很多人不明白繁育者(Breeder)的工作，以為只是買賣寵物的人，其實他們是要堅守一些道德守則……Some people don’t know what a genuine breeder exactly works on. They also don’t know breeders have to abide by some rules and ethics.
只做買賣就不是Breeder
是的，坊間確有很多做法簡單的人，就是重覆把不知那裡拿來的公、母貓混在一起，給母貓弄懷孕，生出來的幼貓就像貨物賣掉。這分分鐘比農業動物更糟糕，皆因就算是農業動物也得用上很多資金和科技，而且生產和下游銷售都會有政府衞生當局的衞生監管。所以，如用以上簡單的做法，一定衍生大量問題，而又沒法監管。當然這樣做是最快得到金錢的回報，一旦「出了事」，只要換個名再繼續，就如騙子一樣。市面上的確仍有很多這種人，但不要再說他們是Breeder，拜托譴責時都要對準目標?。
Breeders are not Traders
Breeders must not run the cattery as a simple grocery. They are not selling for profits, but for the best of animal welfare. What they are handling are lovely live pet animals. The kittens should be raised in an environment full of love and warmth. As a result, the new owner can bring a healthy and happy cat home. Traders only focus on the return and the economic benefit, they are not even monitored by the authorities. They go on cheating new owners and lead to many problems for society.
一些曾經的鐵律
筆者決定要去做一個Breeder時，大概是在2000年前，那時其實互聯網資訊也開始豐富，可以與世界不同的Breeders直接交流，亦有很多Breeder願意公開自己的心得，而一些血統貓的組織也會列明 一些Breeder的道德守則，亦有一些十分有用的建議。當時很多歐美的知名Breeders都不願意把用作繁育的種貓賣到亞洲地區，就是因為知道這邊有大量以上所講的商販。幸好後來本地有一班很積極的血統貓fanciers，當中也有已開展Breeder事業的，2000年首十年打造了一個又一個出色的本地貓展(Cat Shows)，吸引到外地的Breeders，讓更多不同品種的漂亮血統貓移居香港，讓香港的愛貓人有更多選擇。
Since about 2000, breeders in the world started to take advantage of the developing internet to communicate with each other without borders. It also facilitated the popup of many fresh breeders and we are just one of them. At the same time, more and more cat shows were held locally by enthusiastic breeders and cat fanciers. The experienced breeders and the shows taught us much about cat breeding and showing. Nevertheless, we were also taught the ethics and rules of being a genuine breeder.
CFA貓會的道德守則：
CFA Breeder Code of Ethics:
https://cfa.org/breeder-code-of-ethics/
GCCF貓會的道德守則：
General code of ethics for breeders and owners:
https://www.gccfcats.org/getting-a-cat/choosing/code-of-ethics/
除以上大家可以參考之外，當年筆者所收集到的Breeder鐵律有兩 ，如違反了就不稱職。
During the time we were commencing our breeding career, there had been two strict rules. People break any of them would be regarded as not eligible to be a breeder.
(1) 不可經營寵物店
當年香港的寵物店的聲譽真是差到不堪，而且多會售賣不同來源的犬貓和動物。作為Breeders理應只對所鍾愛的品種工作和鑽研，那來精力照顧這麼多動物，外國Breeders根本不敢相信你開店又能照顧好育種的貓，你亦不會把貓的福利做到最好。而且，凡涉買賣，很多時就會把商品與貓一起綑綁，實是商業所為，不乎道德。
(1) Never run a pet shop
In the past, like in many cities of Asia, the condition of pet shops in Hong Kong is far from satisfactory. Most breeders rejected offering their breeding cats to the breeders here as they worried that the lovely cats would be sent to pet shops. The poor cats would be treated inhumanely and even abused. There were many true stories.
(2) 不應做買賣中介(Agent)
同上一項相似，就是靠買賣動物來賺錢，又或做別個breeder的代理人，都稱不上breeder，以往不少壞例子是把貓轉售到別的寵物店，又或者有人轉手再盈利。有人爭議這沒問題，但舉目看實際情況，至現在，有那個做agent又是好breeder？賺到錢變富有的倒是不少，至於貓的福祉和血統就別有指望了，更莫說血統優化和傳承，不少連血統的基本標準要求都達不到。而Breeder是應對貓的新主人提供足夠的協助，而新的主人亦應向Breeder查詢貓的情況，如一向吃的食物、用的貓砂和行為習性，如果貓每每是這樣轉售，新主人根本無法聯絡到真正的breeder，又怎能把貓照顧好？是故外國根本不歡迎這種操作。
(2) Breeder should not work as an agent/ trader
A breeder is responsible to raise the kitten and take intensive care of the breeding cats as well. So, arranging a home for the kittens is not simply a job of an agent or a trader. Breeders have to assist the new owners to get along well with the kittens and give them useful advice timely. So, a breeder is never a person who just only sells a kitten for money.
量與質，或許商人們有自己一套「平衡」考慮，商業當然是想盈利，質變得次要，但Breeding絕對不可以這樣，必須以質素和貓的福祉先行，亦要考慮血統，為了更好才做，而不是亂來的。而無論是轉讓給新的主人抑或為貓找新的家，都必定會為貓向權威的血統貓織註冊，就算只作寵物也應該這樣做。也絕不可以把明知有疾病的貓轉讓給人，又或者作繁殖之用。再重複說，breeder有責任繼續接受新主人的查問，隨時提供合適的答案和援手，讓新主人可以更快把新貓照顧好。
找個好Breeder
廿年過去，懂貓的人更多了，或許有些東西已改變，但大家想得到一隻健康的血統寵物貓，始終應要找一個合乎道德標準而可靠的Breeder洽商，無論是本地或外地，也不妨參考以上的條件吧，助你判斷breeder是否稱職，無謂枉花金錢。
當然，如果你根本不對任何品種血統貓有偏好，去領養是最好的。
