Ghost's Law - Kittens must be vaccinated and checked by vet before they’re sold

Kittens are being sold on websites by people who are not registered breeders. Without being checked by a vet and they’re not receiving their vaccinations. Health problems that are hereditary are not being discovered until later life, which leaves to a poor prognosis of the kitten.

By requiring a vet to check over the kitten as well as the mother, it would allow potential owners to know about any problems that may arise. It would allow the vet to examine the kitten and mother and decide if they’re both happy and not at risk of any infections. It would prevent people breeding kittens for money and would lead to a better quality of life for the kittens. It would also allow the vet to insist on neutering if the mother is passing hereditary problems to the kittens such as FIV.

This Government is committed to high standards of animal welfare, including cat and kitten welfare. The Government promotes and supports responsible pet ownership including the appropriate treatment and vaccination of pets. The statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Cats provides owners with information on how to keep their cat healthy and protect them from pain, suffering, injury and disease, as required by the Animal Welfare Act 2006. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/697941/pb13332-cop-cats-091204.pdf

The Code of Practice sets out that if you decide to breed from your cat, your vet can advise on the risk of inherited conditions and exaggerated features. Kittens require care and cannot be sold under eight weeks. Raising kittens can be difficult and time-consuming, and breeders should be aware that their responsibilities under the Animal Welfare Act to meet their animals’ needs apply equally to cats of all ages. You should take the advice of your vet on how often your cat needs a health check and about the actions you can take to protect your cat’s health including routine preventive health care, such as vaccination, neutering and treatments to control parasites (e.g. fleas and worms), as well as how to deal with any current health problems your cat may have.

Further advice on the impact of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) including steps to prevent and treat the virus, is available from animal welfare organisations such as Blue Cross: https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-advice/fiv-cats. Advice on vaccinating small animals is available from veterinary practices or the British Small Animal Veterinary Services: https://www.bsava.com/Resources/Veterinary-resources/Position-statements/Vaccination