Should You Use a Preservation Breeder for Your Next Cat?

Last Updated on January 13, 2026 by Holly Anne Dustin

Did you know there are many different breeds of cats? I recently had a conversation with someone that didn’t know that. Pedigreed, purebred cats in total make up 2-4% of the domestic feline population. Without preservation breeders that number will shrink and our breeds will be lost.

The International Cat Association (TICA) currently recognizes 71 different breeds. The Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) recognizes 45.  Unlike dogs, where the different breeds were designed for different “jobs”, the cat’s job has always been pest control. Today though, most dogs and cats are not working animals but our loyal companions, friends, and pets. The breeds primarily differ in looks and personality.

Without breeders preserving the special traits of the different breeds we would just have “dogs” and “cats”. There would be no more Persians or Siamese or Egyptian Maus.  The goal of a preservation breeder is not only to preserve cat breeds for future generations but also to identify breeds that could be lost.

What is Preservation Breeding?

Preservation breeding is “preserving something that has a history and a purpose.” Preservation breeders want to preserve the special traits of the different breeds of cats with healthy, happy kittens that represent the best of their breeds.

You could make the argument that all pedigreed cats are minority breeds since pedigree cats are a mere 2-4% of the cat population. But many breeds have a very small number of breeders. The Korat, the American Wirehair, the Chartreaux, and others face extinction as the number of breeders diminishes.

Even popular breeds have challenges. The Maine Coon breed almost disappeared by indiscriminate breeding with domestic longhairs. The Maine Coon Breeders and Fanciers Association was founded in 1968 to protect and develop the breed.

The national treasure of Norway, the Norwegian Forest Cat, is another natural breed that faced extinction by dilution with random bred longhaired cats. The breed was almost lost until the Norwegian Forest Cat Society saved them after World War 2.

Why Choose a Preservation Breeder

If your heart longs for a particular breed, you’ll want to work with a preservation breeder to get the best cat for you. Preservation breeders are breeding for the protection, future, and safety of these cats and not for the potential money made off the cat. They have made a commitment to ethical and responsible breeding for quality, health, and temperament of their cats.

Money is not the motive of a preservation breeder. Only the most successful, award-winning breeders make a living from breeding. For most it is a special hobby, and a very expensive one at that. The cost of just one litter can be many hundreds of dollars.

Preservation breeders are constantly learning about their breed. They do testing to be sure their breeding cats are healthy and free from any genetic health issues common to the breed.

Breeders looking to preserve their breed don’t just pair cats randomly. They plan their litters and work with others weaving together pedigrees to produce the very best of the breed with the traits they desire.

Acquiring a cat from a preservation breeder virtually guarantees the cat a home for life. If the new owner is unable to keep their kitty for any reason the breeder will take the cat back.

How to Choose a Good Preservation Breeder

Start your search by looking for a breeder with a licensed cattery. A cattery should at minimum be a member of CFA and/or TICA and have cats with titles and experience in their lines.

Ideally,  you want a cat from a cattery that is not just registered, but participating in the CFA Approved Cattery Environment Program or TICA’s cattery inspection program. TICA lists an Outstanding Cattery designation for catteries that pass their veterinary inspection program. CFA offers a CFA Approved Cattery and a CFA Cattery of Excellence award for those that participate in their inspection program.

Show Results

Registering with the associations isn’t enough of a guarantee. Look for someone with show experience. Showing their cats shows the results of the breeder’s commitment to improving and preserving the breed.  Go to shows and see how their cats stack up. If you plan to show your new cat, you want someone who breeds show quality cats, not just breeding pets, and definitely not selling breeding rights on pet quality cats.

Ask about titles. A CFA cattery earns a tiered Cattery of Distinction title based on how many cats they have produced that earn their Grand Champion/Grand Premier title. Cats with Distinguished Merit titles are a sign of a great quality breeding program. If your kitten’s parents are Distinguished Merit winners, there’s a good chance your kitten will show well.

There are some situations where titles and showing experience won’t apply. If you are looking to work with a breeder that is preserving an alternate standard, such as the dollface style Persian or the Applehead Siamese, you can’t go by show ring results. You’ll have to rely on your own knowledge  and assessment of the kitten you are interested in.

Ask Questions

Ask your prospective breeder how he or she works to improve upon the breed. How many breeding cats do they have? How many litters has the queen had? Have they repeated the pairing many times? How many kittens do they have?  Lots of ages, breeds, and litters is not what you are looking for. Normally a breeder will only work with one, or possible two breeds.

Ideally, you would want to see the premises and meet the parents. At least the mother, as dad may live at another cattery. Not everyone is comfortable with that because they breed in their home. I wouldn’t rule out a breeder just because I couldn’t see the house, especially if they had a Cattery of Excellence or Outstanding Cattery designation.

