Celia’s top tips for buying pedigree kittens
FINDING A GOOD BREEDER
● Research different breeds to find which would best suit your lifestyle.
● NEVER buy online without visiting first. Never buy off the back of a van. Never buy from somebody who offers to deliver (so you can’t see the conditions of the home.)
● NEVER buy if you don’t see the kitten with its mother.
● NEVER buy from anybody who says:“We always have kittens available.”That is a kitten mill.
Are the mother cat and kittens kept in the house or in a pen? You want a kitten that is brought up in the house. If there are lots of cat pens in the garden, drive away.
● ASK: How do you socialise your kittens? Avoid the breeder who doesn’t know what this means or gives a vague answer.
● ASK: can I visit before the kittens are ready? Check it out before committing yourself.
● ASK: Are your kittens vaccinated? Good breeders vaccinate their kittens before selling them. Run a mile from breeders that don’t believe in vaccination.
● Discuss all breed disorders (find these out during your research) with the breeder. For any health condition that can be tested for, ask to see the relevant certificates that prove the tests have been done. If the breeder doesn’t have certificates, do not buy.
VISITING YOUR KITTEN
● If there are too many adult cats in the house, do not buy. More than about 10 adult cats means this is a breeder for profit or an incipient cat hoarder. Kittens in these homes are more likely to come with diseases.
● Runny eyes (particularly important for breeds with snub faces) or snuffles in any of the kittens or household cats are a very bad sign — do not buy.
● Does the kitten approach you? Can it be handled? If it cowers away, it hasn’t been properly socialised.
● Remember, you must see the mother with her kittens, not just the kitten or kittens. Sometimes bad breeders keep cats in a barn and just bring out the kittens. Run a mile if you are just shown the kittens, this is a kitten mill.