Buying a kitten starts with choosing the right source: a licensed breeder, a listing from a private person or a shelter. In Romania, most deals are closed directly between seller and buyer, and the price ranges from a few hundred lei to over 2,000 lei, depending on breed, pedigree and vaccines. You vet the seller, see the kitten in person and do not pay anything in advance.
This guide is aimed at private buyers who want a healthy kitten and a fair seller, with no surprises after the money has left their hands. Many of you are reading on your phone during a lunch break and need a short list to use at the meeting. That is exactly what you will find here: where listings are published, what a suspicious offer looks like, what to ask on site and how payment is completed. We have also gathered the differences between a breeder, a private seller and a platform with a sales history, so you know what you are looking at before you hand over any money.
- Never pay in advance to a seller you have not met and whose kitten you have not seen.
- Ask for the health record, the vaccination and deworming dates, plus the name of the vet.
- Check the seller's history and reviews where the platform displays them publicly.
- A fair price is set after you have seen the kitten, not after photos on the internet.
Where to find kitten and cat listings in Romania
Kitten and cat listings appear in three main places: free classifieds platforms, social media groups and breeder websites. Each has different rules and a different level of verification. The most important criterion stays the same wherever you look: you can talk directly to the seller and see the animal before paying.
On a classifieds platform you filter by city and category. If you live in Bucharest, you search in Sector 3 or Sector 4 and widen the radius to 20-30 kilometres if you find nothing nearby. In Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara, Iași or Constanța, listings cluster in residential neighbourhoods, and supply is smaller than in the capital. A radius filter shows you what is within an hour's drive, which matters if you want to see the kitten twice.
What a complete listing looks like
A serious listing has photos taken at home, not against a white studio background, states the kittens' age in weeks, mentions whether they are vaccinated and dewormed, and leaves a verified phone number. The seller answers concrete questions about food and about the parents. If they ask you to write only on a messenger app and refuse a phone call, that is a red flag.
On EX & GO, listings go through moderation, and phone numbers are verified. You can see the seller's history and reviews left by other buyers. The publishing rules are public, you can find them at the platform rules, and if something goes wrong, you write to support. We often see that most complaints come from listings without real photos and from advance requests made by bank transfer.
Kitten and cat prices: what you realistically pay
The price of a kitten in Romania depends on three things: breed, paperwork and health status at handover. A common kitten without a pedigree, from a private person, usually costs between 100 and 400 lei. A pedigree kitten with up-to-date vaccines starts at 800 lei and can exceed 2,500 lei for sought-after breeds. Shelters often ask only for a contribution towards neutering and vaccination.
What is included in the price and what you pay separately
The polyvalent vaccine and internal and external deworming are included by some sellers, but not all. Neutering is usually done after 5-6 months of age and remains your responsibility. Microchipping and registration in the identification register are done at the vet. Ask for a written list of what you have paid for, so you know exactly what comes next.
If you see a price far below market, ask why. A pedigree kitten at 150 lei, in a listing with photos taken from the internet, is not a good deal. In many cases, a sick animal or an advance-fee scam sits behind the low price. For price comparisons in your city, you can search similar listings here: kittens and cats.
Cheap kittens and cats: what to check before you trust the offer
A cheap offer is not automatically a rip-off, but it demands more attention. The difference between an honest low price and a scam lies in the way the seller talks about the animal and in what they ask you for before you see it. Someone who wants to quickly rehome the kittens of a backyard cat does not insist on an advance. Someone who wants the money before the meeting does.
Signs of a scam
A request for an advance by bank transfer or gift card, photos that also appear on other sites, a seller who says they "deliver by courier" without letting you see the animal, time pressure ("I have three more buyers today") and a refusal to give the address. All of these are reasons to stop.
The simplest rule in a kitten transaction: money changes hands when the animal is already with you. Any option that moves payment before the meeting, whether transfer, gift card or "reservation fee", is a risk you take for nothing.
A fair seller answers uncomfortable questions: what the kitten eats, how it was socialised, what kind of litter it uses, who the vet that has seen it is. If the answers are vague or they change the subject, do not push. Better to lose an offer than to pay for a sick animal.
How to buy a kitten: checklist for the meeting
The meeting decides everything. Go to the seller, see the kitten and its mother if possible, and ask the questions on the list before you take out your money. Do not rush and do not accept taking the animal "on the fly", from a car park or from a café terrace. A serious seller invites you inside.
What to look at in the kitten
Clear eyes, no discharge. A clean nose. A coat with no bald patches and no dandruff. Ears with no bad smell. Active kittens that play and look at you are usually healthy. A kitten crouching in a corner and not reacting may just be scared, but it may also be sick. Ask to see it eat.
What to ask the seller
At what age it was weaned, what vaccines it has and on what date, whether it has been dewormed, whether the parents were tested for breed-specific diseases, what food it is on now and whether you get the health record. Ask for the name of the vet and confirm that the kitten has been examined. A seller who cannot answer these questions is not ready to hand over an animal.
Documents and payment
You receive the health record with the vaccines logged, the sale-purchase contract if it is a pedigree breeder, and the certificate of origin for a pedigree kitten. Payment is made at handover, in cash or by transfer done in front of you, after you have the animal in your arms. Do not pay anything beforehand.
