I. Records and Registration.

I understand that accurate information is necessary if breeders and owners are to make intelligent decisions that will ensure the continued well-being of individual cats and of the Old-Style Siamese breed.
 

A. I will provide complete and accurate information on all membership applications, Breeder's List applications, and any other documents I submit to PREOSSIA.

B. If I breed Old-Style Siamese, I will register all of my breeding cats and their litters with at least one major cat association that is widely acknowledged and respected, namely ACA, TICA, CFA, ACFA, CFF, CCA, GCCF, or FIFE. If I reside on the European mainland, WCF is also an acceptable association.

C. If I breed, I will register a cattery name with at least one major association (see section I-B). When I register individual kittens and cats I will make it clear who the breeder was of each Old-Style Siamese. In most associations the cattery name of the breeder should be the prefix in the cat's name. The breeder of a cat is the person who owned the cat's dam at the time the dam conceived the cat.

D. If I breed, I will maintain accurate pedigrees on all of my Old-Style Siamese and I will retain in my records documentation supporting the accuracy of my pedigrees.

E. Whether the information will go to other breeders, to pet owners, to PREOSSIA, or to a cat association registry, I will not falsify, in whole or in part, pedigrees, registration papers, or other breeding documents.

F. Whether I am a breeder or a pet owner, I will not falsify veterinary records concerning any cat or make false statements concerning the health, behavior, pedigree, or other information applicable to any cat.

G. I will promptly inform the breeder, if any, of my Old-Style Siamese if my cat ever develops a serious disease at an unusually young age, a possible hereditary illness, or a hereditary physical defect, or dies sooner than expected.
 

A. With regard to fellow human beings and my contributions to PREOSSIA, I will:
1. Try to educate each owner or interested person about the Old-Style Siamese, about PREOSSIA, about reputable breeding, and about humane care of cats. I will try to be constructive as well as instructive in my comments.

2. Always behave in a manner that will be conducive to the advancement of the Old-Style Siamese breed and our club, including with respect to ethical issues not covered by this Code of Ethics.

3. Always publicly maintain the attitude that my fellow members in good standing are sincere and acting from the best of motives.

4. Treat fellow members with courtesy and respect. If I cannot be courteous and respectful, I will remain silent until I can. If I disagree with another member, I will try to understand the other member's point of view and if necessary "agree to disagree."

5. Never intentionally and falsely degrade another member, member's Old-Style Siamese, cattery, home, or practices.

6. Never publicly accuse or complain about a breeder or member of PREOSSIA but I will instead first try to resolve disputes privately and, failing that, as a last resort quietly take the matter through established channels such as to the Ethics Committee.

7. Keep a copy of this Code of Ethics and the PREOSSIA Goals in my records and remember that the ideas, rules, concepts, and goals in these documents were the foundation upon which the club was founded. I may propose minor changes to these documents through appropriate channels (see Working Rules). However, if I cannot comply with and support every statement in the Code and Goals for as long as each statement is still officially in effect, I will immediately cancel my membership in PREOSSIA.

8. Keep a copy of the Old-Style Siamese Breed Standard in my records. I need not agree with every detail of the Standard, but I will support it, and I completely agree with the general concept of the breed that is expressed in this Code of Ethics, specifically that the Old-Style Siamese is a pedigreed Siamese cat of (a) colorpoint pattern and short coat, (b) moderate Oriental body type with a modified wedge head, (c) unusual intelligence, liveliness, and an inclination to be vocal, (d) that the gold standard that shall be used to settle disputes about the ideal appearance of the breed is the entire collection of available historic photographs of Siamese that were born prior to 1945 and to a lesser degree the historic descriptions of Siamese born prior to 1945 and (e) that the ancestors born later than 1980 of Old-Style Siamese shall consist predominantly of cats that are NOT commonly found in modern Siamese pedigrees.

9. Within the broad limits set by I-A7 and I-A8 above, I will encourage the free expression and free exchange of new ideas and opinions within PREOSSIA.
 

B. With regard to the cats under my care, I will:
 
1. Maintain sanitary conditions for, feed, water, and exercise, and address the emotional and special personality-related needs of every cat in my care.

