Buying a kitten

AMO

Hi all,

My wife wants to buy a kitten, but she's quite particular about what kind of kitten she gets.

She likes kittens with round faces like in the Whiskers adverts (I think they are British Short Hair) and she also likes Persians.

What are the best websites to go about looking for kittens and what kind of price should I look at paying?

Also, what's the best strategies for going to places like RSPCA or Cat Protection to pick up hopefully one for free or cheap if we find one that we like? I mean, a lot of the time I think the kittens/cats only hit the website if they're not selling.

Thanks.

Azmataz

First of all, please don't buy one! This perpetuates domestic animal breeding via demand. There are plenty of felines of all shapes, sizes and ages out there. Particularly at the moment: it's kitten season! :eek:

I highly recommend Cats Protection. Find your nearest adoption centre here: http://www.cats.org.uk/adopt-a-cat/ready-to-adopt I've volunteering with them for 7 years.

Also, there are lots of local independent cat rescue charities operating all over the country.

It's good practice to donate on adoption - after all, you're getting a kitty fully vacinated and neutered. Most charities request a donation to cover overheads. Better to give money to these establishments than private sellers. I'm afraid there's no such thing as a 'cheap' kitty though. They cost quite a bit over their lifetimes!

It's certainly not the case that cats only get on the websites if they aren't 'selling'. The RSPCA, Cats Protection and a myriad of others are not in business to make profit. They exist only for animal welfare and rely on people like us to keep them afloat. That's why they push marketing so heavily.

Vet fees are expensive and re-homing charities typically spend £70-£100 per cat or kitten before they are re-homed - that's the combined cost for neutering, micro-chipping, inoculations, flea and worm treatments, dental check and overall health check. Remember, the last five in this list will be ongoing costs for responsible pet owners, although it will be up to you to arrange them with your vet.

Many independent cat 'sales' come originate from people who are not regulated. The animals that come via these routes won't have the health checks that the charities provide and sometimes are subjected to inbreeding by money conscious breeders. The results of which are poorly kittens who sometimes have lifetime maladies and that means a lot more healthcare costs for you.

I used to have Persians. I love them to bits as a breed, but they more often suffer from respiratory, ocular and digestive disorders. Again, sadly the result of inbreeding and costly too.

Please give the charities a go. :T

bazster

Strategy? Why would you need a strategy? Just go to your nearest rescue centres and see who they've got who's in need of a home.

But they will not let you have a kitten unless you have someone at home all day. However, they will have plenty of adult cats who desperately need a new home (a lot more desperately than the kittens, who they can always re-home easily).

I do have to wonder if you and your wife have thought this through properly. It doesn't matter how cute a kitten is or how closely it fits your wife's specification, it will not be a kitten for long. What you need to be in love with is the idea of owning a beautiful cat for possibly the next 20 years, not some cutesy kitten in a catfood advert!

Money_maker

bazster wrote: »

But they will not let you have a kitten unless you have someone at home all day.

Is this a new thing? I can understand it with dogs but have no idea why you have put this on a kitten thread. They don't need perpetual human company like dogs do.

bazster

Money_maker wrote: »

Is this a new thing? I can understand it with dogs but have no idea why you have put this on a kitten thread. They don't need perpetual human company like dogs do.

It's exactly what the RSPCA told me at their Southridge centre, and no it's not new, this was a few years ago. It wasn't merely a general comment either, they actually refused us a kitten because we both work full-time. The adult cat we adopted instead was an utter delight and was with us for many years.

bazster

http://www.rspca-tameside-glossop.org.uk/animal-adoptions/cats/

"Please note – kittens will only be rehomed to families where there is someone at home during the day"

The same can be found on other RSPCA centre websites.

jenniewb

bazster wrote: »

It's exactly what the RSPCA told me at their Southridge centre, and no it's not new, this was a few years ago. It wasn't merely a general comment either, they actually refused us a kitten because we both work full-time. The adult cat we adopted instead was an utter delight and was with us for many years.

I'd agree- I was also told they had to be taken in groups or two or more and that is a rule with many cat charities, they do this because they believe it means the cats settle better. It felt odd to hear this from them because I've never known this to be the case- many cats are very selfish by nature and prefer one owner to itself! The cats we had when I was growing up would fight so badly they were not allowed to be left alone together and with another set (brother and sister) one ran away repeatedly and had to be given away in the end, when she was rehomed she stopped running away, cats don't always get on yet animal charities seem to think they do.

I say this after being told several times. I wanted to adopt a cat and rehome one but was turned down- this was even before a house insepction. Its sad they do this, I wonder how many more people have been put off adopting and have gone out and paid a breeder due to this rule.

barmonkey

bazster wrote: »

http://www.rspca-tameside-glossop.org.uk/animal-adoptions/cats/

"Please note – kittens will only be rehomed to families where there is someone at home during the day"

The same can be found on other RSPCA centre websites.

same with the blue cross

georgiesmum

bazster wrote: »

http://www.rspca-tameside-glossop.org.uk/animal-adoptions/cats/

"Please note – kittens will only be rehomed to families where there is someone at home during the day"

The same can be found on other RSPCA centre websites.

An absolutely ridiculous statement.:mad: How many homes are there with somebody in all day. These are CATS for gods sake not babies. No wonder the catteries are always full. by their standereds i would never have had a cat at all and i have kept them for 50 years. Always 3 or 4. They are provided with a cat flap and dried food left down for them, but had a pouch each before i used to go to work, and when i came home.
The catteries and RSPCA are getting quite silly with their insitance on this and vaccinations and collars. And musent live near a main Rd.Never had one of mine vaccinated and don't believe in cat collars.
Because of their stupid rules lots of cats get pts when they could have had loving homes.

exel1966

I agree with all the sentiments in the above posts particularly about obtaining a cat from a registered charity, but I do think the rule of somebody being home all day does not benefit the rising homeless cat population.
Cats even kittens are one of the most self sufficient domestic pets you can find. Yes, they crave love and attention, but in ANY household it's not the human that rules the roost, it's the cat. As long as your prepared to interact and play with your kitten at times it will be perfectly content. Kittens will spend a lot of time sleeping, does it require a human to monitor that at all times. No! They may make a mess at times either by defecating or by biting things, you can't stop it by being home all day, you accept it as part of taking on the responsibility.

I suspect this is an old rule which doesn't fit with today's modern society. Humans have to adapt to it and there's no reason why domestic pets can't/don't. Even wild animal have had to adapt, Just look at how the fox population has had to adapt to humans taking over it's natural habitation.

KatieKins

That's a shame, interesting to know though - I didn't realise you had to be in all day to get a kitten from the RSPCA. We were looking at getting one but we both work in the day