Looking for a kitten?
If you are looking for a kitten here are a few things you may like to think about :-)
Look into the breed that you think will best suit you. It is important to get a cat that fits your home and lifestyle, not just looks good ;-)
Eg. Coat type: Grooming the cat may need.
Temperament: Vocal? Demanding? Laidback?
Health = Some breeds are more prone to have health issues than others.
Find a good breeder. It is best to talk to a few breeders and get a 'feel' for the people you talk to. If you can visit then even better, it is better to visit when they have no kittens available so that you can see where the kittens are being brought up, meet the people and their cats, without the pressure of wanting to take a baby home with you ;-)
PLEASE! What ever you do, DO NOT get a kitten because you feel sorry for it! You could buy more than you bargain for! :-(
Take your time. At the end of the day would you rather pay good money for a good quality, healthy animal, from a good breeder that is there for the entirity of the cats life? Or do you put your money in the hands of a disreputable breeder who has run of the mill kittens and is trying to make a quick buck??
Kittens should be born and raised in the home and should be where they have access to part of the home that is used on a daily basis for a good deal of the day Eg Kitchen, NOT shut in a room where they only see the breeder when they go to feed and clean trays.
You do not want to bring home a nervous wreck.
Home reared kittens should be curious and friendly and well used to the home environment.
Bad breeder ethics makes bad quality kittens, there are many puppy and kitten farmers out there! Having posh runs outside may look good, BUT, does the cat have mental stimulation, scratch posts, space, company? Would you like your cat living like that 24/7?
Stud cats are generally kept in runs/ cat gardens due to spraying, and the neccessity of keeping them seperate. But, being a stud cat does not neccessarily mean that they cannot have company, they often live very happily with a neuter :-)
Are the kittens and adults clean, groomed, healthy, bright eyed and sociable?
Kittens should be registered, have a pedigree, be vaccinated, wormed and some are microchipped.
Ask lots of questions. The breeder should also ask you lots of questions too, to make sure you and your kitten are suited :-) If the breeder does not ask you questions, then you have to wonder how much they actually care about where their kittens are going?
When visiting, the breeder may ask you to wash/ sanitise your hands and may ask you to remove your shoes.
This helps to protect little kittens (before they are old enough to have their vaccinations) from any germs you may carry from outside, especially if you have other pets, kittens do not take alot to get poorly and the last thing a good breeder wants is to risk the health of their kittens.
Even if you just want a magnificent Norwegian forest cat as a pet, please look into the breeder you buy from, this more than anything will help to single out the bad breeders and can only benefit the Wegies as a breed, as is the same with any kitten or puppy,cat or dog. At the end of the day you should get what you pay for.
It took me over 4 years to find Firoza and Na'il, and after many hours on the phone and emails, I visited.
All the way to Leicester and back to visit kittens! But as a good friend of mine says ' What is a few hundred miles once, for the right cat that you should have for years?'.
I would just like to say that everything written here is my personal opinion and just hope that it may be of benefit to anyone looking for a kitten :-)
Many thanks
Charlotte