Pros

Cons

Notes and Tips

Breeders

• Some behavioral traits are genetically inherited (the “nature” part of “nature vs. nurture”). Therefore, a cat from parents and grandparents without serious behavior problems is less likely to develop those problems.
• If you’re looking for a purebred cat, allows you to get a kitten in your breed of choice.

• Many breeders do not breed with health and behavioral traits in mind.
• It may be difficult to find a responsible breeder, and many of them have wait lists.
• With the pet overpopulation problem, some people prefer to adopt a cat from a shelter or rescue group.

Do your research to find a reputable breeder.   Breed clubs may be able to help you with this.  A responsible breeder should:

• Not be making a profit (although the kittens can be expensive, a good breeder has to spend about that much for proper vet care, health testing, etc.)
• Show you the parents (or at least the queen if the tom lives elsewhere).
• Not have to advertise in the newspaper or online classified ads.
• Screen the parents for inherited health problems. 
• Be very selective about who purchases their kittens.
• Be able to tell you about the life expectancy of the line based on the life span of the parents, grandparents, etc.
• Be able to discuss the inherited diseases of the breed.
  
  

Shelters

• Allows you to give a homeless cat a home.
• Perusing the shelter can be a good way to look at different breeds and ages of cats and get an idea for what kind of cat you are looking for.

• The shelter is an unrealistic representation of a cat’s home environment, and therefore shelter temperament testing cannot predict a cat’s future behavior in the adoptive home
• Some cats in the shelter are there because they have behavior problems of varying degrees.

• Be prepared (as with any new cat) to work on training and socialization.
• Educate yourself on the different types of cat personalities. Ask the shelter if they are familiar with the personalities of the cats and if they have any of the kind you are looking for.
• When perusing the shelter, it is easy to fall in love with many cats.  Avoid being tempted to adopt a cat whose personality does not fit with what you want in a pet.
  
  

Rescue Groups

• Often these cats have been living in foster homes, where one can get an idea of their behavioral traits.
• Many of these cats have already been socialized.
• Many groups attempt to match cats with owners looking for that type of personality.

• It may take some time to find the perfect cat.
• A cat’s behavior in a foster home may not predict its behavior in the adoptive home.

• Be patient.  There are many cats available in rescue groups, and with a little searching you are likely to find the right cat for you.
• Use the internet as your guide (search for rescue group sites or use petfinder.org)
• Breed rescue groups can give you information on the behavioral traits and inherited diseases of the breed.
  
  

Pet Stores

None.

• These kittens often come from catteries where they were bred and raised in poor and often inhumane conditions.
• These cats have received no socialization prior to purchasing them.
• Purchasing cats from a pet store creates a market for this industry.
  
  

• Some pet stores will host adoption fairs for local shelters and rescue groups.  Make sure that you are adopting from the rescue organization, not the pet store.

“Free Kitten” ads

There are many available and they are easy to find.

These kittens come from unknown backgrounds with respect to temperament, health, and socialization.

• Educate yourself on how to pick a friendly kitten.
• Ask to see the parents and their medical records.