So are you tempted by Buying a Pet Shop Cat?

Pedigree and domestic cats are sometimes for sale in pet shops but by buying a pet shop cat you are taking a lot on trust - a bit like a blind date really.

While many people are buying a pet shop cat (and many other pets) from pet shops, there are a few things you should keep in mind that makes this sale different from dealing directly with the Siamese cat breeder:

• The parents of the kittens are not available for inspection.
• We can’t ask the breeder any questions about them after the sale.
• If something happens after the sale and we have to return the cat it is unlikely that the pet shop will help us out.
• We have no way of knowing how the kittens have been brought up. Were they in a noisy normal household with lots of human touch? Was the mother cat with them all the time so they have learnt how to be young cats?
• We know nothing about the parentage background so we have nothing to check up. Did the breeder have health issues with some of the brothers and sisters from the same or related litters?
• Did they come from a healthy home? Were other kittens healthy or were they incubating something nasty? These are questions you won't be able to ask.
• They may not have the correct vaccinations or vet's visits, it depends on what the pet shop demands from the breeder.

Buying a pet shop cat therefore is a lottery. We are relying on the pet shop to do all the checks that we would be doing for ourselves. Still, many of us remember a special cat from the past - often quite unchecked - and everything worked out more than fine. Just don’t walk in blind! and see if you can get some of these questions asked by the pet shop.

Also you have got to ask yourself if you would be happy as the breeder of these beautiful kittens in not knowing who was going to buy them? Many breeders take great care in making sure that the new owner is suitable for the kittens. They also offer knowledgeable help and advice for new owners. Many breeders will take back one of their kittens if you are unable to keep it for any reason rather than have it end up at a Siamese Cat Rescue or much worse.

And just to prove that every rule has an exception, a friend of mine completely fell in love with the nicest-natured Tonkinese (part Siamese) you could imagine. It turned out that he had been bought from Harrods in London - and Harrods only sells from very reputable breeders. So despite coming from a pet shop...

Finally, it is all too easy to buy a pet shop cat or kitten on the spur of the moment if you see it while you're out shopping.Your heart may easily rule your head!

Are you ready for a kitten? Are you about to go on holiday? Can you afford it? Kittens can soon run up quite large vets bills!

Do you have a safe place for your new kitten? Accidents can happen if gardens and balconies are not well fenced. Are you settled in your home or are you thinking of travelling the world? If not now will you feel trapped by the responsibilities of cat ownership?

So before you fall for that little kitten in the window, make sure you are really ready for it!

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