What should I look for in the new kitten?

Whether you get your new kitten at a shelter, pet store or breeder, there is always some risk. Will it be healthy? What will its temperament be? Will it bite, or claw? Will it get along with the kids? All good questions. Of course, there are no foolproof answers, but here are some hints:

· Ask the shelter to allow you to spend some time with the kitten in a private area. Watch how the kitten plays and reacts to you. If it is nervous and recoils, it may need more socialization. If he or she is warm and cuddly, you probably have a winner.

·Watch for sneezing, runny eyes and/or a runny nose. Upper respiratory infections are one of the most common ailments we see in kittens coming from shelters. This often cannot be avoided (it is similar to children all sharing colds at school). This is a matter of severity. If there is evidence of a little bit of a cold, this is common. If there is enough sneezing and discharge to make you uncomfortable, check with the shelter staff to see if this kitten needs some medical attention before it can be adopted.

·Peek in the cage. If you see any signs of diarrhea, check with the shelter staff.

·Look for areas of hair loss. If the kitten has obvious patches that appear bald, with or without irritated skin, please notify the shelter staff.

·Ask lots of questions about appetite and even try to watch the kitten eat. If they have a hearty appetite, thumbs up. If they seem disinterested, try to determine if it is really a lack of appetite, or just a distracted kitten. You may have to determine the appetite when you get home. This is one of the main criteria we use when evaluating new kittens. So always keep tabs on how your new pet is eating. If your kitten goes twelve hours without eating, please be in touch with your veterinarian.

·Be sure the kitten has been tested for Feline Leukemia Virus (FELV). This is the most common virus seen in cats, and it often is fatal. Approximately ten percent of the entire cat population has been exposed to FELV. Nearly all shelters test for this virus prior to allowing a kitten to be adopted. Check to be sure this has been done, as well as when any vaccines were given and when the next shots are due.

Talk with the shelter employees and volunteers. They're very good at judging how you and the new kitten are interacting, and whether or not this is the right pet for you.

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