Is a pet shop the right place to go look for a kitten ?

Question

As i checked also in my local free newspaper and i saw some kittens going for 20 quid

Answer 1

You should check out a local animal shelter or humane society first. They usually always have an abundance of kittens. Plus, I would rather "rescue" an animal that may not get another chance, than pay lots more money at a pet shop.

Answer 2

Honestly, no.

Probably 98% of pet stores get their pets from mills. Mills are places soley for breeding animals. Profit is #1 priority and animals come second. A LOT of mills have sick pets or pets with poor genetic backgrounds. And the fact that most also inbreed (breed mom and son or siblings or closely related kitties), this tends to bring forward any genetic problems. And if in the future you turn around and breed your cat, those problems can show up (if they haven't already in your cat).

There is a lot more controversy surrounding mills and their crultey. But, yknow, their pets aren't quality and that's where most pet stores get the pets.

Now, this can go both ways.. you might think you should buy one there anyway and help 'rescue' a kitten, but you still are supporting them. So, yknow, it depends on how you feel about that, too.

My top two places for getting a pet: 1) a shelter or 2) a reputable breeder.

As far as newspaper ads go, that's a bit iffy. Some people decide to be breeders and go about it the wrong way by just mindlessly breeding their pets and selling them. This is called a 'backyard breeder'. Unlike a reputable breeder, they don't run genetic checks or bloodwork, or breed to improve the animal. They just do it to earn money or because they want their kids to see babies and stuff.. idk. So it's not good to support and encourage these people.

On the other hand, some people may have a cat that was accidently impregnanted and are geniune and need to find good homes. There's no problem with that.

You can get a 'pet quality' cat from a reputable breeder. Pet quality meaning they are part of the litter that--although are healthy and well bred--may have a marking or something that disqualifies them from being shown or rebred (since they don't want that trait encouraged and to ruin the breed). Anyway, so the pet quality ones are sold for a bit less. Some people hate all breeders, but these guys are okay. I mean, if it wasn't for reputable breeders, all dogs would be mutts by now and we wouldn't have certain breeds that are better for small houses, or kids, or allergy people, etc. etc.

OR, shelters are amazing and you are supporting a good cause and saving a life.

But this is getting really indepth.. honestly, where ever you you get a cat, I'm sure you'll end up loving it no matter what. If you want to get moral and animal welfare-ish, you can buy from a particular place.. but other than that, as long as you love the cat, you love the cat.

Answer 3

No don't go to a pet shop! Try a cat rescue centre first, then if no luck answer the ad in the paper. The person who put the ad in has the kittens at heart, having paid for the ad!. 20 quid is not a lot of money and to some effect does weed out the person who wants a kitten and then once the novelty wears off turns it out form a cat lover who wants to make a little sacrifice for the purchase of the cat!

Answer 4

Hello I haven't read anyone's responses that already posted but here is my opinion on the question. I feel that if you want to get a kitten you should get it from a respectable place. Such as a breeder, humane society, or another animal shelter. When you chose the location you should look at all the kittens to see if they all look healthy. You should also ask if a vet has seen them and if they have had any shots. You should also ask to see papers on the cat and to see if the person that you are getting the kitten from knows the history of the kitten. Also you should ask if they will fix the kitten for you or if their vet will give you a discount on fixing the cat at their Vet office. Good Luck I hope this will help you select a happy healthy cat. Please keep in mind that getting an older cat will save you money on getting him/her fixed and it will save your house from getting destroyed by a frisky kitten. Also, please remember that giving an older cat a second chance on a better life can be more rewarding then getting a kitten.

Answer 5

No, no, no -- try the animal shelter first, like they mentioned, or read through the newspaper and bulletin boards and find kittens "Free to a Good Home.'' That usually means the kittens were a mistake, not intentionally bred, and will end up at a shelter if they don't go elsewhere first.

Take your time choosing a pet. I always end up in trouble when I visit the shelters because I want to take home the first fuzzy guy I see, but it's so important to be strong, be patient, and find a good match for life. Having to take a pet back to the shelter can only do more harm than good, for both of you.

Good luck! : )

Answer 6

No dont encourage the sale of kittens within a pet store- check your local newspaper or yellow pages for cat rescue services in the area and get one from them which will only cost a donation

Answer 7

If you are paying in Sterling I assume you are in the UK. Cats and dogs should not be offered for sale in pet shops. I had thought that this had been banned several years ago in Britain. If you are in the UK, call your local branch of the Cats' Protection League. I got both my cats from them. You will pay about 45 quid but the kitten will be old enough to leave its mother, registered with a local vet, vet checked, wormed, de-flead and will have had both its injections. Buying an ordinary cat (not a purebred - their breeders are generally very conscientious) from a home breeder who advertises in shops and newspapers only encourages indiscriminate breeding of large numbers of kittens, many of which end up in animal shelters if no-one wants to buy them. It may look cheaper to buy one from an advert, but you will end up paying more in vets fees.

Answer 8

Pet shops typically have "purebred" and "registered" kittens for sale. The biggest thing to consider when buying from a pet store however is where they got that kitten from. Most pet stores will tell you they get their animals from private breeders but for the most part these are all puppy/kitten mills. Most if not all of the puppies and kittens sold in pet stores have some sort of health problem from anything simple to a number of major health issues.

If you really want a "purebred" cat and you know what breed you are looking for you can look for a reputable breeder in that breed. Most reputable breeders do not advertise in your local newspaper. There is a website dedicated to registered reputable breeders called www.breedlist.com This website lists all the breeds of cats and all of the breeders of those cats. Most people listed here have websites where you can look at their cats and contact them. Alot of these breeders have national winning and regional winning cats.

If you are not looking for a specific breed of cat I would suggest looking at your local animal shelter. There are thousands upon thousands of cats looking for good homes out there. Many are great pets and most come with the spay/neuter surgery and any shots and de-wormings. This is a really good thing to help control the pet overpopulation problem.

Answer 9

No, a lot of the animals at pet shops come from puppy and kitten mills. You can get a pet a lot cheaper and from a better source by checking the newspaper or the local human society. Don't help support puppy mills!!!!!

Answer 10

NO! Much better to go to a rescue centre eg Cats Protection. They will also give you advice on looking after it. They are not in it for the money like the pet shop but for the welfare of the kitten. PS It'll give you as much love as you give it!