pettipas cattery

How do you pronounce your cattery name?

• Pettipas is pronounced "pitty paw," and translated from French, it means "small steps." It's an old family surname, and also the name of our first ever Devon Rex! We've recently come into new evidence that shows the first record of the name and the original translation, where the name literally meant "Petite" and "Fere," meaning "the little wild beast," which we also think is VERY fitting!

How much do you charge for a kitten?

• Pet kittens are $2,000.00 USD. A non-refundable deposit of $500.00 USD (via cash, check, money order, or Venmo) and a contract signing will be required to reserve your kitten. The balance of $1,500.00 USD is due at time of pick up/delivery (via cash, money order, or Venmo only.)

I'm interested in adopting two kittens at once, do you offer a discount for this?

• We love to send kittens home in pairs, as they are social creatures, and they will thrive with a play mate. For this reason, the total cost for two kittens will be discounted by $100.00 USD, and you will be given priority.

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Do you ship your cats?

• At this time, we do not ship pet kittens. If you are a breeder outside of New England and you are interested in working with us, please contact us to discuss.

 

Do you have a delivery service?

• Yes, we are happy to deliver kittens to their forever homes in and around New England. However, there is an additional fee for this service. Please inquire within for a quote!

Can you explain the different color terms? (i.e. seal point, tortoiseshell, blue smoke, etc.)

• We know, we were once in your shoes. It can be very confusing. For this reason, we've put together an entire page specifically to help you understand the different colors, patterns, and terms. Click here to read more!

Do you have a wait list?

• No, we do not have a wait list. After filling out our Adoption Questionnaire, you will be able to fill out a Kitten Application when made available. Priority is given to those who have previously adopted from Pettipas Cattery, as well as reputable breeders, and people interested in adopting two kittens at the same time. (Side note: If two of these things apply to you, then you will receive super-priority!)

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Do you have kittens available?

• The short answer to this is usually yes, but it's much more complicated than that. We prefer to match our kittens with the perfect home, and we are picky! While we may have kittens available, that doesn't necessarily mean they will be matched with you. We take pride in putting our kittens and cats and their requirements for their home above all.
   

I'm interested in breeding and starting my own cattery. Will you mentor me?

• We get this a lot. We just don't have the time the take on helping another cattery build itself. This is NOT an easy job or an easy way to make money, and we kindly ask that you deeply reconsider (and reconsider, and reconsider again) starting your own breeding program. Please feel free to contact us regarding this and we will give you some details that should make you stand back and reassess. Our general rule of thumb: if you don't already know what feline neonatal isoerythrolysis is and how to avoid it, you absolutely should NOT be breeding or considering trying to start a breeding program. There are lots of medical issues that you should be prepared for and be able to prevent by the process of intricate selection of your breeding cats. Please do your research. And then do more research. And then check your research again. And again. Our best suggestion to you is to start by adopting a show quality kitten, try out going to shows, start networking and learning more about the breed and common and uncommon ailments, and then and only then, should you consider breeding.

Can we visit your cattery?

• We are a closed cattery and do not allow home visits. This is in order to protect the health of our kittens before they are vaccinated. The less outside bacteria means the chance of sickness is as minimal as possible for our cattery. This is to ensure our young kittens health, which is our number one priority. The exception to this is for the people who have already paid a deposit and signed a contract for their kitten. Around 10 weeks old, you will be able to come and meet your new baby for the first time on a scheduled kitten visit day!

We have allergies, and are hoping Devons don't bother them. Can we visit to test it out?

• As previously stated, we are a closed cattery, and we don't allow allergy testing at this time.

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Are Devon Rexes hypoallergenic?

• Yes, but what this means is "reduced allergens," not "allergen free." While some people (myself included) who have mild cat allergies do very well with Devons, some other people do not.

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When can I take my kitten home?

• Kittens are ready to go to their new home a few days after 16 weeks old. They will be spayed/neutered, de-wormed, microchipped with a prepaid lifetime registration, and up to date on all age appropriate core vaccines, including rabies.
   

I'm afraid my new kitten won't get along with my resident cat, what's the best way to introduce them?

• Introducing new cats to resident cats is a slow and gentle process, and needs to be done with patience. Generally it takes about a week or so until the new kitten has free roam! The new kitten should be kept in a closable room, complete with food, water, and litter box for the first few days. Your resident cat will be interested, and will probably hang around the outside of the door, as I'm sure the new kitten will be too! After a day or so, bring a blanket that smells like the resident cat to new kitten, and vice versa. Some people will take a small hand towel and pet their cat with it, like they would after a bath. Both cats will become disinterested in the blanket fairly fast, but leave it so they may return to it later if they feel the need. From there, let the resident cat in to the new kittens room for a short supervised visit. Chances are they'll be more interested in exploring the room than interacting with the new kitten, since now the room he/she once knew to smell like him/her, has a new smell. They may sit and watch the new kitten from afar for a while, too. Once the two cats interact, there may be some hissing and growling, and their tails may "poof" up, but this is entirely normal. If you see this, try to distract whoever is doing the action. Try petting them, or tossing a toy in front of them. A startling noise like a clap works, too. Do this visit a few more times, and extend the length. It can be done as often as you feel is appropriate. After a few visits, let them be together in the same room, stay in the room, but ignore them. Watch TV, or read a book - something normal to you. This gives both cats the opportunity to experience how their "new normal" will be. Then, switch it up. Let the new kitten out of their room, and follow them around. Keep the environment as calm as possible. The same thing will likely happen here - the new kitten will be more interested in exploring than interacting with the resident cat. Keep the first adventure outside of the room short, as to not overwhelm the kitten. Extend from there, and pretty soon, the new kitten will be out all day! Make sure to show the new kitten where the permanent litter box, food, and water is kept, while still keeping the litter box, food, and water in their room accessible. I'd recommend on the first few days of having full free run of the house to put them back in their room at night, or if you leave the house. After that you should be good to go! It can vary, and your new kitten may be integrated with your household a little earlier, or a little later, but generally it's about a week. It's important to feel it out, take your time, and use your best judgement!

