A new family member is a big responsibility. Even before worries regarding maintenance and care, the future owner will have to make a difficult choice in favor of the place of purchase, the gender and age of the animal. To make a decision, you will have to analyze your requirements and capabilities and then decide how to choose the right kitten and how to care for it.
Where to take a baby: all the pros and cons
None of the available locations are ideal. The final choice is made individually depending on your goals and wishes.
Nursery
The safest place to purchase purebred animals is a nursery. The identity of the breed is confirmed here by pedigree. Staff meet with parents. The owner is explained the nuances of maintenance and care, provided with support when participating in exhibitions and breeding, and given full advice before and after purchasing the animal. All pets – both small and adult – are treated for parasites and vaccinated.
The only disadvantage of the nursery is the high prices. Not everyone is ready to spend a lot of money, so they prefer more affordable options.
Shelter
Shelters are public and private. The latter are often subsidized by municipal authorities. If the breed of your future furry friend is not important to you, give a home to one of the shelter animals. Sometimes not only stray animals picked up by volunteers end up there, but also purebred cats that are lost or thrown into the street by careless owners.
Due to crowded housing, these cats often become infected, so be sure to get checked by a veterinarian. Despite possible illnesses, furry pupils are often toilet trained, sterilized and vaccinated. Due to their difficult fate, they do not always trust people, but in caring hands they quickly thaw and respond with mutual love and devotion.
Market
You need to be very careful when choosing a cat at the poultry market. Buyers are often deceived here - sick animals are sold under the guise of healthy ones, and yard murks are passed off as elite breeds. Such places are attractive due to their prices, but often much more money is spent on the treatment of a new family member.
For private individuals
Buying purebred animals through private advertisements is a difficult and unsafe business. Fraud in this area is not uncommon. It’s safer to buy through relatives, friends or acquaintances: if kittens are given away by someone you know, then the likelihood of fraud is negligible. Such animals have been socialized since childhood and treat people well. The only downside is that it is almost impossible to take a purebred animal for free.
A private breeder, like a shelter, provides documents for purebred cats, but sometimes you can do without this formality - then the cost of the animal will be significantly lower. This way you will get a purebred pet at a reasonable price, but you will not be able to breed it and participate in exhibitions.
From the street
This is the most noble, but also the most problematic option. Having picked up an animal from the street, you will have to spend time adapting to an unusual life for it. Those kittens that were born and raised on the street will be shy and even aggressive. It will take weeks and even months to tame them. Animals that have lived indoors and been released outside will be more socialized and perhaps even toilet trained.
Stray kittens are often infected. This is dangerous for other pets and humans. Visit your veterinarian before bringing your foundling into your home.
At first, you will have to monitor the amount of food you eat: a baby and even an adult cat will eat everything they give him. Without strict control, overeating and subsequent digestive problems cannot be avoided.
Toilet training is no less difficult. It is recommended to take a vacation during the adaptation period - this way you can monitor the behavior of the new family member and quickly let him get used to you.
Oddly enough, cats know how to be grateful for being saved. Like dogs, they remember the kindness of their owner for the rest of their lives - especially if they were adopted as adults.
Different prices for kittens: main reasons
Pet class kittens are the cheapest. The higher the category, the higher the price tag will be. The first thing included in the price is the breeder's expenses. He needs a good pair that will produce healthy offspring, the cost of which is at least 120 thousand rubles.
Next, you need to feed the kittens, provide them with proper care, prepare documents for the pedigree, and get vaccinations. You need to recoup the costs within 3-5 years, because this is the maximum period during which it is recommended to obtain offspring from a cat. It is also prohibited to allow more than 2-3 litters per year, because the animal’s body must recover after childbirth and lactation.
The price is also influenced by the nursery's reputation, class, and pedigree. People line up for popular breeders, and he can decide what price to set. The cost is often influenced by the rarity of the color or the structural features of certain parts of the body. For example, a fold-eared kitten costs more than a straight-eared one.
How to determine the gender and breed of your pet
The gender of the future pet plays a big role. It affects care habits, behavior and character. Girls have the following characteristics:
- more flexible and good-natured character;
- smaller sizes and less impressive appearance;
- increased cleanliness;
- the presence of estrus, obliging you to put up with mating songs or carry out sterilization.
