First of all you have to realise what it means to have a cat in your home.

A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that," I can`t have a dog, but I can alwyas have a cat, because it won`t demand so much from me". That`s not correct! It`s true that you don´t have to walk your cat each day, even though some people do that, but it still needs as much attention as a dog. Cats are very sociable creatures and as with so many other pets, the more time you spend with them, the better.

When you have decided to get a cat, you also have to decide if you want a domestic or a pedigree cat. If you want a pedigree cat you also have to look at all the various breeds there are to choose from and also look at what makes the breeds different, like temperament, looks, grooming, etc. Some of the breeds have special clubs that will provide a short descriptions of their breed`s standard and it will also tell you what makes their breed different from the other breeds that are available. If you contact them, they will be more than happy to provide you with any information you need.

Secondly you can go to a cat show and talk to different breeders or go to your local library and borrow some books about the subject. The advantage of seing the cats on a show is that this can reveal what kind of temperament they have.

If you already know someone who owns a pedigree cat you might talk to them about what breed to chose. Once you have decided that you want to own a pedigree cat, you should contact the main cat clubs, because they usually publish a list of available kittens, once a month, and you can have it send to you by snail mail. If you already have decided which breed of cat you want, you should contact the breed club, and ask them to send you a list of available kittens. If you have access to the internet it is also possible to get see kitten lists there.

When you have found the breed that you want, it is a very good idea to visit as many breeders as possible. You shouldn´t feel any obligation to buy a kitten at the various breeders that you visit. You have to remmeber that the kitten you are about to buy is going to be around for many years, so it is very important that you chose the right kitten from the right breeder. There might come a time, later on, when you may have queries or problems and then it is vital that you have a good relationship with the breeder of your kitten and that you feel you can trust him/her. Most breeders would also like to follow "their children" until either they get to a certain age or even for life, so again it is very improtant that the relationship between buyer and seller is good.

When you chose to buy your kitten it is also very important that you decide, before you go, where you would like to buy a kitten from. What you for example should look for:

It has to be nice and clean where the kittens are living and there mustn`t be a draft in the room. It has to be possible to see the mother and perhaps also a picture of the father, if the breeder doesn`t own him. The kittens should look healthy and clean. This means that they shouldn`t look thin, the coat mustn`t look ragged, have diarrhea, eye problems, seem dull, or in any other way appear to be in bad health.

You should also observe how the other cats in the home react to you and that none of the animals appears to be shy. There is of course a difference whether a cat is shy or if they get scared of something, but as a general rule both the breeder and the buyer should be able to touch all the cats and pick them up and hold them. The exception to that rule is pregnant females, who should be carried in a special way and tomcats who may behave a little differently, especially if they have just had a female visiting.

Before looking at the kittens you also have to think about, whether or not you will buy a kitten because you feel sorry for it. Even though there can be places where you think, "I want to save this kitten from the life it is living here", it is an extremly bad idea to take a kitten from such a place, because a breeder who can sell kittens, no matter how the cats and kittens are treated, wont stop his/hers practice as long as someone buys the kittens. When you buy a kitten from such a breeder, you are "sentencing" other future kittens to be born into a place not suitable for cats or kittens to live in, and that really wasn`t the idea, was it? The only way to stop such a person is NOT to buy the kittens they produce, because then they eventually will have to stop breeding kittens, because they get to many and you can make an official complaint to the police or the cat clubs if it's a registered breeder.

And just one more thing. When you are looking at kittens, spend the time you need to! Don't visit 4 breeders in 2 hours, just because you want to get it over with. In fact you should never visit two breeders one after the other, in case you spread disease between different catteries. Please arrange visits on separate days. Spend a GOOD deal of TIME every place you go to. Come back for several visits, especially if the kitten isn't ready for sale when you see it the first time. It is both fun and educational to follow "your" kittens development.

And then Felis Danica has some rules that every responsible breeder must obey to: It isn`t permitted to remove a kitten from its mother, before the age of 12 weeks and it has to be accompanied by: a pedigree issued by Felis Danica and a vaccination certificate issued by the vet, to certify that the kitten has been vaccinated at least once. Some breeders will also include a vaccination against leukaemia, because that disease does occur among the domestic cats that live "in the wild" and it is very contagious and is transmitted through spittle and blood. Some breeders also have their vet sign a health certificate.

Felis Danica has also decided that the kitten has to be followed by a written contract which (signed by both seller and buyer) is legally binding.

I expect you to be honest towards me and to tell me exactly what it is that you are looking for, so that I am able to find the right kitten for you.

I expect you to tell me if your priorities change, so you won`t end up with the "wrong" kitten. For example, you may have thought in the beginning that you wanted a pet, but before the kitten reaches the age of 12 weeks, you might have realised that you would like a kitten for showing, which will probably be okay with me, but then the kitten I have picked for you might not be of suitable type and then it isn´t going to be fair to me or the kitten, if you later regret having it, just because it doesn´t do well at shows.

I expect you to come on a regular basis and visit your kitten. If you fail to do so, I will asume that you are not interested in the kitten after all and then it will be sold to someone who is.

I expect to be informed about the kitten`s everyday life, preferably with pictures, and would want to visit you from time.

I expect you to contact me with any questions you might have and that you will keep me informed, should there be any problems down the line.

I expect you to use my knowledge and to ask me anything you need to know - it doesn`t only have to be if there are problems; it might also be more general questions about food, the habits of your kitten, things you should be aware of, etc.

I expect that you will love the kitten I give into your care, take care of it for the rest of its life, treat it with respect and always do what ever is in the kitten`s best interests!
 

You can expect that I will be honest with you and will tell you exactly what kind of kitten you are getting, meaning whether or not it`s a pet or a (potential) show- and/or breeding cat, that you are in the process of buying from me. I will also tell you if there are any known genetic defects in the lines behind the cat.

You can expect that I will tell you if the kittens "potential" changes down the road, so you aren´t buying the "wrong" kitten for your needs. For instance, it wouldn`t be fair to sell you a kitten that isn´t "good" enough to be shown, if that`s what you are looking for.

You can expect that I will keep you updated with your kittens life and wellbeing, until it moves into your home, and that you will receive pictures, either by email or snail mail, as well as ALWAYS being more than welcome to come and visit your kitten.

You can expect that I will keep you updated if anything our of the ordinary happens to your kittens.

You can expect that I will share the knowledge I have gathered over time and that I will help you if you encounter ANY problems at all. Furthermore I will tell you all about the general things you need to know, such as feeding, habits, things you should be aware of, etc.

You can expect that I will love, respect and take good care of YOUR kitten, until I leave it in your safe keeping.

Kittens sold as pets/showcats are neutered, chiped, has had a health check and been vaccinated once by an autorised vet. The kitten has also been dewormed once. The kitten will arrive in its new home with a FIFe-pedigree, issued by Felis Danica, the new EU-petpassport, a contract and some of the food that the kitten is familiar with.

Kittens sold as breedingcats are chiped, has had a health check and been vaccinated once by an autorised vet. If the kitten is going to another country, it will also have a rabiesvaccination. The kitten has also been dewormed once. The kitten will arrive in its new home with a FIFe-pedigree, issued by Felis Danica, the new EU-petpassport, a contract and some of the food that the kitten is familiar with.