Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Tresor Siamese & Balinese Cats

Frequently Asked Questions

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Q1. Where are you located?

A1. We are located in California's eastern bay area, in a city called "Suisun City". We are less than 20 minutes away from Vallejo, Fairfield, Vacaville, and Benicia. We are about 35 minutes away from Berkeley, Napa, Oakland, Sacramento, and San Francisco.

Q2. What type of cats do you breed?

A2. I breed Siamese cats, and Balinese cats. I specialize in the Applehead Siamese & Applehead Balinese, these cats are also

commonly referred to as Traditional Siamese, Traditional Balinese, Old Style Siamese, Old Style Balinese, and sometimes even Thai Cats. I also breed Siamese Lynx Points, and Balinese Lynx Points (aka Snow Tigers).

Q3. What cat registry are you affiliated with?

A3. My cattery is registered with both The Cat Fanciers Association (C.F.A.) & The Cat Fanciers Federation (C.F.F.). All of my

breeding cats are registered with both associations or one of the two. My kittens will leave registered with either of these registry's.

Q4. Do you offer stud service? If not, why?

A4. Absolutely not. Any reputable breeder will never bring outside cats into their home because of the serious risks of diseases,

parasites, fungus that may enter the cattery by way of the breeding cat. Regardless of the fact that a female in heat may be

examined by a veterinarian prior to a visit, there are dormant diseases that could potentially awaken during the mating trial and infect the male and surrounding areas of confinement. When new cats are introduced into our home, they are quarantined for several months, and tested for diseases like Feline Leukemia, Feline Aids, etc. Any breeder with experience in breeding will follow these standards as a rule.

Q5. What does your 72 hour health guarantee entail?

A5. Kittens that leave my home are to be brought to a licensed veterinarian of the buyers choice within a period of 72 hours from the date of sale. If your kitten is found to be unsuitable as a pet due to suspected health problems it may be returned back to my cattery with the veterinary report as proof, and a refund of the kittens purchase price shall be given to the buyer. This refund however does not include veterinary or transportation expenses. Please be assured that all of my kittens are examined by my veterinarian thoroughly, especially since they have to be approved for spaying & neutering. This puts a lot of pressure on me as a breeder to keep my cats and kittens healthy, and my cattery environment spotless.

Q6. What happens if I don't have the kitten examined by my veterinarian within the 72 hours of purchase?

A6. As a consumer you should ensure that your kitten was healthy when purchased from the breeder, and therefore I encourage you to bring the kitten in for a health examination through your own veterinarian. But if you don't take me up on my 72 hour health guarantee you may lose your opportunity to get your money back for a kitten that may be unhealthy to begin with.

Q7. What is your 2 or 4 year hereditary/congenital/genetic health guarantee about? Most breeders I see give only a 1

year health guarantee.

A7. Because I know the lines I have in my breeding program, I know full well that they are genetically sound and therefore I have no fear of backing up my kittens longer than is traditionally done by most breeders. There may be problems later on down the road after the 1st year, and I believe that it is fair to protect my clients for a longer term just in case. Sometimes some genetic diseases may not become apparent until after the 1st birthday, in which case you would not have a replacement from a breeder offering only a one year health guarantee. Please be aware that in order for me to back up your kitten for 2 or 4 years, you will be contractually obligated to supplement my cat(s)/kitten(s) with NuVet plus Vitamins for the length of the term you select (2 or 4 years).

Q8. Why do I have to give the kittens NuVet plus Vitamins? And, what is NuVet plus like?

A8. NuVet plus vitamins are manufactured in powder form that is meant to be sprinkled on the kittens food (not water). The

powder vitamins are tasty, palatable and give the food an enhancement in flavor and act as a cleanser too. No cat food on the

market today has enough vitamins for a growing kitten, and that is why supplementing the kittens with the vitamins is important to promote normal growth, and stronger immune support. It is in my best interest as well as the kittens, and yours to keep the kitten healthy and strong as it develops and ages. The vitamins may be ordered directly from my web-site by visiting my NuVet Vitamins store page. Additionally I send all of my clients home with a NuVet dosage chart and instructions for easy, and proper supplementation.

