A small reflection at the beginning of a new (breeders) year.
Being a cat-breeder is beautiful! In a house full of animals, in my case Norwegian Forest Cats, you experience the birth of kittens and are captivated by these little creatures for months. You see them grow, follow their development, their play, you search for personality traits and you feel rich with so much beauty around you. In a house with kittens, life seems to smile at you!
In addition to enjoying the little ones, a serious breeder wants to know everything about genetics, appearance and inner qualities of the cat, health, breed characteristics and individual peculiarities, because no two cats are alike and our task is to breed a breed-typical and healthy cat with a great character.
Courses are attended, books are read, we ask other breeders, beautiful animals are purchased, ah.. we know a lot, sometimes even more than the vet we think (joke) and we're doing well.
We try to be a mother, a doctor and midwife, a nurse and behaviorist for our animals, and sometimes we have to be all of these at the same time. In addition, we have to tirelessly clean and keep our house tidy, fight viruses, bacteria, parasites, poop and male-cat odors as quickly as they came in, the veterinarian remains our friend by keeping the finances in order, our cattery is an alternative animal park outing, and breeders always have coffee and treats ready for enthusiastic visitors. A delightful hobby!
But nature is whimsical at times and breeders are faced with surprises that can turn out badly. Sometimes I wish breeders would choose their words more modestly, because how much, or rather, how little do we actually know about the nature of our animals? How well do we know our animals despite or because of the tests that are currently available? Do we sufficiently realize that assumptions are not facts and vice versa? And is 1 plus 1 always 2?
Choices are made in breeding with consideration, and yet every breeder will struggle with problems and disappointments that are difficult or impossible to prevent or solve from time to time. Then we have to accept that nature has the final word, swallow our inability and look at our animals with renewed respect.
A good breeder is intuitive and relies on it. He can recognize ego and selfish behavior, distance himself from it, and will never prioritize self-interest or the interest of the buyer over the interest of the animal.
A successful hobby breeding requires a lot of time and money and sometimes even all your money. It requires resilience and a great ability to cope, and a deep, but especially realistic love for animals. Because if everything has succeeded, your kittens are blushing in the photos, a suitable home has been found for each animal, you have not attached yourself to the little ones, and the time has come for them to go to their new people, it turns out that you have indeed become attached and "letting go" is the shocking reality at the end of every kitten time.
But the adventure of birth and young life and the desire to share the happiness and emotion of it with others, personally gives me the energy to welcome kittens every year in my cattery "Håret Landstryker".
So also in 2023, kittens will be born with us and if you would like to know more about it, you are cordially invited to inquire without obligation via email post@haretlandstryker.nl or by phone 0578 – 641840
English 
Nederlands