Know the breed.
Ask better questions.
This page is meant to be useful even if you never purchase a kitten from Dusty Pawz. Good homes deserve clear, veterinary-minded information.
Look past the sales pitch.
Showing, registration and beautiful photographs are useful information, but none of them independently prove a breeder is responsible. Ask what the breeder actually does.
- What genetic and infectious-disease screening is performed?
- Can they explain the results—not just say “health tested”?
- How are breeding cats chosen and what faults are they trying to improve?
- Where are kittens born and raised?
- How are kittens socialized and prepared for grooming?
- At what age do kittens leave, and what veterinary care happens first?
- What happens if an owner can no longer keep the cat?
- Will the breeder still answer the phone years later?
We prefer veterinary care, documented testing and scientific evidence over “this is how we have always done it.” A responsible breeder should be willing to keep learning.
Beautiful coat. Real maintenance.
Himalayan Persians are generally laid-back, affectionate cats, but their coat and face require regular care. A family does not need to arrive already knowing everything—we care much more about willingness to learn and actually follow through.
- Regular combing to prevent mats
- Face and eye-area cleaning as needed
- Routine nail and dental care
- Bathing and coat maintenance based on the individual cat
- Veterinary care with a clinic comfortable evaluating brachycephalic cats
The goal is not to deny risk.
It is to breed more responsibly.
Persians and Himalayans are brachycephalic breeds. Published veterinary research has documented associations between more extreme facial conformation, stenotic nares and airway, ocular and dental problems.
What we look for
We select for visibly open nares and comfortable breathing and consider the cat as a whole. We do not believe “flat faced” should be used as an excuse for obvious respiratory compromise.
Research in Persian and Exotic Shorthair cats has reported a high prevalence of stenotic nares in some show populations, and CT-based work has linked increasing brachycephaly with reduced airway passages and dental malalignment. Those findings are exactly why breeders should pay attention to function rather than dismiss the issue.
Useful veterinary reading
Indoor-only, with safe exceptions.
Our kittens are placed as indoor cats. A secure catio or similarly controlled outdoor enclosure is welcome; unrestricted roaming is not.
Never.
Declawing is prohibited for Dusty Pawz cats. Nail trims, appropriate scratching surfaces and behavioural support are the tools we expect families to use instead.
Practical nutrition, not internet mythology.
Kittens go home on the food they are already eating so their transition is as boring as possible for their digestive system. We provide the current feeding information directly to each family and recommend discussing long-term nutrition with their veterinarian.
Willingness to learn.
You do not need to know everything before you apply. We would much rather place a kitten with someone who asks questions, learns and adapts than someone who believes they already know everything and cannot be taught.