When prospective new owners visit they will probably want to meet all your cats and will be interested to see how the colours develop and how you manage your own cat family. Ask them to be calm in the kitten room, particularly if they have children with them. They should be offered a seat and asked to wait for the kittens to come to them. If the kittens are well socialised it won’t be long before everyone is investigated and probably climbed all over. Your visitors should be enchanted by the kittens. If they are not you need to find out why.

I'll try not to be any trouble!When you introduce them to the kittens and their mum explain which kittens are available, which are male and female, their colours and talk through their good and bad points from a showing or breeding point of view. Whilst you are chatting go over the points you discussed on the phone and make sure nothing needs further clarification.

If you have an instinct that this is not the right home for one of your kittens, ask more questions. If it still feels wrong you must politely tell them. Your instinct is probably right and even if it is not you will worry if you sell a kitten when you have doubts.

If all is well suggest they talk amongst themselves and perhaps offer to go and make a drink while they discuss it. If they have not made a decision suggest they go away and think about it. It is better to have a final decision that is well thought through than a rushed one which may rebound on you.

If a definite booking is made you may want to take a deposit. You should also explain that the date the kitten will be available for collection is subject to the kittens having their vaccinations on the expected dates and being in excellent health on collection day.

In accordance with the GCCF General Code of Ethics “An offer should be made at the time of sale to help with the rehoming if at any time circumstances require the cat to be found a new home”.

All of this may take some time to do but is worthwhile for you to feel happy that your kitten is going to enhance the life of the new family, be happy and well cared for. In return you may possibly be at the beginning of a rewarding new friendship receiving photos and news about your kitten for many years to come.