Do they shed?

• Contrary to popular belief, Devon Rexes can shed. It's very minimal, but they do have fur, thus, there is some shedding! Don't be surprised when they crawl off your lap and you realize your dark shirt has a new "salt and pepper" look! Regular bathing will reduce any shedding.

 

What is required for grooming?

• Devons require regular baths, as they can get a bit of oil build up. We recommend a bath once every 2-3 weeks. We use TropiClean Hypo-Allergenic Shampoo. Their ears require some maintenance as well. They can get waxy very quickly, and it can be uncomfortable for them! Use q-tips or wipe them out with a tissue, either does just fine. DO NOT insert q-tips into their ear canal. Regular nail trimming is necessary as well.

Who does the photos on your website?

• We do them ourselves! Corinne is a formally educated professional wedding and portrait photographer.

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What food do you use?

• Our cats love Royal Canin and we love that they love it! It's high quality food that can be tailored to each cat and their individual needs. A cats needs are continuously changing, based on their age, diet, lifestyle, and sensitivities, and Royal Canin helps aid in considering each of these factors. Our kittens and pregnant/nursing mamas are fed Royal Canin Mother & Babycat, and we recommend Royal Canin Kitten for when they go home. We're firm believers that the secret to a long life is better food. Bonus points: their poop is way less stinky when they eat better food!

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Do you feed them wet, dry, or both?

• Truthfully, we don't feed them wet food that often. Kittens start out on wet food and re-hydrated dry kibble, but once they are eating dry kibble without any issues, they really only get wet food if it's of medical necessity, or if they need a little extra boost of calories or water. Same thing for our adults - only if it's of medical necessity, or for extra calories or water. What do we mean by medical necessity? Well, some routine medicines (i.e. dewormer) come in a powder form, and it's easier to mix it in with some wet food to disguise it. Sometimes after regular vaccines, cats and kittens can become a little feverish, so we like to offer them wet food as a treat to ensure that they're still eating even if they're not feeling the best. We're also big fans of "Fear Free" vet practices, so we give our kittens wet food while they receive their vaccines - they hardly even notice the pinch of the needle!
   

What litter do you use?

• The litter we use is Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat Ultra. It's hypo-allergenic, all natural, unscented, and 99.9% dust free! We prefer the "clumping" style litter to everything else that we've tried. Cats originated from places with deserts, and had to use the sand to do their business, so biologically, I think there's a bit of a natural instinct for them to prefer a softer litter, like a clumping or sand style. Dr. Elsey's really fit the mold for everything we believe in. The low dust is also great for their lungs, and ours! For kittens in litter-training, we use Yesterday's News, and eventually transition the to Dr. Elsey's. Kittens learn and explore the world around them much like human babies - by putting everything in their mouths. Clumping clay litter can be dangerous if a kitten ingests it, so we like Yesterday's News because it's okay if they chomp on the pellets!

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What household cleaners do you use?

• Well, the sad truth of it all, is that most cleaners that say "pet-safe" also say "keep away from pets." How that makes any sense - I'll never understand! So, I've done extensive research on products and have only found 3 truly pet safe household cleaners: Method, Mrs. Meyers Clean Day, and Seventh Generation. Now, that doesn't mean there aren't other cleaning products out there that are pet safe, but these 3 are the most cost effective and common brands. We personally use Method for everything from cleaning the floors, to the countertops, to even the mirrors and windows! We also love bio-enzymatic or enzyme cleaners, which are still pet safe! Enzyme cleaners use non-pathogenic, "good" bacteria to digest waste, soils, stains and odors. The bacteria does this by producing enzymes specifically designed to break down certain molecules (wastes/soils) into smaller pieces. These smaller pieces literally get eaten by the bacteria. (Yay, science!) We LOVE Rocco & Roxie Supply Co. for cleaning litter boxes, accidents, or really anything stinky that lingers. We also love Pure Ayre! It's an FDA approved, food grade, enzyme cleaner that you can even spray directly on your cats - that's how safe it is. We use it as an air freshener, on carpets, bedding, the floor, toys, pretty much everywhere! Enzyme cleaners can be a little more expensive than regular cleaners, but at the end of the day, what is more cost effective: buying better cleaning products to protect you and your cats health, or cheap toxic cleaners and having hefty vet bills? You decide. That $20.00 cleaner doesn't seem so expensive when that $3.00 cleaner cost you $1,200.00 in vet bills, now does it?