The Emotional Bond Between Cats and Kittens
Mother cats form an extremely close bond with their kittens that can be very stressful for both to break prematurely (Lowell, 2020). Kittens rely on their mothers for food, warmth, protection, and socialization during the first weeks of life. Separating kittens from their mother and littermates too early has been shown to cause significant distress and long-term behavioral issues.
Studies show that kittens removed from their mother and littermates before 8-12 weeks of age are more likely to develop fear, anxiety, timidity, and difficulty socializing (Martínez-Byer, 2023). This early separation deprives them of the comfort and security their mother provides during a crucial developmental stage.
Kittens learn important social skills from interacting with their mother and littermates. When separated too young, they may fail to properly learn how to socialize with other cats. Kittens benefit developmentally, emotionally, and behaviorally from staying with their mother until at least 8-12 weeks old (https://www.treehugger.com/ways-know-if-your-kitten-was-taken-away-its-mother-too-soon-4868789).
Providing Proper Care as a Kitten Breeder
Kitten breeders have an important responsibility to provide proper care for the kittens until they are adopted. This includes providing shelter, nutrition, socialization, and medical care. According to the ASPCA, kittens should remain with the mother cat until at least 12 weeks of age. If kittens are adopted before 12 weeks, the breeder must supply proper nutrition including a diet of kitten food. The breeder should also begin socializing kittens between 7-9 weeks by gently introducing them to human interaction, other pets, and novel situations.
Responsible breeders have an application process to screen potential buyers. Applications help ensure the kittens are going to caring homes able to provide for their long-term wellbeing. Follow up after adoption is also important. Ethical breeders like those recommended by the Cat Fanciers’ Association will require kitten buyers to sign a contract, stay in touch, and even take the kittens back if the adoption does not work out.
By providing proper care and screening buyers, breeders can ensure their kittens have the best start in life.
Setting Appropriate Pricing for Kittens
When setting a price for kittens, it’s important to cover the costs of food, litter, and veterinary care without profiteering. According to PetFinder, the average first-year cost of owning a kitten is around $1,200. This factors in essentials like spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations, pet insurance, litter boxes, litter, food, treats, toys, and basic medical care. While purebred kittens tend to be more expensive, pricing anywhere from $500-2,500, mixed breed kittens typically cost $100-500.
Avoid drastically inflating prices simply for profit. Instead, aim to recoup expenses while also ensuring your kittens go to good homes. Providing new kitten owners with complementary veterinary vouchers can incentivize buyers who will properly care for the kittens. Set prices based on covering costs, kitten breed and quality of care, not maximum profit.
Performing Due Diligence on Potential Buyers
When selling kittens, it is crucial to thoroughly screen potential buyers to help ensure the kittens will be going to safe, loving forever homes. Here are some tips for vetting buyers:
Require interested buyers to fill out a detailed application that includes information like their name, address, phone number, vet references, personal references, and questions about their experience with cats. You can find example applications online, such as from the Russian Blue Breeders’ Club.
Conduct interviews, either in-person or over the phone, to get to know the potential owners better. Ask about why they want a kitten, how they plan to care for it, if anyone in the home has allergies, etc. Listen for any red flags.
Do a home inspection prior to finalizing the adoption. Check that the home is safe and kitten-proofed. Make sure any other pets appear healthy and well cared for.
Have potential owners sign an adoption contract stating they will provide proper food, housing, vet care, and agree not to re-home the kitten without your consent. Specify any conditions like spay/neuter requirements.
Follow up after adoption to ensure the kitten is doing well in their new home. Require owners send periodic vet records and photos.
Taking these steps shows you care deeply about your kittens’ welfare and does not mean you are being cruel or irresponsible by rehoming them. Matching kittens with screened, loving families can be very rewarding.
Legal and Ethical Considerations
There are several legal and ethical considerations when breeding cats and selling kittens that a responsible owner should be aware of.
Many states and localities have laws regulating cat breeding and pet sales. These laws often require breeders to obtain licenses or permits, limit the number of breeding females, mandate veterinary care, and impose other requirements to ensure animals are bred responsibly and humanely. According to The Animal Council, as of 2022 over 20 states have statutes regulating dog and cat breeding.
It’s important for breeders to research and comply with all relevant local and state laws. Violations can result in fines or even criminal penalties. The Best Friends Animal Society provides a helpful overview of state laws regulating pet sales and commercial breeding operations.
There are also ethical issues to consider when breeding cats. With millions of homeless cats already overwhelming shelters, contributing to cat overpopulation through irresponsible breeding is widely considered unethical. Breeders have an obligation to find responsible homes for all kittens produced.
Additionally, breeding cats should only be done to improve the health and temperament of the breed, not for profit. Health testing and genetic screening of breeding cats is crucial. Breeding cats with health issues or aggressive tendencies is unethical as it perpetuates suffering.
