PEDIGREE CATS
When I was looking for my kittens the first line of call was a local rescue centre as all of my previous cats have been from them. However, and rightly so, rescue centres are particularly vigilant in placing healthy cats and kittens in homes with gardens only and, like a lot of people in London, I do not have the luxury of a garden.
At this point I started surfing for cats and kittens who were unable to go out due to poor health. First of all I surfed for blind kittens but very few were needing homes at that time and the only one I did find, in a Liverpool rescue centre, died before I had to chance to collect it. So, my attention turned to pedigree cats as most are bred as indoor cats with no knowledge of the outside world. Even if they are lucky to have outside access, then it’s usually by way of a secure run where they were protected from roads, foxes, other cats and diseases. The world of the pedigree is fascinating and learning about each breed, their personalities, needs and history was such an eye-opening experience and a real joy. I settled on the Norwegian Forest breed as I loved the look of them, the fact they are a natural breed, and that they are very affectionate, playful and clever. My kittens have been trained on a harness so they get regular outdoor playtime and they also love being at home with my husband and I. So I like to think I have achieved a nice balance. If you are thinking of getting a pedigree chose wisely and study each one’s personality traits and their needs. A great site with all of this information can be found on the Cat Fanciers Association web site.
Click HERE to go straight to the breed section. Use common sense too. Indoor cats need SPACE , not only to run around in but for their climbing frames, toys etc, so thinking of getting one whilst you live in a tiny bed sit on the top floor is selfish and would be a miserable existence for your pet.
Choose your breed wisely. Read up on the behaviour of particular breeds to make sure it’s the right one for your living situation. Don’t get a Bengal cat if you work long hours and do not have the space for lots of climbing frames and the time to give loads of attention as these cats are highly intelligent, have bags of energy and hate being alone.
A word of warning. Be careful when finding a breeder. Make sure they are registered and known in the breeders tight knit circle. Believe me, I travelled to Durham to get my kittens and all the breeders in London knew about her and the fact I bought them from her (!!) so word does get around if there is a bad egg out there! Check how the kitten has been bred, whether they have had a socially interactive upbringing IE with children and other pets, whether they appear healthy and well looked after, from a good clean home.
A further word of warning. If a pedigree kitten is being offered cheap on Gumtree or similar, don’t buy! A good breed of kitten (no matter which one) generally starts from £250 – £300 upwards (Some Russian Blues start at £400) so anyone offering a kitten for £100 saying it’s of a particular breed is not to be trusted. Each breed generally has an association connected to it which should be your first port of call in seeing who has kittens available. Pedigree cats also need re-homing too and many can be found on that particular breeds association web site.
I hope this has been helpful 🙂