Cats are more vulnerable to cancer, so the only salvation is timely sterilization. This operation is more complicated than castration of a cat, so its price will be higher. In turn, males differ:
- impressive shapes and attractive appearance (especially purebred individuals);
- instinct of marking territory during the period of sexual hunting;
- love of freedom, arrogance and laziness;
- stronger smell of stool;
- predisposition to urolithiasis.
All of the above features are individual. Cats are also often playful, clean and loving, but a cat can show a difficult character. And if a kitten and a young individual tend to show isolation, then more mature animals, regardless of gender, become increasingly attached to people.
A more obvious pattern can be seen among breeds. Some are phlegmatic, while others resemble a perpetual motion machine. All this will also have to be taken into account. First, describe your family:
- Hard-working. For workaholics, self-sufficient breeds that can entertain themselves on their own are suitable: Russian Blues, Bombays, American Shorthairs. They easily tolerate loneliness without becoming depressed.
- Active. For energetic owners with enough free time, Angoras, Siberians and Maine Coons are suitable - those cats that they love to walk.
- There are children or elderly people. Britons and Ragdolls get along well with small children. Their angelic patience is amazing. Pensioners should recommend calm Persians or talkative Siamese.
If you are allergic to wool, choose a hypoallergenic breed. These include the Sphynx, Cornish and Devon Rex. Due to the lack of fur, sphinxes and rexes love to bask on their master's lap and caress people.
There are exceptions - when the dander of a hairless cat (and they do have it) causes allergies more strongly than fur. Then it’s worth taking a closer look at other breeds - oddly enough, long-haired Siberian cats are included in the group with the lowest level of allergen.
Which is better: an adult cat or a kitten?
To decide who is better to adopt: a kitten or an adult animal, you need to evaluate many factors. In this case, issues of the animal’s appearance, its gender, and breed fade into the background. It is important to take into account your temperament, age, marital status, presence of children, lifestyle, living conditions.
Yes, kittens are chosen more often, but only because they are charming, cute, and playful. Who doesn’t want to have such a “living toy”. But adult cats also have a lot of advantages. And given that many of them live to be 18-20 years old, you should not immediately refuse to adopt an adult cat. They will have time to give you their love and affection.
Small kittens need more care and attention. The first time must be spent on socializing the pets, accustoming them to life in a new place, teaching them to go to the litter box and use a scratching post. They require a lot of veterinary care during the first year of life. The owners will be required to create a safe, comfortable space for active, inquisitive children to live.
Adult cats, as a rule, no longer need to be taught to go to the toilet or use a scratching post. They do not need to be fed as often as small kittens. You can get love, affection and companionship from adult cats with much less effort. They are usually calmer and less active than restless kittens.
Pros of buying a kitten
- You will be able to live together longer.
- They have fewer behavioral problems due to previous negative experiences.
- You have the opportunity to obtain more accurate information about your health and ancestry.
Disadvantages of buying a kitten
- More thorough medical attention and care is needed.
- Kittens need to be given more time and attention.
- They need to be fed more often.
Who are kittens suitable for?
- Families in which someone is always at home.
- Families with older children.
- Young active families.
Who is better to adopt an adult cat?
- Families with small children.
- Single working people and families where people are away from home most of the day.
- To old people.
At what age is it optimal to adopt a kitten?
The optimal age for a baby is at least 2 months. Earlier separation from the mother is fraught with psychological problems, loss of immunity and vulnerability to diseases. The signal that a kitten can move to a new family is usually a complete transition to solid food and mastering the litter box.
An exception can be made for kittens from the street who have lost their mother cat. They will have to be fed formula milk themselves. Contrary to popular belief, feeding cow or goat milk is only a temporary solution. It is not able to provide the same elements as cat milk, and very often leads to stomach problems.
It is better to adopt purebred cats even later, when they are 3-3.5 months old. At this age, their breed characteristics become more obvious, and you can easily identify deception on the part of an unscrupulous seller. Also, the baby will already have all the necessary vaccinations and deworming.
