Like you Leati, I think a slightly wonky tooth isn't a massive deal.
A dog gets rejected from breed certification for a minor issue like that, while another passes with flying colours even though it’s carrying a transmissible genetic disease.
In the cat world, there’s more and more talk about mandatory breed assessments, and it honestly makes me want to scream. Imagine a slightly crooked tooth stopping a cat from being certified, while PKD-positive cats pass through and go on to produce doomed kittens with shortened lives and a very painful end...
I also reckon these assessments just lead to a massive increase in the number of dogs and cats being sold without papers.
Picture the scene: I sell a kitten that’s perfectly fine at the time of sale, then when it comes to the official assessment, a tooth has grown in a bit crooked. What happens then?
Am I forced to take the kitten back?
Do I have to give a partial refund?
I really can’t be doing with all that hassle!
I don’t want to be constantly worrying and dreading the day my kittens reach assessment age. I don't want that sword of Damocles hanging over my head, so what am I supposed to do?
Honestly, it’s making me have serious second thoughts.
It reminds me of a specific case.
A few years back, I sold a little boy as a pet at 3 months old. About 3 months later, the owner decided they wanted to show him, only to find out he had a tiny tail defect that meant he couldn't compete.
Luckily, the owner was just doing it for a bit of fun, but imagine if we had mandatory breed certification for cats! I’d have been in a right mess then, even though I’d sold a perfect kitten at 3 months in completely good faith.
I’ve never had that issue with any other kittens from that line, so you can only assume it was just a one-off accident.
