Before You Buy Your Cat<br >~ HOW TO LOCATE BREEDERS the carder sent to the kitten s breeder. C~uTiers that<br > meet airline specifications can be purch~L~ed at cal<br > People seeking a pedigreed kitten cml find the names<br > shows， wholesale pet-supply stores， pet shops， or at<br > of breeders in the yearbooks published by cat<br > some airline cargo offices. A sturdy， durable carrier<br > associations， the breeders ads in Cats or Cat Fancy<br > magazines， and the classmed section ofthe newspaper， costs about $25 to $ 35， depending on it~ size， Shipping<br > Yearbooks， whichcontainthemostpicturesofdifferent costs， which vary with the length of the flight， the<br > breeds， can be ordered from the executive ol~ces of cat method of shipping， and the airline doing the shippin g，<br > registries (See page 218). Cats and Cat Fancy are can range from $30 to $40 for a short flight to more<br > than $100 for a transcontinental journey.<br > available at newsstands or at cat shows， Newspapers<br > are available everywhere. Prospective buyers can meet<br > breedexs in person by visiling cat shows， which are BASIC CONCERNS<br > advertised in newspapers and cat magazines. Contrary to their reputation for being aloof， cats are<br > charming and devoted companions who provide us<br > with affection and amuse us with their antics. What s<br > HOW MUCH IS THAT KITTEN IN ...?<br > more， they are meticulously clean and supremely<br > The -price of a pet kitten is a function of breed， serf-sufficient--perfectly content to spend the day at<br > geography， supply， demand， and occasionally the home when we are away at work and delighted to see<br > number of surplus kittens a breeder has to feed. us when we return. Just as their ancestors have<br > Between $300 and $400 is a reasonable range for adapted to meet the earth s changing conditions over<br > most breeds in most parts of the country. Prices on the last three million years， modem-day cats adapt<br > either coast are somelX， nes higher， and breeders with well to the restrictions of urban living and the busy<br > new or exotic breeds often equate novelty with schedulesoftwo-car~rfamiliesorsmgle-parenthomes.<br > int~mas~xl value， but there is little reason to pay more Like people， kittens comein a variety of personalities.<br > than $500 for a companion cat that is not going to be from shy to scinlillating， and people who go to look at<br > Used for breeding， a kitten should observe careffflly. Watch as a kitten<br > Show kittens are another matter. Price will vary plays with litter mates. If a kitten is right in the middle<br > With breed， demand， and potential， but prices will start of the rolling and tumbling that kittens love， chances<br > :high and ttnish higher. Persian kittens are usually the are he s in good health mad developing normally. A<br > most expensive. It is difficult to find one that will be wallflower that sits quietly while the others play might<br > eOmlmtitive for less than $1，500. Of course， the more not be feeling well or might be the kind of kitten that<br > comp~titive a kitten is likely to be， the more a breeder requires a little more patience and attention than the<br > is likely to ask for it. average.<br > The ptu chase price is not the only cost associated Two simple personality tests hwolve wiggling a few<br > with buying a kitten. Anyone obtaining a kitten from fingers along the floor about six inches in front of a<br > a breeder who lives beyond drivhag distance must pay kitten， or dangling a sm ，dl toy back mid forth. Does the<br > :to have it shipped by plane. The buyer must also pay kitten scmnper over to uwestigate， or back away as<br > for the carrier in which the kitten is shipped--if the though libeling threatened? A well-adjusted kitten will<br > buyer does not have a carrier already--and for having be curious to llnd out what this htunml is about. A<br >