Buying a kitten in Covid times

[Divebar]

I appreciate that I am one of a gazillion number of people trying to find a kitten but I’m looking for some advice on what you think is acceptable at the moment. We are looking for a kitten for my 8 year old DD. She would particularly like a kitten rather than an older cat and given how rubbish lockdown has been for her on her own I would like to facilitate this if possible. I have tried all the cat rescue places near me and they either have no kittens or they need you to take 2 kittens ( or the kitten and the mother) which we would prefer not to do. I looked on Pets4Homes very cautiously but everything seems to be selling very quickly. I have enquired about 2 different sets of cats. The first sent me photos of a cat which I thought looked a bit sad ( I thought the eyes looked a bit odd ) and then kept messaging to ask when I was collecting. The other we went to see - the house was rather run down and we were kept outside and they brought the cat out to us. The lady was very nice but I couldn’t really get a sense of what was going on. They sold it to someone who viewed after us. What do you think is acceptable at the moment regarding viewing ? I don’t want to buy a cat from an unscrupulous breeder and I don’t want to buy without meeting it first but it seems that’s what happening.

I really would only get kittens from a rescue and they do usually have loads they need homes for. Can I ask why you are so against getting 2? There's a reason rescues want them to go in pairs. Kittens rehomed in pairs tend to settle in more easily and be easier to care for because they play together and have company all the time. I recently rescued a pair of siblings after many years of single cats. They are much easier to look after.

I'd consider getting a pair of kittens or a kitten and mum. Two cats are definitely better than one. Also look at cats aged 1-2, still kitten like but not quite as crazy.

And definitely only get one from a rescue.

It’s not for everyone but I have pedigree cats. You pay a lot more for them but you can be more particular about their breeders. They have to be registered with the GCCF, and you would want to view them with their mum.
You’d also want to see their pedigree certificate. For me, this is less about the quality of the kitten as the quality of the breeder. They have to meet certain welfare requirements to be allowed on the register - eg they aren’t allowed to leave till they are 13 weeks whereas a lot of backyard breeders will let them go at eight weeks. They have to be vaccinated etc.

I can’t advise on moggies as I haven’t gone down that route. There is a lot to be said for rescues. But if you are going for a private breeder, I’d recommend going with someone GCCF registered if you can afford it, as a way of checking their welfare credentials.

I had the same issues as you and went through pets4homes in the end, I think I got lucky as the seller was amazing but I built up quite a rapour with her over the weeks until we got the kitten. It's been the best thing ever for my two girls during this time. Good luck!

My DH is very neutral about getting a cat - he doesn’t see a “need” for 2 and is thinking about the expense of vets bills and cattery bills etc for holidays . He didn’t particularly want the kitten we saw because it was a longhair and he was thinking about hairs everywhere. ( and probably the state of the sellers house). I wouldn’t mind 2 but I’m led a bit more with my heart and he’s a bit more practical than me.

If you look on the catchat website you'll find a comprehensive list of rescue places, there are probably more than you think near you. I looked in the county adjacent to mine as I reckoned casting the net as wide as possible was worth it. Email them all directly.

Also, as pp have said, you should consider a pair. They are company for each other and will play together rather than bothering you 24/7! They also learn from each other, clean each other etc - the list goes on.

I wouldn’t get a child a kitten. They are bitey little lunatics. (The kittens. Not the children!)
I wouldn’t buy any kitten unless I was set on a pedigree. And even then I wouldn’t be shopping online.
If you want a moggy then rescue. A young adult is better as you can know the temperament. We got kittens. One bites and it’s turned out I wasn’t allergic to the kitten fur but I’m now allergic to one of them as adults. We love them and they’re not going anywhere but not ideal!

Thank you. I’ll check that out and consider the prospect of pairs.

We also got two kittens and they HATE each other. A bonded adult pair is a better idea.

My experience is not recommended at all - we got our gorgeous boy off an unscrupulous woman selling on FB - I basically rescued him. My biggest regret is that I didn't rescue the other one that was there too.

He was just a black kitten. He's grown up into a pedigree cross and he's stunning, gorgeous character and so far we've been very lucky.

Definitely go to a rescue - and i would definitely say get two. I can't add in another kitten now as I'm worried that my boy wouldn't take to him.

I agree with @NC4Now we have pedigree cats ( two ragdolls and a Norwegian forest kitten). Genuine pedigree which are registered kittens come from the best homes. I personally think the moggy cat shouldn't be and if it was just down to pedigree cats then ownership would be far more thought out because of the expense involved. This is my Norwegian forest kitten Falkor

Trouble with 2 is they bond to each other and less to you.. in my experience anyway. And rescues are in the business of rehoming as many as possible so I would not necessarily trust them to be honest about a particular pair being close.

You get unscrupulous breeders... and also unscrupulous rescues i’m afraid. If you can afford it, you might be best off with a GCCF breeder, but be aware that many insist that you keep the cat indoors (you would have to with some breeds anyway).

Whether you go for kitten or adult cat, And wherever you’re get it from, I would insist on being able to interact with it properly before making such a big decision.

There's a reason rescues recommend 2 and it's not because they want as many out of the door as quickly as possible.

Solo kittens don't have anyone to learn boundaries from and are much more likely to become bitey and antisocial. Pretty much every "difficult" cat that came in for rehoming at the charity where I volunteered had been with the family from kittenhood and been brought up solo (usually bought from Gumtree as a "pedigree cross" too).

