I grew up believing mutts were healthier than pure pedigrees. My mother had 4 Shar Pei's that all died prematurely from a kidney genetic disorder. The breeder knew about this deficit but continued to breed for looks, not health. Consequently, as an young adult, I leaned towards having rescue dogs and cats of unknown lineage. As the years passed and the internet made researching easier, I realized that there were breeders that focused on producing healthy puppies and kittens. I eventually went on to adopt two French Bulldogs whom were both boys quite healthy with wonderful personalities. A radical shift from my mother's experience. When my daughters wanted a cat, I was leery because my previous cats were not very social or playful. Then I heard about my friends brother who got a kitten that acted like a puppy. I was fascinated began to research the breed with their doglike personalities. Eventually my research led me to Indian Springs and Dr. Schar. I had a lengthy conversation with Dr. Schar about what happened with my mother's dogs. He was saddened to hear my story and said unfortunately that is not uncommon. Dr. Schar explained how he documents the genealogy of his kittens to promote health. I felt very confident in my decision to get two kittens from Indian Springs. My kittens are lovely, funny, precocious and super healthy. They have blended well with my children and my dogs. My male kitten is often found spooning the French Bulldogs because he thinks he is part of the pack. I was shocked when I heard a buyer was making negative accusations about Dr. Schar, his staff and the health of his kittens. Dr. Schar and Cary provided excellent guidance how to transition my kittens into my dog house with two active daughters. My male kitten did have the sniffles the first week, but went away quickly on their own as Dr. Schar and my vet explained they would. I find the accusations lodged against Dr. Schar and Indian Springs not credible. During my multiple interactions with Dr. Schar and Cary, they were always pleasant and informative. Having had a kitten with sniffles, I know that letting it run its course was the answer. I have worked in the mental health field my whole life. This buyers accusations are eerily familiar to Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy. Simply put, a mental illness where a caretaker makes up fake symptoms or causes real symptoms to make their victim appear sick. My heart hurts for this innocent kitten. Shame on the owner and shame on the owner's vets. read more

Hello. I am a program manager and a member of the United States Navy in the Department of the Navy. I live by our Navy slogan, "On seven seas we learn Navy's stern call: Faith, Courage, Service true, with Honor, Over Honor, Over All." I do not normally post comments on any forums but with the recent event I feel I need to chime in. So everything I am saying here is from the bottom of my heart. Around February 2021, after several attempts of trying to adopt/rescue a kitten/young cat. I was either too late on the application or the cats that came home with us were horrendous, badly behaved or flat out not what the sheltered described. I finally had enough and decided to find a cat through a breeder. I found several breeders including Doug's Indian Spring and did my due diligence. I narrowed it down to his Indian Spring because they seemed to know what they're taking about from their website. Doug was responsive so I sent him a deposit. 5-6 months later I received an email for a kitten that fit my criteria. My daughter and I picked her up in October (2021) and she's been with us ever since. I followed all of Doug and Cary's recommendation and our cat "Cookie" is the best cat I can ever ask for. We are a family of 5 with 3 children. Our cat is playful, gentle and super intelligent. Her tolerance and patience toward our 3 silly kids is amazing. One of the most amazing cat I've ever had and I cannot be happier: she is healthy and very attentive. Always with us whenever we are home. I much prefer her to eat a bit more but she's not a big eater. We love Cookie so much we thought about getting another one but ultimately decided our family should just spoil 1 cat. I do not know what happened with those who had a bad experience but I'm pretty sure if you followed the recommendations, the cat would be as health as mine. Below are some photos of Cookie then and now. 100% I would purchase from Indian Spring again in the future and have recommended several friends. read more

