When deciding, there are a few factors and questions that you should ask yoursef before anything else! Kittens are cute and you have to let your head rule over your heart at this point as when you take a kitten home you are looking at approximately 18 plus years of companionship with this kitty! Believe it or not, kitty-proofing your home is essential, as just like children, kittens can find themselves in all sorts of tricky situations. Electric cords being chewed on, chemicals being licked, open doors being escaped through are all hazards to your new kitten. What sort of lifestyle to you lead? Are you away from home on travel often? To buzy to be able to sit down each night and bond with your kitty? You need to really weigh up the pro's and con's with this one, as a new kitten will need supervising as a full grown cat cn be left alone without too much fuss. Just like anything, cats can also get lonely, so if they are often by themselves for long periods of time, maybe getting two cats will help entertain each other during the day until you can come home from work and give them your much needed attention. The Expense. Yes Kittens can come at quite an expense even if they are not pedigrees. The kitten you are getting for free, may not last free for long, as all living things, make sure he's healthy! Any tell tail signs of sickness such as coughing, sneezing, runny nose or eyes are probable signs of 'cat flu' This virus is recoverable but will never fully leave their system so can be prone to get struck down by this illness again and again. Thin and small kittens, could be a virus like FIV (Feline Aids) or FeLV (Feline Lukemia) which is generally caught through blood contact with cats fighting on the streets. Discoloured teeth or red gums can spell signs of viral infection like calici virus or FIV. This could also conclude a very bad bacterial mouth infection. Scaly skin or hairless patches could mean there is a sign of ringworm, a fungal infection or fleas. Cats are well renouwned for "bottling up" their feelings so a good check over your kitten once a week is vital and this will make sure you find any illness at the first stages. Vet bills, food, kitty litter, vaccinations, etc are all part of maintaining the health of your little bundle. DID YOU KNOW it is estimated that 50% of today's cat owners never take their cats to the vet for heath care as cats tend to keep their problems to themselves, owners thinks their cat is perfectly healthy when he may really be suffering from a serious illness or life threatening disease. This makes cats much more sicker than dogs are by the time they are taken to the vet for treatment! Adopting a kitten, you are more-less responsible for shaping his personality than if you were to adopt an adult cat. The first stages of being a kitten is the perfect time to introduce everything to your kitten, from grooming, to leashes, being picked up, diet etc your kitten will get to be more comfortable and it will be easier in the long run. Even though older cats can be trained, it may take a bit longer and a lot more patience is required for this task! An adult cat can be quite a bonus as you can see what you are getting in the way of what the cat will look like, personality, health and so on. Depending on where you are getting your fully grown cat from, his personality can vary with this as cats can react very strongly to stress. Others tend not to stress so much. Adult cats definitely will not need the supervision like a kitten would, being not as boisterous but if they are going to be alone for much of the day, another kitty companion will always be comforting, not to mention all the love they both will give you! Cats are not as easy at adopting, but it will pay off with all the gratitude and affection for your patience. Choosing an adult cat, could also save his life. Male or Female? Everyone has their own preference with this one but once they are neutered there is not really much difference. In my own experience, females are more standoffish and fickle, and males a lot more cuddlier and come when his name is called most of the time. Unneutered cats is where the personality really sets them apart. Your female kitten can go on heat at the ripe old age of just six months, and males who will mark their teritory to warn invaders out can turn into a smelly experience, but once neutered they will settle down considerably. Long haired or short haired? Again this is everyones own personal preference, as I love long haired cats. Binx being one of the hairiest little things I know! You have to bear in mind that these sort of cats need regular grooming about up to once a day to stop hair from matting and kitty forming furballs in their gut. Shorthaired cats will not need quite so much grooming, but it is a great bonding experience for both parties! Purebred or Non-purebred? Depending on what sort of life you have in store for you cat, buying purebred can cost hundreds of thousands. Non-purbred cats are said to have less predictable personalities they still make beautiful, loving pets. Various purbred kitties can have specific health problems which you will have to know about before you make any decisions. Purebreds often can not fend for themselves nearly as well as what a non-purbred can, so you will have to know if you want him to be an indoor or outdoor kitty. Where to get your new kitty from? If I may, I strongly recommend NOT buying your cat or kitten from a pet store. These cats and kittens on display can be overpriced and their background may not be known. I recommend visiting your local shelter, as many cats and kittens are in deperate need of finding a home and someone to love them, they have usually been neglected previoulsy but your love will win their love and affection like no other for years to come. The Complete Cat Care Team have put together a great product, that covers everything from toilet training your kitty to looking after your senior cat! |
|
||||||||