Q9. What kind of vet treatments do your kittens come with?

A9. All of my kittens sold as pets will leave spayed or neutered, micro chipped, with 1 or 2 feline distemper vaccines, and a health examination by my vet. See my link to the 'Kitten Kits' page, it explains everything in detail regarding vet treatments and supplies I send with each kitten sold as a pet.

Q10. Isn't early spaying and neutering too risky for young kittens?

A10. Actually, early spaying and neutering has been endorsed by the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) since

1993, with limited risks as technology has advanced to the present day. The only true risk to early spaying and neutering is if too much sedation gas is given to the kitten based on it's body weight, because then it is gassed to death. But let's be frank here, that same risk goes along with adult cats or older kittens, puppies and dogs. If a veterinary assistant doesn't weigh the cats correctly, as well as measure the gas correctly then any cat (young, or old) may die. In the 5+ years that I have been practicing the early spaying and neutering of my kittens I have yet to lose one kitten due to spay/neuter surgery complications. See my informational page on early spaying and neutering for more on Early Spay & Neuter.

Q11. What do you feed your kittens & cats?

A11. I feed my adult cats and kittens "Life's Abundance" cat food. It is a holistic diet that uses human grade ingredients, and feeds all life stages out of the same bag. My kittens also eat wet food made by "Life's Abundance" called Instinctive Choice as a treat mixed with dry 3-4 times a week. They always have dry food out, and are free fed. I do not have any obese cats in my breeding program thanks to this protein rich diet. The food is enhanced with probiotics to ensure regularity in their bowel movements. There are no harmful chemical preservatives to enhance shelf life, so therefore the food is not sold in stores and is only available online or by ordering by phone. The food is delivered to your door, and you get to select how often your food is shipped, how much, and where it is shipped to (your home, or office). This diet is comparable in cost to any premium cat food in a pet store, even after weighing in the shipping cost. Again, visit my "Life's Abundance" web-page to order your kittens food today.

Q12. At what age do you release your kittens to their new homes?

A12. Kittens leave my home generally at about 10-12 weeks of age. They are spayed/neutered at 8-9 weeks old and are generally ready to leave 1-2 weeks after their surgery when they are fully recovered/healed and are properly socialized, litter-box trained, and successfully weaned from the mothers milk.

Q13. How often do you photograph your kittens?

A13. Kittens are photographed every 2 weeks beginning at 4 weeks old. This is a courtesy however on my part, and not an

obligation that is contractual in nature. Life here is busy with not only kittens and cats to tend to, but I have a family as well that I care for 24/7. I do my best to photograph kittens often because I know that my clients look forward to the photo updates, but please remember that this is a courtesy and not a mandatory obligation.

Q14. What are your thoughts on de-clawing?

A14. I do not condone, or support this procedure as it is often times traumatic enough to alter a friendly kittens personality into

that of a nervous, paranoid, territorial, and temperamental cat. Cats need their claws not only for self protection, but also for

climbing, balancing, and grooming. There are many other ways of deterring your kitten from scratching you or family members, or furniture (even unwanted climbing of certain areas in your home), and those are: 1. Clip their nail tips regularly with a cat nail trimmer (found in all pet stores), have the vet show you how to do this if you are inexperienced. 2. Try softpaws silicone covers, they are available at most pet stores in a variety of colors and styles. 3. Keep a scratching post around for the kitten/cat to access for it's scratching needs. The best solution to unwanted scratching from your kitten is if you buy a cat condo with sisal rope, they will climb it, scratch it, and use that rather than your furniture. Remember that the bigger the condo the more fun and exciting it will be to your kitten...and it may spend the majority of it's time on the cat condo/cat tree overlooking the lay of his or her land (your home). Feel free to read some informative articles about de-clawing by visiting these sites (warning some pictures may be graphic): http://www.declawing.com, and http://www.communityconcernforcats.org/dontdeclaw.html

Q15. Do you recommend getting 2 kittens rather than 1? Additionally, do you offer a discount if I buy 2 or more

kittens rather than 1?

