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

Original poster

Where do you find / buy kittens?

16 replies

Trying2bemum · 30/05/2023 20:36

I know we would like two long haired boys and would like kittens rather than adults. Where do you start?!

We found our beautiful late cat on Gumtree but this was 11 years ago. Is that even still going?!

Open to rescue cats but we would really love long haired kittens.

OP posts:
IkeaMeatballGravy · 30/05/2023 20:40

I wouldn't buy unless your paying a decent registered breeder, if it's just someone who hasn't bothered to spay thier female cat you could end up with kittens with any number of diseases or genetic conditions, FIV or cat flu for example.

CheeseyOnionPie · 30/05/2023 20:49

It’s kitten season so rescues will have a ton of kittens going for adoption. As long as you’re adopting a pair, which you would be, you should be able to get some. Not sure if they will have long haired specifically but you could try.

Crampo · 30/05/2023 20:52

Cats protection.

But go for the kittens they have, not the kittens you think you want.

The cats are in charge, so you might as well get used to it.

FlounderingFruitcake · 30/05/2023 20:54

We got a pair of boy kittens from battersea, only one was long haired though!

Greentree1 · 30/05/2023 20:55

I was looking recently and it seems very difficult to adopt, you can't just go and look and adopt kittens like you used to be able to. You seem to have to pick from photos online get in a queue for the ones you picked, get vetted as potential adoptees, even have home checks. I gave up, you almost think they don't want anyone to adopt. Nuts to me.

Ladybrrrd · 30/05/2023 20:58

I tried for ages to adopt and couldn't do it. Just have up. Haven't bought either but I'd like to know the secret. Reasons being that we're in a flat, (Ground floor leading to a garden with no access to road) we work full time (one of us from home) and that we haven't had pets before. Please tell me how!

Loveatortie · 30/05/2023 21:06

I live in the Midlands, been looking for months to rehome 2 older cats or kittens,it's impossible 😿 seen a few on e-bay for ridiculous prices. I want to give 2 cats a home not line someones pocket 😿

AlltheFs · 30/05/2023 21:14

We contacted our local rescues, saying what we were looking for and they contacted me when they had a litter. They don’t often advertise kittens, ours were born at Cats Protection.

Don’t buy from an advert like Gumtree, they will just be a cleverly disguised kitten farm.

Darthwazette · 30/05/2023 21:17

It can be really hard to adopt. We were waiting 2+ years with no success. I bought mine from an ad on pets 4 homes. If I’m being honest they came from a dreadful place, stank of smoke, gunky eyes, diarrhoea….. cost us a fortune at the vets but are now thriving. The best way really is if someone you know has some 🤷🏻‍♀️

AlltheFs · 30/05/2023 21:18

Greentree1 · 30/05/2023 20:55

I was looking recently and it seems very difficult to adopt, you can't just go and look and adopt kittens like you used to be able to. You seem to have to pick from photos online get in a queue for the ones you picked, get vetted as potential adoptees, even have home checks. I gave up, you almost think they don't want anyone to adopt. Nuts to me.

Not my experience at all!

We contacted a few rescues to say we wanted 2 kittens. One of them then got in touch to say they had had a litter just born and did I want to view them. No home check done (they just asked some questions and looked up where we live online). I was surprised how easy it is. This was Cats Protection.

We pick ours up in about a month, they aren’t old enough yet. We reserved them at 3 weeks old. There was no-one else competing for them.

HappyCatty · 30/05/2023 21:24

Approach your local cat rescue! The one I foster for, which is only a small one, totally run by volunteers, currently has over FIFTY, yes FIFTY (!!) kittens in rescue and kitten season is only just heating up! 😭 Plus we have quite a few lovely older cats all looking for their furrever home. So many other charities will be the same.

Please don't buy...

Ozzyskye · 30/05/2023 21:29

We adopted two long haired kittens from a local rescue this year - I messaged asking whether they had any suitable (the brief was kitten but otherwise didn't specify breed, colour, coat etc) and they had two, arranged to see them at the fosterers after a virtual home check as I wanted to take DS (4) with me and dint want him to meet them prior if the homecheck answer was going to be a no. We brought them home a couple of weeks later at 16 weeks.

That same rescue has lots of litters rocking up recently - I'm sure it'll be the same everywhere! I'd message through social media to ask what they think.

Vinorosso74 · 31/05/2023 08:59

Rescues. Don't line the pockets of any scumbags making money off their cats.
I volunteer at a CP centre and there's a pair of B&W boy kittens there plua younger kittens in foster who aren't available yet.
The adoption process isn't to stop people adopting, it's to make sure the cats go to the right homes for them and to reduce to risk of them being returned. Gumtree sellers don't care.
There's a website called catchat which will list rescues in your area.

Original poster
Trying2bemum · 31/05/2023 20:42

Thanks for all the responses, really helpful. Will check out cats protection and take it from there.

OP posts:
SpringNotSprung · 31/05/2023 22:30

I think you should approach a rescue and tell them you have a loving home to offer to two kittens. Two kittens who need a loving home.

You forget to forget all about longhaired this or that. So many kittens and young cats need a home. One such is cuddled up to me right now. She was abandoned at 4 weeks old, rescued from a car engine, spent 7 months in a pen and was very traumatised. Her sister is more traumatised and doesn't cuddle up but is safe and warm and fed.

We took them because we thought they deserved a chance. They did. We weren't choosy.

SgtBilko · 31/05/2023 22:44

Cats Protection are awful, in my experience. I would go anywhere else but there. I found them rude, smug, judgemental and so on. There are other charities that are much more pleasant to deal with.

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