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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Where do I buy a kitten?

61 replies

BorisJohnsonsHair · 21/02/2023 21:06

I'd be happy to get a rescue cat, but DS has his heart set in a kitten.

But I don't know where to start looking. Not sure I'd want to buy from Gumtree or similar.

Are there any reputable sites please?

OP posts:
Noseylittlemoo · 21/02/2023 22:38

I'm having the same issue. We had an adorable kitten who was from a friend/colleague who's cat had kittens. He sadly died aged 2.5 years and I'm looking for another. The rescues near me only home in pairs and or don't have any kittens. It was a struggle to get my DH to agree to one so two is out of the question . He was a very happy cat , didn't attack us or any furniture and was very affectionate .
I went to visit kittens after seeing an ad on gumtree . But they wouldn't let me see the mummy cat which was a huge red flag and has put me off. Also when they say first come first serve like they don't care about the home they are going to.
I'm just spreading the word with all my friends and colleagues and hoping to go that route again.

WannabeKittens · 21/02/2023 22:47

I had a thread on here last year re how almost impossible it is to get a rescue kitten and there were loads of other posters who had been through the same.

I didn’t want to buy a kitten so in the end I just didn’t bother after being turned down by various rescues for no reason what so ever.

It never ceases to amaze me that the people who work for rescues tend to have over ten cats themselves, in fact the woman from Celia Hammond who came to do my home check told me she had seventeen cats who lived indoors, several outdoor cats and would soon be getting more.

I wouldn’t buy a kitten personally, but be prepared for the possibility that you won’t be approved to rescue either.

WannabeKittens · 21/02/2023 22:49

PS: I was perfectly prepared to rehome two and indeed I said so in my various applications, most of which were never even answered.

I don’t have young children, am an experienced cat owner, I work from home, the woman from Celia Hammond even acknowledged that I clearly had a lot of experience, and still I was turned down with 0 explanation.

Princessdebthe1st · 21/02/2023 23:04

I am not at all convinced about the benefits of rehoming in pairs. I have had two sets of two cats. First was a single cat and then got a kitten when the first was about two. They hated each other and my first cat was definitely happier when we sadly lost the kitten a year later. The second set we rehomed were litter mates (we thought maybe the first pair didn’t get on because they didn’t grow up together). They got a long for a few months but after that were always happier apart than together. Again when we sadly lost one of the cats due to being run over the remaining cat was much happier.
If you don’t expect to leave the cat alone for long periods on a regular basis I can’t see why you would need to get two.

monkeysmum21 · 21/02/2023 23:07

I totally understand why you want to buy a kitten. We contacted 3 different rescue centres and the staff were always patronising and rude. We got lucky as a friend of a friend had kittens.
Maybe tell your intentions to all your friends in case someone has kittens?

mildlydispeptic · 21/02/2023 23:19

Please please buy a pair! It's not much extra work and they grow up playing together.

OnTheRunWithMannyMontana · 21/02/2023 23:48

Please use a rescue. There are so many kittens needing homes right now. Using sites like gumtree just encourages heartless bastards to keep letting their cats have kittens for profit.

If you rescue then your adoption fee usually covers neutering, vaccination, flea and worming, health check and microchipping.

Yes rescues would love to rehome in pairs but not always!! I have 3 rescues who have all been adopted individually. First one was the last of the litter to be adopted, second was a handrear with no siblings, most recent baby was found alone on a busy road and fostered so the adopting in pairs thing doesn't always apply.

Original poster
BorisJohnsonsHair · 22/02/2023 15:40

Thank you so much for all your advice.

To answer a few questions, DS is 19 and has some mental health issues at the moment so I'm hoping that letting him choose will be if some help (we've been planning on getting a cat for ages).

I would prefer a rescue cat for many reasons but really don't want to take on two kittens as it's expensive enough to have one!

We had a stray a few years ago that had kittens - we kept one and managed to re-home the others but it really didn't get on with the mother at all. Unfortunately it got run over at the age of 3, and the mother remained semi-feral.

Think I will make an appointment at a local rescue and take DS to have a look.

OP posts:
GloomyDarkness · 22/02/2023 15:48

Maybe tell your intentions to all your friends in case someone has kittens?

This is how we got ours - we didn't pay for them just provided good home - and since then got offered chance to buy less desirable colour kitten from litter which we turned down.

I'd try cat protection in local area - I understand they vary greatly in how easy they are to adopt from and soon if not now they will have kittens needing homes.

AnnaMagnani · 22/02/2023 20:11

I adopted from abroad during Covid as no rescues to be had anywhere, no-one answering the phone and not kitten season.

Of course as soon as the boy had arrived, everyone I knew announced they had a friend who was looking for a home for kittens.

I could have had 20 cats if I'd wanted.

PuttingOnTheKitsch · 22/02/2023 21:39

Does it have to be a kitten?

I wanted to adopt an older cat, because I wanted to be more certain of his/her personality. I was very clear with the rescues that I spoke to that I wanted a pudding of a cat who loves fuss.

The aforementioned pudding tired of his special quiet room within about 5 hours of arrival and came to sit on my knee in the front room instead. He's seven years old, but still in his prime. He's an absolute doddle to look after. No litter tray issues, not destructive, eats any food. Yet he was sat in a rescue for three months, because people prefer younger cats.

