Our take: Breeders looking for a Bengal.

[Silvercore Cats]

In today's world, with the economy like it is, and people losing their jobs, homes and life savings, it's no wonder some people have cut corners in other areas of their lives in order to survive.

Wet pet food prices have soared to such a height that now low quality wet pet food prices are reaching the prices that were once pretty standard for your higher quality pet foods.

Supplies are higher, gas prices are still high but have relaxed a bit (or a lot we should say), taxes on property have risen even as the property values have gone down. People that were struggling to feed their pets the highest quality pet food they could afford are now finding out they can't afford the huge price increases in those brands.

Many breeders have been hit hard too! Some have had to lower the price of their kittens, while trimming the costs for healthy treats, supplements, toys, medications and health screens.

Many pet buyers who really want a Bengal do not shop for their new kitten as a life long companion, but rather as an expense in the very near future and therefore shop for the cheapest (not the healthiest) one they can find. (we call this the "buy now, bond later" effect")

Breeders too are looking for a "cheap deal" in order to continue to add to their lines because they can't afford or are afraid to pay the two and three thousand dollars a kitten that they used to be able to risk for one in the past.

Also, what scares breeders is the rumors about other people's lines. Most of the "big name" and many of the small breeders have some sort of "bad" reputation by now, either deserved or not. Others are afraid to invest in new blood simply because they have been burned. Badly.

Not only are there money and trust issues among the cat fancy; we have VETERINARIANS advocating the breeding of cats (Main Coons to be specific) carrying HCM due to elimination of approximately one third of the bloodline if they did not.( http://www.cfa.org/articles/health/HCM-update.html) Is this alone terrible? We're not sure as we do not breed Main Coons nor do we have that saturation among the Bengals however; If it is bad, it is not as bad as breeders continuing to breed genetic carriers of this horrible disease without paying one iota of attention to the conditions for breeding HCM positive cats set forth by certain vets advocating their breeding. Its one thing to have an opinion of it and follow the protocol, and yet another to only remember that they said "it was ok" to breed. (If you're a breeder of Main Coons do not take offense, as the comment was directed to breeders who only remember the comment that it is ok to breed HCM cats!) Note: Cats can carry HCM and not actually HAVE the disease. Maine Coon Breeders have been working tirelessly to rid this defect from their lines

How does this relate to Bengal breeders? (Which is the point we were getting to) There are a few Bengal breeders who take this advice and breed Bengals with HCM because now they think it is "ok" because "a genetics vet" and "other breeders" told them it was ok.

Here at Silvercore Bengals, our cats are screened for HCM and are not bred if found to have any type of Cardiomyopathy. Period. End of story. We will not participate in breeding cats who are known to carry.

We would seriously love to produce a line not only free of HCM but other hereditary problems. This is why we guarantee against HCM and require genetic screening of any kittens leaving our home. Although a Bengal specific HCM gene has not been discovered, we hope that by submitting samples, it will help identify not only potential HCM genes in our lines in the future, but help identify other problems and issues surrounding the Bengal breed.

Breeders looking for a Bengal should demand more: No HCM, no diseases, no diarrhea, no horrid personalities, no parasites, no hereditary fertility issues that are not guaranteed! No one should expect a perfect show cat every time, but please, at least demand healthy ones and breed them too!