Getting a kitten

[annandale]

I need to get a kitten. Experienced cat owners, what would you advise about where to go? I'm pretty much a complete novice so wary of rescue cats who need more experienced handling.

Rescue cats don't always need experienced handling - my rescues have just been normal cats. The shelter should tell you if a cat has particular needs and will match you with a suitable cat (or kitten).

Please rescue instead of buying. There are so many cats needing a home and buying only encourages people to breed cats and add to the problem. I’ve only ever had rescue cats and, apart from one who was very shy (which can happen anyway) they have all been normal cats, if there’s any such thing!

Rescue kittens are mostly no different from any other kittens - only kittens who've grown up semi-feral may be more shy than kittens who were brought up with humans from an early age. But "kitten season" is about to start and every rescue will have lots of friendly kittens waiting for homes. If anything, a reputable rescue is a much better place for a first time cat owner to support you than some irresponsible owner who didn't neuter their cat (who of course got pregnant) and is now selling the kittens on the internet...

You should get two if you don't have cats already - a single kitten is likely to get bored and be much more destructive!

Why do you "need" to get a kitten? Please do make sure you read about everything involved in cat ownership, prepare for a 15-20 year commitment, do your sums about vet bills, insurance, food, litter, flea & worming treatments etc.

And there will be plenty of rescue kittens soon.

The rescue kittens will have been socialised by the (human!) foster carers so PLEASE PLEASE get a rescue kitten.
Actually, like a PP said, get two as they'll keep each other company

We got 2 rescue kittens last year - and are very glad we did.

And kitten season is about to start so your local rescues will have lots to choose from

I've always had rescue cats. My first was a very shy tortie. All cats have different characters, regardless of their background. If you don't manage to get a kitten from a rescue, you could adopt an older cat.

Why do you “need” to get a kitten?

As a complete novice, I’d suggest you read up on what is involved in cat ownership if you haven’t already done so. Having a cat is a big commitment for the next 15-20 years which you should be aware of before getting one.

I echo the others on here, please please get a rescue kitten. I’m not sure where in the country you are (I’m assuming you’re in the U.K.), but your local cats protection is a good place to start as they have branches all over the country.

Some (many) rescue cats don’t need more experienced handling. Kittens are actually harder to manage than adult cats and one of the advantages of adopting an adult cat is that you can have a better idea of their personality when you adopt them compared to adopting a kitten.

A docile adult rescue is a much better idea for a novice cat owner than a kitten.
I have a rescue cat (a Maine Coon) who is sweet-natured and docile, only toilets in her litter tray, incredibly good with children and chilled out enough that we can take her on holiday with us with no problems.
My friend got a Maine Coon kitten from a reputable breeder and she’s friendly but incredibly highly strung. She pees all over the place when she’s stressed and can be quite destructive too.
Kittens aren’t the same as puppies. You won’t necessarily be able to train a cat to fit in with your family and lifestyle.
My cat ended up in a rescue because despite having always lived in a house with other cats she finds that stressful. We were told when we rescued her that she needed to be the only cat in the house which we were happy with.
Do try a rescue and consider some of the adult cats. My family, who have always gone for kittens, are all super jealous that I have a lap-cat who loves a cuddle and a belly rub. Their current cats are friendly enough but not cuddly and would claw you to shreds if you tried to scratch their belly. Next time they are going to look for a rescue.

Bear in mind that a lot of people get cats thinking they are a very cheap and low maintenance pet and they are most definitely NOT.

You need a catflap, or to be prepared to let them in & out (unless they are indoor only).
You need a litter tray and somewhere to put it, and be prepared to clean it out regularly.
They need to be insured, be chipped & neutered, have their regular injections, be flea & worm treated - not cheap.
Feeding them the cheapest supermarket food you can find etc is just likely to lead to more vet visits, they need decent quality (therefore more expensive) foods.
If you want an affectionate cat, you need to pay it attention when IT wants and not just when you feel like it.
If you get kittens, the chances are you will need to replace most of your soft furnishings before they become fully adult.

Please do think of all these things before getting a cat, any age cat. Read some of the threads here about the "fun and games" people have had with their cats to ensure you are prepared. And as others have said, please consider a rescue.

Just out of interest, when is 'kitten season'? I may be very ignorant but I thought cats bred all year round?

They can breed all year round but mostly their hormones have evolved to work with the seasons and most cats won't come into heat during the coldest months. Any stray/feral kittens born outside in the cold months also don't stand much of a chance of survival. Kitten season runs from the early spring well into autumn here in the Northern hemisphere.

To some extent it also correlates with the previous year's kittens going into their first heat at approx 5-10 months of age if not spayed. An unneutered female cat WILL get pregnant if she goes out.

DumbledoresApprentice and AllergictoIroning have written brilliant posts - read and read again.

I took in a "bought" kitten from an acquaintance last summer who was taking him to the RSPCA otherwise. He's been far more work than the rescues I've had over the years! A young, say

Thanks viccat