FAQs

A non- refundable deposit of $500 is required to hold a kitten. Once a deposit has been placed, the kitten chosen is removed from the available list and reserved just for you. Anyone who inquires about the kitten will be informed that he/she has been spoken for.

We accept deposits by email transfer, cash in person, prepaid/certified cheque, money order, and occasionally we accept Paypal to sylver_kat@hotmail.com

We do not accept personal cheques.

Deposits to hold kittens are nonrefundable. This is because a held kitten is compromised from finding other possible homes at its most desirable age. It also helps ensure that buyers truly thought it over, want the kitten, and are willing to follow through with their commitment. There are no exceptions. Because we are dealing with live animals, cancel of sale on part of the buyer is considered a forfeit of deposit. If the kitten you had initially chosen is no longer fit to go home with you, or for any reason the Breeder is unable to place the agreed upon cat/kitten with the Purchaser, the deposit will be refunded in full, or you can choose to use the deposit towards a kitten from a future litter or another kitten that is currently available. Choice of a kitten from a litter is given in the order we receive the deposits. Full payment can be made on pickup, or one week prior to the shipping date.

Please Note: Before making a deposit, that at the time of adoption, we also ask new owners to sign an agreement/contract that they promise take care of the cat/kitten to the best of their ability, that the cat/kitten will be indoors, and that they will never declaw their kitty, and will have kittens altered before 8 months of age. Registrations will not be released until we have received proof of the spay or neuter surgery.

Each kittens’ adoption fee is set individually.  The adoption fees of American Bobtail kittens homed as “Pet” are based on the quality of each kitten, and his/her conformation to the breed standard/desirability.  This generally ranges from 1,250 for a long-tailed non-showable kitten, up to 1,500 for a pet kitten at show quality unless otherwise stated.  In some cases, it may take a few weeks before the adoption fee is determined, as we can get a better idea of the kittens’ development as they grow in the first few weeks.  In some cases we get an idea as soon as they are born.  The adoption fees of our Siberian kittens start at 2,000 and up to 2,500 unless otherwise stated.

So it all depends on what you are looking for, and which kitten you choose!

Each kitten comes with a 3-year health guarantee against life-threatening genetic and congenital diseases, including HCM and PKD, a 6-week free-trial of pet insurance for Canadian citizens which covers up to $500 for injuries and illness, a minimum of 1 core vaccine, deworming, flea preventative, vet checks and health certificate/vet records, nail trim and grooming before leaving, and kitten starter kit, which includes several toys, a blanket, small bag of the kitten kibble they have been weaned onto, canned kitten food, coupons, care book, treats, cat nip, and a kitten instruction/care informational email, as well as life-long support.

Yes.  We offer a $100 discount off the adoption fee of a second kitten/sibling from the same litter.  We love to see our kittens grow up in the same home together!

We do often enjoy getting some extra time to spend with our kittens, and this is generally not a problem if we must hold on to your kitten longer for you.  However, please note, that full payment of your kittens adoption fee Must be received by 12 weeks of age, unless other specific arrangements have been made and agreed upon.

There is no fee to hold on to your kitten for the first two weeks after notification that your kitten is ready to come home, to give you time to make arrangements for pick-up… however, after two weeks, depending on when your kitten was ready to come home, we do ask a weekly boarding fee of $50 to care for him/her during this time, until you are ready to bring him/her home.  This fee covers costs of food, litter, maintenance, and any additional vaccinations if needed. For more information about boarding and holding kittens longer, please see our “policies” page.

Due to past experiences, and to ensure permanent homes of our kittens, failure  to communicate, and failure to pay for your kitten in full by 12 weeks of age, forfeits your deposit and renders him/her re-available for adoption. No exceptions.

Our kittens will be ready to go home around 10 to 12 weeks of age.  Every kittens develops at his/her own pace, so this depends entirely on each kitten and how well he/she is developing. Your kitten must be fully weaned, using the litter box, and showing good signs of growth, socialization, and independence. Every kitten must received a minimum of the first vaccine, and I must feel confident in your kittens’ ability to leave our care, and his/her siblings and mother. We can also hold kittens past 10  – 12 weeks of age to set up a date and time that is more convenient for you if needed.

