How to Choose a Kitten As a Family Pet
A kitten will grow into a cat that can live up to 20 years. Choosing a kitten should not be a quick decision, take time to consider your options carefully. Do not rush to pick the cutest kitten you see or in fact the first kitten you see. Try to use your head rather than your heart.
It is best to see where the kitten has been raised. If at all possible see how it interacts with the mother and the rest of the litter before making your selection.
You need to consider two main areas when selecting a kitten, these are its health and it’s personality. Not all kittens from the one litter will be the same.
Health
It is important to select the healthiest kitten from the litter. Do not feel obliged to select a kitten from the first litter that you see, have a look at several litters if you possibly can before making your selection. It is possible to get a vet to thoroughly check a kitten, but they will charge to do this and you may not want to pay for this several times over for several different kittens. You should be able to make a healthy selection if you consider the following pointers to good health –
Active, lively, inquisitive and alert
Feeding well with shiny coat and clear eyes with no discharge
Clean ears
No sneezing or coughing
Clean rear end
Straight legs and steady on its feet
Personality
It is easier to judge this if the kitten is still with the litter. The main things to think about are as follows.
Make sure the kitten is not wary or cowering, this means it has had little human contact and can be hard to establish a connection with. You may need to put in a lot of work to overcome this behaviour.
The kitten who comes to you first may be dominant and may be aggressive and harder to control.
A sensitive kitten may appear cute but it may not enjoy the company of small children and may not mix well will any other animals in the family.
Summary
You must never make a decision by just looking at a litter of kittens; this process can not be rushed. You must spend time handling the kittens to assess both their health and personality. This is a new member of your family and needs to fit into your family dynamic so make sure you afford the time to consider a decision which you may have to live with for many years to come.