Teacup Kittens

Spilling The Tea On Teacup Kittens

It has come to our attention that Artificial Intelligence is delivering the following "A. I. Overview" in response to the search "Teacup Kitten." We will address this misinformation point by point. (A. I. information is in pink)
"Teacup kitten" is a misleading marketing term, not a recognized breed,
The term "Teacup" is a descriptor that originated in the dog world. A "Teacup" pet is approximately 1/3 the size of a standard. Standard Persians are bred to be large, heavy-boned cats that typically weigh about 15 pounds. Therefore, a 5 pound Persian is a "Teacup" Persian. Teacup Persian is not a recognized breed. Our cats CFA papers describe our cats as PERSIANS.
used for intentionally bred cats suffering from genetic dwarfism or other conditions that result in extreme smallness, often leading to severe health problems and a shortened lifespan.
Our Teacups are the result of careful downsizing. Like humans, some cats, though healthy, are just smaller than others. We literally searched the world for small, healthy Persian cats and selected our foundation cats from the best of them. Unlike cats with dwarfism, the life expectancy of our cats is the same as that of a standard Persian cat.
These cats are frequently runts or prematurely born and are sometimes starved to maintain their tiny size, making them fragile and prone to conditions like hypoglycemia.
I have heard of unethical breeders starving standard sized Persians down to Teacup weight in order to charge higher prices for them. Our Teacups are not preemies or runts. They are the result of downsizing.
Not a Breed: There is no recognized cat breed called "teacup".
True.
Genetic Dwarfism: Some "teacup" cats are the result of breeding animals with genetic conditions like dwarfism, which causes a disproportionately small body.
In 25 years of following Teacup Kittens, I have only seen one "dwarf cat." The owner got it from a rescue group who had found the mutation in a rural barn.
Runts or Premature Birth: Other "teacup" cats are simply runts of a litter or were born too early.
Runts & Preemies don't usually live. I have never heard of an entire litter of runts. If we do get a runt, it doesn't usually live, in spite of getting up every 3 hours to feed kitten formula to it with an eye dropper.
Malnourishment: Some may have been deliberately starved as kittens to keep them small.
Sad but true. Our Teacups free feed on dry cat food and they also eat wet cat food several times a day. Unlimited food & water is available to them at all times.
The Dangers of Breeding "Teacup" Cats
Health Problems: These cats are fragile and can suffer from various health issues.
Not true.
Shortened Lifespan: Their overall life expectancy is significantly shorter than that of a healthy cat.
Not true. Our first Teacup Persian, Honey, lived to be 14 years old.
Cruel Practice: Breeding for extreme size is considered a cruel practice by many experts and animal welfare organizations.
We don't consider breeding small & healthy cats to small & healthy cats a "cruel practice" at all.
Some animal welfare organizations believe that it should be illegal for anyone to keep any animal as a pet.
What to Do Instead : Adopt from a Shelter: Shelters and rescue organizations offer a wide variety of healthy cats and kittens for adoption.
If you see a purebred Persian in a shelter, it is most likely because someone purchased it without realizing how high maintenace long haired breeds are and they surrendered it because it was too much for them.
Support Reputable Breeders (If You Must): If you are set on a specific breed, work only with reputable organizations that prioritize the health and well-being of their animals.
Responsible Teacup breeders fight for your right to own the Teacup pet of your choice. Shelters are full because of irresponsible pet owners, not because of responsible breeders who sell a limited number of pets with spay/neuter agreements.
Avoid breeders who sell "teacup" cats or those who won't allow you to visit their facility.
We post pictures and prices of currently available kittens on our website. We would have to be absolute fools to announce that we have thousands of dollars worth of rare kittens in our home and then give the address to complete strangers. Breeders have literally lost their lives to people they let in to their homes to view an animal. Google Bobbie Jo Stinnett & Paul Peavey.
Be Skeptical of Online Sales: Do not purchase animals sight unseen from the internet, as this can fund unethical breeding practices.
The only way to get a cat or kitten from us is to purchase it sight unseen via our website. If you are not comfortable with this, we understand.
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© 2025 Teatime Teacup Persians

Spilling The Tea On Teacup Kittens

It has come to our attention that Artificial Intelligence is delivering the following "A. I. Overview" in response to the search "Teacup Kitten." We will address this misinformation point by point. (A. I. information is in pink)

"Teacup kitten" is a misleading marketing term, not a recognized breed,

used for intentionally bred cats suffering from genetic dwarfism or other conditions that result in extreme smallness, often leading to severe health problems and a shortened lifespan.

These cats are frequently runts or prematurely born and are sometimes starved to maintain their tiny size, making them fragile and prone to conditions like hypoglycemia.

I have heard of unethical breeders starving standard sized Persians down to Teacup weight in order to charge higher prices for them. Our Teacups are not preemies or runts. They are the result of downsizing.

Not a Breed: There is no recognized cat breed called "teacup".

True.

Genetic Dwarfism: Some "teacup" cats are the result of breeding animals with genetic conditions like dwarfism, which causes a disproportionately small body.

In 25 years of following Teacup Kittens, I have only seen one "dwarf cat." The owner got it from a rescue group who had found the mutation in a rural barn.

Runts or Premature Birth: Other "teacup" cats are simply runts of a litter or were born too early.

Runts & Preemies don't usually live. I have never heard of an entire litter of runts. If we do get a runt, it doesn't usually live, in spite of getting up every 3 hours to feed kitten formula to it with an eye dropper.

Malnourishment: Some may have been deliberately starved as kittens to keep them small.

Sad but true. Our Teacups free feed on dry cat food and they also eat wet cat food several times a day. Unlimited food & water is available to them at all times.

The Dangers of Breeding "Teacup" Cats

Health Problems: These cats are fragile and can suffer from various health issues.

Not true.

Shortened Lifespan: Their overall life expectancy is significantly shorter than that of a healthy cat.

Not true. Our first Teacup Persian, Honey, lived to be 14 years old.

Cruel Practice: Breeding for extreme size is considered a cruel practice by many experts and animal welfare organizations.

We don't consider breeding small & healthy cats to small & healthy cats a "cruel practice" at all.

Some animal welfare organizations believe that it should be illegal for anyone to keep any animal as a pet.

What to Do Instead : Adopt from a Shelter: Shelters and rescue organizations offer a wide variety of healthy cats and kittens for adoption.

If you see a purebred Persian in a shelter, it is most likely because someone purchased it without realizing how high maintenace long haired breeds are and they surrendered it because it was too much for them.

Support Reputable Breeders (If You Must): If you are set on a specific breed, work only with reputable organizations that prioritize the health and well-being of their animals.

Responsible Teacup breeders fight for your right to own the Teacup pet of your choice. Shelters are full because of irresponsible pet owners, not because of responsible breeders who sell a limited number of pets with spay/neuter agreements.

Avoid breeders who sell "teacup" cats or those who won't allow you to visit their facility.

Be Skeptical of Online Sales: Do not purchase animals sight unseen from the internet, as this can fund unethical breeding practices.

The only way to get a cat or kitten from us is to purchase it sight unseen via our website. If you are not comfortable with this, we understand.

Terms Of Service & Privacy Policy