The Finnish Bengal Cat Club ethical rules
ETHICAL RULES:
1) Cats must be taken good care of and given possibility for a healthy, active life.
The cats must be provided with enough space, possibility to exercise and climb, clean litter boxes and enough high-quality food and water. The cat owner must ensure that a bengal cat is never let go outside unsupervised.
2) A member of The Finnish Bengal Cat Club must act in all situations and especially at cat shows either as an exhibitor or a show visitor so that they contribute to a positive atmosphere around the bengal cat breed and hobby. The member must behave in an appropriate manner even if their cat does not win and also do so when their cat wins, bearing in mind that a happy, healthy cat is more important than any show prize.
3) The goal of the bengal cat breeding must primarily be healthy cats that are social with people and that adhere to the breed standards. A bengal cat breeder must critically evaluate and select the cats that are used for breeding. The breeder must consider the advantages and disadvantages of a planned combination and the relative effect of the breeding cats on the bengal cat gene pool in Finland. A breeding male should only be offered to owners of registered bengal cats. The owners must have an official cattery name approved by a cat umbrella organization. The breeder must not breed new litters if the kittens of the previous litters have not found new homes. If kittens grow in a foster home, the breeding and the development of the breed must adhere to the rules and ethical rules of The Finnish Bengal Cat Club.
4) For breeding purposes, only cats in good health and condition should be used. The cats must not have hereditary diseases and differ significantly from the breed standards. If cats that have already been used for breeding appear to have hereditary diseases, the descendant owners and The Finnish Bengal Cat Club must be informed. The cats that are used for breeding must be tested negative for FeLV and FIV. The cats used for breeding must also be tested for PK deficiency. No PK def positive or two PK def carriers are to be mated. If a kitten from PK def carrier and PK def negative parents is planned to be used for breeding, the breeder should select, when possible, a PK def negative breeding quality kitten.
5) A breeder must document their cats' health, vaccinations and matings and register kittens at least in one cat organization. The breeder must ensure that the kittens are dewormed and vaccinated appropriately. The kittens must be free from endoparasites and ectoparasites and also fungal infections. When given to a new owner, the kittens must weigh at least 1,000 (one thousand) grams.
6) The cats must not be handed over to be re-sold, given for free or sold considerably cheaper than the average price level.
7) Contracts must always be drawn up in a written form. The contracts cover the use of a breeding male, sales contracts, deposits. When a kitten is paid in cash, both parties should be provided with receipts.
8) One should consider the sale of a kitten for breeding purposes very carefully and be able to justify such a sale from the breed development perspective. Females that are sold for breeding purposes are to be sold only to such individuals who already have an official cattery name approved by a cat organization and who preferably have taken a cat organization's breeder course. A breeding male can only be sold to such individuals who have signed the Suomen Kissaliitto ry's agreement of a breeding male owner or have otherwise committed to similar principles. Before selling a kitten for breeding, a breeder must ensure that the owner is aware of all costs caused by breeding, the time that taking care of the cats requires, the required space and equipment, the responsibility to hand over the kittens to good homes and the responsibility towards buyers and other breeders. A person planning to become a breeder should be encouraged to join The Finnish Bengal Cat Club. The seller must ensure that the buyer knows how cats are taken good care of and be willing to offer, when needed, guidance.
9) A breeder must provide the kitten buyer with the information about the kitten's qualities as a pet, show pet or a breeding pet. Every show quality cat is to be sold with a written contract that covers the seller's responsibilities should the cat have a hereditary fault that prevents it from showing. Every breeding cat is to be sold with a written contract that covers the seller's responsibilities should the cat have a hereditary fault that prevents it from breeding or should the cat turn out sterile. The guarantee actions are determined by each breeder. If a cat is not sold for breeding, the sales contract must include the clause for sterilizing/castrating a kitten before it turns 10 (ten) months. The buyer must be given a verification of a possible deposit. The verification covers the terms in case the buyer changes their mind. The kitten is sold with a pedigree and written instructions on how to feed and take care of the kitten. A breeder must give honest information about the other breeders in the club and refrain from price competition.
10) Both oral and written advertising must be based on facts. A bengal cat breeder must refrain from using pictures or other materials of the so-called previous generations (F generations and Asian leopard cat) so that people could get a wrong impression on the bengal cat looks and qualities. In advertising, references to wild cats should be avoided. Recommendations: Cats that will be used for breeding are recommended to be scanned for HCM and tested for fungal infection. No females are to be mated before the age of 10 months unless the female cat has been in heat twice or the health of the cat is supported by such mating. When planning a litter, it is recommended that at least one kitten is already reserved. All bengal cat owners are to be encouraged to join The Finnish Bengal Cat Club.
11) As a member of The Finnish Bengal Cat Club I commit myself to these rules and recommendations. Breaking a rule can lead to disciplinary actions by the club.