Before choosing a stud you should consider why you wish to mate your queen. Remember that you are planning a litter of kittens for your sake, not for hers; there may be birth complications and she may even need a caesarean section, so if you planned to have a litter of kittens for her sake, have her spayed instead.

You must consider if the queen is suitable; she should be:

Next consider the implications of producing a litter of kittens: you will be responsible for supervising the birth, rearing the litter, having them vaccinated and finding them suitable homes. You will need to be present at the birth, no matter what time of day or night, and you may need to be with the queen for most of the time during the first week or so to ensure that she looks after the kittens properly. When the kittens are first weaned you will need to feed them several times a day. You will need to plan the mating so that the kittens are born at a time when you can be at home with the queen and when you will not be going on holiday before the kittens leave home, unless there is someone reliable to babysit them.

Once the kittens are fully vaccinated and ready to leave home you will have to check out the potential purchasers to make sure that they are suitable owners of your particular breed of cat. Even the best owners can have problems, so you should always be prepared to take a kitten back if it does not settle; if the problems arise later you should always be prepared to take the cat back, or at least help to find a suitable new home. Sometimes there are fewer good homes than kittens, so you must be prepared to keep the remaining kittens until suitable owners materialise, remembering that the older the kitten, the less chance there is of covering its food bills. If you are not prepared to do this, do not mate your queen: there are increasing numbers of pedigree cats in rescue shelters and it is irresponsible to increase this burden.

You should study the Standard of Points and Registration Policy for your breed before deciding to mate your queen. You should also have sufficient knowledge of colour genetics to know what colour kittens you can expect from various matings. You should also be aware of any hereditary diseases which may be present in your particular breed so that you can try to avoid producing affected kittens.

Choosing a stud   

Once you are sure you wish to mate your queen, take great care choosing a stud. Not all show winners are necessarily suitable, the bloodlines must be studied and the advice of experienced breeders is invaluable. The breeder of your queen will probably know which bloodlines are suitable and which are not. Some breed clubs also keep lists of cats at stud. If you are not sure what breed or colour to mate to, ask the appropriate breed club for a copy of the registration policy for your particular breed: some matings may produce very pretty healthy kittens but, because the two breeds or colours are not considered compatible, the kittens will not be suitable for showing or breeding.

Before visiting the stud ask for a copy of the pedigree and certificate of entirety, and the terms and conditions of the stud service - many stud owners use a standard printed form - and the fee to be paid. This last is as variable as the price of a brood queen. Make sure that the stud is registered on the Active Register, or in the case of FIFe registered cats is not endorsed 'not for breeding', and that the pedigree contains full details for at least three generations back. (This copy may not include the registration numbers since some stud owners will only supply these after the mating has taken place).

If there are any hereditary diseases in your breed which can be tested for, you should ensure that the stud has been tested clear. (see above)

Read the conditions very carefully. Some stud owners stipulate that no kittens may be sold on the active register, some that all male kittens must be placed on the non-active register; the first would mean that none of the kittens, no matter how good, could be sold for breeding and the second condition would mean that you could not even keep one as a stud yourself. If you do not agree with the conditions, do not use the stud.

Establish what the conditions will be if your queen does not take at her first visit: some stud owners make a full charge for a repeat visit, others do not, but most will require repeat blood tests for your queen. If you do wish to use the stud, send a copy of your queen's own pedigree but do not be offended if the stud owner does not approve of the bloodlines of your particular queen; discuss the reasons amicably and be guided by their advice. If the mating is suitable, the next step is to visit the prospective stud to meet the owner and inspect the premises - as one does when boarding a cat.

Taking a queen to stud   

Having decided on a suitable stud and agreed terms, a provisional appointment will have to be made. It is never possible to predict exactly when the queen will come into oestrus, but knowledge of her past pattern of calling will enable an intelligent guess to be made and to be confirmed by a telephone call to the stud owner as soon as the period of oestrus begins. Take the queen at the arranged time and be prepared to collect her when the stud owner decides she is ready to go home; always deliver the queen yourself, confirm the conditions with the stud owner, preferably in writing, and accompany the queen to the stud house.

Your queen should be vaccinated up-to-date against FIE and respiratory viruses; some stud owners also require vaccinations against FeLV, but this should not be considered a substitute for testing. All boosters should have been done at least a week before the queen goes to stud, to minimise the stress and to ensure good protection, but some stud owners insist on a longer period. Most stud owners insists that visiting queens are blood tested for FeLV and FIV within the 24 hours before visiting the stud but these requirements vary; some accept tests up to a week before the visit, especially in areas where tests are more difficult to obtain. You should ask to inspect the stud's vaccination and test certificates and show the stud owner those of your queen.

Take your queen's registration papers for the stud owner to inspect; the details will be necessary in order to complete the mating certificate. Have a copy of her pedigree with you, even if you have already sent one so you can discuss the expected colours and patterns of kittens in detail.

Many stud owners will let you help to install the queen in her quarters, but be careful: some queens may be quite difficult to handle when they visit a stud, although they may be very gentle at home. Some studs do not like strangers in their premises, in which case the stud owner will ask you to wait outside while she takes the queen in. If there is more than one stud, do ensure that your queen is being mated to the stud of your choice.

Telephone the stud owner at an agreed time to check how your queen is settling down and how matings are proceeding, but do not be disappointed if nothing has happened. Queens vary in the time to first mating and some may go off call completely and need a return visit to the stud at their next call. Do make sure that you contact the stud owner when requested, particularly if it is not possible for her to contact you; emergencies can arise - feline and human - and it may be necessary for you to collect your cat earlier than expected.

When you collect her, the stud owner will often place her in the container for you, but if you do this yourself remember to take care - she may still be very difficult to handle and must be put securely in her box and not cuddled in your arms. The stud owner will provide a certificate of mating, which also states when the kittens can be expected, and, if not already provided, a copy of the stud's pedigree with all the registration numbers.

Always remember to tell the stud owner what kittens you get, most owners like to keep a record of the kittens sired by their stud and many will help you to sell your kittens by referring potential purchasers to you.