BUYING A KITTEN

Having decided on the particular breed of kitten preferred, the next step is to find out how to obtain one. This in not always easy and patience may be needed. Pedigree kittens are advertised sometimes in the national newspapers. Fur and Feather, the official weekly paper for the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy, has pages on cat-breeding, and gives Club news and carries kitten advertisements. The secretaries of the many cat clubs throughout the country are always willing to help by giving the names of breeders of the variety in question. If they have sold all their kittens or have a long waiting list, specialist breeders may know of others for sale. A visit to a cat show may be worth while, as often kittens of many breeds are offered for sale there. The animal departments of the big stores and pet shops will usually endeavour to obtain a specific breed. Pedigree cats are not such prolific breeders (the long-haired varieties in particular) as the household pets, usually having not more than two litters a year, the first in the spring, and kittens may have to be booked well in advance.
The price of pedigree kittens varies considerably. Occasionally it is possible to obtain quite cheaply really beautiful little kittens that have been cross-bred or have been born as the result of a pedigree queen mis-mating, and are no good for breeding.
Non-pedigree kittens can be purchased for a small sum through local advertisements, from pet shops and stores, and are sometimes given away by friends and neighbours.
Many beautiful kittens may also be seen when visiting the continent, but before buying one it is well to remember that in the British Isles there are stringent quarantine laws which preclude the importation of cats from abroad unless they are placed in a recognised quarantine station for a period of six months, which makes buying a foreign cat or kitten a very expensive business.
It is advisable to visit the breeder to see the kittens and to choose the one with the most appeal. A kitten should be at least eight weeks old when purchased; even nine or ten weeks old is still quite young. By this age the kitten is usually fully weaned and on a mixed diet. The following points should be borne in mind; a kitten who does not seem nervous, is lively and alert, with bright shining eyes, clean ears, no signs of diarrhoea, and has a soft well-groomed flea-free coat, is a wise choice. The breeder will provide full details of the diet the kitten has been having. This should be strictly adhered to for the first week or two, and any new item of food introduced in small quantities only.
If it impossible to pay a personal visit to choose the kitten, one may be purchased from a cattery or breeder of good repute and sent by train to be called for at the nearest station. The breeder will probably provide the basket the kitten is to travel in, and this must be returned as soon as possible.
The purchaser will be notified of the exact time of arrival, so that the kitten will not be kept waiting at the station. On reaching home, the new owner should make sure that all doors and windows are closed and fireplaces and chimneys covered, and the kitten should be let out of the box quietly.
At first he will feel lost and lonely away from his mother and the rest of the litter. He must be introduced to things gradually by being carried around in the arms for a while and talked to gently and quietly, to gain his confidence. He should be allowed to walk and sniff around the room, and when he has settled down offered a small tasty meal. Indiscriminate picking-up by young children must not be allowed, as it is not always realised how much harm and bruising can be done to the ribs and stomach of young kittens by hugging and squeezing. To pick up a kitten, place the hand under the body, with the fingers up under the neck supporting the head. He must not be picked up by the scruff of the neck.
Cats are naturally fastidious animals and a kitten of eight weeks is probably house-trained already by his mother. For a sanitary tray an oven tin about eighteen inches square is excellent.
Sand, ashes, earth, peat moss, sawdust or one of the proprietary cat litters may be used in this and the tin placed on a large sheet of newspaper to prevent the kitten scratching the contents all over the floor. The tray should be changed at least once daily and rinsed out with a suitable disinfectant, one that does not contain carbolic, which is poisonous to cats. The kitten must know where the tray is, as he cannot be expected to find his way from one room to another to use the tray for the first few days at least. If a garden is available, the kitten can be taken out there at frequent intervals, and the sanitary tray moved nearer and nearer to the back door until the kitten is trained to go outside of his own accord. This will take a little time and patience, but kittens learn very quickly.
A cardboard box or basket with a warm blanket will make a good sleeping place, and if the weather is cold, a warm hot-water bottle will make the kitten feel less strange away from the warmth of the rest of the litter. A table-tennis ball, a toy mouse, a small soft toy or crumpled-up piece of paper that can be chased around will help to keep him amused.
If a dog who is not used to cats is a member of the household when the new kitten arrives, great care and patience will be necessary for the first few days. Strangely enough, the larger dog seems to be better behaved with a kitten, often insisting on washing and cleaning it. The smaller dog may be very jealous and deeply resentful of the newcomer. Do not fondle the kitten in front of the dog or let him feel neglected. It is better not to feed them at the same time or to leave them alone together until friendly relations have been established. Unless the kitten has been brought up with dogs he will probably arch his back and spit at the sight of the dog, who may start barking, frightening the kitten still more. Watch must be kept to see that if the kitten panics, his claws do not harm the dog’s eyes. After a few days they will probably ignore each other, and then may even start to be friendly. In fact, cats and dogs can live together in perfect harmony and be the best of friends.

See also: Kittens