Choosing a New Cat or Kitten

How to Select a Healthy, Well-Socialized Kitten for Your Family

Choosing a new kitten may not sound like a difficult task, but there are a few important points to bear in mind before purchasing one. If you have never owned a cat before, for example, you will need to do some research to find out what cat breeds are available; what a cat’s daily requirements are; how often they need grooming; what vaccinations they require, etc.

You also need to decide whether you are looking for a family pet, a cat for showing and breeding purposes, a longhaired or shorthaired variety, or a mixed breed. All these points will have a large bearing on the type of cat you choose, and where you purchase it from.

If you decide on a pedigree kitten, you will obviously need to contact a list of responsible cat breeders that sell your chosen cat breed. If, however, you opt for a mixed breed, you could start by visiting your local animal shelters. There are advantages and disadvantages of owning both, but with pedigrees you will at least have a good idea of the cat’s eventual size and temperament.

 If you are going to be out at work all day, it may even be a good idea to consider getting two kittens at the same time so that they can keep each other company.

When you go to view a kitten for the first time, you need to sit back and observe it for a short while. Kittens are generally very active, inquisitive, playful, and friendly, but not all kittens are comfortable around people. You should then try to interact a little with the kitten to see how it reacts towards you. It obviously takes time for a young animal to get used to someone new, but any kitten that appears to be unusually frightened by your presence, or very listless and sleepy, should be avoided as this could indicate ill health, neglect, or ill treatment of the kitten. If you are viewing several kittens at the same time, it is best to opt for the friendliest one, rather than the one that has the most appealing colour. A healthy kitten should possess the following qualities:

• A glossy coat – any bare patches, or dry, flaky skin could indicate an infection, or parasite infestation.
• Bright and shiny eyes – excessive tearing and any discharge could indicate infection.
• Clean ears – a tar-like discharge could be a sign of ear-mite infestation, and a pus-like discharge could mean that the cat has a bacterial or yeast infection.
• A cool and damp nose – sneezing or nasal discharge could indicate a respiratory infection.
• An alert manner – a very lethargic kitten could be suffering from a serious illness, and it is possible that it could eventually spread to the other kittens in the litter.
• Pale pink mouth and gums – no ulcers or sores should be present.
• Clean rear end – any staining on the fur in this area could indicate diarrhea.

It is a good idea to have a chat to the owner of the kittens too, before you make a final selection, to find out if they have had any vaccinations, worming treatments, etc. However, you should still get your kitten checked over by a vet as soon as possible after bringing it home.

When you bring your kitten home, make sure that you have all the necessary cat supplies and equipment in place, such as a cat bed, litter trays, cat toys, scratching post, feeding bowls, etc.

You should also keep your kitten indoors for a while too, until it has had any necessary vaccinations and got used to its new surroundings. If you already have any other cats at home, and your kitten’s past is not known, you may also need to keep your kitten isolated until any necessary tests have been carried out on it – otherwise it could spread a disease to your other cat/cats.

Before long you will find that your new kitten begins to bond with you and comes to you when you call its name. Kittens are great fun to play with too, and they make the perfect lifelong companion for people of all ages.