Private seller, breeder or platform with history: what to choose
The choice of source changes the level of risk and the price. A private seller is the cheapest, but with the least verification. A licensed breeder offers breed and health guarantees, but costs more. A platform with a sales history and reviews gives you an intermediate level of trust, without handling the payment.
| Criterion | Private seller | Licensed breeder | Platform with history |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical price for a common kitten | 100-400 lei | not applicable | 100-500 lei |
| Typical price for a pedigree kitten | rare, without papers | 800-2,500+ lei | 800-2,500+ lei |
| Documents | health record, sometimes | pedigree, contract, health record | depends on the seller |
| Seller verification | hard to do | association, registry | history, reviews, verified phone |
| Payment | direct, at handover | direct, with contract | direct, between the parties |
| Risk of scam | high without verification | low | reduced through moderation and reviews |
If you want a pet with no breed pretensions, a private seller in a nearby city is enough, provided you see the kitten beforehand. If you want a specific breed, go to a registered breeder and ask for the papers. If you want to compare several offers in the same place and see who else has sold, a platform with reviews saves you time: kittens and cats in Bucharest.
Your rights as a buyer in Romania
When you buy from a professional, meaning from a shop or a breeder acting commercially, you are a consumer and consumer protection law covers you. The National Authority for Consumer Protection, ANPC, is the institution where you can file a complaint if the seller does not honour what they promised. Keep the listing, the conversation and the proof of payment.
When you buy from a private person, the relationship is different. You do not have the same guarantees as with a shop, and a dispute is hard to resolve if you have no contract. That is why you should ask for a simple written note with the date, price, description of the animal and both parties' signatures. Even a handwritten sheet helps if a problem comes up.
Identification and the registry
In Romania, owned cats can be identified by microchip, and the data is recorded in the pet identification register. The registration authority is DRPCIV. Ask the seller to show you the microchip and the related document if the kitten is already identified. If it is not, book an appointment with a vet and do the registration yourself.
Neutering is not legally required for indoor cats, but many vets recommend it after 5-6 months of age. The decision remains yours and the vet who sees the animal. Talk to a vet before scheduling the procedure.
How to negotiate the price without losing the offer
Negotiating over a kitten works differently from negotiating over a car. The differences are small, and the seller usually has several buyers. Ask for a discount only if you have a concrete reason: several kittens in the same listing, missing vaccines, a long distance or immediate cash payment. A real argument is worth more than an offer made at random.
Do not start with "what is your final price". First ask what the price includes: vaccines, deworming, health record, microchip. Then discuss the difference. If the seller covers the vaccine and deworming, a higher price can be better than a low one without paperwork. Do the maths on the total, not on the number in the listing.
Clearly establish who pays for transport if you take the kitten from another city. Between Bucharest and Constanța there are roughly 220 kilometres, and a round trip costs money. If the seller agrees to come themselves, ask who bears the cost and how the handover is done. All these details go in writing before the meeting.
Frequently asked questions about buying a kitten
Where can I find kitten and cat listings near me?
Look on free classifieds platforms and filter by city and category. If you live in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara, Iași or Constanța, widen your search radius to 20-30 kilometres so you also see listings from nearby towns. Check whether the platform shows the seller's history and reviews, because those tell you who else has sold and how they behaved.
How much does a kitten cost in Romania?
A common kitten from a private seller usually costs between 100 and 400 lei. A pedigree kitten with up-to-date vaccines starts at 800 lei and can exceed 2,500 lei, depending on breed and paperwork. Shelters often ask only for a contribution towards neutering and vaccination. The final price depends on what is included: vaccines, deworming, health record, microchip.
What documents should I receive when buying?
You get the health record with the vaccines logged and the deworming date. From a licensed breeder you also get the pedigree or certificate of origin, plus a sale-purchase contract. Ask for a simple written note with the date, price, description of the animal and both parties' signatures, even if the seller is a private person. That note helps if a dispute comes up later.
What do I do if the seller asks for money in advance?
You refuse. Money changes hands at handover, when you have the kitten in your arms and you have seen the documents. A request for an advance by bank transfer, gift card or 'reservation fee' is one of the most common signs of a scam. If you have already paid and the seller has disappeared, keep all the evidence, the listing and the conversation, and file a complaint with the police. You can also report it to the platform where the listing was published.
Can I return a kitten if I discover a health problem?
It depends on who you bought from. If the seller is a professional, consumer protection law covers you and you can file a complaint with ANPC. If you bought from a private person, you do not have the same guarantees, and the outcome depends on what you agree between you or on a possible lawsuit. That is why it matters to see the kitten beforehand, ask for the health record and write the conditions into a signed document.
How do I check whether the seller is trustworthy?
Check the history and reviews where the platform displays them. Ask to speak on the phone, not just on messenger. Ask about the vet who has seen the kitten and about the vaccines given. A serious seller invites you to see the animal at home, answers concrete questions about food and socialisation and does not insist on an advance. If the answers are vague or there is heavy time pressure, it is better to look for another offer.
What to do after you bring the kitten home
You buy a kitten, but the responsibility starts after you have completed the transaction. In the first days, keep the animal in a quiet room, with a litter tray nearby, fresh water and the food it was used to. A sudden change of food causes digestive problems, so switch to another food gradually, over 7-10 days. Book a vet appointment in the first week, even if the kitten seems healthy.
Keep all the documents you receive, the health record and the proof of payment. Note the vaccination dates and set yourself a reminder for the booster. If the kitten is not microchipped, schedule the identification and registration. For any question about a transaction made on the platform, write to support and keep the conversation with the seller.
You buy a kitten with your head, not with the enthusiasm of the moment. You check the source, see the animal, ask for the papers and pay only at handover. The difference between a good experience and one with problems lies in the questions you ask beforehand, not in luck. Take the checklist above with you to the meeting and use it step by step.