2. Maintain proper housing for my cats. Proper housing means I will give them protection from environmental hazards (e.g., poisonous fumes and chemicals) and from extremes of weather and temperature at all times. Proper housing also means I must observe the following minimum space requirements for cats. The Minimum Sufficient Space (MSS), is a roomy enclosure that is furnished at minimum with litter pan, bed, scratching post or board, and a water dish, and after furnishing, it must still allow each intended feline occupant to sleep, stand, turn around, stretch, and walk in obvious comfort and without difficulty. Cats that are sick and need to be isolated from other cats may be confined to the MSS until they are well. Queens in heat may, if necessary, be confined solely to the MSS when in heat and during delivery and lactation. An Expanded Romping Space (ERS) is an area, usually the owner's home, that is sufficiently large to allow the cat to run, jump, and climb freely. Queens must be allowed to roam the ERS at virtually all times when not in heat, delivering, lactating, or ill. Kittens may be confined to the MSS when less than 4 weeks old, but must be allowed access to an ERS (usually a large room) most of the time thereafter. Studs may, if absolutely necessary, be confined to the MSS most of the time during their working careers, but except when ill must be given access to an ERS for at least one hour each day. Neutered pet cats must be given access to an ERS at virtually all times except as noted for sick cats. In plain words, as a member of PREOSSIA I promise to keep all of my cats, with the possible exception of working studs, uncaged most of the time.

3. Remember that it is not as much the size as it is the quality of a cat's living quarters, the design and interior furnishings, having daily opportunities to find entertainment and comfort, that are important to a cat's well-being. In addition to meeting the space requirements in section II-B-2, I will therefore provide my cats with items and activities likely to make them happy and comfortable. I will handle and play with my cats frequently and evaluate their quality of life almost daily. Cats change physically and mentally over time. If a cat becomes unhappy or uncomfortable with his lifestyle or living space or feline companions, then I will adjust them to suit his needs.

4. Remember that cats vary in personality, biological make-up, and what it takes to make them happy. Given lots of attention and comfortable lodgings, some cats make able, happy studs, but others will be edgy and unhappy almost regardless of how they are treated and housed. I understand that PREOSSIA requires that every effort be made to increase the comfort, size, and opportunities for entertainment in a stud's living quarters until the stud appears reasonably happy and comfortable. If a stud continues to demonstrate physical or emotional stress or signs of an inadequate environment, including but not limited to constant vocalization, restlessness, being overweight or underweight, irritability, sleeping in the litter box, elimination outside the litter box, sores or pressure points on the skin, refusal to play, refusal to purr for owner, frequent illness, repetitive stereotypical behaviors, or otherwise appears unhappy, then he must be neutered no later than twelve months after he reached puberty or, if purchased as an adult, within twelve months after he joined the breeder's cattery as a stud. If a stud seems happy with his living situation but must be confined to an MSS or isolated, PREOSSIA still recommends (but does not mandate) that he be neutered no later than age ten years so that he may spend a third or more of his life as a happy pet free to roam a home with his humans.

5. Neuter all intact pet (nonbreeding) cats belonging to me prior to puberty or as soon as possible after the cat becomes my pet. See also section III-C-2.

6. Make every effort to do what is best for my Old-Style Siamese, including socialization, litterbox training, and training to use a scratching post, so they will be well-adjusted and happy living with myself and other humans.

7. Keep intact kittens and cats indoors at all times. I will never take an intact kitten or cat outdoors except when he is securely confined (e.g., in a carrier) or when I have him on leash and he is wearing a full harness. I will remember that PREOSSIA recommends (but does not mandate) keeping neutered cats also strictly indoors.

8. Never keep more cats than can happily coexist and than can easily be cared for. PREOSSIA suggests (does not mandate) a maximum of no more than ten adult cats for each resident adult human willing and able to care for the cats.

9. Remember that PREOSSIA strongly recommends (but does not mandate) that I obtain permanent identification for every cat over six months old that I own and that I educate the new owners of every cat and kitten I place about the importance of permanent identification. Permanent identification is a standardized form of identification that is safe and humane and that cannot easily be removed by the cat, such as microchip, pierced ear tag, or tattoo. Tattoos, if used, should be placed in a location that is not easily visible from a distance, such as on the underside of a thigh or inside the ear (see section IV-A).

10. Remember that PREOSSIA strongly discourages declawing and tendonectomy of cats. Many good alternatives exist and surgery is rarely necessary.

11. Remember that PREOSSIA recommends helping with efforts to rescue homeless cats of all kinds in whatever way I can. Members of PREOSSIA have the contacts and skills to be good partners to rescue organizations. We can help them and teach them, and they can help us and teach us, to do right by cats of all kinds.
 

