When you head to a shelter, breeder, or friend to get your new
cat,
you need to do an overall assessment of your cat or kitten to
be
sure you are brining home a healthy cat that will fit in with
your
overall family.
You can find all this information plus tons more in
:
A Guide to Cat Ownership and Cat
Training
Here are a few things to look for when assessing a cat:
Environment
The environment should be clean with a lot of stimulation from
toys. Observe how the shelter, breeder, or owner interacts
with
the cat.
Character
Kittens should be energetic and playful. Well socialized
cats
should be curious to come up to meet you. Watch as the
cat
interacts with other people, children, and animals, as this
will
give you an idea of how your cat will act in your home.
Health
You will need to do a physical assessment of your cat to
determine
if he or she is healthy. Are its eyes bright? Is the
cat or
kitten at a healthy weight? Is its coat soft and clean?
How does
the skin lo...
Date Published: Feb 08, 2009 - 8:04 pm