Where To Buy A Kitten Or Cat

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  • So you are ready to bring a kitten into your life. This is an exciting time but one in which proper thought and research are a must. It is not a good idea to rush out and purchase the first kitten you come across as there can be many pitfalls. So, where do you buy a kitten from? The first thing to consider is what kind of kitten do you want, a purebred or a mixed breed.

    Registered cat breeders

    Purebred kittens should be bought from a registered breeder. This article goes into detail about buying a purebred kitten. Sometimes a registered breeder will also be looking to find a home for an adult ex-breeding cat at a reduced price. Make sure they are indeed registered by checking to see which cat council they are with.

    Animal shelters

    If you are looking to buy a mixed breed (moggy), the best place to go to is your local shelter. They are usually full of both kittens and cats who desperately need a home. The advantage with shelters is not only are you helping a homeless cat, but they come desexed (spayed/neutered), microchipped and wormed, thus saving you time and money having to organise all of this at a later date.

    Classified ads

    Both online or the classifieds section of your local paper. Just be aware of what you are getting yourself into. Free to good home kittens often cost more in the long run than purchasing a cat from the shelter. You will have to factor in the cost of vaccinating, desexing and microchipping the cat.

    Pet websites

    Such as Cat-World often have sections where breeders can list their cats for sale and Internet forums for people to list cats who are looking for a home.

    Pet shops

    Pet shops often sell both mixed breed and purebred cats (without papers). It is not recommended that you purchase a cat from a pet shop. Pet shops will have performed the basic requirements for a kitten such as vaccinations and microchipping but it will be up to you to pay for the desexing. Once you have paid for the kitten, and then the desexing you will likely be more out of pocket than you would have been by choosing a shelter cat or purchasing a kitten from a registered breeder.

    Many breeders desex their kittens before they go to their new home, saving you from having to do it. As many breeders receive discounts from veterinarians this saving is able to be passed onto you. There are often topics posted about the sale of purebred cats on our forums and the difference in price between buying from a pet shop and a registered breeder are astounding.

    Most people conclude that a pet shop will be the cheaper option but this is absolutely incorrect. There is also the moral issue of selling pets in shops. This allows for impulse buying. Pets should be obtained after considerable thought, not in the heat of the moment.

    Author

    • Julia Wilson, 'Cat World' Founder

      Julia Wilson is the founder of Cat-World, and has researched and written over 1,000 articles about cats. She is a cat expert with over 20 years of experience writing about a wide range of cat topics, with a special interest in cat health, welfare and preventative care. Julia lives in Sydney with her family, four cats and two dogs. Full author bio