After my lab died from cancer, I was devastated. I felt lost. I have always been a dog person but I was not in a place to get a puppy that needed a rigid potty training schedule . Between my schedule at work and my kids school schedules, I could not provide the consistency a puppy needed. My friend who has two cats from Dr. Schar suggested I consider getting a cat rather than a dog. I have met her cats and they have such unique personalities and are definitely quite dog like in their need for affection. I got into contact with Dr. Schar and have two amazing kittens. They have sweet dispositions with unique personalities and they do follow us around like adoring puppies. My daughters and I were quite sad by the sudden death of our lab. We were fragile from our loss and I could not introduce kittens to our home unless I was confident about their health. Healthy kittens from a responsible breeder was my number one priority. I had a lengthy conversation with Dr. Schar who explained how he breeds cats for health, then personality. Their beauty occurs naturally with this breed and does not require assistance. My kittens arrived with a detailed list of how to introduce my kittens to their new home, a guide for kitten well visits, and encouraged to call if I had any questions. Our kittens have been healthy since I got them, they got a clean bill of health from my vet and they just came home from being spayed. My experience has been exceptional with Indian Springs Cats and Dr. Schar. I can only assume any complaints come from individuals who are unhappy in life in general. Poor health would be due to either ignorant owner or a negligent vet. read more

I lost my last kitty some years ago, and it took me a while before I could even contemplate adopting another. But one day I decided it was time to have a new cat in my life. For two years, l looked at every online adoption site and then breeder sites. Although all of the cats touched my heart, none of them felt like mine. And then I found Indian Springs. I literally could have chosen any of the kittens on the site, had they been available. I talked to Doug, aka Dr. Schar, and Cary, aka Cat Cary, and they worked with me to get me my perfect kitten. The breeding philosophy at ISC is the best. Cats form families, and each family gets its own house--not a cage, but an actual structure--so that the dad and the moms can nurture their little ones. And Doug makes sure not to interbreed which is the downfall of so many purebred cats. My little girl -- now over 9 months old -- is the sweetest, smartest, most beautiful cat in the world. I've taken her to the vet three times: initial check-up, vaccinations & stool analysis, and spay. Each time the vet staff has marveled on how fabulous and beautiful and healthy my little girl is. Doug and Cary were in touch with me throughout the process, including letting me know when a litter might include my perfect girl, and sending tons of pics to make the process easier. I'll add that in addition to the adorable kitten picks on the ISC site, I was very impressed by Dr. Shar's breeding philosophy which is geared to producing very healthy kittens. Bonus: they're also very special kittens that turn into very special cats. read more

Visiting a Burmese Cat Sanctuary in Myanmar; we instantly fell in love with the Burmese breed then & there! We knew we needed to find a reputable breeder when we returned home. We were thrilled to have found Dr. Doug Schar of Indian Springs Cats while searching for a Burmese cat breeder. His website offered information about this amazing & unique breed as well as his personal history with the Burmese breed. We especially appreciate that Dr. Schar breeds for Health & Personality. The first week of July 2020, Prince, our beautiful little boy & Zara our beautiful little girl arrived via a courier into our lives. They were born a week apart from different parents. I can't thank Dr. Schar enough for choosing these two fur babies to be life partners. Since that first day when they arrived, Prince & Zara have given us endless love, joy & laughter. They follow us around the house like little puppies & love curling up on our laps. We cannot imagine not having them in our life! They are our babies! We cannot begin to thank Dr. Schar & cat nanny Cary for their excellent support whenever we had any questions. Prince & Zara enjoy romping around the house providing endless entertainment for us on a daily basis. People that meets them instantly fall in love with them, and even non cat lovers love them! We are forever grateful to Dr. Schar & Cary for filling our hearts with sweet Prince & Zara! read more

