How to choose a kitten to adopt - part I

You are looking for a kitten to adopt, but you don't know how to choose? CatsKrazy has your solution.

This first article concerns the general questions to do, when you come into contact with the person from whom you want to adopt the kitten. In the second article, we will discuss the specific questions for the breeder - if you want a purebred cat - and in the third article, we will see what to observe when you finally get to know the kitten.

Why choose which kitten to adopt?

When you choose to adopt a kitten, you  must remember that the animal could live with you for an average of 14 years or even more. The way you choose the kitten to adopt can therefore affect your life and the well-being of the cat.

Therefore, there are general precautions to ensure that you bring home a healthy and happy kitten. They are a series of questions you need to ask and they are a guide to discover important information that could influence the health and well-being of the kitten and its relationship with him.

Adopt a kitten: What to know before seeing the cat

Often the first contact with the person or organization from which you want to adopt the kitten is by phone or online, so here are the questions that you should ask before seeing the cat. 

• When was the kitten born? It is important to know it, because it is better to not adopt a kitten before 3 months of age.
• Will you have the chance to see the kitten with his mother? It is important to be able to see the kitten with the mother at least once before taking him home. This helps avoiding puppies that could have been bred or imported illegally, without the mother.
• Has the kitten been raised by his mother? Kittens learn a lot about cat's behaviour thanks to their mother and their little brothers, so it is important to understand if the kitten stayed with her for a long time.
• What do you know about the kitten's father? Friendly fathers have more chances to create friendly kittens.
• Is the kitten friendly? A short and frequent interaction with a variety of people, who caress him, lift him, play, most likely will make the kitten quiet with people. 
• Does he look like it will become a long-haired cat? Adopting a long-haired cat involves the commitment of grooming in order to avoid painful knots. If one of the cat's parents is long-haired, it is highly possible that the kitten will become long-haired cat.
• Is it a cat of a specific breed? If the kitten is from two parents of the same breed, two parents of different breeds, or a purebred and a non-purebred parent, there may be implications for the level of care required. The kitten could also have inherited defects associated with that particular breed. The discovery of this information will allow you to research these things and ask specific questions to the breeder.

Remember that once you see the kitten, it may be difficult to resist, so it is important to find out as much information as possible before seeing it in person.