a kitten that has been sharing litter trays with any cat other than its siblings and mother. Sharing trays with lots of cats can result in potential FIP development. Never buy a kitten because you feel sorry for them. It only allows money to go to producing more animals and becomes a never ending cycle of misery. If you are concerned over anything you see you can report them to the rspca. If wanting to breed or show please discuss this with the breeder. Not all animals will be suitable and you will need to ensure you have the necessary papers and breeder permission to do this.

What am I paying for when purchasing a Druzhina Siberian?

Well most importantly you are paying for a well-bred, healthy, happy kitten that has been given the best possible start in life. My cats come from excellent traditional pedigree lines with minimal to no neva presence. (See about the Siberian page for more information). I have acquired cats from some of the best catteries all over the world i.e. Russia, France, Poland and America to help bring genetic diversity. You are getting everything discussed above from a responsible registered breeder. I also health test all my cats for common genetic issues in the breed and do annual heart scanning with a veterinary cardiologist to make sure there are no heart problems before breeding. Unfortunately a lot do not do this. All this comes at great expense and this is why you will find such a huge disparity in price between breeders. Average price range is £1500-£2000. There are some supposed Siberians for less than this but they are from non-registered breeders without registration documents and I would imagine they are not full pedigree. So it is a case of knowing what you are paying for and not expecting gold standard for the lowest price.

Each kitten I breed will have:

• Full core vaccinations at 10 and 13 wks with 2 vet health checks
• Registration with TICA and 5 generation pedigree (proof they are purebred)
• Regular worm and flea treatments
• Microchipping
• Super premium diet whilst with us and samples to take home that should last at least 1 week
• Litter training and pack of litter to take home
• Socialisation in a home and care advice sheets including diet and settling in advice
• 7 day health guarantee against all illness and 5 yr health guarantee against hereditary illness
• Kitten contract of care
• Lifelong advice on all health and care aspects
• Free rehoming should you no longer be able to care for your cat
• Blanket with mums scent on it and toys
• Cd with 30 page care guide written by myself, your kittens baby pictures so you can always look back to see how they have grown and leaflets of various products I recommend
• Lots of love and attention to guarantee a happy family pet

So if buying from a back street breeder you will not get any of the above and are taking a huge gamble as they may be sick. I would always advise research and go with the best registered breeder possible.

How do I adopt a kitten from Druzhina?

To be able to adopt one of our kittens you will need to go through a short screening process. Firstly you will need to read this website, especially waiting list and adoption process and the contract of care you will be expected to sign (found on links page). If you are happy with what you have read and what to expect from us I will need the following information in an email for us to consider you.

• Why you want a Siberian cat
• Why you have chosen to contact us/expectations from us
• If you have any experience of the breed or owning cats?
• Your home and work situation
• Do you have any children and if so please tell me about them and their experience around animals if any
• Do you have any other pets in the home; if yes please elaborate on this?
• If you have cats already do you know their Felv/Fiv status? You will be expected to provide negative status from your vet before adoption.
• Are your current pets up to date with health checks and vaccines (i.e. in last 12 months)
• Are there any people in the home with cat allergies? If so please provide information on symptoms and severity
• Will your cat be indoor or outdoor?
• Do you own your own home or if renting have written permission to have pets.
• If you are wanting a pet, breed or show kitten
• Your kittens requirements i.e. sex, colour, numbers etc.
• Any other information you feel I should know
• Please confirm that you have read the waiting list procedure/rules and contract of care

I am happy to chat on the phone should you prefer but I still need to have a written log of the above if you want to join the waiting list. Providing we are both happy with the above you will then be invited to join the list.

Joining the waiting list

We have a deposit only waiting list for future owners. To join the list you need to have completed the above and be accepted. You will then be required to pay £100 non-refundable deposit to secure a place. Our waiting list does fill up quickly so we advise joining well before you plan on taking a kitten home. We generally do not have many kittens available off list so this is the only way to ensure a kitten from us. You will be offered a kitten suitable for your home and requirements in order of list so those at the top will get first choice from suitable kittens. If there is nothing suitable in a current litter you can wait for the next and will still retain your place on the list. As people adopt a kitten others will move up the list. We feel this is the fairest approach so that everyone has a chance to adopt a kitten they really want. However it does take time so patience on your part is required.

The reason we ask for a deposit is to try and reduce the number of time waster we have had in the past. Due to the fact we only breed when homes are waiting it is important that those homes are genuine. Some may put their names down on several lists when it is free to increase their chance of getting a kitten. We ask that only those who are serious and wanting to adopt from us show this by providing a small deposit which comes off the overall price (price of kittens are available on request). We also ask people when joining to not be on other breeders lists. Joining a list shows you are committed and willing to wait. Remember it can take up to 5 months to produce a litter before they are ready to leave so you do need to be patient. For your commitment we can guarantee a kitten that will be suitable for your home and requirements. We will try to match personality with what is suitable for your family rather than just offer the first kitten you like the look of. This is important for the wellbeing of the kitten and to help reduce the chance of behavioural issues later in life. To see examples of the kittens we breed you can view our blog or follow us on Facebook or Instagram. You have the right to refuse a kitten and wait but we do expect people to choose something within 12 months.

