 Cat Buying Guide
Taking on a cat as a pet is a big commitment and should not be taken lightly. It will need attention, routine veterinary treatment, grooming and daily care.
A cat will require daily care for 10-15 years - too many cats are already waiting to be re homed through no fault of their own. This may be due to changes in the previous owner's circumstances, a wearing off of the novelty of cat ownership, a lack of time for the cat or some other reason. Just as anyone would give careful consideration to their circumstances, lifestyle, commitment, time etc before starting a family, buying a cat should be considered in the same way.
Please read our guides below:
- Selecting a Cat
- Buying a Kitten from a Breeder
- Buying a Kitten or Cat from a Rescue Home
- Buying a Kitten from a Pet Shop
Selecting A Cat
There are many breeds of cat to choose from and also cross-breeds.
The advantage of a pure bred cat is that they have fairly fixed characteristics and temperaments and so it is more easy to find one that is almost certainly right for a particular environment and lifestyle. Buying a cross breed means that the characteristics and temperament are more uncertain.
It is important that first thought is given to the type or breed suited to particular circumstances. A long haired cat will require more grooming than a short haired cat, some breeds dislike being left alone for long periods and some are more suited to children in the household than others.
Once the breed or type of cat has been decided, thought can be given to obtaining the cat from a breeder or other source.
If selecting a kitten, look at all kittens in the litter to ensure they all look healthy and active. If one kitten is sickly it may indicate some genetic weakness or contagious illness which may be present in the others and so these are best avoided. The kittens should ideally be 12-16 weeks of age - kittens should not be sold younger than this.
Any kitten should be curious, alert, bright eyed with a clean coat. It should be inquisitive, not too nervous and not show any aggression. Beware of any kitten that has runny or sticky eyes, runny nose, sneezing, wet or dirty bottom, matted fur, seems lethargic or does not have a firm body. All of these things can indicate a sick kitten.
Once healthy and appealing kitten has been identified, it is best to hold it in order to inspect it further and see how friendly it is.
If looking at an older cat, perhaps a rescue cat, the same applies - look for one which is curious, lively, friendly with no signs of aggression, with good clean fur and bright eyes.
Buying A Kitten From A Breeder
If buying a kitten the best place to buy is always directly from a reputable breeder. Cat breeders may be located through our cat breeders lists.
The advantages of buying directly from a cat breeder is that breeding has usually been carefully planned and thought through with regard to producing robust, healthy cats of good temperament. Many breeders will also offer some form of guarantee contracting to take the cat back if not suitable. Unfortunately the same cannot always be said for kittens sold in pet shops where the history of the kittens for sale is often unknown.
Many breeders of pedigree cats also show their cats and so breed towards producing a good healthy show cat with a view to keeping one or two themselves, so quality and temperament is of vital importance when planning the breeding.
Although breeders of show cats specialise in breeding pedigree cats, there are also owners who have bred their pet cats and produce cross breed or pedigree kittens. These may be the result of a planned or unplanned pregnancy but the pups have usually been well cared for and brought up in a family environment and so most often make very suitable pets and will be less expensive to purchase than a pedigree show cat.
Buying a cat direct from the breeder means that there is the opportunity to see the parents and know the date of birth of the kitten that it is intended to purchase.
Buying A Kitten Or Cat From A Rescue Home
Another option when seeking a cat as a pet is to obtain a cat from a rescue home. Many cats, both kittens and older cats, unfortunately become abandoned or homeless through no fault of their own every year.
Rescue homes usually assess the cat's behaviour on arrival and often carry out remedial training if needed before offering for re homing. Therefore cats offered are usually very suitable and loving pets.
Rescue homes often have both pedigree and cross breed cats available but the cat's background or exact breeding details are often not know. However, unless the intention is to show or breed then rescue cats should be considered.
Depending on the rescue organisation they may require the completion of a series of forms, interviews or even a home visit to assess suitability as a potential cat owner. Their primary concern is to ensure the correct placement of the cats in their care with a suitable new owner.
Buying A Kitten From A Pet Shop
Sometimes kittens are available in pet shops. These kittens are unlikely to have come from a reputable show breeder and are most likely to have come from a pet owner with an unplanned pregnancy or from commercial kitten farms. There is some risk as to whether these kittens will be of good temperament or health as the parents cannot be seen and often little or no information can be given about their background or breeding.
It is no fun buying a unhealthy, weakly kitten and then dealing with the problems this presents afterwards - it can cause a lot of heartache so it is essential to find a good healthy kitten. Should any pet shop or the health of the kittens for sale cause concern they can be reported to an Animal Welfare organisation or local authority if the conditions warrant it.
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