You might be considering owning and keeping a stud cat, which can involve a big investment in time and money. We discuss the key stages in the breeding journey with some of our breeder community and share their takeaways.
Yourself or a fellow breeder might be thinking about taking the plunge to invest in a stud cat. First, it’s worthwhile taking the time to consider how busy he will be, whether you can give him the right home and the necessary time needed to look after him, and what your long-term plan is as a breeder.
We spoke to experienced Petplan breeder partner Kristina Macaulay of Belle Ayr Cats in the west of Scotland, who breeds multiple litters of Maine Coon and British Shorthair and Longhair kittens each year, using around 25 stud cats on rotation. She explains what getting your first stud cat involves and the advice she’d give to other breeders thinking of investing.
At what point should you consider getting a stud cat?
Using a stud at a cattery can be stressful on the girl. You have to take them out of their home, and the stress of being in a new place with a boy they don’t know can cause them to eventually reabsorb their kittens or deliver early. If you’re breeding that way, you must also have your queen fully health screened for every mating – so, provided you have the time and space to give him what he needs, the investment in a good stud cat is worth it.
What health screening should he have before purchase?
You need to check if he is genetically tested for hereditary diseases. He must have had blood snap tests for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukaemia virus (FeLV), plus an echo scan of the heart, kidney, liver and abdomen. You must also rule out viruses such as FCoV coronavirus, herpes and feline calicivirus, as well as sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia. Then (it sounds so simple), but check he has two testicles!
What are the practical considerations when acquiring a stud cat?
When you first get your stud cat you must be able to put him in isolation until all health screening is complete. After that, you must have the space to keep him happy and healthy – which means his own quarters with a decent-sized outdoor space with cat trees or a window out of which he can watch the world go by. It’s preferable to keep any cat with a friend and I tend to introduce a neutered female or male of about six months, as they love to play. If you can’t keep your stud cat with a second cat, you must give him an hour or two of your time every day, interacting with him. You must also be prepared to feed him a high-quality food from a reputable brand, designed to meet his needs.
How busy does he like to be?
The recommended ratio should be one stud cat to four or five queens – he won’t be comfortable with just one girl. The general health and wellbeing advice from the Petplan Breeder Scheme is that a queen should have three litters in two years – and a stud cat can father 300 kittens in one year.
How long is a stud cat’s working life?
Their useful working life can be eight or nine years, but if you’re keeping a cat for that long you must consider your breeding lines, which should keep moving forward in a breeding programme. I keep my stud cats for one or two years, so they have a bit of experience but don’t get too dominant, so that when they are castrated they can be integrated into the home and then, if need be, rehomed afterwards.
Is it easy to rehome a stud cat?
Every cat is individual and it’s certainly not a given. I wait for six months after they have been castrated for the testosterone to reduce from his system. After that I bring him into my home with my girls and see if he starts to mount them or spray. Sometimes they need more time, sometimes they never settle in a home and either stay with us or go on to be a farm cat or similar, living an outside life.