I understand that the purpose of breeding Old-Style Siamese cats is to preserve the critical cosmetic and behavioral traits of the breed, as well as to improve the health of the breed. There exists a constant danger that ignorant or disreputable breeders may, by improper practices, produce physically, mentally or temperamentally unsound cats whose traits may become a permanent part of the breed.
 

A. If I decide to breed a litter, I will:
1. Remember that as a member of PREOSSIA I am a not-for-profit breeder. I will always breed with the welfare of my cats and the Old-Style Siamese breed uppermost in my mind. I will set my prices for kittens and cats sufficiently to protect them from resale by unethical individuals and to help me to afford the many expenses normally associated with breeding. However, for the sake of the public image of the breed and its breeders I will never set my prices higher than is necessary to achieve these goals, nor will I to create profit ever deny my cats anything they need or that will give them some of the happiness they deserve.

2. Never breed any cat I own if the breeder of the cat (who may or may not belong to PREOSSIA) has forbidden the breeding of that cat in the sales contract.

3. Breed only after a careful study of the Old-Style Siamese Breed Standard, the pedigrees of the two parent cats, and information regarding the health history, conformation, and temperament of the parent cats and their ancestors.

4. Use foundation stock as part of my Old-Style Siamese breeding program only if they meet PREOSSIA guidelines. PREOSSIA recognizes that the Old-Style Siamese breed needs new bloodlines if it is to survive, but when foundation cats are used there is always a chance that they may have ancestors that were not Siamese. If a very small amount of mongrel blood finds its way into Siamese bloodlines, it may increase the health and vigor of the breed. However, there is no advantage to any amount of pedigreed non-Siamese blood entering the breed because other breeds may introduce hereditary defects as well as strongly developed physical and behavioral traits that are distinctly non-Siamese. Therefore, I will only use for breeding foundation cats that have all of the physical and behavioral traits specified in section II-A-8, which largely match the rest of the Old-Style Breed Standard, AND which do not have any physical or behavioral traits (e.g., placid behavior, very short muzzle, distinct nose stop, very cobby body, silver coloration) that are likely to have come from an established breed that is not Siamese. Known or suspected ancestors born later than 1980 must predominantly consist of Siamese cats not commonly found in modern Siamese pedigrees. I will not use in my breeding program any cat that I know has a purebred non-Siamese cat as ancestor unless that ancestor can be shown to be already present in the pedigrees of cats registered as studbook Siamese with a major association. "Major association" in this case means all associations listed in section I-B except for WCF. I will register all of my foundation breeding cats and their kittens with ACA or another major association (see section I-B) that allows open registry.

5. Space breedings such that no queen will deliver a litter more often than twice a year unless I am specifically advised in writing by a qualified veterinarian to breed her more often. PREOSSIA strongly recommends, but does not mandate, that breedings take place no more often than every 8 months.

6. Never breed a queen more than eight years old unless she has rare, needed traits to contribute to the breed and I obtain a separate statement from a qualified veterinarian applying to each and every pregnancy beyond age 8 years that another pregnancy will not harm the queen.

7. Ensure that I can accurately identify the parents of all kittens I produce. I will keep all unneutered males over 4 months old separate from females in heat and from females who are likely to go into heat soon. Only when I wish to breed a queen will I allow one stud to be with her while she is in heat. I will keep litters of kittens from different queens separated or, alternatively, I will use a reliable marking system (e.g. food coloring) to individually mark all kittens and record the identifying marks as soon as they are born. I will maintain the identifying marks on the kittens until I can reliably identify all the kittens on sight and have recorded their identifying traits and parentage.

8. Consult my veterinarian to determine whether there is a genetic test or other test to identify hereditary defects that occur in my Old-Style Siamese or in cats I am considering buying. If there is no reliable test available by which to identify carriers, I will never breed from or to any Old-Style Siamese likely to have, or carry the gene for, a serious inheritable health defect, behavioral defect, or disqualifying cosmetic trait (see Breed Standard for disqualifying traits). Alternatively, if there is a reliable genetic test or other test for the genetic defect available, I will breed from or to Old-Style Siamese that are likely to carry a serious inheritable defect or disqualifying cosmetic trait only if that Old-Style Siamese has other rare, valuable qualities that justify it and only if I thoroughly test every kitten resulting from the breeding for the defect/trait. Those kittens that carry the defect will be neutered prior to puberty and only those that clearly do not carry the defect will be used in future breedings. I understand that reliable genetic or other testing is necessary because a feline who carries a defect will not usually show any outward sign of the defect, but will pass the defect on to his descendants.

