The Tonkinese Breed Club and Tonkinese Cat Club both maintain lists of genuine and trusted breeders.
Tonkinese Breed Club: tonkinese.info
Tonkinese Cat Club: tonkinesecatclub.co.uk
If you have come here for information about Tonkinese because you have seen an advert and you're not sure it is genuine, please visit this independent information page: tonkinese.org.uk
I only check emails once a day during the week, and not at all (if I can help it) at weekends. If you haven’t heard from me within 3 days please either try again (in case I replied but your email address bounced) or give me a call. See the contact page for details. If you would like to meet my cats (and me) I am happy for visitors to come and see us whether or not I have kittens available. You are also welcome to meet my stud boys and see where they live.
I work at the computer all day, so the computer for me is work, not play: this means that I avoid the horrible machine as much as possible when I'm not working (and I work full time). All the housework, gardening, shopping, and other usual business of running a house (paying bills, organising mortgage transfer, getting car serviced etc.) has to be done by me. I'm also involved in things outside the house like being an organist and other stuff, and it is decades since I even had time to sit down in front of the television. Any spare moment is spent enjoying my cats, and making sure my kittens are well loved and properly handled so that they're friendly and well-adjusted. I hope you'll understand that this leaves very little time for updating my website or downloading pictures from a camera and emailing them out. I do what I can with my website, but ultimately it's the real world where I (and the cats) live, and that's where my attention is mostly concentrated. I am happy to send pictures of kittens using WhatsApp.
You may have heard of coronavirus in cats: this has been around for over 40 years and is a completely different virus from Covid. It does not affect humans at all and in cats causes mild diarrhoea for about 12-24 hours. You can web-search for more information under Feline Coronavirus or FCoV. Please note FCoV is NOT FIP — FIP is a reaction to FCoV suffered by a very small minority of cats. There is a fair bit of misinformation about FCoV, so if you would like more up-to-date detail please contact the Oxford Cat Clinic, who are more clued up about it than most vets.
If you want to know more about breeders and about buying kittens, please read the Extracts from the GCCF GENERAL CODE OF ETHICS FOR BREEDERS AND OWNERS (extract below) or guidance for healthy breeding, and their code of ethics for members of the BREEDER SCHEME. Rameses is a GCCF registered prefix. I have enormous respect for the GCCF and its work in promoting responsible breeding, which is why I register my kittens with them and follow their rules and guidelines, which are set out to protect cats and kittens from kitten farming and exploitation. I aim to exceed the standards set out in the code of ethics at all times. But remember, I could just be saying that! Websites cannot be trusted, only the evidence of your own eyes and experience. If someone tells you that they are a 'quality' or 'top' breeder, then they're probably not. I am not going to tell you anything like that, I prefer to let my cats speak for themselves.
Kittens are born and grow up entirely in my home. Their mothers also live in the house with me all the year round and have access to a large cat-proofed garden with enclosed runs. Some breeders have the adult girls outside in runs until they kitten, then they come indoors. This is not the case here. My cats are my pets first and foremost, and they are part of my life and sleep on the bed. The kittens and mothers are never put outside in pens, although if the weather is good I give older kittens access through a window or cat flap to an outdoor run at the side of the house. The adults have access to my garden which is secured against escape, where they can move and behave naturally in a large open-air space. Kittens are available to go to their new homes from 13 weeks of age; they are vaccinated against 'cat flu' and feline enteritis, registered with the GCCF, microchipped, insured free for their first few weeks in their new home and come with a large goody-bag. Because my queens are insured under a breeding policy, all kittens are fully covered without any exclusions of any sort.
My kittens are reared as naturally as possible: they are fed on high quality foods that are free from artificial colouring, preservative, flavour enhancers and other unnecessary chemicals. This includes raw feeding. A good natural diet is the best way to avoid many health problems in older cats.
Rameses kittens are only sold as pets, and on the STRICT understanding that they are neutered by 6 months of age. However I will always support and encourage approaches from owners who genuinely wish to become breeders with proper mentoring and support, but you must consider all the ramifications of that decision before any Tonkinese breeder will let you have a kitten on the active register. If you would be interested in breeding please ask me about attending a 'breeder day' where you will be given all the information you need and have the chance to ask questions. All first-time breeders must be mentored either by myself or by another experienced and reputable breeder.
EXPORT
I do NOT export to the USA because of declawing and the length of the journey for a young cat.
I sometimes export kittens to Europe (only), but they may not travel unaccompanied or in a cargo hold. New owners must ensure that the airline they propose to use will allow the kittens to travel in the passenger cabin with them (or with the me if I am bringing them to their new home). Usually, I prefer to wait until the kittens are at least 15 weeks old before subjecting them to a lengthy journey like this, but countries that require rabies vaccination need a longer wait because of the age at which the vaccination and booster can be given. Travel costs must be covered by the buyer. There are incidental costs in addition to the usual sale price which cover items such as: GCCF certified pedigree and transfer of ownership; an approved carrying container; additional vaccinations; the fee for a veterinary health certificate required by the Ministry of Agriculture. Kittens exported to some EC countries do not require Rabies vaccinations if they are under 6 months of age, but this rule seems to vary quite frequently. It is up to the buyer to check all the import regulations and cost implications before approaching a UK breeder for a kitten.
EXTRACT FROM THE GCCF GENERAL CODE OF ETHICS FOR BREEDERS AND OWNERS
Registered owners of all GCCF registered cats/kittens accept the jurisdiction of the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy and undertake to abide by this general code of ethics.
- Cats that are bought as pets, not for breeding, should be neutered or spayed at the age recommended by your veterinary surgeon. If cats are registered on the Non-Active register, this means that under no circumstances should the cats be bred from; no progeny from these cats will be registered by the GCCF.
- Breeders agree only to sell cats where there is a reasonable expectation of a happy and healthy life. An offer should be made at the time of sale to help with the rehoming if at any time circumstances require the cat to be found a new home.
- Owners should not sell any cat to commercial cat wholesalers, retail pet dealers or directly or indirectly allow cats to be given as a prize or donation in a competition of any kind.
- Breeders must not knowingly misrepresent the characteristics of the breed nor falsely advertise cats nor mislead any person regarding the health or quality of the cat and must draw the attention of purchasers to the implications of the Non-Active register when selling pet kittens
- Breeders selling a kitten on the Active register should offer advice and support to the new owners. Owners should not breed cats in a way that is deleterious to the health of the cat or the breed.
- Breeders/owners must ensure that all relevant Governing Council of the Cat Fancy documents are provided to the new owner when selling or transferring a cat in accordance with Rule 10, including a copy of this code.
- When a cat or kitten is advertised or sold as a pedigree cat or kitten the breeder shall, at the time of sale, provide the purchaser with a properly completed pedigree signed by the breeder, carrying 3 generations at least, showing all the the breed numbers and registration numbers, also the breeder's name and address.
- If, at the time of sale, the cat or kitten is registered, the seller shall provide the purchaser with a transfer form, duly completed and signed by the seller, unless it is jointly agreed in writing by both parties at the time of sale not to do so.