It’s Not a Hobby. It’s Not a Business. It’s Both.
Most people see the kitten photos. The show ribbons. The polished website. What they don’t see is everything that happens before any of that exists.
CWPX Birman operates as a single-stud, intentional breeding program. One intact male — Phoenix — and carefully selected outside queens through stud service arrangements. We don’t run a kitten mill. We don’t produce litters on demand. Litters happen when the genetics are right, the timing is right, and we have qualified homes already in the pipeline.
That model creates a waitlist. It also creates a much better kitten.
The Application and Waitlist Process
Every family that wants a CWPX kitten goes through the same process:
- Waitlist application — basic lifestyle questions, household info, what they’re looking for in a Birman
- Kitten application — deeper. Environment, other pets, vet access, expectations around socialization and enrichment
- Review and match — kittens aren’t first-come-first-served. They’re matched to families based on temperament fit, color preference, and timing
All of this runs through EspoCRM — a self-hosted CRM system built out specifically for the cattery. Every applicant has a record. Every communication is logged. Every litter is tracked from birth weights through vaccination to placement. Nothing lives in a spreadsheet or someone’s inbox.
Health Testing Is Not Optional
Every breeding-relevant cat at CWPX is tested for the three conditions that matter in Birmans:
- HCM (Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy) — the most common cardiac disease in cats, with a known genetic marker in some lines
- PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease) — hereditary, progressive, detectable via DNA
- PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy) — causes gradual vision loss; fully preventable through testing
Phoenix’s results are published on the DNA & Health Testing page. Not buried in a PDF. Just there — because if you’re buying a kitten from us, you deserve to see the receipts without having to ask.
We also track annual cardiac screening via echocardiogram, not just the DNA panel. DNA tells you about known markers. An echo tells you what’s actually happening in the heart right now. Both matter.
A Day in the Cattery
There’s no typical day, but there is a typical rhythm.
Mornings start with Phoenix. Full check — coat condition, eyes, energy level, appetite. Show cats and breeding studs require daily observation. You notice changes in a cat you see every single day in a way you simply can’t if you’re only looking when something seems off.
Feeding is structured. Phoenix is on a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet with a mix of raw and wet. The coat condition you see in his show photos is a direct output of what goes into him, how often he’s bathed, and how consistently his environment is managed.
Evenings are socialization time. Phoenix is not a cage cat. He lives in the home, moves through the space freely, and interacts with people daily. That’s not a perk — it’s the mechanism behind the temperament you see in every photo and video of him. Birman temperament at its best is a product of consistent human contact from the first weeks of life. We replicate that with every litter.
The Tech Behind It
Most catteries run on Facebook messages and a spreadsheet. We run on a self-hosted WordPress site, a Docker-based CRM, a custom exhibitor portal that pulls live show data, and automated email sequences that keep waitlist families informed through every stage.
When a kitten application comes in, it routes directly into EspoCRM as a structured record — not an email sitting in an inbox. When a litter is born, families on the waitlist get a notification. When Phoenix places at a show, the scoreboard updates automatically.
None of that is about showing off. It’s about not losing things, not missing follow-ups, and not making families feel like they’re chasing you for information.
Why Phoenix Is the Foundation
Everything at CWPX traces back to Phoenix. CFA Champion. Clean health panels. A proven show record. A temperament tested in environments most cats never see — show halls, car rides, therapy visits, public events.
When we talk about what our kittens will be like, Phoenix is the data. Not a promise. Not a marketing claim. A documented, observable track record of what this breeding program produces.
That’s the whole point of showing. Not ribbons. Proving the work in front of independent judges, in deep competitive fields, under conditions we don’t control.
What We’re Building
CWPX Birman is a long-term program. The goal isn’t to produce the most kittens. It’s to produce kittens that are healthy, correctly typed, behaviorally sound, and placed in homes that understand what they’re getting.
Most people don’t see any of that. They see a kitten available and a price tag. The behind-the-scenes is where the difference lives.
If you’re on the waitlist, thank you for understanding that. If you’re not yet — start here.
— Cory Wilcox
CWPX Birman · Cardiff, CA · cwpxbirman.com