Buying a kitten
There are many wonderful kittens and cats who currently need good forever homes and we would always encourage people to consider adoption in the first instance. There are many large rehoming centres such as RSPCA, Bluecross and Cats Protection. If you are looking to support local centres, you may wish to visit Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary or Rossendale Responsible Animal Rescue (RRAR).
From 6th April 2020 kittens under the age of 6 months can only be obtained from breeders or rehoming centres. It is illegal for anyone else to sell kittens under this age. Where to start!
Choose a breeder carefully and be sure their cats are well looked after. Make sure you see the kitten where it was bred before committing yourself. Like dogs, purebred cats can be more prone to health problems.
A kitten should be sociable and alert with bright eyes no visible health problems. They should stay with their mothers until they are around 8-9 weeks, taking them away earlier than this can lead to behavioural issues.
Use the Kitten Checklist from the RSPCA to find a healthy, friendly kitten and avoid buying from an irresponsible breeder.
The Kitten Checklist has been designed to get you all the information you need before making the decision to buy your new kitten. This includes common signs of ill health, the kitten's behaviour and how comfortable he or she is around people, all of which can indicate whether they have come from a responsible breeder and whether they will make good friendly pets.
Some information should be gathered before you even consider visiting the kitten. Use the checklist as a guide to which questions you should ask - responsible breeders will be happy to answer any questions and will help you complete the checklist. Some of the things you'll need to know are:
- When was the kitten born?
- Was the kitten raised with its mother?
- Is the kitten friendly?
- Is the kitten healthy?
- Where was the kitten born, and where did the kitten spend most of its time when it was between one and nine weeks old?
You should always visit the kitten where it was bred and meet its mother. The Kitten Checklist will guide you on things to look out for and ask when you visit the kitten such as:
- Can you see the kitten with their mother?
- Is the mother healthy? Friendly?
- Are there many other cats or litters of kittens in the home?
- Is the kitten's environment clean?
- Does the kitten look healthy?
- By the end of your visit was the kitten friendly? Nervous? fearful?
If you have any concerns about the breeder, please report them to the RSPCA.