Age at which it is recommended to separate a kitten from its mother cat
The recommended age for weaning is 2-3 months. During this period, babies move away from breastfeeding, show independence, and their immunity has already developed.
At three months, they get used to the new environment more easily, they are already accustomed to the tray and can accept comments if they accidentally tore off the wallpaper or scratched the chair.
At the same time, vaccination of animals is recommended. All necessary vaccinations should be discussed with your veterinarian and the optimal schedule for their administration should be outlined. At the time of vaccination, the kitten must be healthy and treated for parasites.
How to choose a healthy kitten
Only a veterinarian will give an accurate diagnosis of the condition of the selected pet. Don't forget to make an appointment with him if you adopted an animal from a shelter, at the market or from the street. Despite this, some deviations can be noticed independently: they will be revealed by behavioral and physiological symptoms.
Behavior
Observe the kittens' behavior. Active participation in joint games is a good sign. If babies sleep all the time, huddle together or have poor spatial orientation, the likelihood of illness is high.
Begin your acquaintance by extending your hand clenched into a fist. This movement imitates a cat's paw without the claws. If the animal approves of you, then it will sniff your hand without fear and rub against it, leaving its scent. After this, try to pick him up and watch his reaction.
All of these tips suggest how to choose the right healthy and socialized kitten, but are not mandatory instructions. Street animals rarely make contact and often show aggression. This doesn't make them bad pets. There will definitely be difficulties in raising them, but you cannot give up on such an animal. In caring hands, he can grow into the most affectionate and unusually flexible cat.
Appearance
If you have chosen a cat in advance based on a photograph, get to know not only him, but also his entire family. Sick animals should be isolated. The very fact of the disease is not dangerous - no one is immune from it, but a responsible breeder must prevent the spread of infection. You can suspect something is wrong based on the following symptoms in the mother cat and her offspring:
- itching and scratching on the body;
- dull and tousled coat;
- cough and runny nose;
- purulent discharge from the eyes or ears;
- exhaustion or suspiciously bloated stomach;
- unpleasant odor from the ears;
- shaking of the head and loss of coordination.
At a young age, helminthiasis and diarrhea are extremely dangerous. They greatly deplete the body and can lead to the death of the animal. Inspect your baby's anus for any remaining liquid stool or worms.
When purchasing through a nursery or a private breeder registered in a cat club, the buyer is provided with a contract, metrics and a veterinary passport. The last document is necessary to confirm treatment against parasites and vaccinations.
Psychological condition
This is a very interesting sign. They say that you can use it to find an animal that is ideally compatible with you. How to choose a kitten? Just watch.
Someone who is not afraid of you and tries to play or attack. The one who is not afraid of the sound of a falling bunch of keys or a loud clap of hands until he faints, but simply shudders a little and runs away. The one who actively makes contact, and begins to purr or cuddle in his arms. This is your ideal kitten.
Advice. Touch the kitten's paws. A healthy kitten will try to pull them out or start playing with you. The patient will not do this. But this is not the ultimate truth. It is possible that the fluffy just woke up. And yes, there are melancholic people among cats too.
how to clean a kitten's ears
Kitten care
Before purchasing, make sure you can handle raising a new family member. In addition to feeding, playing and grooming, you will have to take care of regular trips to the veterinarian.
What will your baby need?
To move to a new home you will need a carrier. You will also have to use it during trips to the veterinarian or other movements around the city. It is better to choose a house with a plastic bottom and for growth - it is quite possible that an older cat will go in it for sterilization/castration, routine examinations and even exhibitions.
Purchase two bowls in advance - for food and water. It is safer to buy ceramic or metal products, since they will not turn over or move, and they are easier to wash than plastic ones.
In addition to the tray and filler, be sure to take diapers. Be patient while your cat gets used to the litter box, and don't scold him if he makes mistakes.
You will also need to build a personal space. Choose a quiet corner and place a bed or soft house there. Remember that cubs are very active, so stock up on mice, “teasers” and balls. It is better to put wires and other rope-like things away so that the cat does not become interested in them.
To sharpen claws, it is better to choose 2 options: horizontal and vertical claws. You can only find out which of these your pet prefers after the fact.