9. Maintain documentation concerning all Old-Style Siamese I have owned or bred, including copies of registration papers, medical records, sales contracts, pedigrees, permanent identification records (see II-B-9), and photos. I will maintain documentation on each cat even after I have sold the cat and after the cat has died for at least as long as I am an active breeder.


B. As the owner of a stud cat, I will:

1. Use my stud cat only on queens that I feel are an asset to the breed. I will remember that PREOSSIA recommends that I offer stud service only to breeders that I know practice spay and neuter of all pet kittens before they go to their new homes.

2. Examine the queen's pedigree and registration certificate to check ownership, age, and restrictions; verify that she is not too closely related to my stud; and try to ascertain the number of litters she has had and when.

3. Never breed my stud to a queen if the resulting pregnancy will cause her to deliver more than two litters in a one-year period.


C.  With regard to the sale and transfer of Old-Style Siamese, I will:

1. Remember that throughout its Code of Ethics PREOSSIA defines "selling" such that it refers to any transfer of ownership of an Old-Style Siamese, including but not limited to giving an Old-Style Siamese away for free, selling an Old-Style Siamese in exchange for shipping costs, and selling an Old-Style Siamese for a price in addition to shipping costs.

2. Remember that PREOSSIA strongly recommends spaying and neutering all kittens and adult cats before they go to new homes as pets. If one of my kittens or cats is ill, that is not sufficient reason to delay neutering until after placement because I must not allow him to go to a new home until he is well. In those cases where the neutering of a healthy feline must be delayed (for example, because of cryptorchidism) or if it is simply not practical in my area to neuter the kittens before they are placed, I will add a clause to my sales contract that requires the new owner to neuter the kitten or cat as soon as a qualified veterinarian recommends and I will repossess the kitten or cat if the owner does not comply in a timely manner. Siamese kittens can begin to mate as early as 4 months old. Early neutering, meaning neutering and spaying between 8 weeks old and 4 months old, is an essential part of responsible breeding and is now recommended by the ASPCA and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). It is the only sure way to prevent kittens from falling into the hands of irresponsible breeders or accidentally becoming pregnant and contributing to the homeless cat population. It is sometimes difficult to find a veterinarian who will do early neutering because many were not trained to do early neutering while they were still in school. However, there are universities and clinics that teach early neutering and it is an easy technique to learn. With a little patience a good veterinarian can be found who will do it. PREOSSIA strongly recommends asking your veterinarian if he will do early neutering. If not, call other veterinarians and consult the local SPCA about where to find veterinarians who will do early neutering.

3. Retain the kittens for as long as is necessary to assure their placement in good homes. Under no circumstances will a cat that I own or have bred ever end up in a shelter. If necessary, I will stop breeding so I can properly care for kittens and cats that I must keep.

4. Never knowingly misrepresent the characteristics of the breed or mislead any person regarding the quality of any Old-Style Siamese that I sell.

5. Never allow a kitten to go to a new home before he is at least 8 weeks old and has had at least one FVRCP vaccination given at 8 to 9 weeks. Nor will I allow a kitten to leave before he is fully weaned, litter box trained, and emotionally ready to leave his mother. Kittens are individuals and each one must be assessed individually. PREOSSIA recommends (does not mandate) that most kittens go to their new homes after age 12 weeks and after at least two FVRCP vaccinations given at about age 9 and 12 weeks.

6. Whether I am buying or selling a cat, I will always use a sales contract that details what the breeder expects of the buyer, what the buyer should expect from the breeder, and states that the breeder will always gladly take the kitten or cat back for any reason. No Siamese kitten or cat from an ethical breeder should ever end up in a shelter. I will stop breeding, if need be, in order to care for any cats I must welcome back. I understand that both the breeder and the buyer must read, sign, date, and receive copies of the sales contract. I will maintain copies of all sales contracts in my files.

7. Always state in my sales contract whether I am selling a kitten or cat as a neutered pet, neutered show cat, or intact breeding cat.

8. Remember that PREOSSIA strongly recommends (but does not mandate) selling an intact Old-Style Siamese for breeding ONLY IF the new owner agrees in writing to practice early spay and neuter as described in section III-C-2.

