Cat Information

How old does a breeder sale their cat's/kittens?

want to get a kitten,but I want to know whens a good time to get one.And how old do they have to be...In other words what's a good age to take one home (Kitten)...

Public Comments

1. I always think you should adopt a cat from an animal shelter rather than pay for one (unless you plan on being in pedigree pet shows or something). You can save a kitty's life and most animal shelter pets are always so loving and appreciative of being taken to a wonderful home. That being said, a GOOD breeder will not allow a person to take a kitten home until it is completely weened, litter trained, and has shots and is microchipped. Plus they will usually want you to visit the kitten at least once or twice before you take it home to see how it gets along with you.
2. Cats can be adopted out at about 6-8 weeks. But please don't buy one. Get one from an animal shelter. There are so many good kittens out there that need homes. You don't want a purebred kitten that will probably have inbreeding related health problems. Support your local shelter and adopt from them.
3. its good that you want a kitten but its best to get one from an animal shelter there over flowing with them and if there are too many they put them to sleep if they cant find homes
4. Cat's CANNOT be sold or adopted out until they are 8 weeks old. In fact, it is illegal. There are tons of people out there letting kittens/puppies go at 6 weeks...and even less but that is highly irresponsible. They say that the animal will bond to you better but this is untrue. An animal taken from it's mother/littermates too early does not learn important manners that allows it to live among humans as companions. Kittens taken too early tend to be sickly and many do die. They also will continue to try to wean on anything and everything and will play much more rough than kittens that stay with their mother and littermates. This may sound cute but when you have a 3 year old cat that attacks you in your sleep or when you realize that weaning is the cat trying to desperately find security because it never learned that the world is "okay"...well, it's say. That being said, get a kitten at 8 weeks or older. It's the perfect time and you'll be happy you waited.
5. Reputable, ethical breeders will not place a kitten in a new home until they are 12 weeks old. If you have one that wants to sell you a kitten that is younger than that, you are dealing with a back yard breeder. Avoid these people no matter what, as you will most likely end up with a bad example of the breed you're after. Depending on the breed you want, you can very often find young cats available at your local shelter. They are already spayed/neutered, up to date on their vaccines, and you'll be saving a life. If you get a kitten from a friend, the youngest you should take one is 8 weeks old. Younger than this they are not reliably weaned or litter trained. And yes, purebreds end up in shelters, too. I do Siamese rescue, and we get stunning, wonderful cats from shelters. Yesterday I got a beautiful seal pair (10 months old) who had been left in a cardboard box at a vet office, and today a beautiful 4 month old kitten from a shelter. So yes, even purebreds are available in shelters if you do some looking.
6. A very good, responsible breeder who cares about the kittens will sell at 10-12 weeks. Kittens need the extra time with their mom to learn social and survival skills. A backyard breeder will let them go as soon as they're weaned (sometimes before). These kittens are usually poor in health and not well bred. It would be better to adopt a kitten from a shelter and save it's life.