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Purebred Cat Breeder holding a Russian Blue kitten

Directory of Reputable Cat Breeders (Catteries)

Thinking about adding a purebred kitten to your family? If you are on the lookout for a reputable cat breeder from which to buy a kitten, our growing directory of responsible cat breeders can help put you in touch with someone you can trust to provide you with your next family companion. Find responsible cat breeders offering kittens for sale throughout the USA and Canada.

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Directory of Reputable Cat Breeders

Find healthy, home raised kittens for sale by RESPONSIBLE cat breeders.

Choosing A Cat Breeder – What To Look For In A Responsible Cat Breeder

You have carefully considered the decision to add a new kitten to your household, and painstakingly educated yourself about the many different cat breeds from which to choose your potential kitten. Equally important as the type of kitten you have chosen for your family is the breeder from which you will purchase your kitten.

There are many, many breeders advertising kittens for sale on the Internet; deciding on a breeder can be a daunting task – but by following our list of important guidelines, you can learn to identify breeders who are die-hard cat lovers and breed out of their love for their chosen breed, rather than to profit from it.

Responsible cat breeders Do:

  • Register their cats with the appropriate registry.
  • Often have a waiting list for their kittens.
  • Love their cats and kittens and consider them to be first hand family members. Their cats live with them in their homes, and participate in most family activities.
  • Breed only once or twice per year, always with an eye towards improving their line of kittens.
  • Whelp their kittens in their homes, and raise their kittens in their homes, where the kittens are given plenty of love, attention and gentle handling, as well as being socialized to various household noises, people, children and other pets. This helps to ensure that kittens grow into well mannered, even tempered, sociable cats that will provide you and your family with many years of love, joy, laughter and companionship.
  • Are well educated about their chosen breed. They should know their breed’s history, characteristics, temperament, longevity, and – most importantly – health issues (health problems that may be prevalent in their breed).
  • Are willing to help you learn more about their breed, and help you decide if the breed is the right fit for your lifestyle.
  • Carefully screen their cats for any health problems that are prevalent in their breed to help ensure that their cats and kitten litters are free from congenital (hereditary) diseases.
  • Have their cats regularly vet-checked and vaccinated, and have kittens thoroughly examined by their veterinarian, de-wormed and vaccinated prior to being offered to potential buyers.
  • Stand behind the health of their cats and kittens with a comprehensive health guarantee, details of which they are willing to provide to potential kitten buyers.
  • Are careful to ensure that you are the right fit for one of their kittens by asking questions of you, your decision to add a kitten to your home, and your commitment to providing the same level of care to that kitten for the duration of it’s life. Will want to know about your home environment to ensure that you have the facilities and resources to safely care for a kitten.
  • Care deeply about the welfare of their kittens after they join their new families, and want to keep in touch with you and receive updates and pictures of their kittens as they grow into cats and beyond.
  • Are dedicated to offering advice and support after you take your kitten home, and require that you contact them in the event that you cannot fulfill your commitment to your kitten so that they can assist in finding a suitable replacement home.
  • Will gladly allow you to visit them (by appointment) to meet their cats and kittens and view firsthand the environment in which the kittens are raised.
  • Will gladly provide references from buyers of kittens from past litters.

Responsible Cat Breeders May:

  • Belong to one or more cat breed clubs.
  • Participate in Obedience, Agility or other activities with their cats.
  • Agree to ship their kittens to carefully screened buyers.
  • Have more than 1 breed, but no more than 3 breeds.
  • Require a deposit to place you on their waiting list for a kitten.

Beware of Cat Breeders Who:

  • Put pressure on you to purchase a kitten from them.
  • Always have kittens available.
  • Sell kittens at “bargain” prices.
  • Cannot or will not provide photos of their adult cats.
  • Keep their cats and kittens outdoors or in a barn or other shelter.
  • Will not allow you to visit them and meet their cats and kittens.
  • Do not seem well-educated about their cats.
  • Do not ask you a lot of questions about your situation.
  • Have complaints against them with the SPCA, Better Business Bureau, etc. (Just “Google” them and see what comes up!)
  • Sell kittens to pet stores or brokers.
  • Do not offer a reasonable health guarantee.
  • Do not adequately screen their cats for health problems prior to breeding.
  • Can’t or won’t offer references.
  • Give you the “Heebie Jeebies”. Listen to your sixth sense!

As much as you may be anxious to have that furry little bundle in your arms, be sure to play it safe and obtain your new kitten only from the very best breeder you can find. As they say, “Haste makes waste”, and kittens purchased from back yard breeders, pet stores and kitten mills come with a shopping list of potential problems.

These include poor socialization, resulting in a kitten that grows up to be a nervous, nippy and neurotic dog; and poor health, leading to many veterinary bills and plenty of heartache for you and your family.

Additionally, by buying a kitten from these sources, you are helping to keep these cruel profiteers doing what they do. For every adorable kitten that you see “in the window” of a pet store, there are two parent cats who are kept in deplorable conditions to which no cat lover would ever subject their family members.

Remember, your new kitten is going to live anywhere from 10 to 16 years of age. Take your time to find just the right breeder – you’ll be rewarded for your patience and determination with a healthy, well-socialized family companion that is sure to live a long, happy and vibrant life with you and your family.

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