| Thank you all for your comments. This hasn't been as straightforward as I thought it would be. For a start I've picked the wrong time of year, its not kitten season so there aren't that many about. Sylvester's was the only pet shop around that had some and they were gone by the time I got there. Then so many people suggested a rescue kitten that I thought I'd check that out, but haven't had much luck there either. 2 of the charities I tried had no kittens at the moment saying they'd be inundated in 6-8 weeks. Another had lots, but none suitable for children and the last one told me I probably wouldn't be able to adopt anyway because I live off the Uxbridge Rd and then never called back to arrange the home visit. I was quizzed on ways the kitten could find a way out 'because it would be on the main road like a shot'. The lady then told me that rescue kittens were best for children because they'd have been rescued from homes where 'a single mum who needed neutering herself was dragging up a hoard of unruly children with different men coming and going so the kitten would be used to noise and people'?! At that point shock/disbelief left me speechless and just completely put me off the whole thing. It is important that we have a child friendly kitten because as much as I don't want one that is so scared it would be traumatised by my very good, but boisterous children, I also don't want their first experience of a pet to be a negative one either. So the upshot is that I've managed to get back in touch with an old family friend who we got our last kitten from many years ago. He has always been and still is cat mad, taking in strays and looking after them and he has a kitten that we can have in a week or so. Hopefully that will work out and is a compromise I can live with, its not a caged pet shop cat but it is a kitten that needs a loving home which we are only too happy to provide. |