Not sure where to start when buying a British Blue Kitten? No worries, we will tell you where to find a British shorthair kitten for sale with a comprehensive list of trusted British Blue breeders.
Buying a kitten should be an exciting time, but we understand it can also be stressful. You are taking on a big commitment and you will want everything to be perfect. You do not want to have to worry about ensuring your British Blue cats are coming from a good place.
This is why we have researched British Blue breeders in the UK and put together this list for you. On this list you will not see Gumtree or Pets4Homes – this is because we do not advocate buying any pets from websites like this.
British Blue Breeders – British Shorthair Kittens for sale
Before we start, it is important we state that at Ginger Cat House we are advocates for ‘Adopt don’t shop’. There are 1000s of cats in rescue centers looking for a forever home – your perfect new companion is waiting for you. If you are based in the South of England, you can check out where to adopt a cat in London.
However, if you have your heart set on buying a British shorthair kitten then we do ask that you only purchase from a reputable British Shorthair cat breeder. Sadly, there are many people out there who just want to make money and do not take the cats into consideration.
If you are trying to gauge the costs you will incur, we recommend reading our extensive guide on the price of a British shorthair cat.
Buying a particular breed, such as a British Blue, is always going to be more expensive than purchasing a Domestic shorthair or long hair.
The colour of the British Short hair cat is likely to affect the price as well. Certain colours are rare, such as fawn and cinnamon, therefore you should expect to pay more for a kitten of this colour. The most ‘common’ British shorthair colour is Blue, therefore you may find this colouring is on the lower end of the price range.
A respected breeder will most likely only breed from the same Queen once a year and when finding a stud (male) will have to ensure there is no cross in the lineage (to prevent any inbreeding).
Many respected breeders also ensure they follow all of the guidelines set out by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF).
How to find healthy British shorthair kittens for sale
As briefly mentioned, a good BSH breeder will be governed and follow the Guidelines of GCCF.
All the breeders we have listed below are members of the GCCF.
It is important to note the GCCF does not have control over the price of British Blue cats, this can be set to any price. However, the average price of a British Blue kitten in the UK is £750 – £1000. The price will vary heavily on the colour of the kitten. With the more common ‘Blues’ actually on the lower end of the scale.
Quick Reference: UK British Shorthair Breeder List
When looking for a British Blue kitten, it is not unusual to have to travel a fair distance to get the right one and to ensure you are buying from a good place with the correct intentions.
British Shorthair Kittens for sale in Scotland
British Shorthair kittens for sale in Northern Ireland
British Shorthair breeders near Manchester
- https://www.chessurbshcats.com
- http://www.charnodleywood.co.uk
- https://www.pedigreebritishshorthair.co.uk/
British Shorthair Kittens for sale near in Birmingham
British Blue kittens for sale in London and the South-East
- http://www.icestormcats.co.uk
- http://www.loraston.com
- https://www.jeraz.co.uk/
- http://www.idlebeck.co.uk
Questions to ask before buying a British Short Hair kitten
Often the first contact you will have with a breeder will be over email or over the phone. Before you even visit the kitten there are a few questions you can ask to ensure you are buying a kitten from the right place.
When was the kitten born? Will you be able to see the kitten with its mother?
The first is important because a kitten must be 8 weeks of age to be rehomed. Seeing a kitten with
its mother helps to avoid kittens that may have been ‘farmed’ or imported illegally.
A pedigree kitten born to a reputable British Blue breeder will probably stay with its mother until it is 12 or 13 weeks old or until it has found a new home, so seeing them together should not be a problem.
Is it possible to see evidence of the kitten’s family line?
This is important and essential with pedigree cats. A good breeder will have no issue with showing you this. A family line ensures there has been no inbreeding and ensures you are actually buying the breed you want!
Is the kitten registered with the GCCF or similar?
The kitten should come with specific paperwork about its pedigree, should be fully vaccinated, and may be insured. It will have a registration certificate with a unique registration number and registered name.
Have both mum and dad been tested for inherited diseases?
It has been suggested that British Shorthairs, like Bengals, may have a higher prevalence of a heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy than some breeds.
If you are happy with the answers provided then you should next visit the kitten before committing to buying. During the visit, you can ask further questions as well as look out for certain things. It is also VITAL during this visit that you see the kitten with the mother.
Also, ensure that mum looks healthy and well cared for.
It is not common for the father cat to be present during visits, many breeders will use a stud cat, who will live with someone else.
During the visit, monitor if both mum and kittens are confident around people and happy to interact. A confident mother will be more likely to raise confident, playful kittens.
Be aware if there are many litters or cats in the home. Large numbers of cats and kittens can increase the risk of the spread of disease and lessen the ability of the owner/breeder to keep everything as clean as necessary to minimise this risk and to give each kitten the attention it needs.
It can also increase stress among the cats which reduce their ability to fight disease.
Does the kitten look healthy? Are the ears clean? Are its eyes clean and bright? Is it lively? Is the coat free from dirt and parasites? Is it clean under its tail?
The answer to all of the above should be yes. A good breeder should have no concerns with you checking these things when you are buying a British Shorthair cat kitten.
Other things, such as an upset stomach, weepy eyes, or problems with movement may be more serious and may prompt you to decline to buy.
Look at the health of the other kittens for signs of problems too.
Products you will need to buy for your Kitten
When buying a cat, the price obviously does not stop after the initial purchase price. Therefore you need to take this into consideration when deciding to buy a cat. Here is a rough breakdown of additional costs you may encounter.
Veterinary fees are inevitable at some stage throughout your cat’s life. This will come in the form of preventative health issues such as neutering, vaccinations, and parasite control but sadly, also through natural aging and if they become unwell (Would you be able to afford the unexpected cost of a cat x-ray?).
Therefore, we always recommend pet insurance, the price for this can vary, but on average it will be around £15 per month for a good comprehensive cover.
Obviously, your cat is going to need to eat, so food will be a consistent cost. Diet will change at different points throughout your cat’s life, from kitten to senior. The most important thing is to ensure you purchase a complete diet, not complementary.
Food costs will vary and often it may be beneficial to buy cat food in bulk from places like Amazon.
Depending on your home situation, you may also want to purchase an automatic cat feeder. We use this double feeder – it works great for what we need and includes cooling packs to ensure food stays fresh.
Other essentials to consider when weighing up the price of a cat are toys and brushes. All cats, especially kittens need toys. Toys are obviously for enjoyment but they also stop behavioral boredness which may result in problems or stress for your cat. Try to purchase a combination of toys that they play with you and toys that they can play with on their own – such as interactive toys.
Other costs you may incur include a safe cat carrier (we love cat backpacks for ease), cattery fees if you go on holiday, microchipping (£25 roughly), cat flaps, etc.