We received two Burmese 'sisters from Doug and Cary. Knowing we had a young child in the house, he was very cautious about the kittens they chose. We received two females born around the same day ( 1/21 & 1/23) . The entire process took a few months but we have been super happy with the kittens we named Dahlia and Rosa ( now almost two years old). They are everything Doug mentioned on our first call, smart, interactive, playful, intuitive and sweet. These cats have been pleasant during three moves and several weekend trips ( 2 hr car rides), most nights they will sleep on the foot of our bed. Even friends with cats remark on how sweet and cuddly our two cats are. When you first talk to Doug you will realize that he is quirky ( which I am sure he would admit) however, he is extremely knowledgeable and caring about his kittens. We came to know ( probably more than we ever thought we would) about lineage, breeding techniques and early stage kitten development. Most importantly, he exudes caring for these animals. Cary was also very helpful in the onboarding process and we followed her directions in the early days and could not be happier. The business takes a little trust with Doug and his team, but our family is super happy we did and considering another now. We have recommended Indian Spring Cats to several of our friends. read more

I purchased a female, Burmese, kitten from Doug Schar/Indian Springs Cats, in October 2109. I had lost a 9 yr old Burmese suddenly, earlier in July from heart problems. I did quite a bit of research on Burmese breeders as I wanted another one; they are such an incredible, personable, fun breed. I found and emailed Dr. Doug Schar at Indian Springs asking lots of questions. I combed his website to understand his philosophy on saving the Burmese breed. I was thoroughly impressed with the lengths that he went to keep the breed genetically sound. This is something that many American breeders disregard. The fact that he brought Thai Burmese into his breeding program had me sold. Though I was from Minnesota, it was worth it to me to travel to Virginia to purchase one of his kittens. I have added another cat (a domestic shorthair that I rescued) about 2 weeks later. They get along so well and are always entertaining. I bring her and her brother to the Vet for their annual exams and have had NO issues ever! I highly recommend Dr. Schar and Indian Springs. I would not hesitate to purchase another cat from him as I know that he cares about the quality and health of his cattery. read more

Indian Spring Cats fan here!! I am not new to cats, breeding, pet ownership, veterinary care or healthcare. I am a former veterinary assistant and pediatric nurse practitioner... also, the thrilled owner of two Indian Spring siblings, whom I am grateful every day to have in my life. HEALTHY, strong, energetic and SWEET. I searched for a responsible breeder, and never looked further after finding Indian Spring Cats. I followed Doug and Cary's advice as to care, even though I know that some of their advice is cautious in terms of not rushing to complete healthcare interventions ASAP. I trusted Dave's medical knowledge, use of genetics to guide his breeding approach, and his passion for breeding healthier, longer lived Thai Burmese. Cary was patient and so helpful every time I came back with one more question or request. The kittens themselves, and the care with which they are raised, made my decision for me! Trust is so important. I believe in the Indian Spring Cats philosophy and commitment to the best care, life and longevity they can give their cats! read more

If you want an exceptionally personable, social kitty, this is the place to start. You will not find an aloof cat, so make sure you are ready to interact and entertain as they will make their own fun otherwise. I have two cats from Indian Spring Cats, both are exceptional supervisors of everything that I do, and prone to snuggles. Mind you, one snuggles on her terms, but her purr is heard across the house and she brings you gifts of toy mice regularly. The second kitty got into who knows what (every cat I have ever owned got into something or another as a kitten) and picked up a stomach bug--Dr. Schar was very responsive and worked with his vet, my vet and me to figure out what happened (so it can't happen again!); after a round of meds I had the most snuggly, feisty kitten who is now king of the household and shoving his toys into whatever cosmic wormhole kitty toys disappear into. Great cats if you want an interactive companion (or 2). read more

We got our kittens from Indian Spring in January 2021. Cary and Doug were so helpful, and we were on the waitlist for about 6 months. Two kittens became available relatively last minute and Indian Springs team helped us figure out if their emerging personalities were good fits. They helped us coordinate our kittens travel and two delightful kittens became part of our family. They just turned two and are absolute lights of our life. They are healthy, sweet, entertaining and even a little bit demanding. Our kittens play fetch with toy mice and Pom poms , sit on our shoulders, curl up on our feet, demand to be let under blankets, flop wildly to request pets and are just joys. I am so thankful Doug breeds for health and personality and we couldn't be happier with our sweet boy and girl. read more

