How to Know if a Cat Breeder is Reputable: An Interview with Bette Willette

As many of you know, there are a lot of Ragdoll kitten scams on the Internet.  Sometimes the scam is a broker selling for multiple unethical breeders or sometimes it is a complete scam – where someone uses Ragdoll kitten photos of other people’s kittens, pretends to “sell them” by having an excited potential owner put down a deposit, and then that person loses their money as well as their hope for that kitten when they discover it was entirely a scam.  

So, a reputable Ragdoll breeder, reached out to me and wondered if she could offer some more advice.  I said, I’d love to put it on the site.  She then went ahead and asked many of her real Ragdoll breeder friends.  

Bette Willette of Willetteragdol was the first to reply.  Thank you to Bette for taking the time to do this interview with us.  Thank you, too, to Bette, for sending me fun, legitimate photos to include in this interview.

Can you please tell me about you and your cattery?

Absolutely, but I don’t know where to start. I think the best way is to read my website especially the frequently asked questions. I cover everything from health, brushing teeth, to feeding .

All of these questions are covered on my website under the frequently asked questions tab. We are a complete open book …we welcome questions, and I happy to answer them.

What made you want to do this interview to help people find a reputable Ragdoll cat breeder?

I will not sell to a parent until I do an phone interview. I will not except a deposit without knowing what kind of life my kitten will have.

I ask questions about the kittens environment, do my parents own or rent. Do you have any other kitties/dogs. Our interviews last anywhere between a half and hour to an hour, it’s different with every parent.

We also are here for our parents for the life of the kitty. I encourage them to ask me questions. I encourage my parents to stay in touch …Once my parent has chosen the kitten. We send weekly photos. Again this is all covered on my website.

What are some things to look for and ask a breeder?

Again I don’t know where to begin. How many cats do they have?, How long have they been breeding. Why are they breeding ? Do you cage your cats? Does it licensed veterinarian do your medical? How many cats do they have? How many boys ? Does the boy have his own room .

A breeder must provide adequate accommodations for the male to prevent over surprise pregnancies …I can go on and on and on…

What are signs of a good Ragdoll cat breeder?

Absolutely… Breeding for the love of the breed. Breeding for health first and foremost. Even beautiful cats can be sick. Having a clean healthy environment for the kitties. Providing proper nutrition and medical care.

Being able to prove all adults have been tested for disease and also provide proof they have been DNA tested for HCM and PKD. This is just for starters.

What are signs of a bad Ragdoll cat breeder?

Yes, what I tell parents is to Google the cattery/complaints or bad breeding.

• Ask questions and compare breeders …If a breeder does not answer your question or avoids the email don’t buy from them. …
• Overcrowding, not testing for disease/DNA testing. Excepting deposits without any communication whatsoever.
• All parents should be interviewed before excepting any deposit.
• Shipping kitties all over the world without knowing what kind of life they will have. I think this is a bad greedy breeder. I would rather sell a perfect kitten as a pet knowing that cat has a great life. Then to sell for thousands of dollars to a total stranger. Frankly I don’t know how some people sleep at night.

When it comes to the price of a Ragdoll kitten – I have seen people on the Internet fooled by sites that offer 50% off their Ragdoll kittens. Can you please explain why a reputable breeder would not do such a thing?

Any reputable breeder does not change the prices with the wind. A reputable breeder has set prices.

They may increase the prices once a year. Just as a landlord make increase the price in an apartment. Or a store increases their prices in their products. Changing prices is a sure sign of a scam artist.

Buyer beware, like anything else …do your homework.

When it comes to the price of a kitten – what do you want to look for? Should certain color patterns cost more?

Perfect kittens always sell for more. There is a set price. It should be listed on the website – black and white crystal clear, no games.

Is it important that a breeder belong to FIFe, CFA and TICA? Or just one of them?

Absolutely, breeders should register all the kittens.

We are members of TICA so when my kittens leave they leave with their registration in the envelope along with medical paperwork and things pertinent to the kittens life along with proof that the kitten has been spayed/neutered signed by my veterinarian surgeon. W

e also will do the pedigree for parents upon request . However all kittens leave with their TICA Registration…

Breeders who say that Pat Kitten’s do not need to be registered that is a sign of a scam artist… all Reputable breeders should provide the kittens registration whether the kitten comes from TICA or CFA. In some cases both…

If a breeder is a member of FIFe, CFA or TICA will they be listed on those sites?

