Where to Find a New Cat or Kitten
Where to adopt your kitty and interview questions for breeders
Searching for a new feline friend is easy if you know where to begin, whether you want to rescue or are looking for a purebred companion.
You’ve made the decision to bring a kitten into your family, and now you need to start your search for a kitten. If you’ve decided that the most important thing to your family is simply to have a happy, healthy, loving pet and it doesn’t matter to you one bit what the cat looks like, please consider adopting a rescue.
Places to look for cats or kittens:
- Your local shelter – There are still shelters that kill animals! Look here first, please!
- Your local newspaper – Many local rescues advertise their cats for adoption in the paper
- Purebred Rescue Organizations – You can always find adoptable purebred cats and kittens. For example, Google Himalayan Cat Rescue and your state
- Petfinder.com – You can search for pets in your specific area
- Your Veterinarian – Check with your local vets. They often have kittens from a poor mommy cat that was dropped on their doorstep ready to deliver! Most vets also have bulletin boards with available kitten notices.
You may have decided to adopt a purebred cat because you are looking for a specific personality trait or are drawn to a specific breed. You can find many good breeders with websites that will show available kittens and pictures of their queens and sires. You can be assured that these breeders will interview you, and you should also interview them!
Questions to ask your cat breeder:
- How long have you been breeding cats?
- Why did you choose your breed? (If they have several breeds, this is a red flag that they might not be breeding to improve the breed, aren’t passionate about their breed, and might be breeding for the wrong reasons.)
- Do you cage your cats and kittens? (I don't want my kitten raised in a cage - do you?)
- Do you have a health guarantee? (A reputable breeder should give you a 1-year health guarantee!)
- What type of health care will my kitten have had when I pick them up? (Your kitten should have been wormed and had at least 1 set of shots.)
- Do you have references?
- How many litters do each of your queens have each year? (They should not have more than 2 litters a year!)
- How many breeding cats do you have? (Large numbers are another red flag!)
- Can you tell me how your cattery is set up and about some of your practices? (Most breeders won’t stop happily chatting away when asked about their breeding practices.)
- Can I visit your cattery and look at your facilities? (Most breeders will allow a visit, though you might not be able to see newborn kittens for health precautions.)
Good websites to look for purebred kittens:
CFA Cat Breeder Referral Search - http://secure.cfa.org/Search.aspx
Hoobly.com - http://www.hoobly.com/0/62/0/
KittySites.com - http://classifieds.mjzdesigns.com/index.php?a=5&b=398
If you have any questions, be sure to ask!
