How is the rule for enchanting familiar items in D&D 3.5?

[Andrependragon]

Greetings!
At my table, a doubt arose. I chose the Familiar Item talent to create my own bow, but when it came time to choose enchantments, the DM said he understood from the item's description that I could only enchant with +1 value enchantments. Is this interpretation correct? I argued that the +1 is just an example in the enchantment description of the item. Could someone explain to me how this part of enchanting the familiar item works?

To make it clearer, I want to enchant the bow, and by that, I mean my character enchanting the item with the ability to enchant without having the necessary feats. In the example in the book, it provides an example of enchanting (+1). However, the DM is arguing that I can only enchant abilities +1 by using my character to enchant the bow. The example from the book is below and can be read on page 173 of the Unearthed Arcana.

IMPROVING AN ITEM FAMILIAR

An item familiar can be improved as other magic items can be. By spending gold pieces (and time and experience points, assuming the character is the one doing the work), a character can add new abilities to her item familiar. If a character links herself to a +1 longsword, for example, it only costs 6,000 gp (or 3,000 gp and 240 XP) to add another +1 of enhancement bonus or, perhaps, a special ability that is equivalent to a +1 bonus (such as spell storing or flaming). The character can accomplish this even without having the requisite item creation feats. This type of improvement has nothing to do with the master’s character level, though it may affect the item’s eventual Ego score.

Could I enchant it with Splitting (+3)?

[icefractal]

IMO, pretty clearly yes, the key line being:
"An item familiar can be improved as other magic items can be."

In the absence of text otherwise, that'd mean any way you could normally enhance it, which includes special abilities greater than +1. And the example is entirely phrased like an example (about how much additions cost), not like a specific limit to what can be added. If it was the latter, would that mean that only weapon enhancements could be applied to an Item Familiar, regardless of the type of item? Doesn't seem like a sensible reading.

[St Fan]

Basically, I've always interpreted that as: the Item Familiar feat replace any item creation feat normally needed for the item familiar.

In this case, you don't need Craft Magic Arms and Armor to further enchant the bow, but you need all the other usual requirements (spells, gold, time, XP, etc.).

But yes, there is no further limitation to add new enhancements than with any other magic item.

[Paragon]

From what I've read here, it looks like you can either pay the full price to have it enchanted as you would any usual weapon, or get the feat and have the usual crafting discount.

What's obvious is that you can indeed add enchantments with the same rules as other items

[St Fan]

From what I've read here, it looks like you can either pay the full price to have it enchanted as you would any usual weapon, or get the feat and have the usual crafting discount.

What's obvious is that you can indeed add enchantments with the same rules as other items

No, the character don't need to get any feat beyond Item Familiar, it's clearly specified in the OP:
"The character can accomplish this even without having the requisite item creation feats."

Item Familiar replaces any item creation feat, though only for the linked item.

[Andrependragon]

Thank you all for the responses, the doubt has already been clarified!