This information applies mainly to UK. Hopefully it is seen as common sense and can also apply elsewhere.
Its so tempting to scour through pages of kitten adverts when the family decide they want a kitten. The children cannot make up their minds and often pick a breed you have never heard of. Someone will always be disappointed.

Its not really a good idea to search adverts as most will be out of date. fake or scams. Don’t set your heart on a picture in an advert.
You will find breeders local to you on TICA and GCCF pages but there wont be many and often they have no available kittens for a few months. That is a good thing.
It gives you time to make contact and see previous kittens and their parents to get an idea of the TYPE of kitten you want to have as your own.
You can then ask to be notified of that type when the litter is born. Better still if the producer tells you the week it is expected, make contact then and get updates and pictures,videos if you can. Its also a good idea to ask for recommendations from previous buyers.
To keep yourself safe from scammers make a friend of the breeder you choose. Ask questions,
Good people are easy to trace. Make sure their address is public.
In these times you cannot just go and visit kittens to check them out. Get used to DEFRA guidelines on the sale of small animals and livestock. I am sure most good breeders will be sticking to these rules long after Covid lock downs. It has proven very effective against clothing and shoe born pests bacteria and viruses.
Whatever you do don’t go trawling the internet trying to get ‘advice’ There are some complete idiots out there. Well meaning perhaps but totally loopy.
You will find good advice on TICA web pages. They have a responsibility and don’t seem to push self interest agendas as much as others.
You also have to run the gauntlet of many ‘animal rights’ enthusiasts who will verbally abuse any mention of getting a purposely bred kitten. You will be made to feel awful that you don’t go to the nearest animal shelter and rescue something.
The rhetoric is powerful and often persuasive.
Firstly at this time there are few animal shelters open. They do not just let you have a kitten. They will ask why an adult cat is not preferred. If you are lucky to pass all the criteria they will want you to adopt two kittens not one. Most places will not accept you if you live on a main road and some do not send animals if there are young children in the house.
Many rescue animals carry transmittable illnesses for life which may not show but you will be asked to keep them away from other animals and not let them outside.

You will also need to check the cost of adoption. It is by no means free!
You are more likely to get a reduced cost or even free cat from a good breeder due to it having minor defects..i.e a crossed eye, an extra toe or a wrong colour patch in the wrong place. These are only show point faults and have no effect on the quality and personality of a pet kitten.
Most good breeders will retire studs and Queens after 3 productive years and they will want good new families for them. Only those that carry rare and ancient lines are retained. A successful active stud will not always make a good house cat. They are incredibly loving but may still mount another cat for a few months after neutering. Also they may still spray for a while. I only allow retired stud cats to be re homed in stables or farm properties. They make excellent working cats and keep pests and strays away. They make wonderful companions for horses and other livestock.
The last thing a breeder wants is for their precious progeny to be carted of to an animal rescue because he made a yellow stain on the curtains. Queens can also spray for a while after neutering but only if they were sprayers beforehand.


Do not publicize your intention of getting a kitten. Keep photos etc off social networking pages. There are dreadful people out there scouring pages for info in areas they are targeting for pet theft. A new kitten is an escapologist and until you get used to its actions and naughtiness it will escape a couple of times while you leave a door or windows open. Its a kitten thing…they are testing their boundaries.
Your kitten producer will forward plenty of information prior to you booking your kitten. Read it. There are many hiccups and problems that have been encountered before and you will find the answers in the info and be prepared. Most problems are little ones and are easily solved. Some producers run 24/7 emergency help lines. The most common problem that causes a panic is diarrhea, the most common cause is giving the kitten milk or dairy which if you had read the advice sheets would not happen.