If you look in the Shanghai Classified section people often give them away for free.....

Just go outside. There are thousands of little kitties available for free. Take one or two or twenty. But PLEASE make sure you take care of them responsibly. Get their shots and spay or neuter them!

If you want to help out a good cause here in Shanghai, adopt! Check out Jaiya's Animal Rescue:

http://jargroup.doodlekit.com/home

They take in stray and abandoned animals and will help with adoption, shots, spy/neuter, and everything. They have an animal adoption day (you just missed the last one on Oct. 15th) but check out their website, fill out a form and you can browse animals that need a good home.

There are also pet shops, but most of the cats are special breeds and will run you rmb2000 to 3000. Unless you absolutely MUST have an American shorthair or a Siamese, I wouldn't recommend this route. There are so many nice and lovely kitties (and dogs!) that need help and homes here, so check out JAR.

They also speak English and know all the foreign trained vets in Shanghai.

Buy? Cats are free. In every country.

I raised Maine Coon cats in Canada. I would never buy a pure breed pet in a pet store. They are typically from pet mills not responsible breeders, Many breeds have problems because they are from a closed gene pools. This means that animals can carry a recessive bad gene and sooner or later it will pair up or they might just have bad genes.
Buy, rescue, or adopt a normal domestic cat. Go out early someday and see if a cat will come and adopt you. This usually works well.
since I', not selling anything,, my cattery is closed but maybe you'd like to see my cats
http://kerakterkatz.tubazaar.com/

Nanjing west road, behind the Marriot hotel there is a small street which sells a variety of pets. Fish, snakes, turtles, dogs, cats ect. I think you should be able to find your kitten there!
Good Luck

Just wait out the back on any Chinese restaurant. A batch of cats should be arriving round 10.45am each morning...