Our conditions when placing a kitten

We have kittens available from time to time (see our summary of litters). We want them to go and live with families or breeders who are concerned with their quality of life and their health.

Kittens are placed in their new home when they are at least 13 weeks old (3 months old). But the contacts with the new owners start usually much before this date, because the final decision of placing a kitten takes place as the result of a mutual agreement, taking into account the wishes of the future owner (sex, colour, wish to participate in cat shows, wish to breed the cat, special attraction to a particular kitten etc.), my own requests concerning the cat's conditions of life, and the individual characteristics of each kitten, as far as we can assess from the kitten behaviour. I do not take reservations before having met the members of the future family of my kitten.

As a consequence of this approach, I do not sell my kittens in cat shows. You may meet me there from time to time (all my breeding cats have titles if they accept/enjoy to participate in shows) and start a contact, but I'll ask you to come and visit my cats in their home environment, and I'll come and bring the kitten in your home when the time comes. I insist in getting news from the buyer of a kitten born at la Chacolaterie during the whole cat's life. Only through this feedback can I get more information on the lines with which I'm working (and it's also a pleasure for me to get news from my "babies")

My breeding females (Pépite and R'Maïnie) are free from PK-deficiency (pyruvate kinase deficiency) and from PRA (progressive retinal atrophy). As to the other genetic diseases found in the breed (RA=Renal Amyloïdosis, PL=Patellar Luxation), I can to date only tell you that I am not aware of any cat of mine being affected, or any of their close ancestors, since we do not have any predictive test for these affections yet.

All my cats are regularly being tested for FIV (Feline Immuno-deficiency Virus) and FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus). This is done systematically prior to each mating. They are never in contact with outside cats. I do not guarantee that my cattery be corona-free. I am of course willing to do a PCR test on a rectal sample or stools upon request if you require it (at your expense), to check that a kitten is not a shedder (at the time of the test ! For a cat to be deemed "corona-free", the test should be repeated every month for about 6 or 7 times, as well as antibody serology... A so-called "corona-free" cattery isn't most of the times...). The probability that one of my kittens never encounters a corona-virus in his/her whole life being close to zero (you just as well could try to never have your kids in contact with a virus for the common cold...), I think it's better for them to boost their immune system early in life in order for them to better react against viral attacks later on, rather than breed them in a "bubble".

When I take a kitten to his/her new family, he is identified by a micro-chip, has had his two injections for typhus and coryza (at 2 and 3 months old), a first injection of FeLV vaccine upon request (at 3 months old) and an injection of rabies vaccine if needed (at 3 months old, the kitten is then only able to cross borders three weeks later, due to regulations). He has a European passport and a veterinary health certificate.

All my cats are registered with a LOOF pedigree with genetic parentage certification. The price for a kitten is typically 1250 Euros, plus VAT (20%), i.e. 1500 Euros, plus half of the travel fees if the kitten is to be delivered outside the Paris area. This price may seem high for a lay person, but in fact it only covers part of the expenses (veterinary check-up, vaccines and tests, cat shows, stud service, food, litter, cat trees, catio and installations in the house) and the annual accounting shows a deficit almost every year. Though often negative in terms of money, and extremely consuming in terms of hours, the rewards of this activity/passion are many in terms of experience, should you be willing to invest a lot of your person and time in the area of cat behaviour, feline genetics, etc.

In conformance with the French regulations, I am registered as breeder with SIRET 400 005 781 00036, up-to-date with the official trainings required and recognised by the veterinary authorities under number 91.578.