The Internet has been a great boon to breeders, allowing us to exchange information on pedigrees and other things within minutes, instead of the weeks that regular mail would have taken before. However, it has had its drawbacks in the number of puppy and kitten mills that have jumped into the virtual market (some going as far as having shopping carts on their sites), and also the rise in requests that breeders get from people wanting to breed to make money, and not caring what they buy. When breeders became easier to reach, it also made sloppy or uncaring practices easier to get away with. People who buy via email over thousands of miles, often have no recourse when a puppy or kitten arrives sick and not as advertised. Few such buyers are willing to pursue legal action across State lines.
It is preferable, to find a breeder of the cat or dog you seek, within driving distance. Nothing speaks more about the breeder themselves than their animals and how they are kept. It's not about whether a dog run needs a hosing down, or a cat's litterbox needs scooping, but whether the housing is adequate and generally clean, whether the animals are well fed and healthy looking, sociable, and treated with love and affection.
For instance, people are often horrified to find that a cat breeder "cages" their males. But it's a fact of breeding that male cats spray, the spray is very odorous, and hard to remove. Not all males are like this, but those who are, require special quarters. If those quarters are spacious, well lit, contain climbing spaces, shelves, and diversions for the kitty, then he is likely quite content.
This is not to be compared with the breeder who keeps every cat in a cage, with no possibility for physical activity due to space limitation, and in general is livestock-raising instead of breeding well socialized animals to become family pets. This applies equally to dogs and cats. There are many "mills" who meet local SPCA or Animal Welfare regulations, but who will tell you quite frankly, that they breed for the money, to supply a market demand. In some cases their puppies/kittens sell for the same amount as those from breeders who have spent years and money to build a strong breeding program, which they back with a good contract. In many cases they sell for less. You then need to decide which is your priority- a pet who costs X amount of dollars less, or one who comes on a good contract that clearly sets out your responsibilities as the Buyer, and the breeder's as the Seller.
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