Need advice this morning please re buying 2 kittens - help!!

[minimuffin]

Hi - I've never owner a cat before but we are looking for 2 kittens to add to our family. We have 3 young boys so have decided to get kittens (DS1 is v nervous around animals so we thought a rescue cat would be a risk and a 3 child household prob not the best for a cat that might have issues).

Anyway.... we want a pair. Can anyone tell me whether, at 8-12 weeks old, it would be better to get a sibling pair or would two kittens from different parents but the same age integrate just as well? I have found some promising kittens. One is a sibling pair but no tabby, which I had my heart set on. Or I could take one from that litter and a tabby the same age from a different litter I have found. Both litters are British Shorthair cross. Finding siblings is proving tricky, so I'm wondering if I'm being too particular, but I'm keen to do what's best for the cats and have no experience of kittens whatsoever. Any advice? Thanks in advance!!

Good luck with your search and I am so glad that you are going the rescue route. CP are pretty good. I agree with the pp who said that a well socialised adult might be a better choice for you - kittens can be scratchy, bitey little buggers (was ambushed this morning by rescue Persian kitt who was 'playing' with me and drew blood on my face!).

Spoke to lady from CP last night and she said we might be rejected as we live near a busy road... even though we have an enclosed garden... . Waiting to see if they reject us outright or we get a home visit to assess us. Fingers crossed!

How enclosed is the garden? If it's just fences cats can easily jump over them. If it's a garden in the middle of a row of terraces, with lots of gardens all adjoining and virtually no access to the front, then it's not so much of a problem.

If they do think it's unsafe then you should really take note of that and probably not try to find kittens elsewhere - you don't want them to end up getting squashed on the road. They know what they're talking about.

It is possible to cat proof gardens like this: www.protectapuss.co.uk/cat-fences/?gclid=CMrx1uyxk8ECFaYewwodBGIAmw

but you would need a garden that would suit it and it can cost quite a bit.

Fingers crossed, mini.

Would you consider an indoors only cat?

It's high walls on 2 sides, a high fence on the 3rd and a high hedge on the 4th. The gate out onto the driveway is like a door (i.e. nothing can get under it). I think it would be OK but I'm worried in case they write us off before coming to look. Anyway, we'll see. I don't think I'd like an indoor cat - I just feel that if they wanted to go out I'd feel awful keeping them in - our neighbour's cat used to love basking in the sunshine outside.

mini some breeds of cat just are not safe to go outside and are just as happy inside tbh. I have a rescue Raggy x and two rescue Persian kitts and they are all indoor cats as they would not last a minute outdoors! They are very happy and laid back.

Anyway - it was just a thought. Good luck!

why is that fizzy? Is it that there's a greater chance of them being stolen?

I think some breeds are thick aren't very outdoor-wise, val.

Yes, exactly as wantacat says! Some cats - and they tend to be the pedigree breeds I think - can be extremely thick. We live in a remote rural area and no-one would steal our 'posh' cats but we do have to keep these three in as they have no idea of self preservation and the Raggy x in particular has no fear. Of anything.

The indoor cats are every bit as happy as the two semi-feral marauders we also have. It's just a different kind of life.