Please note, that we can hold kittens longer if needed, but due to previous experiences, PAYMENT OF THE COMPLETE ADOPTION FEE MUST BE MADE, IN FULL, BY 14 WEEKS OF AGE. If full payment is not received, and there is lack of communication on part of the “adopter”, the kitten will be made re-available for adoption to other families.

Any kittens held past 14 weeks of age are subject to a boarding fee of $30 per week unless other arrangements are made. This is due to previous experiences of families backing out of kittens after holding them for long periods of time. In return, these kittens and lose out on other possible homes while being held for a family that does not intend to take the kitten home.

I know it is a difficult thing to be patient when waiting for your new kitten to come home, but please do not ask to take your kittens home early than the dates stated. I will not allow kittens to go home before the posted dates, or before I am comfortable enough with their health and development to leave their mom and litter mates.

Whenever possible, we ask adopters to pick up kittens in person at our home in Chilliwack. However, if delivery is needed, yes, we can deliver kittens at buyers expense.  The charge for delivery is $2.00 per km in distance from our home in Chilliwack, BC, to the location of delivery (one way).  (Or $1.00 per km in both directions; number of kms to, plus number of kms from). This includes the fuel, and time to travel to your location, and back home. Please note that I do work during the weekdays, and there will be days or times that I will be unable to provide delivery, however, I will do my best to work with you and find a schedule that works for us both.

A pet carrier/kennel can be provided at extra cost, or, you can bring your own and we can transfer your kitten into your own carrier once we meet.

Delivery is free of charge if I happen to be in your area and can meet you during my schedule.  I often travel, so there may be times I will conveniently be in your area. If your kitten is ready to come home, and I happen to be going to your location/city, I can usually bring kittens along with me and meet with you during my visit.  For this, delivery will be free of charge.  I am often in the Vancouver and Surrey area on weekends, and I may be able to deliver your kitten while i am there.

If there are still kittens available for adoption after 8 weeks of age, and after they have received their first vaccines, you are welcome to come pick your kitten in person.

Unfortunately, to protect the health of our kittens and cats, we do not allow visits with the kittens until they are at least 8 weeks old, and are protected from contagious illness by a minimum of their first vaccination.  Young kittens are highly vulnerable, and this allows their immune systems time to develop and become stronger.  Kittens receive their first vaccines around 8 weeks of age. Please note, in most cases, kittens are usually reserved/spoken for several weeks prior to 8 weeks of age, so we rarely have kittens available for choosing after their first vaccines.

There are several reasons why we choose to limit visitors with our cats.  Mother cats can be extremely protective of their kittens during the first few weeks after birth and it can upset them to have strangers over to visit and handle their new babies.  We often have pregnant cats close to labor, or even in going into labor, females in heat that are being introduced to males, and cats that are out of surgery from being spayed or neutered, etc.  These can all be highly stressful situations for a cat to have strangers over to meet them.  It is also a sure way to limit exposure from outside contagious illnesses easily brought in by well-meaning visitors.

We can and do ship at buyers expense to many locations around the world. Within Canada, the price range for shipping is between $400 and $450, but can vary depending on the airline used, which airport we can ship from, your location, and whether or not you choose to use a hand courier.  This includes the flight, airline approved carrier with blanket, transportation to the airport, fuel, and vet exam with documents to approve the kittens ability to be flown.

Kittens may be held slightly longer before being shipped to allow more time for kittens to become stronger and build up their immunity.  This gives them extra protection from anything contagious they can pick up while on their flight, and ensures they have the best possible immunity before being exposed to any other animals that may be on the flight.

Flights will not be booked until shipping costs, and price of your kitten has been paid in full at least one week prior to the shipping date.

