Aibu to buy a kitten?

[mummypleeeaaaasseeee]

We have decided after much consideration to get a cat.
I have been to/contacted the 3 only rescue centres in my area, 2 of them don’t have any cats that match our needs (family friendly and young(ish)) and the third one don’t know if they have any and keep saying they’ll get back to me but then don’t. I feel awkward to keep calling.
So would i bu to just buy a kitten? And how would you find a kitten to buy?
I’m not sure I trust gumtree ads...
Advice please?

pick up a local newspaper. or look in shop windows. maybe you won't even need to 'buy'

Please don't buy from a Gumtree ad or anything like that - 95% of the animals on there have been bred for profit by unscrupulous people who a) breed the queens into an early grave, litter after litter after litter with no rest and b) don't bother with ensuring good health among their animals. Buying from them just means thy keep breeding more & more.

Whether a kitten or cat is best for you depends on your family really - if you have young children then for both sides a kitten really isn't the best idea. Very young children can have a problem realising just how fragile a kitten can be, and a kitten will scratch or bite a child if they are unhappy.

You've spent the time considering about getting a cat, could you wait a bit longer until the right animal for you comes along? Also if you give an idea on here what sort of area you're in, other posters may know of different rescues you haven't found yet/

I was in your situation a couple of months ago until I responded to a private ad in need of re-homing a young adult cat. Think it was pets 4 homes, or similar. Keep a look out before responding to a kitten ad, if I were you. I would also always go for an adult- much less hard work and easier on the conscience.

Thanks for the advice! That’s what I suspected about the gumtree ads, just didn’t feel right.
I guess we’ll have to wait.
That’s interesting point that we should go for a cat rather than kitten because of young kids. I thought of the opposite as I thought then the kitten will grow up being used to kids etc. But these are actually very valid points against it.

Kittens are tiny agents of destruction.

What about a breed rescue? They often have adults.

I would go for a gentle adult cat. I got my cat aged w from a rescue and she’s the gentlest cat I’ve ever come across.

Aged 2

I put our name down with our local rescue centre and they contacted me about 7 weeks later to come and choose a kitten.

Our lovely boy is 7 now.

Be patient.

The nice thing about a slightly older cat is that you know a bit more about their temperament. Kittens tend to be born at certain times of the year, think often Sept/Oct so the shelters might have quite a few in foster homes but not old enough to rehome yet.

Cats are kittens for such a short time so very soon you would have cats not kittens anyway. Both of ours are still somewhat traumatised by their first year (before they adopted us). A kitten who is pulled around - however unintentionally; by a young child might become scared of children, whereas a placid older cat might take it in their stride.

Also thinking about the other end of the life, unless you plan to have more cats when the children leave home, a young kitten will still be around but likely to need more time and care as an older cat when the children have left home and really you want to be jetting off to Machu Picchu (other empty nest destinations are available). A slightly older cat now is likely to be trotting over the rainbow bridge around the time that your dc leave home. I know that view might not be popular with some cat slaves, but realistically some people do just want animals while their dc are growing up and if you are in that group you don't want a kitten who could have another 20+ years in them. It wouldn't be fair to a cat towards the end of their lives to be passed around and put into a cattery.

Thanks !
Good points there shouldwestay
I guess I’ll have a look again at the rescue from time to time.
They dont have a “waiting list” you just have to keep going there and having a look at who they have.
I find it a bit sad really and feel bad for not picking anyone. But at the same time I’m happy to know that cats there find homes very quickly