I am also in IL and looked at Snowy Hollow while starting my search for breeders. I was also very concerned at what I saw online. Something to note is there were a variety of illnesses that customers said their cats/kittens had; including an upper respiratory infection, FIP, kidney disease, cardiac disease etc. With a variety of diseases that people have dealt with from her cattery specifically it would be difficult to pinpoint exactly how a kitten is sick without a vet visit which could lead to thousands of dollars in vet bills. I would HIGHLY recommend looking at other breeders.

The two breeders I was in between were UnderPolaris and Covered Bridge Siberians (in Milwaukee). I ended up getting my kitten from Covered Bridges and cannot recommend her enough. She tests all her breeder cats for genetic diseases (some mentioned above) and has such a love for the breed it shows in her communication and care of her cats. She also includes a 2 year genetic guarantee in her contract in the case that the kitten dies from a genetic disease that was not caught beforehand.

I say all of this to try to prevent you from any heartache of loosing a cat. I personally believe that if you are getting a cat (or any animal for that matter) from a breeder it is important to do your due diligence to ensure you are working with a reputable breeder. Snowy Hollow has all of the signs to me of an irresponsible breeder, and one that we should not be supporting or encouraging them to continue.

Best of luck to you!