We are limited to certain areas of the U.S. for shipping.  Please inquire within to see if we can ship to your location.  Shipping to the U.S. is estimated around $500.  Kittens traveling across the border often require an extra exam from my veterinarian and  includes proper documentation for cross-border travel.  The cost for this exam plus vet documentation is $50 in addition to the adoption and shipping fee.  For kittens younger than 12 weeks of age, this $50 goes towards a signed international vet document that approves the kittens health and ability to travel.  After 12 week of age, kittens require a rabies vaccine in place of the international document.  The cost of this extra veterinary care is applied on top of the shipping price, or alone if you pick up your kitten in person to take him/her across the border.  Some airlines may require both the rabies vaccine and health certificate if you plan to fly on board with your kitten – so inquire with your airline what is required to travel with a kitten. In most cases of shipping to the US, we must travel across the border to ship from a US airport located several hours away from home.

Overseas shipping is possible to some locations, however, it can get quite costly, a freight forwarder is required (someone to fly with the kitten) and the kitten will require extra veterinary procedures and documents.  Please inquire with your location for a quote.

We can also hand deliver kittens within driving distance at buyers expense.

Of course we welcome and encourage those who would like to come pick up their kitten in person. We have two locations for pick-up, either in Surrey on weekends, or Chilliwack. Full payment must be received before any kitten leaves us.

For the safety of you and your kitten, please bring a pet carrier or kennel along with you to contain him/her during your car ride.

If you have a long journey home, or just picked your kitten up from a long flight by airplane, it is always a good idea to bring a small litter box with you, plus a water and food dish.  This way, you can make stops on your way home to let your kitten drink, eat, and use the litter box so he/she does not have to hold it uncomfortably or have any accidents.

Of course, arriving to a new home can be a very scary thing for a young kitten, with new surroundings, things they have never seen before, new smells and sounds, and being surrounded by strangers. These can all make a kitten a bit nervous when they come into a new home, so please try to be patient with your new kitten, as it can often take about a week for your kitten to adjust to your home, as long as transition goes smoothly.

We recommend keeping the new cat/kitten confined in an enclosed room for the first week or two, while the cat/kitten adjusts to its new surroundings, learns where to find the litter box, and gets use to the new smells and sounds of your home. This helps the cat/kitten with their transition, and keeps the move from being too overwhelming for him/her from experiencing a big change all at once. It gives the cat/kitten a place to feel safe. A sudden move to a big new environment can scare a cat/kitten, and they may hide. After a week, you can start letting them out of the room to explore for longer periods of time, in larger areas. However, this requires supervision, especially in a large area that a kitten cat get lost, or hurt. If there is a lot going on, and there are many things they have never seen, they can become nervous and go into hiding. Many kittens will need a small adjustment period to get use to the new surroundings, other pets, and strangers, which is best to introduce them gradually, and only under supervision, during the first week.

If you wish to meet and interact with an American bobtail or Siberian cat before deciding to adopt, please come visit us at a show.  we would love to see you there and answer any questions you may have.  it is a great opportunity to meet some of our cats, us, and for us to meet potential owners in person.

feel free to contact us for more information or to inquire about upcoming shows that we will be attending with our cats.

We do occasionally have retired adult cats available for adoption.  Every one of our cats will always hold a special place in our hearts, however, it is just not feasible to keep every cat.  We must often find suitable, and loving, forever-homes for some of them to ensure they all receive the individual care, love, and attention they deserve.  All adult cats will be spayed and neutered prior to being placed in a home, and will have all vaccines and vet care up to date.

We have a contracted to be signed before any of our cats go to their new homes that states our kitties will be indoors, never be declawed, or have a tendonectomy procedure, and your promise to provide the best of care,  this also includes our health guarantee.

The adoption fees of our adult cats are based on their age, personality, and quality, and range from $75-$300 for cats older than 2 years.

Click our “Apply Now!” button and scroll down on the page until you see a form with several questions.  The form is a 4-step process with a total of 20 questions to help us get to know you.  We love our kittens dearly and want to know the families they will be going to live with.  Please fill out the questionnaire as detailed as possible and press submit. As soon as we review your application, we will send you an email if your application is approved, along with information and answers to any questions you included in your comments.

