Pets: Choosing a Kitten

Society | March 12, 2004, Friday // 00:00

If possible, try to get a kitten from a reliable source such as an animal shelter, a friend or a recommended cat breeder. It is very important that you get your kitten from a good home where the kittens have been handled from an early age. This will help prevent behavioural problems when they are older. Don't buy kittens from pet shops or through an advertisement in the paper as you could be buying a kitten infected with cat flu, ringworm and fleas.

Cats are living longer and longer, so you could have your pet for up to 16 years. Don't be tempted to pick the shy little runt as you may only incur heartbreak when it becomes ill. Take your time and select a sturdy, healthy kitten that is bursting with personality. Check its sex, which is easy if you have a littermate to compare with. In the female the anus and vulva are close together while in the male the anus and penis are further apart. A good owner should allow you visit their home to view the kittens with their mother. The surroundings should be hygienic with clean litter trays and happy, playful kittens.

A healthy kitten should have:

- clear bright eyes with no discharge. Any discharge at all can be a sign of cat flu

- clean, pink ears with no evidence of caked, brown wax. This would indicate ear mites

- a nose that is damp and soft as velvet. There should be no discharge or crusting of the nostrils

- a healthy coat with no black dirt in the coat indicating flea dirt. Examine the belly, as this is the most likely place to find fleas

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