In summary, cat breeders must comply with laws, avoid contributing to overpopulation, and make ethical, responsible breeding choices. This ensures the welfare of breeding cats and their kittens.
Alternatives to Selling Kittens
There are more humane alternatives to selling kittens that ensure they find good homes without contributing to pet overpopulation issues. One option is to work with local animal shelters or rescue groups that specialize in kitten adoption. These organizations have processes in place to thoroughly vet potential adopters and match kittens with loving families.
For example, some shelters will allow owner surrenders if the pet owner pays a fee to cover the costs of spay/neuter, vaccines, and care while the kitten is awaiting adoption. This allows the kittens to be made available for adoption at minimal or no cost to qualified adopters. Covering these costs upfront can help kittens find homes faster.
Another alternative is fostering pregnant cats and kittens until they can be adopted out by a rescue group. Fostering is an extremely rewarding way to ensure kittens receive dedicated care in a home environment while awaiting their forever families. Shelters and rescues cover all medical expenses for foster pets.
Overall, working with established adoption programs is an ethical way to find the best homes for kittens without contributing to impulsive pet purchases or unregulated sales. It also prevents contributing to community cat overpopulation issues down the line. For more information see this Quora discussion on alternatives to selling cats and kittens.
Benefits of Adopting Shelter Kittens
Adopting a kitten from a shelter can provide many benefits compared to purchasing one from a breeder. One of the biggest advantages is saving a life and reducing feline overpopulation. Millions of cats enter shelters each year, and sadly, many healthy, friendly kittens are euthanized due to lack of space and adopters1. When you adopt from a shelter, you give a kitten a second chance and reduce the strain on limited shelter resources.
Additionally, shelter kittens are socialized and vetted by staff. Kittens receive basic vaccines, deworming, flea treatments, and spay/neuter surgeries prior to adoption. Shelter staff also work on socializing kittens through playtime and human interaction. An adopted kitten may already be litter trained and somewhat accustomed to a home environment.
Finally, adopting a kitten from a shelter is often much more affordable than purchasing from a breeder. Adoption fees typically range from $50-$150, covering medical care and preparation for adoption. Purchasing a specific breed from a breeder can cost $500-$1500. For those looking to add a kitten while sticking to a budget, adopting from a shelter makes sense2.
Providing the Best Home for Your Cat’s Kittens
When breeding a litter of kittens, it’s important to keep the kittens with their mother until they are at least 12 weeks old according to experts. As explained in this article, kittens learn crucial socialization and manners from their mother and littermates during this time that helps them develop into well-adjusted adult cats (source). Keeping the kittens together in their litter for 12-14 weeks allows them to fully benefit from this early social development.
Thoroughly vetting potential buyers is also essential to ensuring your kittens go to good permanent homes. The ASPCA recommends having potential adopters fill out an application, calling their veterinary references, and even doing home visits before allowing someone to adopt one of your kittens. Following up with the new owners through email, phone calls, or visits can provide peace of mind that your kitten is continuing to thrive in their new home (source). Taking these steps shows you care about your kittens’ welfare and want to give them the best start in life.
Making Responsible Breeding Decisions
Responsible cat breeders make breeding decisions with the health and well-being of their cats foremost in mind. According to the TICA Responsible Breeder Code of Ethics, responsible breeders should only breed purebred, pedigree cats occasionally to maintain health and genetic diversity (EU Guidelines). Purebred cats should be selected based on health, good temperament, and breed standards. Before breeding, cats should undergo veterinary health checks and genetic testing.
Responsible cat breeding also involves carefully planning each litter and being prepared to find good homes for all kittens produced. Breeders should screen potential buyers to ensure kittens are placed in responsible, loving homes. According to the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA), responsible breeders require spay/neuter contracts for pet-quality kittens to prevent unwanted litters (Purina).
By making informed, ethical choices about when to breed and which cats to breed, and taking steps to find suitable homes, responsible cat breeders can produce happy, healthy kittens while bettering cat breeds.
Conclusion
In summary, there are responsible options for cat owners that prioritize the welfare of cats and kittens. The most ethical path is to spay or neuter your cat to avoid accidental litters. If you do end up with kittens, try to find good homes for them through adoption networks rather than selling them. Focus on screening potential owners to ensure the kittens go to loving homes.
Selling kittens for profit does not guarantee their wellbeing. It’s best to avoid contributing to pet overpopulation and overburdened shelters. Support adoption programs, spay/neuter services, and education around responsible cat ownership. With some effort, you can find positive solutions when kittens arrive unexpectedly.
There are many adoption networks to explore rather than selling kittens. Low-cost spay/neuter assistance is also available from animal welfare organizations. Every cat owner should make informed, compassionate choices that put cat wellbeing first.