This term refers to matings “bought” from or “sold” to other catteries.
Such arrangements are made because it is in everyone’s mutual interest to see how the genes of our cats combine, and in the hope of high-quality kittens that satisfy both parties.
Likewise, a new breeder, or one who wants to mate a queen but whose males are either related to her or resting, can ask other breeders for an agreement to use one of their studs.
The motives may be purely economic, since a “stud fee” can be monetised, or they may be breeding-related: you want to introduce a colour you don’t have, a stronger physical trait, a prestigious name, or something similar.
Whatever the motives, you will have to deal with logistical, contractual and health issues.
Health issues, because mating is a route of transmission for some diseases, as is sharing the litter box or bowls for the time the mating requires. We are mainly thinking of FIV, FeLV, Giardia and fungal infections, although there are other, more dangerous diseases that are much rarer.
In general, a cat entering another cattery is a source of danger because it brings with it something the resident cats are not used to dealing with. The reverse is also true: the newcomer faces some potential risks too. If our cats are in good overall health and have a good immune system, meaning they are used to going outdoors, these dangers are entirely negligible.
Other cats, however, deserve a great deal of attention. Our advice is to agree well in advance, between owners, on which cats will be put together, so that two “snap tests” can be done one month apart, or better still two, for FIV and FeLV antibodies. These are tests done in a vet’s office with a drop of blood, using a stick similar to a human pregnancy test: a pink control line and, beside it, a bar that may or may not change colour. They are highly reliable, with two big caveats:
1 - To avoid “false negatives” they are hypersensitive, so “false positives” are not rare. Don’t panic: immediately order a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction; your vet knows what to do and how), a much more precise test.
2 - There is a so-called “window period”: from the moment of infection to the moment these tests detect antibodies, one or two months may pass. It’s well known that if you don’t know each other well and don’t have the same starting information, explaining why this procedure is important and why two tests are needed is a pain. The risk is relatively low, but these are assessments we make from our own world, as breeders whose cats do not mix with animals that are partly or fully free-roaming. We don’t know about situations different from ours. I believe everyone should look into it and decide for themselves.
One last health recommendation: whoever hosts the other person’s cat should have a faecal exam done on a sample from the household litter boxes and another on the faeces of the cat to be mated. Here too there are two reasons: first, if there are intestinal parasites, you absolutely must treat them, and a collective check in the cattery at regular intervals is always a must; second, if the guest owner ever complains about “unwanted presences” once back home, you will have in hand the certificate that clears you. It may seem excessive, but quarrels between breeders are not rare. In the same way, whoever brings their cat to another cattery must carry both negative FIV/FeLV test certificates and the faecal exam certificate attesting to the absence of intestinal parasites (Giardia in particular).
We do not advise testing for Coronavirus, Parvovirus or Calicivirus as well, because if you harbour such doubts about the breeder in front of you, you’d better drop the whole thing. No immunologist can set your mind at ease if you don’t have a strong awareness of what can be invisibly present in every cattery, and even in your own home.
On the subject of HCM, there are two schools of thought among owners of N/N cats: those in favour of matings with N/P cats and those against.
We are in favour, meaning we don’t choose a cat on that parameter alone. Almost all our cats are N/N, so if we ever considered a mating with an N/P, we would weigh many other factors, not just that one. We would certainly look into the cat’s parents, if they are still alive, and the same for the grandparents, and it would be important that these cats are still in a cattery and monitored annually. Excluding them entirely from every breeding plan would be a great loss of genetic heritage, and there are not sufficient reasons for it. Of course, mating two N/P cats is out of the question, and P/P cats should definitely be neutered.

The contract
As the wise saying goes: clear agreements make for long friendships! Our advice is to put as much as possible in writing: the obligations of the host and of the guest, the certificates to be obtained beforehand, the maintenance costs, what to do in case of... and, above all, to agree on the so-called “stud fee”, that is, what belongs to the owner of the “stud” and what to the owner of the “queen” (the technical terms to use).
In general, the right of choice belongs to the owner of the stud: if you chose the “partner” for reasons tied to your own breeding plans, you will probably be more interested in having one or two kittens (if the litter is particularly large) to add to your cattery. Otherwise, you can ask for the monetary equivalent.
When we lend out our stud for outside matings, we prefer a mixed formula, and our contract states that the stud fee increases with the number of kittens born, so that the risk is shared fairly.
Our contract certainly states that the kittens born from the mating must be placed under the same contractual conditions under which we place ours, that is, with the same safeguards (no pet shops, no kittens without pedigree, not for breeding unless the buyers accept a mentoring agreement, and so on).

Logistics
After all the preparations, the moment finally comes when He and She meet. There are many good reasons for She to go to His home, but sometimes the opposite is true. It seems that a male on his own territory is more macho and more self-confident and, since queens are often quarrelsome (sometimes very!), putting them in a new environment makes them a little less bold, making the male’s job easier. It is also true that in an “other” environment the male may be intimidated by the scent of another male who has previously marked that territory, and so may not be in a state to concentrate on seducing the female.
On the other hand, when She goes to His home, whether because of the distance, or a particularly unpleasant car ride, or perhaps a too timid character, it can happen that the heat goes away. If you are not willing to leave your cat at someone else’s home for too long, at the next heat prepare the love nest at your place.
How do you prepare a love nest? Nothing special is needed; often they don’t even eat or drink the whole time. Still, the essentials are water, food and a litter box. But don’t be surprised if for 48 hours they live on love alone!