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ADVICE TO KITTEN BUYERS

When you buy a pedigree kitten you are paying for a beautiful animal whose looks and character are likely to be more predictable than that of a non-pedigree, and who should have been bred in a responsible manner so that you have a cat that hopefully lives a long and happy life.

If you are buying a Norwegian Forest kitten, you have chosen a breed that is beautiful, intelligent, companionable and more robust than most. However there are differences between individual kittens and differences between breeders, and as buying a new kitten is of long term importance to you and your family, we have written some notes to guide you.

The NFCC committee does not endorse any of the breeders on our list as we are just volunteers working in our spare time. We are not veterinary inspectors and we do not have the right to visit breeders on our list uninvited. It is up to prospective purchasers to visit and use their own judgment as to whether or not to buy a kitten. If you have concerns about the cattery please do let us know. Kittens are recommended to be at least 13 weeks of age, and fully vaccinated before they are collected. They should be in good health and free from parasites. The breeder should provide a pedigree, registration certificate, diet sheet and vaccination record. If purchasing a pet kitten, it is possible that the breeder may wish you to sign a contract promising to neuter/spay the kitten by a certain age, or the kitten may already have been neutered/spayed. Check if your kitten has been vaccinated against leukaemia as well as flu and enteritis – if you plan to allow your Forest Cat outdoors then all three are essential. Some breeders are also vaccinating against Chlamydia and bordatella now.

The GCCF gives some good advice on their website: http://www.gccfcats.org/buying.html

However there are three registering bodies in the UK now (GCCF, FIFe and TICA) and the NFCC does not require that all breeders have to register with GCCF.

All kitten buyers:

You should ensure that you are ready to devote time to your kitten, especially when s/he first goes to your home. NFCs usually need to be gently combed through once or twice a week, at which time you can also check the ears, claws and teeth. It only takes a few minutes. If the house is empty for long hours it might be best to buy two kittens at once, because NFCs are very friendly and like company. The second kitten could be another NFC, or another breed or even a rescue moggie. If the latter, do get the kitten blood-tested by a vet first to ensure they aren’t carrying illness which will spread to the rest of the household.

Make sure you know what you are getting. A cheap kitten is not always a money-saver, as you might be buying expensive future problems, so if you see kittens for sale much below the average price of £300-£450, do find out why. Ensure that any kittens you buy are fully inoculated (at least for flu and enteritis and preferably leukaemia too, with two courses of injections at ages nine and twelve weeks). Most kittens come with six weeks’ insurance and they are often micro-chipped. It is strongly recommended that you continue to insure your kitten for the rest of his/her life.

All kittens should be fully litter trained before they leave home, and are generally very well-behaved so long as they know where their litter tray is. They should not scratch excessively at their fur or ears (which would suggest fleas or mites respectively) and the breeder should have informed you of when they were wormed. This needs to be done every few months. Spot-on flea treatments are easy to apply and should be done every 4-6 weeks. Your vet will advise.

It is recommended that you visit the kitten at least once before s/he joins you in your home. You should be able to see the mother and at least a photograph of the father, if he does not belong to the breeder. The way the parents look and behave is a good indication of what your kitten might ultimately be like as an adult.

NEVER MEET A BREEDER AT THE ROADSIDE FOR THE FIRST TIME TO COLLECT YOUR KITTEN.

Are you happy with the way the cats are kept? Do all the cats and kittens look healthy? (Mother cats do not look their best after bringing up a family, especially a large litter, but they should still be happy and healthy.) NEVER BUY A KITTEN BECAUSE YOU FEEL SORRY FOR IT. IF YOU DO THIS YOU ARE ENCOURAGING THE BREEDER TO CONTINUE IN THE SAME WAY.

BE VERY CAREFUL IF YOU BUY A KITTEN THAT IS SICK (RUNNY EYES, DIARRHOEA, SNEEZING, RINGWORM ETC) YOU WILL INFECT YOUR OTHER CATS AT HOME. PREFERABLY DO NOT COMPLETE THE PURCHASE OF A KITTEN IN THIS CONDITION. A RESPONSIBLE BREEDER WOULD NOT ALLOW YOU TO IN ANY CASE.

Try not buy a kitten that has not been properly socialised – they should be confident and used to normal household noises etc. Watch how the breeder interacts with the cats and kittens – do they obviously love and cherish them, call them by name and know their personalities and individual quirks? Or do they shut them away and have too many kittens at once so they are not easily handled? You should be able to pick up the kittens, and check that they have clean eyes, ears and bottoms.

Some cats have been health-tested for hereditary diseases – find out what has been done in the case of the parents of your kitten. If you buy an all white kitten or a nearly all white kitten, ask if the breeder is sure they can hear as there is a link between all white cats and deafness. However a deaf cat can make a wonderful pet so long as s/he is kept safe indoors or in a suitably safe environment where his/her deafness will not place him/her in danger.

Do you feel comfortable with the breeder? They should be helpful and informative but should not try to push the sale of a particular, or indeed any, kitten on you or force you to leave a deposit. Buying a cat is a long-term proposition so it is good to think things over carefully, and a good breeder will allow you a few days to do this. Does the breeder offer you after-sales support and help in the case of problems?

Do you want a pet, not a show cat?

If so, then health and temperament are as important as always, but you need not worry about how the cat looks other than that if it suits you or not. Minor faults of appearance are unimportant and may even please you better than a ‘show’ standard cat.

This advice is given, without prejudice, to assist you in the purchase of a kitten. It in no way represents direct criticism or defamation of any person or persons.

If you want to buy a breeding cat, please click here.