🐾 MyKittens Welfare & Safety Rules
At MyKittens, the welfare and safety of cats and kittens comes first. These rules are designed to support responsible advertising, buying, adoption and rehoming.
1. Kittens must be old enough to leave
Kittens must not be sold or permanently rehomed before they are at least 8 weeks old. MyKittens adverts must not give a ready-to-leave date earlier than 8 weeks after the kitten's date of birth.
2. No prohibited third-party kitten sales
Where the law requires it, kittens must be advertised and supplied directly by their breeder or through a legitimate rescue or rehoming organisation. MyKittens must not be used to disguise or facilitate unlawful third-party dealing.
3. Mother and litter
Where appropriate, prospective owners should be able to see the kitten with its mother and litter in the environment where it was raised. Sellers should not misrepresent the identity or circumstances of the mother.
4. Honest and accurate adverts
Advert information must be truthful and must not deliberately mislead prospective owners. This includes the kitten's age, breed, sex, price, origin, health, registration status and any known health or behavioural concerns.
5. Health and veterinary information
Sellers should provide relevant records and accurately state available information about vaccinations, microchipping, veterinary checks, flea and worm treatment and health testing. Do not claim a treatment, test or registration has been completed when it has not.
6. Microchipping
Owners must follow the microchipping rules applicable in their part of the UK. In England, owned cats must generally be microchipped and registered on an approved database by the time they are 20 weeks old, subject to applicable exemptions.
7. Licensing
If your activity requires an animal activity or other relevant licence, you must hold a valid licence and provide the required licence details in your advertising. In England, businesses selling animals as pets may require a local council licence even when selling online.
8. Responsible rehoming
Do not rush a sale or rehoming. Sellers and rehomers should make reasonable efforts to ensure that a prospective home is suitable and provide the new keeper with relevant care and health information.
9. MyKittens moderation
MyKittens may reject, suspend or remove adverts that appear unlawful, misleading, fraudulent, unsafe or inconsistent with these welfare rules. We may request additional information before approving an advert.
Buying or adopting safely
- Meet the kitten in person before committing where possible.
- Ask to see the kitten with its mother and litter where appropriate.
- Check health and veterinary records and any claimed registration or licence details.
- Be cautious if a seller refuses reasonable questions, pressures you to pay quickly or provides inconsistent information.
- If you have concerns about an animal's health or welfare, seek veterinary advice and report serious concerns to the appropriate authority.
These rules are platform welfare standards and general safety information, not legal advice. MyKittens may update them as laws, guidance and platform requirements change.