Absolutely, if they are not a member then they’re not a reputable breeder simple as that.

What do you want to look for in the parents of the kitten? Are genetic DNA tests like FIV, FeLV and HCM important? Why?

All breeders should be able to send a copy of the parents Pedigree, medical paperwork so the parent knows that the parent is not passing along anything that the kitten can get is far is genetic defects such as HCM, Feline aids leukemia.

The Kitten should not have parasites.

We also do a lab parasite screen test with every litter so our parent knows our kittens are not harboring Giardia or coccidia. If they want a copy of the parents bloodwork and DNA we are happy to send that along as well. All they have to do is ask.

How old should a kitten be when it comes to your home? Why?

Ragdolls are like men … sorry guys … slow to mature and need that extra time with the mother . Our kittens also get two rounds of vaccines done by a licensed veterinarian. They are spay / neutered so they must be around 12 / 13 weeks old . .

What are your thoughts on vaccinations? Are they important?

Omg, they are extremely important. Distemper can be brought in on clothing, this is why we are a closed cattery.

Our kittens are vaccinated twice before they leave our home done by a licensed vet. Distemper is a horrible disease and extremely contagious. This is why they must have vaccines.

How do you know for sure your Ragdoll kitten is a purebred Ragdoll kitten?

Our kittens are purebred and we have the documentation to prove it. And if that is not enough we will gladly do DNA on request. Selling a half Ragdoll is just wrong. You can get a mix breed at the animal shelter.

What is the price for a Ragdoll kitten? Why does it vary from breeder to breeder?

Again our prices, I clearly state on our website – there are no games, no gimmicks it’s not hard to find.

• Pet quality kitten … a kitten that may have a little spot or not symmetrical is $ 1700
• Perfection to breed standards and Guidelines $1900.This includes all medical, testing, spay/neuter him. And has been seen by a licensed veterinarian three times before they leave my cattery. The first time parents do not get paperwork for it because of the tree near me and come shortly after birth this is mostly about the mother. I will get you Nierman comes again when the babies are 7 to 8 weeks old to get there first total check up and first inoculation… At 11 to 13 weeks depending on the available of our surgeon and the weight of the baby.  The baby has the second vaccine, spayed/neutered, microchip on request of the parent. They go home soon after they recover. 

Is it important whether or not the breeder shows their cats?

Showing is fine for some breeders. For us at Willetteragdol… we don’t show at this time . I have a family member with Alzheimer’s and we cannot get away for a weekend. No one wants to babysit a 220 pound man who is Incontinent and has behavior problems.

My family and my kitties will always come first. At this time I cannot get away for more than 2 to 3 hours at any time let alone weekend. My kittens and my family come first.

We are a close cattery and so I do not want to expose my cats to other cats. We breed to Ragdoll breed standards . Because we are a close cattery and we have a license that come to us we do not feel a need to expose our cats to other cats that may have communicable illness. Nor do I want to expose my kitties to the any disease for that matter.

What does it mean to have a pet quality, breeder quality or show quality kitten?

Pet quality is a kitten that isn’t quite perfect. Maybe she has a little mark on her left back leg. A little white spot on her nose. This would make her a pet quality and $200 less.

Show quality is a perfect kitten to breed standards. Her eyes are perfect her ears are perfect. Her coat is like a bunny. Her eyes are as blue as the ocean. All my kittens are lovely and have been Socialized to perfection. Health comes first personality than luxe that’s just the way we roll here.

Do you think it’s right or wrong for a breeder to allow a prospective kitten buyer to come by and meet the kittens?

If I wasn’t such a germ freak I wouldn’t have a problem with it. However, there are things that can be brought in on the outside that could make my baby sick.

Also, we have unvaccinated kittens that are too young and have not seen the doctor as of yet so we do not allow parents to come into the home until the day they pick up the kittens.

What do you think of shipping kittens – like if you were to buy a kitten and have it sent via air courier to you?

We will ship a kitten only with a parent or guardian/courier …I will not ship a kitten alone into the day comes they sprout wings.

How do you tell from photos if they kittens are healthy or not?

Most the time yes. The eyes are not bright and shiny the coat is dull. They may have goop in their eyes. We are a open book here and welcome photos and send photos to our parents every week and on request as long as it’s after 2 PM because mornings are for the care of my beautiful cats and kittens.

I want to thank you for this opportunity. I hope it gives the opportunity for parents to buy from reputable breeders that actually care more about the kittens they do about accolades, titles and ribbons.

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