When choosing a cat, the first things that come to mind are whether you want a male or female cat, and whether an adult or a kitten the best choice. Care and maintenance considerations then follow, for example, choosing a longhair or shorthair cat impacts grooming and hairballs. For detailed cat information on care and maintenance, see Cat Care. No matter what type of cat you get, you first want to make sure it is healthy. Indications that a cat is healthy include both its behavior and its physical condition. Here are some things to look for when picking out a cat:.
- Cat behavior and personality
- Look for a cat that in general displays interest in its surroundings, one that becomes intrigued when you dangle a string or toss a ball.
- A kitten should be alert, active, playful, and inquisitive but not overly zealous.
- If a cat or kitten is properly socialized it should neither run up to you, nor run away. One that approaches your hand to sniff it, and then is relaxed when picked up indicates a well-socialized animal.
- Cat health
- Body - A kitten should be the average size of its littermates. In movement, cats should run, walk, and jump with grace and balance. Gently stroke, checking for bumps, lumps, and any signs of discomfort or pain. There should be no sores, scabs, or crustiness.
- Coat - It should be glossy and clean with a sweet smell. Fur should be fluffy with no matted or missing patches and free if parasites, like fleas.
- Paws - Gently squeeze the paw to extend the claws to see if they need clipping. This is something that you can do later. Some cats have extra toes, this is a genetic occurrence and not a problem.
- Nose - should be clean with no discharge, and breathing should be clear with no sniffing or sneezing.
- Mouth - teeth should be bright and clean teeth, the gums pink and healthy, and beware of bad odors.
- Eyes - bright, clear and alert, no discharge.
- Ears - no discharge, sweet smelling. A cat scratching its ears often and vigorously indicates ear mites. Check the hearing with a sudden loud noise, like a clap of your hand. The cat should startle and look towards the sound. White cats with blue eyes can be totally deaf, and those with just one blue eye can be deaf in the ear on that side.
- Tail area - the anal area and back of the legs should be clean, with no signs of diarrhea.You can check the sex also. Male kittens have two 'dots' side to side under the tail, while females have a singe dot with a small vertical slit.
