Expert: Marcia Owen - 12/1/2007

Question
I have been doing research on breeding/showing Persians. I am starting a small breeding program. I will have 1 male and three females. None of the three females are related to the male. Obviously I have learned that you should separate the male. However, being the 'harmonius style' cat lover that i am, I don't want to do that. Is there a way around this?

Answer
Dear Lisa

Its not easy having a male in doors and free to mingle with the girls but you can get such things as 'stud pants' which is based on a nappy idea which he could wear but of course you would need to be sure that he can pee in the litter tray if he is wearing them all the time.  Ideally these are used for limited periods of time to give the stud interaction with the girls but is then returned to his own quarters.  

You could also consider perhaps having a separate room in your house with a wire door attached so that he can see what is going on and still feel part of the household.  

In the UK though we do tend to have separate outside accommodation for our stud boys as they do also tend to spray and it would make the house smell.

Marcia.