Maintenance cost per month
Monthly expenses are individual, as it all depends on the preferred brands of food and the prestige of the chosen veterinary clinic.
For the first time, it will take about 4 thousand rubles to buy all the necessary things. This amount includes the carrier, bowls, tray, bed and scratching post. Every month you will have to buy food or natural products and a small package of filler. This will be approximately 1-2.5 thousand rubles per animal.
Sometimes costs may increase. This happens during planned visits to the veterinarian, sterilization and treatment of the disease. The pet must also be treated quarterly for worms. Pets that roam outside will need a flea collar.
Talk to breeders
Look at their attitude towards their animals, what they feed them, how they care for them.
A good breeder is distinguished by a caring and loving attitude towards his pets; for him this is not just a business, for him it is his life and inspiration. Don’t be surprised if the breeder suddenly asks your permission to come visit you to see in what conditions the animal will be kept. After all, a good breeder sincerely worries about the fate of each of his pets! Another hallmark of a conscientious breeder is his honesty. He must tell you himself about the shortcomings of your future pet. There are no ideal animals; the number of flaws determines the degree of thoroughbredness of the animal and its future chances of winning in competitions.
Separately, you should talk about the necessary documents for a kitten
If you are offered to purchase an animal without documents, then this kitten does not meet the breed requirements; in fact, it only looks like a representative of a certain breed. Unfortunately, the phenotype of an animal (its appearance) alone is not enough to confirm the breed; documents are required. The offspring of an undocumented animal will also have no documents. Only veterinary passports are issued for such kittens. This means that the animal is healthy, but not suitable for breeding. Of course, there is no point in paying large sums of money for an essentially mongrel pet.
A purebred kitten has both parents with pedigrees, and a special card is issued for the kitten itself. By the way, it wouldn’t hurt to look at both of the baby’s parents; be sure to do this if possible. They should appear healthy and behave calmly and complacently, without excessive aggression or passivity.
In professional clubs, a registration card is issued for a kitten, which is a document confirming that the kitten has passed an examination on the quality of its origin and compliance with breed standards. The presence of this card is proof of the purebred kitten. If the kitten has any deficiencies, the expert will note them. If the shortcomings are too serious, and the kitten does not meet the accepted standards of the breed, then the expert will not issue such a card for the kitten.
When registering a kitten at the club, the name of the animal is written into the card, which, as a rule, goes well with the name of the nursery. In addition to the nickname, the card contains the kitten's full name, full names, titles and pedigree numbers of its parents, telephone numbers and addresses of the owner of the nursery and his club.
The card indicates the color, gender, date of birth of the kitten, as well as all identified deviations from the breed standard, if the expert found them.
The card must be certified by the signatures of the expert and the factory, as well as the seal of the club.
It is important to pay attention to the condition of the kitten
Before purchasing, be sure to look at the physical condition of the kitten. He should look healthy and act energetic and active. There are, of course, differences in personalities; some cats like to lie around, others like to play. However, you should not take overly active or overly passive ones; both of these extremes may indicate shortcomings in the kitten’s health. In addition to objective factors, do not forget about your intuition, listen to your inner voice, take a closer look at the kittens, try to feel with which of the kids you have established mutual understanding and interest. To do this, spend more time with the breeder, see how other kittens behave, and whether any of them look sickly. If you want to adopt the quietest and smallest kitten out of pity, be prepared that you will have to provide it with very high-quality and attentive care, otherwise the animal will be sick for most of its life.
Look at the quality of the coat, it should be smooth and thick, without bald spots, there should be no fleas, a professional breeder should not keep animals in this condition. Pay attention to your eyes; they should not water or fester. If translucent membranes are visible in the inner corners of the eyes, then the animal is sick. There should be no traces of black wax in the ears, this is a sign of ear mites; the wax of a healthy kitten is light and does not have any unpleasant odors. Feel the tail; there should be no knots or creases on it. Look at your gums, they should be pink and there should be no bad breath. Examine the anus; there should be no redness on it.
