Where to get a Cat?

Adapted by Karen Lease in 2003 for Australia in part from the original article

Getting a Cat, written by Cindy Tittle Moore in 1991 & updated in 1997.

Animal Shelters

An animal shelter is a good place to pick up a cat and save it from death in the bargain. Look for a clean, healthy cat. Look for signs of friendliness and liveliness. Talk with the people caring for the animals for any information on a particular animal they can give you; they can often tell you a lot about a cat's personality. Don't overlook the adult cats.

At the animal shelter, be prepared to pay a fee, answer some questions about the home you will give the cat, and perhaps give some references. This is normal. The fee covers some of the costs of operating the animal shelter. The questions are meant to ensure that adopted cats go to good, stable homes.

Most shelters in Australia will have desexed and vaccinated the cat and in NSW, microchipping is required by law. The cost will be $A90-$150 per cat - this is also normal and is intended to reduce the population of cats put down each years as well as protect the Australian environment. The following organisations do provide cats for adoption in Australia – The RSPCA, The Animal Welfare League, The Cat Protection Society as well as many others. The ones listed all have website which you may visit.

Private Parties

People who have to find homes for adult cats will sometimes advertise in the paper (or on bulletin boards at local stores or schools). These cats are usually well cared for and you can meet them in a home environment. You will also see kittens advertised in the paper. Make sure you are getting a healthy, well socialised kitten, don't get a kitten that is too young (younger than 10 weeks), (In NSW it is illegal to give, trade or sell a kitten or cat that is not vaccinated, microchip and at least 10 weeks of age) and find out if the kittens' parents have been fixed! Try to look for people who are trying to place kittens that have been found, or people who have already spayed the mother cat after an accidental mating, rather than encouraging careless people to keep producing kittens. Also, if the kittens were born because the people don't bother to get their cat(s) fixed, they may not bother to feed and care for growing kittens properly, either. Remember that the free kitten will usually be the most expensive kitten in the long term. A free kitten probably not be vaccinated, desexed or microchip. These procedures can cost up $300 per kitten depending on veterinary costs for your area.

Responsible Breeders

If you want to buy a purebred cat or kitten, you will need to look for a good, responsible breeder. Do not patronise pet shops or look for breeders in the paper, or you may end up with an unhealthy or poorly socialised kitten. A good way to meet breeders is at cat shows, which are listed in cat magazines like National Cat or at website such as www.wsca.com.au. Cat shows are also a good opportunity to learn about the different breeds of cats.

Try to talk to more than one breeder before buying a kitten. Look for honest breeders who care about their cats' welfare, and who have good-natured cats. Talk to breeders about inherited health problems. Ask about how the cats are raised. If possible, visit the cattery before buying a kitten. Listen to your intuitions; if you feel anything is "not right" about this breeder, go to another breeder.

A good breeder asks you questions, too, to find out if you are a good home for a kitten. The breeder may also ask that you sign a contract requiring you to care properly for this kitten. This is normal, and is a sign of a responsible breeder. You should expect to pay $450 or more for a "pet quality" kitten, depending on the breed, your area, and what have the breeder provide with the kitten (ie. a single vaccination and microchipping or full vaccinated (3 shots), desexed, and microchipped). Your more expensive kitten will save you money and time in the long term with the breeder taking all responsibilities such as vaccination and desexing reactions or problems. Breeders also may have purebred adults available at low cost to a good home usually the cost of annual vaccination, desexing and microchip. Whiskas Australia (the pet food manufacturer) run an excellent website at www.catmatch.com.au that lists older cats looking for new homes.

The variety of purebred cats can be bewildering. A good place to learn more about the various breeds is your local library or websites which will help you understand not only the differences between the various breeds but also the characteristics of each breed. Your local veterinarian may also help as well as breed advisory services.

Pet Stores

Don't buy kittens from pet stores. Pet stores are notorious for selling unhealthy or poorly bred purebreds, and even irresponsibly bred non-purebreds. Kittens sold in pet stores are outrageously expensive, often two to four times more expensive than the same type of kitten bought from a private breeder. They are often obtained from "kitten mills," where animals are poorly treated and

bred (and bred and bred) for profit. By buying from the store, you are supporting these mills and adding to the pet overpopulation problem.

Some stores claim that animals are all obtained from local breeders or "home raised." Employees are commonly instructed to tell customers that the kittens were obtained from local breeders, when in fact they were not. No responsible breeder would allow their kittens to be sold in a pet store, where they could not interview the buyer to make sure they are aware of the responsibility of caring for an animal.

It is further suggested that you don't even patronise such stores. Take your business to stores that sell pet supplies only, no puppies or kittens. One happy exception: Look for one of the increasing numbers of pet supplies stores that work with the local shelter to help place the animals. These programs provide additional exposure and opportunities for the local shelter and are a wonderful example of constructive partnership for the benefit of our animals. However, make sure that the animals are being adopted out under the rules of the shelter involved.

A Last Word

Wherever you acquired your cat or kitten, make sure that you have a clear understanding of what is required to look after the health and well being of this feline/s. They will provide love and affection unconditionally to you and your family for all their lives. They deserve your best positive care and consideration for all of theirs.