Getting a Pet Cat

Even the coldest heart melts when presented with cute Kitten. A kitten is small and cuddly, full of mischief, and relatively easy to care for. However, a kitten is a living creature which will grow into a full grown cat. Responsible pet lovers, would never acquire a kitten without very careful thought.

Today cats are the UK's 'top pet', ahead of dogs in the popularity stakes. It is true that cats often fit better into today's busy lifestyle. Even if you spend several hours a day away from home at work or school you can keep a cat as a pet. Cats will usually be content to be on their own for a large part of the day.

A Cat is relatively easy to care for, and has many endearing qualities which make it a delightful pet.

The cat is a rewarding companion for both young and old alike. Children who grow up with kittens in the home will learn to respect life and to be caring - assuming that they are properly supervised, of course. Caring for a kitten or a cat can teach a child responsibility.

There is a cat or kitten to suit everyone. There are many different breeds and colours, as well as the common, lovable pet cat or moggy that come in a variety of shapes and colours. A cat will happily be kept purely as an indoor pet (if it is used to this from kittenhood).

Chosen with care, your new kitten will easily adapt to your lifestyle, with the added bonus that a cat can be inexpensive both to buy and to keep. A healthy cat will usually have a lifespan of 15 years or more.

Selection

Often cat owners tell me that they never actually selected their cat: it selected them! You may find a stray cat in your garden and decide to give it a home. Please take reasonable care to ensure that your new cat is a genuine stray and you aren't leaving another household heartbroken over their missing cherished pet.

You may find a friend or neighbour has a cat with unplanned litter.

An opportunist approach can work out very well, but please never take on a kitten just because it is so cute and appealing. Please ensure that you will be able to care properly for a cat for all of its natural life. Rule out somebody in your household being allergic to cats? Be prepared for scratch marks on your furniture, is this going to be a disaster? Please involve the whole family in the decision making before taking the step of getting a pet cat. Think carefully before you bring a kitten home, to avoid the heartbreak, 0f having to part with it at a later date.

There are thousands of unwanted cats in the UK; many are put to sleep by animal charities simply because there are not enough good homes available. Many of these cats are abandoned, simply because the novelty of owning a kitten wore off when it was no longer quite so small and cute.

Pedigree or Non-Pedigree

Most people will simply opt for a non-pedigree, sometimes called a 'moggy', these make great pets for millions of people. Non-pedigree kittens are relatively easy to come by, and will be very inexpensive to buy, sometimes being offered as 'free to good homes'.

A great place, from which to obtain your non-pedigree kitten is your local animal shelter, or Cats Protection League. The staff will be on hand to help you to select a suitable kitten, and they can also give you advice regarding its care. Be prepared to answer several questions about yourself, they will want to ensure that you are a suitable cat owner. The kittens at a shelter will have been checked over by a vet, so you can be reasonably certain that you will acquire a healthy kitten - something which is not always the case when you pick a kitten from the litter down the road.

Please bear in mind that there are many adult cats in shelters all over the country, waiting for new homes. An adult cat can make just as good a pet as a Kitten.

When looking for a pedigree kitten, then you should do some research before hand. A pedigree kitten has an advantage over the non-pedigree: you should be better able to predict a cat's behavior and temperament as an adult, as most individuals within a particular breed follow the same basic behaviour patterns. If you want a well-bred cat of a particular appearance that will have a temperament to suit you and your family, then opt for a pedigree kitten. A pedigree kitten will cost considerably more (often several hundred pounds) but you are paying for the knowledge that you have a carefully bred and reared kitten. It's parents should have been tested for hereditary diseases and is likely grow up just as you want it. A pedigree kitten will also have had its inoculations by the time you buy it, which is seldom the case with non-pedigrees.

A responsible breeder will ask your questions about you and the environment that you intend to take your new cat home to.

Terry King runs Parcel Pets [http://www.pets2home.co.uk], a leading UK pet supplies [http://www.pets2home.co.uk] web site and has had pets all his life. He lives with his wife Louise, dog Sam, Cat Sabrina and 5 fish!