Once you have been placed on our wait-list, we will notify you via email as soon as we have kittens available for adoption, so keep an eye on your inbox!

We no longer keep a general mailing list.

Our “reservation” or “priority” list is for those who like to place a deposit and secure their position in line for choice of kittens in an upcoming litter, or, as kittens come available. Families on this list have paid a deposit. Choice is given in the same order we receive reservations. Please be aware we cannot always guarantee what we will get in each litter, such as genders, colors, and tail lengths, etc., so in some cases, it may take some time before we get your preferred colour and/or gender. If we do not get the colour or gender you were hoping for in an upcoming litter, you are welcome to “pass” on the litter/kitten(s) and transfer your deposit to another future litter, keeping your place in line, until we get the perfect kitten you are looking for. If at any point you change your mind and choose to back out, a reservation deposit is refundable by half for 2 years from the date received, however please keep in mind, that once a kitten is held and chosen and reserved by you, the deposit immediately becomes fully non-refundable, and non-transferable. If at any point we are unable to keep our commitment to you, due on our part, your deposit will be refunded in full. (For example, if our queens do not become pregnant within 1 year time, or we cannot offer you any kitten within 1 year). We cannot guarantee genders or colours of kittens that will be available.

Should you choose to remove your name from the reservation list, reservation deposits are refundable by half for 2 years from the date it had been received and your name added to our reservation list.  After two years, the reservation deposit becomes fully non-refundable, unless we have not been able to offer you any kitten(s) for adoption, regardless of colour or gender.  This serves as compensation to the breeder for time to send updates, photos, and any other communication.  If a kitten has not been chosen after 4 a total of years, the reservation deposit becomes forfeit and you must reapply with another reservation deposit to be added back to our reservation waitlist.

Yes.  Once you have filled out and we have reviewed your kitten application, we will provide you the option to be placed on our reservation list.

Our “reservation/priority list” is for those who want to secure their place in line and guarantee pick of a kitten from an upcoming litter.  First deposit will get you first pick from a litter, second deposit will get you second pick and so forth.  Please note, we are unable to guarantee kitten colours, gender, tail length, or number of kittens before they are born, so we may not get exactly what you are looking for.  Because of this, we do not recommend a reservation deposit for those who have specific preferences, however, if you are first in line, it may be helpful in getting first choice of your preferred colour and gender.  If we do not get what you are looking for, you are welcome to transfer the deposit to another upcoming litter, or kitten in the future.

Because I cannot always determine exactly how many kittens will be born in a litter, I only accept a small amount of deposits on each litter based on how many kittens I expect the mother to have.

I do not recommend placing a reservation deposit if you are uncomfortable with choosing a kitten in the first few weeks after birth and if you do Not wish to choose a kitten quickly.  Because there are usually other people in line waiting to pick their kittens from both lists, we can only allow a limited amount of time to choose your kitten from the litter.  We must ensure all of our kittens have loving homes and find homes for the remaining, unchosen, kittens as soon as possible.  If you have placed an early reservation deposit, we kindly ask that you choose your kitten in a timely manner, so others can also make their choices, and so the unchosen kittens can be made available for adoption to other families.

We will work our way through the list in the order we have been contacted.  When kittens come available for adoption, we will send out a single email to those who have reserved placement on the list.  If we do not have what you are looking for, but you are still interested, please contact us again to let us know your decision is to continue waiting. If we do not receive a response within 48 hours, we will move on to the next family on our list.

You will receive the registration slip for your kitten only once I have  received proof of spay or neuter.  After the procedure, your veterinarian will provide you with a “certificate of spay or neuter” when you pick him/her up from the vet clinic.  You may send a copy to me directly by mail, email, or photo, and I will send out your kittens’ registration slip to you by post mail.

For cats and kittens that have been altered before leaving us, your registration slip will be sent home with you and your kitty.

