Animal lovers around the world continue to find fascination in fuzzy kitten frolicking. Their ability to pounce, jump, hiss, and climb warms the heart and fascinates the mind. It is no wonder why falling under their spell happens without warning - stirring desires to take them home. Before taking a cute little Bengal, Ragdoll, Siamese, or other kitten home, however, stop to consider the reality of adding a kitten to your home.
Considerations to Make Before Adopting a Kitten:
* Allergies - Adopting kittens to live in households with allergy sufferers may not be the best plan. Even if the adopter is willing to figure out ways to coexist and deal with their own itchy eyes and runny noses, it might not be a good idea to expect other allergy sufferers to do the same.
* Residence - Apartment dwellers often have restrictions regarding keeping cats in their homes. If your property owner does not impose restrictions, you may be home free if you intend to keep your kitten indoors. Providing easy outdoor access for kittens is not always easy if you live in an apartment, however. Depending on the setup and location of your apartment, consider how your kitten would get in and out. Also, consider the size of your complex as well as your neighbors’ potential reactions to having a feline around.
* Affordability - The first thing pet owners should do when adopting kittens is let veterinarians examine them. Required fees may include costs for distemper, rabies, upper respiratory conditions, feline leukemia, and feline infectious peritonitis vaccinations. Many shelters also charge adoption fees and stipulate spaying and neutering in the adoption terms. On top of this owners must provide cat boxes, litter for the boxes, scoops and bags for cleaning litter, food on a daily basis, and so on. Cat toiletry expenses will also apply to young kittens. Training felines to go outside to relieve themselves should begin around four to six months of age.
* Current Pet Ownership - Do you think pets you have already will be good companions for a new kitten? If the answer is yes, prepare yourself to introduce your kitten to your current pets. Let the kitten know it is safe and make sure other pets know they are not being replaced. Buy safe toys the kitten can share with other pets or play with by itself. It might also be a good idea to give the kitten a special place like a new cat tree or special bedding. Placing catnip toys in the bedding may help the kitten adjust to its special area.
* Time Availability - Persons who work long hours, spend a lot of time in school, or travel a lot may need someone to help care for their kitten. In addition to this, someone must be willing to take out time to litter train the kitty. This could mean placing the kitten in the box every four until it begins to find the box on its own. The kitten will also need someone with whom to play and lay around.
Spunkiness usually indicates healthy thriving kittens. Just the same, however, adopters should inspect:
* Eyes - Kitten eyes should be bright and shiny. They should not look watery or murky and kittens should not seem to have problems keeping their eyes open because of purulence.
* Fur - Kitten fur should be clean, shiny, un-matted and should not be pressed against their skin.
* Teeth - Kitten teeth should be clean and white and gums should be pink and smooth.
* Overall Body - Kitten should have little round bellies - not oversized bellies and not thin bellies. Their bones should not protrude through their fur. They should be able to stand up and move around normally.
* Noses - Noses should be clean and free of discharge. Nasal discharge could suggest an infection. Sneezing or wheezing may also indicate infection.
* Kitty boxes - Check any available stools. Kittens with diarrhea may be ill. Also make certain there are no worms coming from the kitten's anus and that the area is reasonably clean.
* Ears - Kitten ears should be clean and bug free.
* Ability To Flourish - Make sure the kitten is able to eat on its own.
After you have taken all the necessary preparatory steps, take your kitten or kittens, whatever their breed, home and enjoy them! One more thing - If you choose to put a collar on your new kitten, make sure the collar is not too heavy. Make sure it fits loosely. Also, make sure it provides room for growth adjustments. Choosing cat collars is fun because there are so many beautiful decorative collars available. Just the same, safety should receive as much consideration as ringlets adorning kitten necks.