You will be kept updated on mating progress and kittens development if on the waiting list. Kittens will be offered for reservation between 6-8 wks. We do not allow reservations before then as it is impossible to assess temperament before this time. Even after this age things can change. Not all kittens will have the same temper so we like to be very specific when it comes to matching and wait until a little older. It also allows us chance to ensure the health of the kitten before allowing reservation as anything can happen in the first few weeks of life. It would be irresponsible to allow a reservation of a 2 wk old and then have the family deal with the heartache if something was to happen to their kitten. You will be expected to choose your kitten from pictures and accounts of their temper/recommendations from myself. We do not allow visits before 8 wks and find it is not suitable to choose a kitten in person. You will not see their true character on a first visit so the breeder’s advice in this area is always superior. It also causes major delays to the allocation process as we have to follow order of list and people below you will have to wait until you have chosen.

Once you have chosen your kitten you will be required to pay a further £100 non-refundable reservation fee per kitten to secure them. You will be informed of their progress and receive regular pictures. You will be able to collect your kitten after 14 weeks of age. We allow visits after 8 weeks of age should you wish to meet your baby before adoption date. We do not allow visits younger than this age for hygiene reasons as the younger the kitten the more prone they are to infections from strangers. We highly recommend a visit although we do understand it can be difficult if you are quite far away from us. You will be required to bring a sturdy cat carrier big enough for the kitten to move around in on collection. The balance for this kitten is payable in cash on collection day or bank transfer one week before.

We offer a courier service to your home for a charge should you be unable to collect on adoption day. The courier is a trusted friend and will be accompanied by me so the kitten has a familiar face on the journey. I can then also run through all the care information in person. We generally only advise this route if you have visited our home previously and are happy with what you have seen. For your own peace of mind it is always best to visit the breeder at least once. Any courier fees must be paid in advance.

Breed and show homes will be offered pick of the litter over pet homes as we want the best examples from our cattery to go on and promote and improve the breed. We reserve the right to keep any such kitten for our own breeding. Pet kittens are in no way unhealthy they just may lack some points required by the breed standard for showing etc. The waiting list will be told which kittens are available as pets. Sometimes I may hold kittens back for observation. These may become available later if we decide not to have them as part of a breeding/show home. We rarely sell cats for breeding so the above is the exception not the rule. If you are wanting to breed or show please tell us this on initial application. Breed and show cats do cost a little more. New breeders must agree to be mentored by myself and agree to be registered and abide by the same rules and standards as myself.

Rules re waiting list and adoption process

No refund of deposits will be given should you decide to leave the list for whatever reason. You should only join if you are committed to wait. If your reserved kitten is found to be ill or unable to be adopted a replacement will be offered if available otherwise you will be moved to the top of the list for first choice on another litter. This does all depend on the nature of the illness i.e. a mild vaccine reaction could just mean a delay in adoption and not life threatening. We do not let kittens go until we are happy they are ready to leave. Sometimes there can be a short delay after neutering if the wound does not heal as normal. You will be kept informed of any issues. For this reason we can only give approximate leaving dates in advance. Please be aware of this if booking train tickets or time off. We cannot take responsibility for any losses in these situations.

If you are not offered a suitable kitten after 12 months of being on the list then a refund may be given but only if I have not been able to produce a suitable kitten for you. If you are offered kittens I believe to be suitable and repeatedly refuse them then you will not be given a refund. I reserve the right to remove you from the list at any time should I not be happy with your behaviour or should I learn of something that makes you unsuitable for adopting a kitten. Please be honest on application. A refund may be given in certain circumstances providing a suitable home can be found for any kitten you may have reserved. This is at my discretion.

If the kitten is returned to us i.e. Due to allergies (must have had an allergy sitting with us) and we have to rehome them you will only receive a refund minus any deposits and care costs off the sale price. Sometimes with older kittens we have to reduce the price to find a home. We will do our best to try and do a part refund but it all depends on if a suitable home is found quickly. We advise if adopting and there are allergy issues it is your responsibility to ensure no reactions. We cannot guarantee this and a refund is not guaranteed but done when possible as a good will gesture.

You will be given a copy of the adoption contract before collection. This must be read and signed before you can leave with your kitten. All pets are neutered before rehoming. No exceptions will be made unless on health grounds which is a decision made by myself and my veterinary practice. If we cannot neuter your kitten before adoption then a refund of the neutering costs I would have paid will be given. You will then have to have a neutering certificate signed by your vet before pedigree papers will be given. This rarely happens as most are well enough and good enough size to be neutered before leaving. We are happy to discuss any concerns you may have surrounding the practice of early neutering. It is something I have been doing for many years and we use a tried and tested anaesthetic protocol which is as safe as possible. There is no known health issues associated with early neutering. It is done to prevent our kittens being used in a back yard breeding program. All responsible breeders should in my eyes be doing this as it is the only way to help prevent your kittens ending up in a home where they will be abused and used as a breeding machine. It is also very important in helping lessen the problem of pet overpopulation.