Posted by Jeanne on February 6, 2009
Cats are not the least bit uncertain about their ability to take care of themselves. This, however, does not discourage the people with whom they live. By close observation of cat’s habits and preferences, they learn to do for cat many of the things cat ordinarily would do for herself. This is known as cat care.
Actually, of course, cat care harmonizes the mutual existence of cat and man and reduces the inconveniences of their relationship to a minimum. In the cities of the civilized world, which have a few natural accommodations for cats, these arrangements undoubtedly are beneficial and even necessary. But it is also true that the farther out into the country one goes, the less is cat care of real concern to cat or man. With the normal cat, man has to meet only a few basic situations.
First of all, the entrance of a new little cat into a household requires that the creature be made welcome. This is best done by appreciating that, to a kitten standing barely higher than your shoe tops, everything – beginning with you – seems of overwhelming size and potentially dangerous.
Since the cat has both curiosity and courage, she will make her adjustment and her peace with her environment. But you can help by being patient and gentle. Avoid the sudden swift gesture that startles. Tone down the loud laugh. Let the kitten get used to you slowly. Keep petting and handling to a minimum at first. Kittens are fun to fondle, but it is literally possible to kill them with kindness. It is also a good idea to introduce the kitten to its new home one room at a time.
If all this seems like advice designed to keep you from enjoying a cat, that is not the intention. This tempering of your enthusiasm need not restrict your pleasure. What is important is getting your association with your cat off to a good start.
Posted by Jeanne on February 5, 2009
With your decisions made, you are now ready to confront a pack of kittens and choose yours. If it’s one of a kind you’re after, you may have to locate a breeder and be prepared to pay handsomely. But if it’s not too special an animal, most pet shops should be able to satisfy your needs at a modest price. And if, after all, you simply want a cat, there’s always a neighbor swamped with a new litter. Just ask around.
So you look at kittens. If they’re under five weeks, go away. They’re too small to be separated from the mother cat, and you can’t tell anything much about them as individuals. (You can tell they’re old enough if the full set of baby teeth is in.)
At around five weeks, you’re back. What do you look for?
You look for the one you like best; the one that takes a shine to you. All things being equal, you two might as well appreciate each other.
Usually, but not always, the things that will attract you are the signs of a healthy kitten. The eyes will be blue and rather empty-looking – the kitten is still learning to use them properly – but they should be clear. The coat will be a downy, baby fuzz but it, too, should be lively-looking. Thin, drab, or patchy coats suggest that all may not be well.
As for color and markings, the baby coat is it. It may become more sharply defined as the cat matures, but it won’t change, except with Siamese. In Siamese, the light coat that is so desirable cannot be predicted with much accuracy from the appearance of the kitten.
The lightest kitten will not necessarily be the lightest cat. Use your own divining rod. Also, the markings may seem smudgy and unclear on a kitten but will intensify and darken on the cat. The one feature you can count on is the eyes: Siamese kittens’ eyes are as blue as they will ever be.
The kitten that catches your eye will usually be an active one, a playful one, a perky, and responsive one. You needn’t grab for the boss of the litter; he – or she – is used to asserting himself and may grow up to be a rambunctious cat. That’s not bad, but you have to live with it.
At all events, steer clear of the inactive or skittish kittens. Any litter ever born can have a nut or a moron in it, and they’re no fun.
Determine the sex. People sometimes find this more difficult than it need be. In the female, the anus and the vulva, which are located under the tail, are close together – the one a spot, the other a small slit. In the male, the outlets appear as two spots and are farther apart.
You can’t examine your kitten like a vet, but you can look for external signs of possible illness. Avoid a kitten with a runny nose, a discolored mouth (it should be a baby pink), or a distended belly (it should be firm and round, but not bloated or slack).
Feel the body with the fingers for rashes or skin troubles. Note whether the ears are clean (they should be). Call the kitten to you to see if it’s bright enough to respond and to test for deafness.
If it passes these check points – and the majority will – you’ve picked yourself a cat.
