Choosing a Cat

Not everyone chooses their cat, sometimes the cat chooses the owner. However if it is you doing the choosing then there are some important factors to first consider.

Is your cat to be a companion or for breeding and showing?
What other animals do you already have?
Is your property suitable? (high rise flats and busy roads)
Can you afford a cat?
Have you got the time to care for a cat?
Are there any asthmatics in the family?


Pedigree or Non-pedigree?

If you want to show and/or breed cats then your probably better off with a pedigree. The main advantage of pedigree cats is the ability to predict what sort of cat you are going to end up with. Good breeders will allow you to see the mother and father which is the best indicator of what your cat is likely to be like. Generally pedigree cats have predictable temperaments and physical characteristics and inherited faults. Responsible pedigree kitten breeders do not allow kittens to go to new homes before 12 weeks of age by which time they are likely to be house trained and vaccinated. These are the recommendations of the GCCF. Some breeders have adult cats that are surplus to requirements that are sometimes available as pets once they have been neutered. It is easier to determine the temperament of an adult cat compared to a kitten. To obtain contact details for breeders of pedigree cats you could search the internet, contact the GCCF, look in cat magazines of contact your vet.

Most pet cats are non-pedigree cats and you are unlikely to get much information about a kittens ancestry but if you're lucky you may get to meet the mother. Non-pedigree kittens are usually offered to homes between 6 and 8 weeks of age when they will be weaned, partly socialised but not house trained or vaccinated. Non-pedigree kittens and adult cats are often available from Animal Shelters. Kittens and cats that have been through Animal Shelters have an increased risk of exposure to and infections from contagious diseases. Kittens may be available form pet owners whose cats have had a litter and vets are often able to provide contact details in such cases.



Choosing the Sex

There is little to choose from between the sexes once they have been neutered. However if you want to breed then you probably want a female because male stud cats don't usually make good pets. Entire male stud cats are usually kept in separate out-door runs because of their antisocial scent-marking behaviour.




Choosing an Individual

If you are choosing a kitten from a litter firstly check the mother cat, check that she has no signs of illness and that she is of a mild temperament. Next check the kittens for the same criteria. You want to avoid kittens that are excessively fearful or aggressive as these are traits that may persist into adulthood. Look for bright, playful kittens not dull or lethargic kittens which have runny eyes and noses. Many diseases have incubation periods where an individual may be infected but shows no symptoms. Most disease incubation periods are less than a fortnight. Occasionally a family will take on what initially looked like a healthy cat or kitten but shortly after arrival at its new home it may start to show symptoms of disease. Any new arrival should receive an independent health check from your vet.

Many people, me included, believe it is better to get two kittens at once. This not only provides companionship for the cats but also allows an owner to realise that cats have very individual characters.

New cats should be kept in for at least a month before being let outside during the day and brought in at night, most road traffic accidents (RTA's) occur at night. Kittens should be kept in until they are immune to the major cat diseases, that is two weeks after their final vaccination, and until there are of a sufficient size to deal with neighbourhood cats. They can go outside if they are supervised but are best kept in until they are 5-6 months of age.



Integrating New Cats

One serious potential problem of introducing cats together is the spread of disease. These risks can be minimised by taking the following precautions. Ideally both newcomers and existing cats should be vaccinated and immune to the major cat diseases before introduction. The newcomer should be tested for any diseases that cannot be vaccinated against to prevent it introducing them to existing cats. The newcomer should be isolated from the existing cats for a fortnight before the introduction process begins to allow any incubating diseases to show themselves.

Generally speaking most cats are territorial and the one thing which really stresses them out is another cat moving into their territory. Cats are more likely to accept a kitten than another cat moving in on their territory because they consider it less of a threat. The introduction process should be slow, keep the newcomer separated in one room, allow its confidence to build and allow existing cats to become accustomed to its smell. Ideally a complete isolation period of 14 days should elapse before the introduction process begins. Cats are very smell oriented and this is an important factor in introducing cats. After the 14d feed the cats separately but interchange feeding and grooming equipment to mix the cats scents up. Another useful aid at this time is the "Feliway Diffuser" which emits an aroma that helps relax cats. After a week or two prepare to introduce the cats, cut both cats front claws to reduce the risks of injury and to reduce confidence levels slightly in both cats. Continue to feed them separately and ensure that there is plenty of food to avoid any competition.

Introducing new cats or kittens to existing dogs is much the same as for existing cats. Cats have basic instincts to hunt small mammals, birds and fish so any of these are existing pets then precautions must be taken to protect them.

Children need to be taught how to hold and carry a cat early on to avoid injury to themselves or the cat. Young babies in their cots or pushchairs should be protected from cats jumping onto them or sleeping on them. This is best achieved with cat nets that go over the top of cots.