Selecting a Kitten
What kind of kitten do you like most when you see it for the
first time?
When you look at the queen with her kittens, you can
see that even at such age kittens already show lots of differences
in behaviour. Every kitten has its own outspoken character.
Just
choose the one that appeals to you most!
Cats can broadly be
classified into short- haired or long-haired breeds. The most
trouble free breed of cat is the short-haired tabby type. They need
minimum of grooming and in hot climates are the obvious
choice.
When getting a kitten keep the following points in
mind:
- Check the appearance and condition of the
establishment
- is it clean and free of odours?
- How many litters has the queen had in the past
year?
Ideally it should be one only. Too many litters cause a deficiency in the essential vitamins and minerals necessary for the proper bone formation in kittens.
- Was the mother dewormed before and during
pregnancy?
- Was the mother vaccinated against infectious feline disease
and cat flu during the past 12 months?
- Select a kitten that has a glossy coat and is alert and
playful.
The very shy kitten will not take to being handled by children.
Also make sure that the gums are a good pink colour. Check that
there is no discharge from the eyes or ears. Kittens infected with
fleas, lice or ringworm indicate the lack of care on the breeders
part.
Pedigree cats should be registered and a transfer form
signed by the breeder should be available.
A kitten is
generally ready to leave its mother at 9 weeks, but some breeders
recommend that one waits until it is 12 weeks old.
By then
the mother has taught it all the important cat behaviour like
cleaning its coat, eating etc.