Once you have received the slip, fill out the form with your information and the name you have chosen for your kitten.  This is the information that will appear on the registration certificate.  Once complete, you may send the form by post mail directly to:

TICA, PO BOX 2684, Harlingen TX, 78550.

You can also register your kitten online using the BSN # located at the top of the form, at www.tica.org

Create a TDS account and sign in, click on “Registration” in the left column, and select “start cat registration from a breeder slip”.

The fee to register your kitten is $10 USD fot TICA members, and $13 USD for non-members.  Payment can be sent directly to TICA via Paypal to paypal@tica.org , or by phone call to the TICA EO using a credit card at 1-956-428-8046.

I will do my best to send photos and updates on your kittens development as often as I can, and I will do my best to post new photos of your kitten to our FB page every 1-2 weeks until he/she reaches 10 weeks old.

I will send email updates on his/her personality as he grows with me, and let you know how well he is maturing.  I want new owners to have the opportunity to watch their babies grow and develop, and build a bond through seeing photos and hearing about them as they learn about the world around them.

If i have missed a week of photos, please be patient, i will get them as soon as I am able.  You can check in anytime via phone call or email, and I am always happy yo speak with you about your kitten, and can often send pictures by text from my cell phone.

We apologize for any inconvenience, but we do not allow visitors to just come see our cats, and inspect our home.  Visitors are limited to those picking up their kittens in person.  This is to protect the health and well-being of our cats and kittens from possible health risks including contagious illnesses, viruses, bacteria, and parasites.  Young kittens are highly susceptible contagious diseases, easily brought in our home by accident on hands, shoes, and clothing, and particularly by those who have other pets at home, or who have visited a shelter, or another cattery before coming into our home.  Kittens are not vaccinated from some of these contagious illnesses until 8 weeks of age, and need time for their immune systems to develop and their vaccines to become effective. Strangers in the home can also be highly stressful for pregnant cats, and mother cats with kittens to protect. By limiting visitors to those collecting their kittens, and because of our strict hygiene practices, you can feel confident that your kitten, and the litter, have been minimally exposed to possible health risks; thus allowing us to offer the comprehensive health guarantee for all our kittens found in our contract.

As a home-based cattery, please keep in mind, that when you ask to “inspect” our “facilities”, this is our family home where we reside, and we must consider the health and safety of both our human family, and our cats and kittens, as our first priority, vs being open to the general public to meet the cats.  We receive a high volume of requests to meet and visit with our cats and kittens, and unfortunately, it is not feasible to have everyone come into our home to simply look at our cats, and we cannot take the chance of allowing everyone and anyone into our home. Risks to our family and our cats is a very real concern.

For more information, please see our policies page, on why we consider ourselves to be a “closed cattery” and what this means.

If needed, we are more than happy to provide the contact info to our experienced veterinarians who know us very well and see us and our cats regularly for check-ups, and know how we care for all of our pets. Upon request, we can provide references or referrals from other families that have adopted from us, or picked up their kitten(s) in person from our home and know how we keep our home.  We can provide any photos, or videos you need, and can even plan a face-time call, with the cats/kittens if you have an apple device.

If you would like to meet an American Bobtail in person before decided to adopt, we encourage and welcome you to visit us at an upcoming show.  It will be a great opportunity to meet, us, our cats, and give us an opportunity to meet you as well. We would love to see you there and can answer any questions you may have.  Please contact us any time to learn more and to receive information on upcoming shows we will be attending with our cats.

Spay and neuter will be the responsibility of the adopter once the kitten has reached the appropriate, and safe, age for surgery. We, and our veterinarian, do not perform the controversial practice of early pediatric spay and neuter of kittens, as we believe kittens need their hormones to aid in proper development, and maturation. Many breeders who perform early spay and neuter do so for the sole purpose of preventing new owners from uncontrolled breeding of their cats; however, the health and future quality of life of our kittens is our top priority!

The ideal time to spay and neuter your kitten is 6 months.  This is prior to puberty and provides ample time for hormones to support proper growth.

