breeding my himmi

Question
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Followup To
Yes, I had a mentor who has had a highly regarded cattery for over 18 years....long story, but she turned out to be a little too crazy to keep talking to.
But I have spent 3 years trying to get it all 'right' in erms of educating myself.  My girl isn't that vocal when she comes into heat, but she acts a particular way that isn't happening now.... I just don't get this peeing everywhere.  I found another place today...it's just awful!  She's a great mom. tho!  Unfortunately, I'm just having to keep her in the nursery, cat room....a new room that is solid windows into a wooded back yard...it's really nice, but I envisioned my girls 'hanging' for the most part with me.
Thanks for your help.
shannon
Answer -
First, are you working with a mentor? No one should start out breeding on their own -- especially with Himmies or any other Persian breeds. There's just too much hand-holding needed.

Secondly, silent heats are possible but if your girl was vocal in previous heats, it is unlikely she is cycling now.  There is a link between the amount of daylight and the frequency of females' cycling. I have found that this time of year is generally a pretty slow time for getting girls bred. Just about everyone I know (including me) is waiting for at least one female to decide to cycle.  I'd be very surprised if she waited till spring, though. Possibly around Christmas. For years, every female in my house would cycle at Christas and it got to be a running gag about the "Christmas carolers."

Hope that helps

iris

Answer
I'm sorry you had a bad experience with one mentor but still encourage you to look for another or try to join a local cat club to network with other people in your area.

Unfortunately, some females "mark" as males do, whether or not they are in heat. When this happens, it is always a good idea to rule out any sort of urinary tract infection, as these can also produce inappropriate behavior. So you should probably have your vet check her out just to be safe. If he/she can't find anything, you may also want to try Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract Litter, which is carried at most Petsmarts (not Petcos). Call first to see if your local store has it in stock and if not, you can order it from the petsmart web site.
This litter is designed to help solve inappropriate urination problems and I have seen it work wonders. There are detailed instructions in the package that you should follow.

Hope this helps

iris