A15. This is truly a decision that you must make on your own, because of the added cost for a second kitten, and the amount of attention they will both need from you. Generally most breeders will recommend that you acquire two kittens if the kitten is left home alone for more than 7 hours a day, 4 or more days a week. I do offer a discount of $50.00 off the 2nd kitten if you buy two or more, and although the discount is minimal, keep in mind that my expenses to raise the kittens, adult cats, veterinary

treatments/services, run a cattery stay the same whether you buy 1 or 2 or 3 kittens.

Q16. How do you socialize your kittens?

A16. Our kittens are handled daily from birth as they are inspected for proper growth & development. They are kissed often and spoken to, and once the kittens are out of the birthing box they are played with often, and observed for personality traits. We do not sell fractious, aggressive, fearful kittens.

Q17. Do you de-worm your kittens?

A17. Yes, we do. We de-worm them against the ‘unseen’ parasites/protozoa, and not for ‘worms’ per se’. By the time they leave our home, they are fully de-wormed. Because my cats are kept indoors at all times, and we have no flea infestations, there is no risk of worms like ‘hookworm, roundworm, tapeworm, whipworm, stomach worm”. We recommend all of our buyers to have a fecal exam done on their kittens with their veterinarians, rather than to have to subject the kitten to an unnecessary de-worming treatment which often times disrupts a kittens delicate digestive system.

Q18. Do you ship your kittens?

A18. Yes, and I have been since 2003 when I first started my breeding program. Kittens are shipped as ' live cargo' via the airlines. Basically I drop the kittens off at the airport closest to me, and you pick them up at the airport closest to your location. I routinely use Continental, Alaska, and United Airlines. I ship within the 50 continental United States, and may ship internationally depending on the country of destination.

Q19. How much does shipping a kitten cost?

A19. Shipping ranges anywhere from $375.00 to $400.00 domestically for ONE kitten (shipping 2 kittens is a little bit more). This estimate for ONE kitten includes: 1. The Flight Fare, 2. A Health Certificate (required by all airlines), 3. Crate/Padding (to ship the kitten in comfortably and securely), 4. Transportation Fees (my gas, mileage, toll, parking to & from the airport. Note: Shipping costs may vary depending on the economic value for these services at the time, as well as the number of kittens being shipped in one carrier or separately.

Q20. Do you ever sell adult cats?

A20. Yes, from time to time I do. My female cats are usually retired at 4 -5 years of age, and my males are retired later than that or sooner depending on the direction of my breeding program at any given time. When I do sell my adult cats as "pets", they will leave my home Spayed/Neutered, have a professional deep teeth cleaning, be up to date on all vaccinations, and have a health examination performed as well. Adult cat's available for adoption can be found via this link when available: Available Adults

Q21. What cat litter do you use?

A21. I use Dr. Elsy's Precioius Cat Scoopable Cat Litter. It's a safe silica based cat litter, that is strong in odor control, yet gentle

enough for litter-box training kittens. It is a bit exclusive, so be sure to visit www.preciouscat.com, to find a dealer near you.

Q22. I noticed that you spay & neuter your kittens early and before they are sold, but can I have my kitten intact and then spay & neuter it myself through my vet?

A22. No. Only kittens that are intended to be a part of a reputable and responsible breeding program will be sold intact. Please refer to Q10 for the benefits of early spaying & neutering.

Q23. I've heard that microchips cause tumors in animals, can I have my kitten sold to me without a microchip implant?

A23. We use 24PetWatch transponder chips, and these chips are not known to cause cancers or tumors at the injection site or

around it. Additionally, 24PetWatch microchips are bio-compatible. This means that they are designed to be compatible with a

pet's body tissue and not cause an allergic reaction when professionally implanted. But, if you do not want your kitten micro-

chipped we will honor that request and forgo the microchip implantation.

Q24. How much are your kittens sold for?

