Once you have selected which breed of cat you want to get you are going to have to get down to actually picking out a kitten. Even among littermates there is often a wide range in the personality of the cat. You should do your best to assess and evaluate each kitten before making your final decision.
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| Which Kitten? |
It is a common practice for people who are selecting a puppy to do a personality test on the puppy. You can do a similar test on kittens. This is by no means an exact test but it will give you a starting point. Read also: Taking Care of the Kitten.
When you go to pick out your new friend, bring along a piece of string or another similar form enticement. If the kittens are in a confined area, enter it carefully and get down to their level. Watch closely to see exactly how each of the kittens reacts. Take note of which ones approach the quickest and which ones seem to be a bit more wary. There may even be some that do not want to approach at all.
Which Kitten?
Continue to sit quietly and observe their behavior. Some of the kittens may be willing to climb onto your lap while others may decide to return to their previous games or routines. Once you have watched them for a while bring out the piece of string. Again, watch how all of the kittens respond.
These careful observations will give you a quick way to evaluate each member of the litter. Chances are that the one who are the most curious will continue to be very curious and outgoing for their entire life. Those that have climbed onto your lap will probably become the affectionate ones and those that remain safely out of reach will always be wary of strangers.
This is just a short test and will most likely not provide you with enough information for a definite course of action. You should try to visit the litter more than once before making your final selection. It is also important to speak with the owner and ask their opinion. They will probably have a lot that they can add about the kitten’s individual temperaments. Read also: Household Necessities for the New Cat.
Even if you do this assessment, you might end up being completely wrong. Many owners claim that their wonderful outgoing kitten changed when they reached maturity. Once they became adults they were totally different. They either became shy introverts or turned into little devils that would attack anything that came within a paw’s reach. Others claim that the kitten, who loved to be petted and sit quietly, has changed almost overnight into a ball of never ceasing energy.
You may have done an accurate assessment of your cat. However, there are countless things that can and will affect a cat’s personality. In general, cats are very sensitive to their environment. Moving, changes in the family dynamics or even a change in diet can affect a cat’s demeanor. Keep in mind, these changes might be permanent or temporary. Read also: Cat Care FAQ.
Remember, there is no absolute way to predict what kind of cat you will own. However, doing research about the various breeds as well as an assessment will give you a good starting point for picking out the ideal pet.