9. Never sell kittens or cats without a health guarantee that is stated in my sales contract.

10. Never allow a kitten or cat to leave my cattery if I know he is unwell or I have any serious doubts about the kitten's readiness to go to a new home. I may sell a kitten or cat that has a known chronic health problem only if a qualified veterinarian who knows the animal's medical history agrees that he may safely go to a new home and only if I fully disclose to all potential owners the nature of the health problem and the care that the cat will require.

11. Carefully screen potential new owners and refuse to sell a feline to someone who may be unwilling or unable to give the animal a good home for life. I will explain the special traits and personality of the Old-Style Siamese breed until I am certain the potential owner fully understands what the breed is like and what to expect. If the Siamese personality and activity level are not what the potential owner expects or wants, I will not sell one to this person. I will also ask many personal questions designed to determine whether the potential owner can offer the feline a good home, including but not limited to asking how many and what type of pets the buyer already lives with, ages of the buyer's children, what the buyer would do if the feline misbehaved (describe common misbehaviors), what the buyer expects to feed the feline, whether he owns or rents. If the buyer rents, PREOSSIA recommends (does not mandate) obtaining proof that the buyer has the landlord's permission to have pets on the premises. If the buyer lives with other adults, I may wish to talk to those other adults to make certain they also will welcome the new kitten or cat.

12. Never sell a kitten or cat to someone who does not intend to be the permanent owner of the animal. If someone wishes to give an Old-Style Siamese as a gift to another adult, I will allow that only if I can interview the adult who will be the gift recipient to determine whether he will be a suitable owner for the Old-Style Siamese. The gift recipient, meaning the ultimate owner of the kitten or cat, must be the one who signs the sales contract and agrees to honor it. If the gift recipient is a minor, then the minor's guardian who will be living with the minor and with the Old-Style Siamese must be interviewed and must sign the sales contract.

13. When selling an Old-Style Siamese for breeding purposes, I will fully disclose without being asked the health history, longevity of the feline's relatives, behavioral tendencies, and any genetic defects the feline carries or may possibly carry.

14. Make certain that each of my Old-Style Siamese, upon being released to his new owner, is accompanied by the following:

a. Feeding instructions.
b. Written medical record that will include at minimum the types of vaccines administered and dates administered, as well as wormings (if any).
c. A copy of the feline's pedigree showing at least three generations (blanks in pedigree acceptable only in cases where I know that an ancestor was unregistered and therefore no pedigree information is available).
d. The papers or form for registering the feline with a major cat association (may be given to new owner within six months after feline goes to his new home).

15. Encourage all new owners to keep me informed concerning the development of any Old-Style Siamese obtained from me, and to advise me of any significant problems that occur during the feline's lifetime up to and including the eventual cause of death.

16. Periodically contact the new owner for a while after the feline leaves to ensure the well-being of the feline and to answer questions the new owner may have.
 

A. Never exhibit in public any Old-Style Siamese that has been altered in appearance or behavior by artificial means other than spaying, neutering, and an accepted standard method of permanent identification (e.g., properly located tattoo; see section II-B-9).

B. When I exhibit my Old-Style Siamese, I will be considerate of other exhibitors and their cats, remembering that I as well as my cat represent our breed. I will abide by all show rules and requests made by show officials.
 

A. Any violation of the Code of Ethics may be cause for disciplinary measures, including suspension and permanent termination of membership.

B. It is my responsibility to promptly notify a member of the PREOSSIA Ethics Committee if I am engaged in a transaction with a member of PREOSSIA and am convinced that that member has violated the Code. However, if it is not clear whether the member has violated the Code and there is a dispute between us, it is my responsibility to try to resolve the dispute with the member privately before taking the matter to the Ethics Committee.

C. If I am involved in a complaint, I may be asked to submit to the Ethics Committee copies of documents that the Code requires me to maintain, such as sales contracts, registration papers, veterinary records, and pedigrees (see sections I and III). I agree to comply with such requests.

D. Members of the Ethics Committee and Voting Members may not take an active part in decisions regarding Code violations that personally affect them.

VI. Exceptions

Legitimate exceptions to this Code of Ethics may arise. Any member may petition for an exception by submitting a statement to the Ethics Committee describing the situation and why the member believes an exception to the Code of Ethics should be made. Any member of the Ethics Committee may elect to present the petition to the Voting Membership, the body that is the ultimate authority on the Code of Ethics. However, a unanimous decision rendered by the Ethics Committee on a member petition is final.

The Ethics Committee may be contacted by writing to:

Dr. Cris Bird
Ethics Committee Chair
email <sarsenstone@pacific.net>                                                        VERSION# C080401