Finding a Good Breeder

A good breeder is the single biggest factor in getting a healthy, well-socialized British Shorthair. It's worth waiting a few months for the right kitten rather than buying the first available one.

What a good breeder looks like

• Registered with a recognized cat registry: TICA or CFA in the US, the GCCF in the UK, or FIFe-affiliated clubs in much of Europe. The kitten should come with registration papers.
• Health-tests the parents and shows you the results: a PKD DNA test, regular heart scans (echocardiograms) for HCM, and blood typing. See Breed Health Issues for why each one matters.
• Raises kittens in the home, so they're used to everyday noise and people, and is happy to show you (in person or on a live video call) where they live and the mother cat.
• Keeps kittens until 12–13 weeks, by which time they've had their first vaccines and learned their manners from mom. In the UK, the GCCF's minimum is 13 weeks.
• Asks you questions and gives you a written contract and health guarantee. Good breeders care where their kittens go, and many have a waiting list.

Red flags

• Kittens always available, several breeds on offer, or kittens leaving at 8 weeks.
• No health-test results, or 'the parents are healthy, the vet checked them'. That isn't the same as screening.
• A price far below normal (see What a British Shorthair Costs).
• Also breeding Scottish Folds. The fold gene causes painful bone and cartilage problems, and breeding Folds is restricted in several countries.

Avoiding scams

British Shorthair kittens are one of the most-scammed pets online. Be very suspicious of any seller who won't do a live video call, asks for a deposit by gift card, crypto or wire transfer, uses photos you can find elsewhere with a reverse image search, or suddenly needs extra money for 'shipping insurance' or a 'special crate'. Never pay a stranger in full for a kitten you haven't seen.

Rescues count too: British Shorthairs and BSH mixes do turn up in rescues and breed rescue groups, often as adults whose owners couldn't keep them.

Related: What a British Shorthair Costs · Bringing Your Kitten Home