Cats Queensland Inc makes no representation or warranties with respect to the breeding or business practices of any of the persons included on the Breeders List.
Cats Queensland strongly recommend that transactions with breeders be undertaken with the same caution and due diligence as one would devote to any important business matter.
From time to time breeders and other parties refer to the Cats Queensland Inc matters in which it is not appropriate for us to become involved. Disputes between buyers and sellers of cats are private matters to be determined by the contractual arrangements between the two parties. We recommend parties who cannot resolve matters personally, contact the Office of Fair Trading for appropriate advice. Cats Queensland Inc can only consider and advise on matters that clearly fall within its Breeders Code of Ethics.
THE FOLLOWING IS GENERAL IN NATURE AND IS A GUIDE ONLY. IT MAY NOT COVER ALL YOU NEED TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING A PEDIGREED KITTEN OR CAT. PLEASE SEEK ADVICE FROM A NUMBER OF SOURCES SO THAT YOU ARE BEST PREPARED TO MAKE YOUR PURCHASE. CATS QUEENSLAND DO NOT BECOME INVOLVED IN ISSUES BETWEEN BREEDERS AND PURCHASERS.
BUYING A KITTEN
Possibly one of the first things you will have done once you decided to obtain a kitten is decide on whether you want a companion cat (domestic / part pedigree) or a pure bred kitten. There are so many options so there are some questions you need to ask yourself in order to help you make that decision.
- bathing
- grooming
- clipping
- allergies
- desexing
- quiet and sedate
- playful and perhaps boisterous
- good with children
- secured enclosure or
- totally indoor – litter tray
- desexing
- microchipping
- potential health issues
- litter tray
- litter
- grooming items
- shampoos
- nail clipping
- scratching pole
- food and water dishes
- toys
- beds etc etc etc
When you have narrowed it down to one or two breeds, research as much as you can about the breeds so that you can make an informed choice. Cats Queensland has breeders for most breeds of cat – go to the breeds page and you can find information about breeders there.
When you are talking to breeders, you will be able to ask some of the questions listed. Some of the questions you will need to ask include:
- What kittens are available / available soon [colours / sexes]
- How much will the kitten be? [Different breeds cost differing amounts – ask around.]
- What does this price include? [vaccination (how many), desexing, microchipping, information pack etc]
- Will the kitten be wormed / flea treated etc?
- Will the kitten be litter trained? What litter will the kitten be used to?
- Are the parents of the kitten available to be viewed?
- What age are kittens ready to go?
- Is a deposit required?
- How should the balance be paid upon collection of the kitten? [Some breeders will only take cash payment on the day the kitten is collected but can accept cheques well in advance of collection to ensure the cheque has been cleared. Just ask.]
- If transportation is required, how much will that be? [Cost of flight and cost of carry cage]
- Can you come and meet the kitten prior to purchase?
Not all breeders are alike so answers to the above will vary. Most breeders will require a deposit for the kitten so be prepared for that.
MENTORSHIP
Cats Queensland Inc offers a FREE MENTORSHIP program for new breeders. If you would like some guidance from one of our mentoring group, please contact the Secretary who can put you in touch with one of our breeders who belong to this panel.
THE DAY HAS ARRIVED TO COLLECT THE KITTEN
You will have set a time for collection of the kitten with the breeder. Unless you are purchasing a carry cage from the breeder, then you MUST bring one with you to keep the kitten safe in the car. It is against the law to travel with an un-restrained animal in the car.
Make sure you have everything ready at home for the new baby – food, dishes, toys etc. When you arrive home with the kitten, make sure you take it to the litter tray often in that first day or so in order for it to learn where everything is in relation to the tray. This helps solve the problem of little accidents.
LISTEN CAREFULLY to the breeder and their advice on diet. Whatever the kitten has been raised on is probably the best thing to keep it on for the first week or so. Make changes to diet slowly so you minimize the risk of it getting an upset stomach.
If your kitten should become ill over the first week or so, it is always best to ring the breeder and ask advice before rushing to the vet (unless there has been an accident or similar). Breeders are often able to assist with advice about how to deal with whatever is happening. If the kitten doesn’t improve quickly though, you may either need to ask the breeder to get the kitten checked by their vet or visit your own vet if that is not possible.
REGISTRATION
What does this mean?
A pure bred kitten comes from pure bred parents – cats that have a pedigree that details their ancestry.
Breeders who register with Cats Queensland Inc. are required to register ALL litter kittens so all kittens registered with Cats Queensland have a registration and pedigree certificate. This registration is required if you are purchasing a kitten for breeding or showing. Kittens being purchased as pets though MUST be DESEXED and MICROCHIPPED plus vaccinated X 2 [minimum].
Most breeders include the pedigree of their pet kittens when they are sold. This pedigree / registrations is NOT local government registration. This still needs to be done by you – the new owner where required.
BUYING A KITTEN FROM AN OVERSEAS BREEDER
If you are considering purchasing a kitten from overseas for breeding, there are several things you need to check on.
- Firstly, is this breed accepted by cat registries in Australia and in particular, by YOUR cat registry. This is easy to check – you can go to each Association’s web page and look at their list of BREED STANDARDS and make sure it is there.
- Is the breeder reputable? This is harder to ascertain but googling them and their breed prefix or checking on their reputation on Facebook are 2 good places to start.
- Is the pedigree acceptable to your registry? Not all pedigrees are accepted because occasionally they have breeding rules that differ to ours which makes them ineligible. Please ask the breeder to send you copies of the pedigrees of the parents so you can send them to the Registrar for a decision BEFORE any money changes hands.
- Check on all requirements for quarantine. This is a costly undertaking and you need to be aware of all that needs to be done.
- The kitten or cat you purchase will probably be at least 9-12 months of age by the time you get it as from most countries into Australia, they must have rabies shots etc and this all takes time.
If you have any questions that have not been covered above, please ask the breeder or contact one of the people on the Management Committee who may be able to answer your questions for you or head you in the right direction.
REMEMBER: CATS QUEENSLAND WILL NOT BECOME INVOLVED IN ANY DISPUTE ARISING BETWEEN THE PURCHASER OF A KITTEN / CAT AND THE BREEDER