How can I tell if the Rescuer or Breeder is reputable?

Rescuers and breeders are human beings so you will find that there are good folk and bad doing both. There are reputable breeders and there are some folk who breed cats but do not value ethical considerations or breed with the ultimate aim of improving the breed. Similarly, there are some Rescues that become "collectors", placing few cats, and others which have poor conditions or misrepresent the cats they offer for sale.

  The reputable rescuer is willing to talk to the prospective buyer and a share information about the cat’s history, if available, about any personality quirks or special care needs, and about cat care and maintenance, both before and after placement. In the same vein, the reputable breeder is willing to take the time to talk with the prospective purchaser and share information about the breed, cat care and maintenance, both before and after the purchase.

  The reputable breeder or rescuer will interview the prospective in depth to determine the kind of home the kitten or cat is being offered and will only place the kitten or cat in a home they have approved. In addition, they will query you on your cat care knowledge and experience.

  The reputable breeder will not sell kittens before they are 12 weeks of age and have been vaccinated.

  Reputable rescue organizations work within more difficult constraints, but try to insure that cats are protected by at least one vaccination before placement. There are rarely kittens in purebred rescue.

  The reputable rescuer or breeder will either place pet kittens or cats only after they have already been neutered or spayed. In some exceptional circumstances, reputable rescuers and breeders may insteadl contractually require the cat or kitten to be altered by a certain age, may charge a refundabe fee to assure this occurs,  and will follow up to assure the contract is kept.

  The reputable rescuer may not be aware of defects or health problems, but makes every effort to be honest in evaluating the cat's soundness. They will have had a veterinary health assessment and should allow you to contact the veterinarian who did the assessment.

  The reputable breeder offers a health guarantee in writing and lists any health defects that may be present, having informed you of them- they often will provide a veterinary health certiifcate and veterinary record as well. The purchaser should run – not walk – away from any breeder who refuses to put a health guarantee in writing. There are tremendous variations in these guarantees, but they should at the very least: a) set forth a period of time during which the buyer may take the kitten or cat to his own veterinarian for inspection; b) specify what recourse the buyer has if that inspection should determine an illness or any defect of which the buyer was not forewarned).

  Other important considerations should be spelled out in clear, unambiguous terms. One such consideration of the reputable breeder or rescuer is the requirement that a cat or kitten not be allowed to roam freely outdoors. Another is the future placement of the cat or kitten should circumstances arise and you are unable to keep the cat in your home - reputable rescues and breeders require that they be involved in rehoming the cat if need be and that the cat be returned to them if at all possible.

  If the kitten or cat is being bought from a rescuer or breeder and shipped, the contract should state who will be responsible for the shipping the cat back to the source should the kitten or cat be determined unsuitable on arrival. That contract should also state who will pay for the original airfare/transport cost, the required health certificate, and other associated shipping costs.

  The reputable rescuer or breeder is willing to provide references from people who have previously obtained kittens from them and will give permission to discuss the rescuers’s or breeder’s cats with their veterinarian. They may also require a home visit to your home.

  The reputable rescuer will be clear whether the cat is actually a purebred whose owner needed them rehomed or a "copycat".

The reputable breeder will be willing to show you the cat or kitten's pedigree and will provide regsitration papers, usually marked "not for breeding purposes" on kittens. For cats and kittens who are sold whole with a contract requiring that you spay or neuter them, reputable breeders will generally not provide registration papers until after the cat or kitten is neutered and a veterinary record of spay or neuter is provided to them.

  The reputable rescuer or breeder will help in placing your kitten or cat if in the future circumstances ever arise that preclude your keeping the cat in your home.

  The reputable rescuer or breeder will very often microchip cats and kittens before placement.

  The reputable rescuer or breeder will very often require a home visit to inspect your home prior to placement. This means that they will arrange for someone to visit your home and inspect the premises to assure a healthy, safe and caring environment if offered..

  Reputable rescues and breeders will ask you to sign an adoption contract clearly delineating terms of the adoption. The contract adopters sign when adopting from reputable rescues and breeders will, among other things, prohibit declawing of cats and kittens obtained from them unless there is consultation and they agree that the circumstances are so unusual as to warrant declawing.

Undoubtedly, it would be optimal, if in the best of all possible worlds, to visit the home or facility of the rescuer or breeder. This would allow you to meet and select your kitten or cat, to judge the cleanliness and merits of conditions, and to get a "gut sense" of the person from whom you are obtaining the kitten or cat. If buying from a breeder, it would also be also optimal for you to see the sire and dam of the kittens, as well as other cats. Many reputable rescuers and breeders still invite prospective purchasers into their home or facilities. However, some rescuers and breeders, especially those who live alone, may fear becoming victim of crime. Therefore, they may be reluctant to allow any strangers into their home and may arrange to meet elsewhere, such as at their veterinarian’s office, or in the case of a Rescue, at a PetsMart or shopping center location. In addition, having and animal transported from a rescue or when purchasing a kitten from a rescue or breeder in another state or at a cat show, this home visit may also not be possible. Therefore, especially in those cases when you cannot visit the rescue or breeder’s home or are limited to seeing only the kitten or cat, you are advised to ask for references from those that have bought their kittens or cats in the past and/or from their veterinarian.

When it comes to Purebreds, the rarity of a breed will determine the relative ease with which you can find a reputable rescuer or breeder of your chosen breed. Obtaining a cat or kitten of one of the rarer breeds may necessitate your name being placed on a waiting list, your paying for it based on only a picture, and your paying airfare to have it shipped from another city or state. On the other hand, if you are searching for a kitten to buy from a breeder or rescuer of the popular or rare breeds or for a domestic cat from a rescue, you might find you have the problem of narrowing down from too many choices!

When that home visit is not possible, there are also some resources for those looking to buy a kitten from a reputable breeder. One assurance that the kitten is coming from a clean and healthy environment is offered by many of the major pedigree cat registries in the form of their voluntary cattery environment inspection programs. Such programs set specific minimum requirements for aspects of feline husbandry within the home cattery. Some of these programs require an annual inspection by a veterinarian, using a checklist supplied by the registry, who will determine whether the cattery passes the inspection. A telephone call, letter or e-mail to most registries will produce a list of breeders in a given geographic location and whether their cattery has been inspected and approved for accreditation in their cattery inspection program. A query to any of the registries or a check of their web sites will list dates of cat shows in the area, where the breeds can be seen and breeders contacted. For more information, contact the registries. Those registries which can be accessed online include CFA, TICA, ACFA, CCA, TCA.