DamnThatHitsHome · 22/02/2023 21:46

SpinningFloppa · 21/02/2023 21:13

Pets 4 homes, gumtree, I got mine on gumtree didn’t want to use a rescue

Mumsnet really can be a reality check about how selfish, ignorant, or just plain horrid humans can be sometimes.

OP, go with a rescue. Kittens grow up fast, and if you do absolutely need the few weeks of kittenhood then trust the experts at the rescue- there are very good reasons they say take two.

DamnThatHitsHome · 22/02/2023 21:50

Honestly I really would encourage you to go with a young/adult cat if finances are an issue. DS can go along to the rescue to choose, or look at their profiles online- there are so so so many to choose from and you can find one where the personality suits. It’s impossible to know how the kitten will turn out, but with slightly older ones you’ll be told whether they’re cuddly/independent/will spend all day out of the house etc

SpinningFloppa · 22/02/2023 22:09

DamnThatHitsHome · 22/02/2023 21:46

Mumsnet really can be a reality check about how selfish, ignorant, or just plain horrid humans can be sometimes.

OP, go with a rescue. Kittens grow up fast, and if you do absolutely need the few weeks of kittenhood then trust the experts at the rescue- there are very good reasons they say take two.

Show quote history

Dramatic much 😂😅 I don’t know anyone irl with a cat who rescued them! Especially with how fussy they are. My sister tried for ages and they kept refusing her for the most silliest reasons, she lives in a flat, she moved to a house then it was she lives on a main road, she has a child, she doesn’t have a cat flap (well she didn’t have the cat yet!), some just wouldn’t even respond back, I bought mine and will buy again.

GuppytheCat · 22/02/2023 22:14

We foster mother-and-kitten sets for a local rescue. Some of the mothers are barely older than kittens themselves, and would be perfect to adopt as a single cat.

Soubriquet · 22/02/2023 22:21

It makes me laugh when people advocate selling kittens in pairs.

I had a pair of sisters years ago who absolutely hated each other. Sure they tolerated being in the same house, but you would never see them in the same room.

They would come in and eat at different times to avoid each other.

DamnThatHitsHome · 22/02/2023 22:48

SpinningFloppa · 22/02/2023 22:09

Dramatic much 😂😅 I don’t know anyone irl with a cat who rescued them! Especially with how fussy they are. My sister tried for ages and they kept refusing her for the most silliest reasons, she lives in a flat, she moved to a house then it was she lives on a main road, she has a child, she doesn’t have a cat flap (well she didn’t have the cat yet!), some just wouldn’t even respond back, I bought mine and will buy again.

Show quote history

I’ll be honest, I’m not convinced that someone who thinks gumtree is a good way to get an animal is in the best position to be judging whether rescues have “silly” reasons to refuse a home.

They may have been on to something.

SpinningFloppa · 22/02/2023 23:14

DamnThatHitsHome · 22/02/2023 22:48

I’ll be honest, I’m not convinced that someone who thinks gumtree is a good way to get an animal is in the best position to be judging whether rescues have “silly” reasons to refuse a home.

They may have been on to something.

Show quote history

They can be “on” to whatever they like 😅 can just buy one instead. Nice and easy.

Furries · 23/02/2023 00:58

SpinningFloppa · 21/02/2023 21:13

Pets 4 homes, gumtree, I got mine on gumtree didn’t want to use a rescue

OP, please don’t go down this route.

It just encourages the shit trade in churning out kittens/puppies etc.

If you are dead set on a particular breed, then you need to research registered breeders - and be prepared to wait a while re their breeding schedules.

If you want a rescue, then you need to register with many rescues. But also entertain the fact that you may not get a kitten. There are many cats, juvenile upwards, needing homes. Please do accept that maybe a slightly older (juvenile) would be more suited to your environment.

MrsRickAstley · 23/02/2023 01:09

One js fine. You don't NEED to have two.

ilovesooty · 23/02/2023 01:20

SpinningFloppa · 22/02/2023 23:14

They can be “on” to whatever they like 😅 can just buy one instead. Nice and easy.

Show quote history

You talk about animals as if they're commodities rather than living creatures.

DaisyCornflowerBlue · 23/02/2023 01:25

We have only one cat. She scratches us. She's 7. I have since learned from Jackson Galaxy that having two should have lessened the problem. I would like to get her a younger friend. Hopefully it'll help with the poor manners! We'll look at local rescues. Living in the inner city, there's no end of kitties in the spring.

Soubriquet · 23/02/2023 07:56

I only have the one and she’s a cuddle bunny. It’s the cat’s personality. Not being a singleton.

I got mine 7 years ago, and she was a Facebook baby…

Igmum · 23/02/2023 11:02

We got our current two from the RSPCA as kittens. It was during Covid and they did checks online - I also gave them a virtual tour of our house. We even had a video chat with the foster human. They are fabulous and so affectionate. They were vaccinated and neutered so an absolute bargain. Definitely rescues all the way here.

Cuckoochime · 23/02/2023 11:06

I have heard good things about both this rescue and the friendly nature of the cats, who are all heath checked, jabbed etc...
cypruspridehouse.org/