I want to buy a kitten!

I've always wanted a pet and now that I'm finally working (part time), Ithink it's time for my first pet. I like the Japanese Bobtail breed, though the Burmese, Korat and egyption mao also look seem appealing. Does anyone have any of these, how are they?

Also how do I go about buying one? Should I buy the kitten from a petstore, or adopt one? I'm assuming that adopting means it wont cost me to get it :redface:

. If I do buy one, how much is it likely to cost me?

Cheers guys.

Reply 1

<(+_+)>

I'm guessing if you want a pure breed like a Japanease Bobtail then you'll have to go to a breeder and it's going to cost you. If you adopt a kitten from a rescue home then your more likely to get a mixed breed.

Although I have a dog so I'm not much help sorry.

Reply 2

Ronove

You probably won't get a specific breed at a pet shop or at an adoption place. You'd have to find a breeder to get one of those and it'd cost you a lot of money, like hundreds I think if it's anything like dogs.
You usually have to pay for animals from adoption centres as well, maybe £30-50 for a cat? They have been paying to keep it after all. I don't remember when I last saw a pet shop with cats so I don't know how much they'd be there. My advice is just go look round an adoption place and see which moggy you really like. You'll probably just find you really like one of them (and it really likes you!).

Reply 3

Thud

you can't buy kittens in pet stores any more. And I really wouldn't be concerned over the breed - I've had probably about 8 cats in my life, I loved all of them to bits and they were all mongrels, it doesn't matter what breed so long as it's got a nice personality.

Ah, cats <3

Steal one. They're everywhere.

Reply 6

h82think

I want a kitten too :frown:

Reply 7

Seoid

Beware of bred cats as they can have terrible problems caused by genetic defects due to in-breeding. You're probably best to get a moggy either free from someone advertising in the paper or from an animal shelter. Make sure the kitten isn't too young (about 2 months old is ok) and that they don't have sticky eyes or anything like that. Cats are great!

Reply 8

Purple

If you go to a rehoming centre like the RSPCA they can be free but some expect you to make a donation of about £20.

This site has specialist breeders on, and these burmeses are from £250 to £500 :eek:

http://www.pets4homes.co.uk/pets4homes/home.nsf/catsforsale!openform&Breed=Burmese

Reply 9

silverbolt

kirstinx

http://www.pets4homes.co.uk/pets4homes/home.nsf/catsforsale!openform&Breed=Burmese

my mother used to charge £750 for an american rag doll kitten back in the early nineties and she was considered cheap for doing so

Reply 10

Ironic_

Go to a rescue centre such as the RSPCA. I just can't respect anyone who does otherwise, there are soooo many cats out there who need loving homes, I just cannot understand why people pay hundreds of pounds to these breeders knowing that fact. I adopted my cat from the RSPCA in 2004 and he's the most loving, affectionate cat i've ever met. Dropping hundreds of pounds into the pocket of some breeder couldn't have given me a cat who would have made me happier.

And you don't have to limit yourself to kittens, older cats are often harder to rehome but can give you the benefit of already being house trained. Sure you get some problems with them if they've had a hard life, but if you find the right cat for you and your circumstances the benefits are there.

Reply 11

Ink

^ Agreed.

Breed isn't that important. Go to a shelter, pick a cute kitty with a nice personality, and take it home. It's cheaper to adopt and you are saving a life - there are too many cats in shelters, and they get put down if they are not adopted.

Just remember - pets are a lifetime commitment. Kittens can live for up to 20 years after you get them. Once they get older, they are harder to rehome. Please don't get a kitten if you have other plans a few years down the line, or if you don't think you can commit. Also, if you do get a kitten, make sure to get it spayed or neutered asap!

Reply 12

BabyBee

Hehe, my cat Pippi is from a rescue centre and she was timid when we got her. She spent her first days with us behind the sofa. Now 6 years on she is a lot better though still timid with people she doesn't know.
It was the best feeling knowing we were looking after her after she was abandoned.

We've also got a cat who appeared on my brothers bed one day, he's set up home with us and was obviously a stray before.

You get much more from a pet when you've helped them.

Reply 13

the_alba

Getting a pure breed cat will be expensive and, if you've never had cats before, very unwise. Pure breeds often come with personality problems because of the way they are bred, and it takes an experienced pet owner to know how to handle them.

Buying from a pet store is also a bad idea - you don't know their history, and it's common for them to be weaned too early so the shop owner can sell them earlier. You wouldn't know whether they were healthy and what the circumstances of their sale are.

By far the best thing to do is adopt a kitten from a local cattery / RSPCA branch. The kittens there are all vet-checked, screened for health problems, micro-chipped and not weaned until they are ready. Adopting usually costs around £40, but that often includes free neutering when they reach 6 months of age; so in fact you're saving a lot of money. Plus, the money goes to help other cats.

Reply 14

hippieglitter

The breeds you specified are pedigrees and if that is what you really want it's gonna cost a fortune (well up in the hundreds). I'm not really into pedigrees myself, i find the regular bog standard moggies more fun and more attractive. A rescue cat will cost around £30/£40 to take home. Plus bog standard moggies are a hell of a lot easier to look after, because of the demand for pedigrees as trophy pets there is a lot of cat theft so it best to keep pedigrees as indoor cast where as you don't have to worry about normal cats going out, long hairs or semi long hairs need regular grooming so a common short hair is easier.