Most ethical breeders will take a kitten (or cat) back if there seems to be a litterbox problem. They either will retrain the cat or replace it. Of course, if the kitty is purchased from a pet shop or backyard breeder, you do not have this option.

Inbreeding does NOT cause the problem. Often the problem is a urinary tract infection that had not been treated in a timely fashion. If the problem is not caught, the cat associates the litterbox with pain and will avoid it.

The first step is a urinalysis. Then the cat will probably need special food, and antibiotics. It is also a good idea to spay and neuter early. It is recommended at 3-4 months. It cuts down on a lot of problems and they recooperate so quickly.

Think long and hard about breeding a cat with a litterbox problem. If Mommy doesn't have good habits, how will she teach it to her babies?

An ethical reason to breed anything is to improve the breed, so showing goes hand in hand. You must know what the standard is for that particular breed, and try to breed to meet or better that standard. There have been so many Persians and Himmies put to sleep — most of then from people who do not show but are only breeding for money. These are people who are not testing their breeding cats for PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease). This disease fills the kidneys up with cysts, and there is no cure. The only way to find out if the cat has it is by ultrasounding the parents. It only has to be present in one parent to pass it on to the kittens.