Our aim is not simply to produce British Shorthair kittens. We want to protect the health, temperament and future of the breed while giving every cat in our care a happy, enriched and genuinely loved life.
Our cats come first
Our queens are family members before they are breeding cats. They live within our home, receive individual attention and are never treated as breeding machines kept in cages.
Every litter is carefully planned around the queen’s age, health, condition and recovery. We do not breed simply because a queen is in season or because kittens are profitable. We breed when the timing is right for the cat, when the pairing has a clear purpose and when we know there are suitable homes waiting.
When a queen’s breeding career comes to an end, we take responsibility for her future. She will be neutered and either remain with us as a much-loved pet or be carefully matched with an appropriate retirement home.
Thoughtful, responsible pairings
A good pairing involves far more than putting two attractive cats together and hoping for the best. We consider:
- Health-test results and available veterinary information
- Pedigree, lineage and genetic diversity
- Temperament and suitability as family pets
- Physical strengths and areas that should be improved
- The health and quality of previous generations
- Whether the pairing contributes positively to the future of our lines
Our long-term goal is to build strong Muggles Mittens lines that improve with each generation. That means learning from every litter, keeping accurate records and being honest about what has and has not worked.
We will never knowingly breed from cats with unsuitable temperaments, serious hereditary conditions or exaggerated features that could affect their quality of life.
Raised in a home, not produced on a conveyor belt
Our kittens are raised underfoot in our family home in Bushey. They become familiar with ordinary household sounds, people, handling, play and the general chaos humans insist on creating around perfectly sensible cats.
Their early weeks play an enormous part in shaping the adults they become. We therefore provide regular, positive handling and age-appropriate enrichment while allowing each kitten to develop at its own pace.
Our goal is to raise kittens that are confident, affectionate, curious and properly prepared for life as family pets.
Kittens leave when they are ready
Our kittens remain with their mother and littermates until they are at least 13 weeks old. They do not leave simply because they are eating independently or because somebody wants to collect them sooner.
Before leaving us, kittens receive the appropriate:
- Veterinary health checks
- Primary vaccinations
- Flea and worming treatment
- Microchipping
- GCCF registration paperwork
- Feeding and care information
Pet kittens are placed on the appropriate non-active register and are not sold for breeding.
Choosing homes carefully
Finding the right home matters just as much as producing the litter. We want to understand each family’s home, lifestyle, experience and expectations before agreeing to place a kitten with them.
We do not believe every kitten will suit every household. Personalities differ, and responsible matching gives both the kitten and its new family the best chance of a happy life together.
We prefer to breed when there is genuine demand and, wherever possible, when suitable families are already waiting. Producing kittens first and searching desperately for buyers afterwards is not how we choose to operate.
Health testing and transparency
No breeder can honestly promise that a living animal will never experience illness. What a responsible breeder can do is reduce avoidable risks, make informed decisions and be open about the information available.
We carry out appropriate health testing for our breeding cats and carefully consider the results before planning a pairing. Available health and genetic information relating to the parents is shared with prospective owners rather than hidden behind vague claims or impressive-sounding paperwork.
Families are welcome to ask questions. In fact, we would rather answer too many questions than discover that someone was afraid to ask an important one.
Support does not end at collection
Taking a kitten home should not mean losing contact with the breeder. We remain available to provide practical advice about settling in, feeding, behaviour, grooming and general care.
We enjoy receiving updates and following the lives of the kittens we have raised. More importantly, we want owners to feel able to contact us when something is not going smoothly, rather than worrying that they will be judged or ignored.
Should an owner’s circumstances change, we ask them to contact us first. We will help wherever reasonably possible and assist in finding an appropriate solution that protects the cat’s welfare.
What we stand for
At Muggles Mittens, we believe in:
- Quality over quantity
- Remaining small-scale and personally involved
- Protecting the health and wellbeing of every queen
- Breeding for health, temperament and true British Shorthair quality
- Proper socialisation and enriched home rearing
- Accurate records and honest communication
- Continuing to learn from vets, experienced breeders and breed judges
- Supporting our kitten families throughout their cats' lives
- Never cutting corners simply to save time or money
We stand firmly against repeated back-to-back breeding, poor living conditions, untested or unsuitable pairings, early separation, unregistered kittens being sold as pedigrees and breeders who disappear as soon as payment has been made.
For us, responsible breeding means thinking beyond the next litter. Every decision affects our queens, their kittens, future generations and the families who will love them. That responsibility is something we take seriously, even when it requires more time, greater expense or the patience to wait.
Any question is welcome
We would far rather answer too many questions than have someone feel unable to ask an important one.