Choosing a Kitten

There is no substitute for the experience of meeting the whole family of your Devon Rex offspring. You may go with all the best pre-conceived ideas - 'I want a black smoke girl' and end up booking the silver tabby boy who sat on your shoulder. Meet them all and then choose, or rather, let your Devon choose you! And like choosing your lifelong partner - whilst the Brad Pitt lookalike might seem wonderful at first, they may not necessarily be the one you would want to spend the rest of your life with!

Of course, you may want to show your Devon (read and inwardly digest your breed standard!) but first and foremost, your Devon is going to be your lifelong companion - anything else is icing on the cake. Enjoy showing for the opportunity it provides to add another dimension to your hobby; to share with like-minded individuals your enthusiasm and love for Devons - and to make some great friends! Always remember, win or lose on the show bench, every day at home with your Devon is a "red card" day.

We at Nidoran are solely Devon Rex breeders and have the best interests of the breed at heart. All our cats are family pets first and foremost. Our queens are only bred from once a year, so litters are few and far between. This allows us to give our undivided attention to rearing the most wonderful, and entertaining offspring possible. It is a time-consuming, but rewarding challenge. Nidoran kittens are reared with the family. Handled and loved from birth, they are well adjusted and ready to give unconditional love and attention and seek like-minded human beings for a lifelong relationship.

Kittens are wormed from 3 weeks of age and are presented at our veterinary practice at 9 weeks for their initial inoculations (feline enteritis and cat flu) and check-up, and once again at 12 weeks. If all is well, they are then considered ready to go to their new homes at 13 weeks. New owners are given a pedigree certificate, an inoculation card, and GCCF Transfer Certificate, together with feeding instructions. We stress to all new owners of Nidoran kittens, that if at any time a problem arises that causes concern, we are always available to give advice. We are only a telephone call away.

We are proud of the fact that our pedigrees have many iconic Devon Rex cats in their lineage, and all of our lines are CMS tested. Having been mentored and supported by well-known, prestigious, responsible, and respected breeders of Devons ourselves, we consider our role in carrying on their work and making a significant contribution to maintaining the type, coat, and temperament that truly identifies the breed, as a joy and a responsibility. We take great care at Nidoran to ensure that our kittens are healthy, happy, house-trained, socialised, and ready to leave the litter. Likewise, we will expect you, as the future owner, to answer lots of questions to confirm for us that our Devon baby is going to a loving, permanent, caring, and well-prepared home.

You will be invited to see the kittens. Please ensure you do not visit more than one breeder in a day, so as to prevent cross-infection. Have a list of questions ready - it’s easy to forget in the excitement of meeting your first litter of Devons, something you are desperate to know. You can also see how the cats behave and interact for yourself. Don't agree to buy a kitten if you are not absolutely sure that it is what you want or can manage. Go away and talk to the family about it before you make a commitment that either you or more importantly your cat, may regret.

Once the decision has been made, you will be given clear guidance on the last stage - taking your kitten home - for which you must prepare thoroughly. A good, strong cat carrier is a good investment. It will enable you not only to take your baby home safely but also to facilitate your annual trip to the vet for booster inoculations or neutering. 

Ideally, you should take your kitten home at the start of the weekend, or holiday period, when you will be able to give your Devon baby lots of time to enable him or her to settle in. If you have other pets, remove them from the room, and give your kitten time to get used to his new surroundings and scents. Then after an hour or two, reverse the process. Lift the kitten out of the way, and let other pets in the household take on board his or her scent before the introductions take place. Let him get used to new surroundings and you.

We ask that new owners of kittens keep in touch and let us know how the kitten has settled in and is progressing. A photograph is much appreciated. This gives us peace of mind and confirms to us that the kitten has settled in and is loved in his or her new home.