Some tips to avoid buying a kitten from a disreputable cat breeder
We’d always encourage those wanting to get a new feline family member to consider adoption first. The cats and kittens waiting patiently in rescue centres are equally in need of loving, responsible homes as the kittens advertised ‘for sale’ on pet-selling websites. And if you adopt from a reputable rescue, you will usually be taking on a cat who has been health-checked, vaccinated, neutered and treated for parasites.
If you do choose to use a pet-selling website or contact a breeder directly, follow our tips to avoid being caught out by unscrupulous kitten farmers:
- Ask to see the kitten with their mother. Lucy’s Law came into effect in April 2020, which means kittens under six months old should only be sold at the place they were bred, with their mother present. Sadly, a scroll through a pet-selling website demonstrates how often this is ignored and some councils have admitted how hard it is to prove breaches of the legislation, particularly with kittens. If you go to view a kitten, it is vital that you insist on seeing kittens and their mother in the same place and that you report sellers that are unable to meet this request.
- Never buy a kitten who is under eight weeks old. Removing a kitten from their mother and the rest of their littermates before they are eight weeks old can lead to behavioural issues from the lack of proper socialisation. Selling kittens under eight weeks can also jeopardise their health because they’ll be deprived of important antibodies passed on through their mother’s milk. The best age to collect a kitten is between 10-12 weeks of age.
- Make sure the kitten has been given at least had their first vaccinations. Reputable cat breeders will only sell kittens after they have had their first set of vaccinations, and sometimes only after they have completed the full course. Ask the breeder about their vaccination status and make sure you’re given the records if you do buy.
- Consider how the kitten appears. Take a look at the kitten closely. How do they appear? How are they acting? A healthy kitten should have bright eyes that are clear from discharge and should be lively and excited, not subdued or quiet. If the kitten you’re viewing seems to have a dull demeanour or discharge from their eyes and nose, the breeder could be neglecting their needs and you should report your concerns. You should also take the opportunity to look at their environment – it is important that it has been kept clean, smells fresh, that clean water is available, and that the kittens have hiding places and toys provided.
- Collect the kitten from the breeder – NEVER get them delivered. This is illegal and should be reported through the selling website’s reporting function.
We know it can be very difficult to walk away from an unscrupulous breeder when faced with a beautiful litter of kittens. Whether you’ve seen a kitten advertised online or have already made the journey to visit them before realising there is something amiss with the breeder, it can be easy to start envisioning your life with that kitten, so walking away can feel hard.
This feeling is even worse if you’re concerned about the litter and feel that they need veterinary care or a loving home. But, unfortunately, handing your money over to a low-welfare breeder will only encourage them to continue breeding.
The best way to help the kittens you’re concerned about is to report the disreputable cat breeder, either through our reporting line or through the pet-selling website’s reporting function.
Reputable breeders do exist, as do many amazing cat shelters that are happy to match you up with a suitable feline friend. It can take a little longer to find the right match, but your new companion will be so worth it.
