Kittens Where Art Thou?
So you’ve decided it’s time to bring home a little furball? Congratulations! Pets bring joy to people’s lives, reduce stress and can even lower blood pressure. You’re about to start a new relationship, but the tricky part is choosing the right kitten so that relationship is filled with love. And the first thing you must decide, is where to get your new kitten.
Experts advise you to avoid buying your pets from pet stores who buy their animals from kitten mills. Pet stores will often claim that they only deal with reputable breeders, but many of these animals are raised in abominable conditions. If you must buy your kitten from a pet store, be sure you know exactly where they are getting the kittens and why they are charging at all.
After all, adopting a pet from a local shelter will make you feel much better. Millions of cats and kittens are put down every year because they have been abandoned. You can rescue one of these animals from this undeserved fate. And because the shelters provide medical care to the kittens, you can be more confident that your kitten will not have expensive health problems once you get it home. Another advantage to getting a kitten from a shelter is that he or she will be used to lots of people. Also, because the shelter has had time to observe the cats, its personality will be better known than a kitten you get from an advertisement.
Realize that this process will take a while. To prevent the spread of diseases, many shelters will only let you handle one or two kittens each visit, and you should never take home a kitten without having held it and played with it first. Also, you may not find the kitten you want the first or even the second visit. You may have to seek your cat from a pure-bred rescue, or put your name on a waiting list. But knowing that you’re doing your part to help will make the process heartwarming.
Every spring, it’s “kitten season” and you’ll see the newspapers filled with advertisements from people who are giving away free kittens. This is another excellent way of getting your kitten, and saving him or her from the pound. But beware. Kittens that come from farms are often flea infested, and might be carrying ringworm. Both of these conditions are treatable with good veterinary care, but if you already have pets at home, you may want to avoid the exposure by choosing a cat from a shelter that has already been given medical attention.
Finally, you can get your kitten from a breeder. With pet overpopulation, and so many stray cats needing homes, there are some who argue against breeders, or buying from them. But for some families, it’s important to choose a breed with family friendly characteristics. If you have allergies, you may need a hairless cat, and you’re not likely to find one of those at the local shelter. While breeders can’t guarantee temperament, there are breeds that so commonly exhibit traits like friendliness or calmness, that a pure-bred can be a good investment.
One Kitten, Two Kitten, Red Kitten, Blue Kitten
Consider whether or not you’ll be at home with the kitten during the day. If the kitten is going to spend a lot of time alone, or if you live a busy life, it’s best to get two.
Two kittens are actually less work than one; they keep each other occupied and out of trouble. It doesn’t cost much more to keep two, and most kittens, when raised together, will share dishes and litter pans without complaint.
Get siblings, and they are very likely to be best friends, giving you countless hours of laughter and joy.
Let the Kitten Choose You
Once you’ve figured out where you’re going to get your kitten, and how many kittens you’ll take home, the real fun begins. Now it’s time to visit your new and fluffy friend.
If possible, visit the kittens in their home so that you can see what kind of conditions they were raised in. This will give you a better idea of what comforts them and what scares them.
Drag a string and try to play with the kittens. See if one will come to you. Encourage them to snuggle in your lap. Handle them. See if any of them purr when you pick them up.
You see, ideally, the whole concept of “picking a kitten” should be turned on its head; you should always let your kitten pick you.
I can hear your objections. But the aloof one is so cute. The little black one, snuggling my toes, is not nearly as attractive!
Well, now is the time to set aside your preferences about fur color. Cat ownership is decidedly a two-sided relationship. This animal is going to be sharing your space and your life. If the kitten doesn’t like you, the relationship is bound to be an unhappy one. Cats can’t divorce you, so they find other ways to make their displeasure known-like destroying your stuff. (Not unlike some ex-girlfriends you probably know, come to think of it!)
But if a kitten chooses you, you’ve found a friend for life. So if one of the kittens purrs and licks your nose when you hold him, take him home, no matter what his fur color! You’ve found the purrfect pet.