You should get copies of health screenings for any genetic diseases the breed is prone too. A current health certificate, all vet records, and registration paperwork.

What to Expect When Purchasing a Kitten

You won’t be the only one asking questions. Expect to be interviewed and answer a lot of questions about you, your home and family, and your experience with cats. Expect it to be in depth, like your last job interview. It is important that the breeder is sure you are the right person for one of their cats. They are giving you one of their precious babies, not selling you a used car.

You probably will co-own a quality cat. The breeder will reclaim the cat if you should not be able to keep it or if something happens to you and the cat ends up in a shelter.

You will sign a contract. Likely you will not have breeding rights. You might have to prove that you got the kitten spayed or neutered at the breeder’s recommended age. You will not be able to declaw (of course) or likely let your cat roam outdoors.

The breeder might want you to show your cat, or allow the breeder to show him, until he earns his Grand Champion title.

Adopt don’t shop? Adopt or shop responsibly?

Acquiring a pet, dog or cat, from a breeder is not a popular choice these days.  There is an impression that breeders are pumping out tons of kittens that end up in shelters.

Adopt-a-pet.com posts the thoroughly incorrect and inflammatory statement “Purebred cat breeders are people who breed cats as a hobby or to make money, but don’t make a commitment to the cat for life if they cannot find them a home.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Preservation breeders do commit to their cats for life. Adopters must return the cats if for any reason they can not keep them.

As we have seen, less than 5% of cats are acquired from a breeder. That includes all kinds of breeders from the award winning preservation breeder to hobby breeder to backyard breeder to kitten mill. Backyard breeders and kitten farms or kitten mills are not the problem in the cat world that they are in the dog world, although they are out there and should be shut down.

There is no denying that cat overpopulation is a very serious problem. But it isn’t because there are lots of purebred kittens being abandoned and surrendered to shelters by breeders. The problem is the pet owner who lets their domestic cats roam freely without getting them spayed or neutered. Or who choose to let their “pretty” mixed breed cats breed to sell them. The people with the constant “free kittens” sign at the end of the driveway because they think it is unnatural to neuter their pets.

The statement that purchasing a pedigree kitten condemns a kitten in a shelter to death is a fallacy. People who are looking for a specific breed of kitten aren’t going to adopt a domestic kitten from a rescue. They’ll just not get a cat at all. They are looking for a particular cat, not just any cat.

How Preservation Breeders Promote the Welfare of All Cats

We’ve shown how breeders do not contribute to the population problem. In fact, both of the major fancier’s associations promote and support the welfare of all cats.

Breeder Assistance and Rescue Support

The breeder assistance programs help breeders that are facing personal difficulties or natural disasters to keep or place their cats without putting them in shelters. The breed councils will help get a purebred cat that ends up in the shelter system back out to his own breeder or to an appropriate home.

Clubs encourage rescue groups to vend and (space rules permitting) have an adoption event alongside the show. They can even enter their cats in the household pet class to get them more exposure. Many cats are adopted at the big shows. Many shows also give a dollar off the admission fee for visitors that bring a food donation for the rescue group they sponsor.

CFA’s Companion Cat World program donates a percentage of the membership fees to rescue groups.

Education on Cat Welfare

Both major Associations have education programs on cat health and welfare from education rings at big shows to publications and symposiums attached to shows. Both publish materials promoting responsible pet ownership including spay neuter awareness and support for TNR.

Youth exhibitor programs provide a chance for children to learn about their cats and their care as well as cat shows.

Legislative Monitoring

The CFA legislative council monitors local and national laws that unfairly target all responsible pet owners in addition to breeders of pedigree cats.

Promote Health Care

Breeders and the cat fancy promote proper health care for all cats. Both support the Winn Foundation’s work. Studies on kidney and heart disease among others will benefit all cats, not just breeder cats.

Therapy Cats

TICA has a program dedicated to Therapy Cats. You can even earn titles for therapy cat work.

Pedigree vs. Rescue

If you aren’t feeling a pull to a particular breed, by all means please rescue your next new kitten. The love of my life is a big “forest cat style” cat, and my lovely rescue Persian, Plush, is no less precious to me for not having all the paperwork (or the right style face.) We’ve had a great time on the show circuit in the Household Pet Classes.

If you aren’t planning on showing, or if HHP is enough competition for you, you could get lucky and find a purebred cat in rescue. I even know one top National Winner breed cat who was rescued.

But if you really want a purebred cat, there should be no judgment. Find a great preservation breeder to work with to get your perfect kitten. And enjoy your life together. Share pictures.