Tips on Buying a Purebred Kitten

For many people, buying a purebred cat just makes sense. These animals are carefully bred to maintain certain characteristics in both looks and temperament. You can usually predict how a purebred feline will act and what their activity level will be simply by knowing the breed.

Which Breed?

Each person needs to consider carefully what they want in their cat. Are you planning to show? Then you will need to be sure that your cat is a symbol of perfection for its breed. If you aren’t going to be showing, you don’t need to be quite as picky, but you will want to select a cat breed that fits your needs.

For example, if you live a fairly active lifestyle, chances are you will want a cat to match your activity levels, rather than one that sleeps all day. Each breed has its own characteristics, and some are more active than others. In some cases, a more laid back cat might be a better choice. You’ll need to think about this before you make the decision as to which breed of feline you want. Read our article on the top 10 popular purebred cat breeds.

Finding a Breeder

Once you have decided on a specific type of cat, you can start looking for someone who is selling. You should look for breeders, not pet shops. A shop will not be able to provide you with the papers proving the pedigree of your new pet. A pet shop is very likely to get pets from non-reputable puppy-mill type of breeders who raise their cats in very poor and unclean conditions. And so do some purebred cat breeders as well, but a reputable purebred cat breeder should have all the paperwork in order and be eager to answer all/any questions you may have about their cattery, their breed and their cats.

Check cat shows, online breeder directories or ads in reputable magazines about felines. Ask for references. This is the best way to find good breeders. While some will use newspaper or Craigslist ads, these are usually where the poor breeders hang out, so be careful. If possible, visit the cattery to see exactly how the kittens are raised.

The Cat Fancier’s Association (CFA) is an international cat registry and has the most cat shows world-wide. Visit their website for show dates and locations. There are many other registries as well – a good place to find a list of other registries is in our cat breeder directory under the cat registry category.

Choosing a Kitten

Picking just one kitten can be difficult and it is easy to fall for the first one you see. However, you’ll want to check out the dam and sire of the kitten you choose. Look to see how friendly they are and whether or not they seem active. How the kitten behaves is a good indication of how it will grow up, but it never hurts to check the dam, as well.

Examine the kitten for coloring and any possible defects, particularly if you want to show it. A bent ear won’t affect its value as a pet, but in a show, that will cost you, so select the most perfect specimen possible. Also ask the breeder which kittens are show quality and which are only pet quality. There is often a price difference. Kittens should be 12-16 weeks old when they are released to their new home, any breeder that offers to let them go earlier should be avoided. Remember that a kitten taken from its mother too early will result in a poorly socialized adult cat with bad manners and even aggressive behavior.

Buying a pedigreed feline is a big decision and one that needs to be researched very carefully. You want to be sure that you buy from a reputable breeder so you can get the paperwork and a quality animal. If possible, visit the breeder’s cattery so you can see the conditions with your own eyes. This will help ensure that you end up with a healthy, purebred cat.