Doug, Cary, and the whole Indian Spring Cats team are amazing. We adopted two Burmese kittens (eventually named Princess Lucky Star and Captain Luna Galacticat) from Indian Spring Cats in 2017. We chose Indian Springs Cats because of Doug's dedication to bringing in cats from Thailand to improve the health of the Burmese cat breed. We found the facilities impeccable and loved every kitty we met on the property. Lucky and Luna are absolute joys. They are the most social and loving cats I have ever met. I would adopt 10 more from Indian Springs Cats if I could! I highly recommend Indian Springs Cats and you can visit Lucky and Luna on Instagram at luckyluna_cats. read more

We found Indian Spring Cats after our previous Burmese passed away. I was horrified by how much the breed had deteriorated in the previous 18 years but thrilled to discover Dr. Doug Schar and his dedication to preserving these amazing cats. The Indian Spring Cats website offers a wealth of information, and both Doug and Cary were very helpful and supportive via email--before and after we brought home our sable kitten 15 months ago. She is healthy, with a gorgeous glossy coat unlike any I've ever seen. She also has a ton of personality and is a wonderful family member, even to her 60-pound Lab "brother." I'm so glad that we found Indian Spring Cats. read more

We are the thrilled owners of an Indian Springs cat. He is the smartest, funniest, most affectionate cat of my life. I researched Burmese breeders for a year, and Dr. Schar stood out immediately to me for his work to create healthy cats with great personalities. I found him to be honest, expert and helpful. He answered every question promptly and thoroughly. Cary helped with all the details of choosing our boy, picking him up and helping him settle in and bond in his new home. We could not be more grateful for our healthy, delightful, gorgeous cat and for Indian Springs! We'll be back for sure! read more

It doesn't get any better than Indian Spring Cats. Our Phoebe is not only STUNNING but she has a huge personality as well. She is playful, funny, sweet, well adjusted and most importantly healthy. Our vet was very impressed with Phoebe and is a big fan of Indian Spring Cats! We could not have asked for a better cat. She is SO loved by us and her two dog brothers. They are inseparable. We are excited to be back on the waiting list for kitty number 2! We can't say enough good things about Doug, Cary and Indian Spring Cats. We will be customers for life! read more

After much research I felt confident in the breed and breeder we selected. We received 2 amazing, healthy burmese kittens from Indian Springs and had exemplary service. The vet was so impressed with them and asked where we got them. Our kids are enamored with them; they are so dog-like, vivacious, and bring joy to our hearts. They are robust and full grown now, and we are grateful for the science and diligence that Dr. Schar has put into his practice. Would buy from him and Cary again in a heartbeat. read more

Doug and Cat Cary were absolutely wonderful. We reached out back in the fall of 2020 to express interest in getting a kitten from them and they were incredible attentive and informative. We were put on a list for a spring litter and when it was time, we drove down to Virginia from NYC to pick up our fur baby. Cat Cary was very empathetic to what we were looking for and asked all the right questions to help match us up with Babka. We couldn't be happier with our little prince. read more

First and foremost Indian Spring Cats, Doug and his staff are the greatest! The facility is clean and the cats are not inbred, which was so very important to me, since I had unhealthy cats for 12 years from a breeder who didn't care like Doug Achar does. I have a 2 year old male and a 8 month old female. They are healthy and have wonderful personalities. If I could I would have many more beautiful fur children from Indian Springs. A happy customer from Upper St.Clair, PA read more

Absolutely the best cat breeder! Dr. Schar has used his extensively education, knowledge and experience to produce beautiful, healthy, long-living cats that are full of personality! The fact that I have four of his cats is a testament to how good he is!! He and Cary are wonderful to work with, always available and helpful. I highly recommend Indian Spring Cats. read more

The best kittens we've ever owned after 25 years of having cats. Dr. Schar's cats are so well cared for, beautiful, intelligent and affectionate. I hope he continues to breed cats for as long as he can because he's done an amazing job cleaning up the breeding world and brought in a whole new quality of healthy cats. read more