When you are considering buying a kitten there are some things that you should consider before putting down money. Yes kittens are extremely cute and you will probably fall in love with a few dozen if you take the time to do some kitten shopping. Before buying a kitten, you should consider if you or anyone in your home is allergic. It would not be a great thing to pay a few hundred dollars to find out that you or your child had an allergy to your new kitten. You should also consider if you are looking to breed a certain species and show them in shows or if the newest member of the family will be just that a family member.
When buying a kitten there are quite a few different places that you can look. There are specialized breeders for those kittens that are show cats. There are always the rescue shelters or you can find someone in the neighborhood that has a litter that they are looking for homes for the kittens. You should consider avoiding any place that is brand new, especially new shelters, and you should deal with those that have a good reputation for breeding or your local humane society. Typically if the person is giving away the kittens they could be from a stray they found and you would want to stay away from that. The main reason would be that you are not sure what health problems might be coming with the free kitten resulting in higher than normal veterinarian bills. If you are buying a kitten online do some research on the breeder, ask for references of those that they have sold too and take the time to go and visit the breeder to ask questions. As well if you are picking a kitten up from a neighbor, then make sure they own the mother cat.
After you have located the breeder or place that you are happy with choosing your new kitten and are close to buying that kitten, take a moment to consider the following things that vets say are very important in getting a healthy cat. The kitten should have clear eyes, their ears should be clean and free of mites, they should be playful with their litter mates and when they see you should come to be petted and seem happy just to have some human contact. Your new kitten should also have a shiny coat and there should be no signs of diarrhea in or around the litter box. Following those few things will ensure buying a kitten will be a great experience for both of you.
