I started the FBRL in November 1994 as a cross-listing of members of the Fanciers e-mail list, one of the earliest online communication forums for pedigreed cat breeders. It grew quickly into an advertising service -- so quickly that I ended up having to leave the free hosting where it was housed because I was running up their bandwidth. It began as a paid subscription service in 1998.
The mission of the FBRL is to provide responsible, registered cat breeders with an affordable, reputable advertising venue. The FBRL was built to address a need in the cat fancy for affordable advertising, even for the small-scale breeder. In 1998, the only options for national advertising were expensive line ads in print magazines that cost over $100 monthly for three lines and no pictures. While the FBRL is no longer the least expensive option on the market, it remains an economical choice with personal service, great features, and more than 25 years of solid reputation and experience. Unlike other pet services, the FBRL is and will always be dedicated solely to the pedigreed cat.
About the FBRL List Owner
I (Barb French) have operated the FBRL since it went live in November 1994. I am a former cat breeder, registered in CFA under the cattery name Tarantara, who bred and showed Somalis from 1993 to 2002 (pictured: GC GP RW Tarantara's Dread Pirate Roberts). In addition to the Somalis, I showed several breeds in Premiership, including Balinese (Javanese), Turkish Van, Norwegian Forest Cat, and Scottish Fold. I am currently owned by one disabled pedigreed Maine Coon named Jackson, a mixed-breed tuxedo Clive (shown on my shoulder), and a brown tabby former feral named Gideon who showed up on my doorstep in the middle of the pandemic winter. He was a certified "foster fail" who has come to embrace wholeheartedly the comfy life of the great indoors. We also adopted Chromie, another former feral, a tortie and white girl who is now Gideon's best friend but still undecided about the humans in the house. Both Gideon and Chromie are more cat-social and needed kitty friends.
Being a cat breeder myself helped me develop the service into what it is today, catering equally to the breeder and the pet buyer. Retired Friends was added in 1996, growing out of my own frustration trying to find a home for a 3-year-old Somali. Most people didn't even realize that adult retirees from breeding and showing were even an option. Today, there are copycat services, but Retired Friends remains the pioneer.
It also helps me understand the needs and concerns of cat breeders, such as issues of privacy. I maintain solid connections with people across all associations and consider myself an integral part of the cat fancy as a whole.
In addition to running the Fanciers Breeder Referral List, I am also a full-time Guides Manager with a major video gaming website. Because of my busy day job, I often do big jobs like adding new listings, litters, and Retired Friends on Saturdays, although I try to handle immediate issues during the week. The pandemic both necessitated and created new economic opportunities for everyone, and I am no exception in this case.
This is an amazing community, and I have had the privilege of serving the fancy for more that a quarter century. I look forward to serving you for many more years to come.