When a kitten is reserved by a deposit, I will let other know the kitten is spoken for, and that he already has a home.  During the time that each kitten is held for someone, the kitten loses opportunities to find another home each time someone else inquires about him.

We put a considerable amount of time and effort into raising our kittens and preparing each of them for their new homes. If someone backs out of a kitten, a new home must be found in a shorter amount of time while the kitten is older, re-advertise the kitten as available, and we must re-screen potential adopters.  Those that may have already inquired about the kitten were told he has been adopted and may have already found a kitten elsewhere due to unavailability. For these reasons, deposits to hold kittens are not refundable or transferable.

Many people enjoy and prefer the opportunity to place a deposit at a young age because they are able to watch their kitten grow.  This gives them the ability to become attached and bond to that kitten from early on in his development.  I often send updates of each kitten about their developing personalities, and can send pictures as they grow and learn new things.  A name can be given to the kitten, and I can start getting him used it.  This makes adopting them young, desirable to many people.  If someone backs out of a kitten during the last few weeks, I am left with an older kitten that is more difficult to find a home for, in a shorter amount of time than if (s)he were younger.

If you have placed a reservation/priority deposit (before a litter has been born and no kittens have been held), and you choose to no longer proceed with the adoption process, the reservation deposit is refundable by half. However, please note, once a kitten is chosen, the deposit becomes fully non-refundable and non-transferable.

Security deposits are set in place to ensure adopters have truly considered their decision to adopt, are committed to their decision, and are 100% serious about adopting a kitten. We consider the decision to place a security deposit as a “good faith” agreement of commitment between the buyer and the breeder. If the adoption of a kitten cannot proceed to on our part, we will offer a full refund of the deposit amount.

The non-refundable portion of the reservation deposit is applied to cover time spent sending updates, administration/paperwork, book-keeping of all incoming and outgoing funds for income tax purposes, bank trips and bank fees (including currency conversions, money order purchases, e-transfer fees, etc), and mailing fees to mail refundable portions of deposits via money order or cheque.

Many families who inquire about our kittens base their decision to place a deposit on the amount of prior reservations already placed ahead of them, and the likeliness of getting a kitten sooner rather than later. The number of reservations often to contribute to their choice to place a reservation, or find another breeder with a shorter waitlist. We only except a certain amount of reservations per litter, and once those spots fill up, others are unable to secure a spot on the list, and may look elsewhere for another kitten. Even if I kitten has not been reserved, we do take losses when families break that commitment and back out of the waitlist.

In some cases, we only breed when there is a sufficient amount of reservations to ensure all kittens will be placed in homes. If a girl is already bread and families back out, we are left in the same position of kittens without homes.

Litters can be planned around the number of families on a waitlist, and pairings occasionally based on the colours that families are requesting.

We put a considerable amount of time and effort into reading applications, taking and sending photos and videos, screening and communicating with each and every potential adopter, and getting to know each family to ensure our kittens are the right fit for a potential adopter and vice versa before accepting any security deposit. As we want to make sure all adopters have a positive experience, are well-informed, And don’t have any more questions or concerns before proceeding with the adoption of our kittens, we do our best to provide detailed and informative emails, answers to any questions, texting, taking and sending photos of past, future, and current kittens, and time chatting over the phone, which can all be very time-consuming.

Coming soon

We Appreciate your feedback, and would love to hear from you! You’re welcome to contact us anytime if you have any questions.

If you would like to be placed on our waiting list, please fill out our Kitten Questionnaire on the “Apply Now” page and we will get back to you about your placement on the list as soon as possible.

If you would like to hear of upcoming litters, have general inquiries, or would like to know current kitten availability, send us an email with your name, number, and email address.

For a faster, more convenient response, please reach us at
1-604-791-8787 between 10 AM and 10 PM Pacific Standard time.

Phone calls are our preferred method of communication, as our inbox often fills up quickly with emails and inquiries. It may take some time to get back to you by email, but we will do our best to respond as quickly as possible.

Thank you or your interest in Sylverkat Bobtails. We hope to hear from you!