An experienced breeder will not sell kittens that are too small. Optimally, if the kitten has reached 12 weeks of age, it is at this moment that the kitten has matured enough and is ready to move to a new place of his life away from his mother. In the period up to 12 weeks, the kitten needs to have time to learn a lot from its mother, how to eat, wash itself, and hunt. Full education by a cat-mother will make your kitten confident and strong, ready for new conditions, for adulthood and independent life.
By 12 weeks, the kitten must be vaccinated, one vaccination is given at 8 weeks, the second at 11 weeks. Vaccination records are recorded in the kitten’s veterinary passport. In addition, the kitten must be completely treated for external and internal parasites. At the buyer's request, some clubs offer a kitten microchipping service. All this is also recorded in the veterinary passport. Before leaving for a new home, the kitten undergoes hygienic grooming procedures. A good breeder should provide the necessary advice on care, health and education, as well as give advice on planning the animal's future exhibition career.
Try to find out as much as possible about your pet from the breeder, whether he has favorite foods, toys, or places to relax. Try to create the most comfortable atmosphere for him; this is especially important during the period of adaptation of the animal to a new place. For young and inexperienced owners, we have developed a training program “Become a professional - take proper care”, available after registering on our website.
Top 10 Popular Cat Breeds
Every year, the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) publishes a ranking of the most popular cat breeds in the world. The top is compiled by the number of cats registered in this organization.
Based on the results for the previous year 2022, the list is as follows:
Exotic cat
Plush cat with a charming face
Ragdoll
Fluffy lazy phlegmatic
British cat
Soft plush with thick cheeks
Persian cat
Fluffy honey with a regal article
Maine Coon
Muscular giant with a gentle character
American Shorthair
Intelligent and obedient hunter
Scottish cat
Modest cutie with round eyes
Canadian Sphynx
The first hairless breed
Devon Rex
Alien cat with dog affection
General tips for choosing a pet
To decide which kitten is best to choose, experts advise adhering to the following recommendations:
- First of all, decide on the breed that best matches the image of the future pet, taking into account the specific living conditions.
- The new family member must be at least 12 weeks old .
- The future owner should decide on the gender of the pet. It is believed that cats are more affectionate and sociable, and cats have an independent character. Keep in mind that spaying a cat will cost significantly more and require more post-operative care than spaying a male cat. When purchasing a cat, the owner may encounter such an unpleasant phenomenon as leaving marks. The problem is solved by early castration.
- Socialization of a kitten . It is desirable that the future pet be properly raised by its mother cat and not be afraid of people. With such a baby there will be no problems with raising and teaching good manners.
- Health status is an important factor when choosing. It is worth considering that if a baby is purchased “from hand” or picked up on the street, then it is imperative to show it to a doctor. Before family members have time to become attached to the new resident, it is better to find out about all hidden diseases. Unfortunately, sometimes they can be incompatible with life or pose a threat to household members.
We recommend reading about how to train a cat. You will learn about the optimal age of a pet for training, rules for working with an animal, tricks and commands that can be taught. And here is more information about how many times a day to feed a cat.
Unusual cat breeds
For you, is a cat not only a pet, but also a way of self-expression? Take a closer look at unusual cat breeds. This is where you should choose to suit your taste!
Cats with original appearance
There are people who want to be unique even in choosing a pet. If you want your friends to admire your cat, take a closer look at these breeds:
American Curl
Curly curled ears
Devon Rex
A cat with the appearance of an alien
Cornish Rex
Curly fur and graceful posture
Laperm
Pet with large curls
Munchkin
Cute cat with short legs
Peterbald
An elegant cat with smooth skin.
Cats with an unusual appearance will also delight you with a wonderful character. Some of these breeds are not cheap - but you can overpay for such pleasure!
Resembling wild cats
Some people want to bring something exotic into their normal lives: bring home a real leopard! However, a leopard is a dangerous undertaking. Then choose a domestic cat breed in a wild shell:
Bengal cat
Domestic inquisitive leopard
Bombay cat
Black panther with a homely disposition
Ocicat
A mischievous fidget with the appearance of a wild cat
Savannah
An African animal for your home
With such cats you feel like you are in the jungle: their unusual appearance contributes to this. All breeds, except the Bombay, truly have wild roots.