A24. Please note that not all breeders operate the same or prepare their kittens the same way, and not all breeders are the same. Every breeder charges what they feel is fair for the quality of the kittens they produce, as well as the amount of veterinary

treatments and care that they invest into each kitten. With that being said, please call me for a price quote, and be prepared to

answer the following questions I will ask: 1. What are you looking for (Siamese or Balinese or Either), 2. What gender (male or

female or either). 3. What colorpoints are you interested in (Seal, Chocolate, Blue, Lilac, or Lynx Pointed). 4. How soon are you ready for a kitten (today, within a month or so, or longer). The answers to these questions will help me determine your price quote.

Q25. Where are your Siamese kittens and Balinese kittens sold?

A25. I sell my Siamese kittens and Balinese kittens primarily in California (i.e. The Bay Area, San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento areas). I have sold kittens in Canada, and can sell kittens internationally as well depending on the destination. I also sell my Siamese kittens and Balinese kittens throughout the United States (when selling a kitten out of state or to So. California, the kitten is usually shipped via the airlines as live cargo). My Siamese & Balinese Kittens are sold in the following states: California, Alaska, Hawaii (quarantine), Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, Washington D.C., Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine. I can also ship my Siamese & Balinese kittens into Puerto Rico.

Q26. Do you recommend any cat behavioral training books or material?

A26. Yes, the best training resource that I have found is an e-book called "Cat Behavior Secrets Revealed" by author Liz Barton. Click on the link below to read about it, and to order it. Please note, that I always have recommended this book as a training resource guide to my clients whenever there has been an issue that I could not help resolve myself. It is always better to educate yourself in being a careful and responsible cat owner before bringing a new kitten into a household.

Q27. Do you allow in-home visitations prior to choosing a kitten? If no, why not?

A27. This is a great question, and my short answer is, no. Firstly, let me point out that not all breeders operate the same way and so visiting policies can vary from breeder to breeder. I spay and neuter all of my kittens that are sold as pets, and in order for them to qualify for the early spaying and neutering surgery, they have to be in absolute perfect health, as well as meet certain criteria according to our vet’s requirements (i.e., they must be 2 pounds in weight, be at least 8 weeks old, and not ill or recovering from an illness). In my past experiences when visitors would touch, or interact with the kittens, the kittens would become stressed because they would be afraid, away from mom, in an unfamiliar setting, hungry (nursing), and this stress could at times trigger an upper respiratory infection. Additionally the queen (mom cat) would get nervous, move her kittens around (hide them), and be anxious because her kittens were taken out of their birthing box or because an unfamiliar person visited her birthing environment. The stress of having to medicate kittens, and then the possibility of other litters becoming infected (chain reaction) could drive anyone batty, plus their projected ‘release’ dates would now be pushed out further, as well as their surgery dates (for early spaying/neutering). The kittens go through enough stress as it is nursing in a large litter, or weaning and litter box training at 4 weeks old, then getting de-worming treatments, and shots, by 8 weeks old. So our policy is to NOT allow in home visitations for these reasons. So how does one get to choose a kitten, one might ask. Well the answer is simple, when kittens are 4 weeks old, they are photographed for the first time, and then they are identified (breed, color point, gender) and are then matched to my clients on the waiting list (starting from the top of the list, and then working our way down). If there are several kittens to pick from, then each individual photo collage is sent to a client so that they can pick their kitten out of the bunch via my photos. Once a kitten is selected by the client, we schedule the pick up time. We try to photograph our kittens every 2 weeks (when possible), and this way clients can see their kittens grow and change as well as keep the baby pictures as mementos for years to come. I also offer “SKYPE” (video conferencing) sessions for a few minutes once, if a client wants to see an available kitten in action before they decide to send a deposit to reserve the kitten. The kitten would have to be at least 6- 8 weeks old, and the SKYPE session would be incredibly brief so as to not stress the kitten or the mom for too long. This is a last resort scenario for me as my goal is to ensure that they are not overly stressed unnecessarily. In the end, I am only looking out for the kittens best interest.

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