They don't bond more to each other than you - I have two pairs of siblings (now all adult cats) and the super bonded pair always cuddling each other are also super affectionate with me.

In general though you need to also think about this whole plan as a family - most cats live up to 12-20 years old these days.

I would take a single adult cat but only a pair of kittens. The buggers wear each other out.

@Wolfiefan

We also got two kittens and they HATE each other. A bonded adult pair is a better idea.

Are they related and/or both male?

We got two kittens back in January. They adore each other. They are brother and sister.

My previous pair of brothers weren't keen on each other. The pair before that were also male/female siblings and also loved each other.

A kitten is a family commitment, I'd be very surprised if your 8 year old is going to do the poop tray everyday. Once you have one kitten then a second doesn't increase the effort much and if you get a good pair then they're less dependent on you.

Have you looked into pet insurance? Make sure it covers dental. Although only a small about per month that'll likely be your biggest outgoing over the lifetime (and saviour) after food.

I've only ever rescued cats, did look into getting a larger breed pedigree and realised I don't agree with it. Multiple adults and kittens were sharing a home/cat kennels, well cared for but still it just seemed sad and they definitely weren't getting the same quality of life as a dedicated home. They can be in the nicest conditions but it's still just a business where the sole goal is profit. Feels wrong when there are som many rescues. If you do go to breeder make sure you're aware of contractual obligations. Most wont allow your cats to be outdoor cats and if you can no longer care for them then you have to make them aware first etc. Also often require specialist food too.

I've also naively gotten a gumtree kitten when I was stupid and young, decided en route that I'd politely decline but once I saw the poor state he was in I had couldn't leave without. He's absolutely lovely but has developed health conditions - so that's another thing to watch out for.

Cats are glorious little characters and a companion for life, which in reality is a 15-18 year commitment.

Two sisters @StCharlotte
They got on fine as very young kittens but not any more!

Well I’m not expecting my DD to do the “ heavy lifting” of animal husbandry ( if there is such a thing with cats) but I think there’s something to be said in thinking about someone other than yourself. Ultimately I’m the one at home most of the time and I will ensure that correct care is given. I certainly have no ambitions towards a pedigree - I’ve seen the list of health complaints that many suffer with due to in/breeding. I’m also not going to sign up to conditions which control what I do with my own animal. I’m definitely happy with a moggy. I hope it’s an adventurous outdoor cat and although I dont desire to have dead animal brought back to the house I accept that as part and parcel of owning a cat. My sisters cat killed and brought back a pigeon and dragged it through the cat flap when she was still quite small herself.🤢. A lazy house cat is fine too. Ultimately I want a kitty from a “ nice” home, From someone who wants to find a good home for their animals and has some questions for us rather than asking for a deposit straight up and asking when I can pick it up. It’s a slight minefield.

Mine once bought back a whole fillet of salmon, be prepared

@Divebar you won’t get one from a “nice home” if you shop online and give money to someone who doesn’t bother to neuter their pets but sells kittens to strangers online.
Rescue mog is the way to go.

I wouldn’t get a kitten for an eight year old because:

They bite, not deliberately but in play

There are no guarantees that the kitten is going to be a good pet for her. It might not like her, might not be a sociable cat (not all of them are).

A kitten is only realistically going to stay a cute kitten for a few weeks/months and then it’ll be an adult cat who may in fact prefer the outdoors to staying inside with the child it was bought for.

Added to which,cats can do damage to the house, climbing the walls (literally in some instances, scratching the furniture, climbing the curtains, and that’s before you count bringing home dismembered dead (and sometimes not dead) animals and birds for you to deal with.

Then there’s the cost. Neutering/vaccinations/micro chipping, and that’s before any potential health difficulties and will set you back a couple of hundred quid as well as the price of the kitten.

If you still want a kitten after all that then at the very least a rescue will probably charge you around £75/100 for each kitten and that price will include vaccinations/neutering/micro chipping.

Cats live for around 15/18 years but the average is actually much lower because of the sheer number that are killed on the roads.

And your DD will probably be married with children (and kittens) of her own before this one dies.

I would only get a kitten if you want one.

One of the problems with buying from a private individual from Pets4Homes/Gumtree is that the kittens will usually not have had any vet checks and don't come vaccinated. While health issues are rare, you just never know if the kitten has never even seen a vet (something like a heart murmur would mean a lifetime of vet bills no insurance will cover).

As Wolfiefan says, the people who let their cats have kittens and then sell them online are not "nice homes".

I got a kitten 2 weeks ago, we only wanted one due for a few different reasons, cost being one. I had looked around a lot and most of the rehoming places wouldn't give to a home with a young child(mine are 5 and 9). I wasn't really comfortable with gumtree etc so in the end I asked at a farm and they directed me to a farm that had some. I made sure to tell them it would be a family pet and I have children so they got their niece to come and handle the kitten, which I thought was lovely of them.

So far my 9 year old (who I didn't think would do anything at all) has happily cleared the litter tray and both the kids have jobs to feed and water her and play before school.

@Wolfiefan

Two sisters *@StCharlotte* They got on fine as very young kittens but not any more!

Oh that's interesting. Maybe it's a same sex dominance thing.