Just like buy exotic shorthair kittens there is a lot to consider before buying a pet. Cats are no exception to this, no matter how independent they seem to be. A lot of people make the mistake of buying them because they are cute and adorable. Little do they know that there are a lot of health factors to consider before making the purchase or adopting one. Aside from the cat’s health, the owner should also be mentally and emotionally ready for the responsibility of taking care of an animal. Below, you will find helpful tips to remember before buying or adopting a kitten.
Finding A Healthy Kitten
Make sure that the animal’s eyes are clear. You should check that there is no liquid discharge coming out of the eyes or around the eyes. You should also check the ears and ensure that there is no wax build-up in there. You should look at the mouth. Pink gums indicate that the kitten is healthy and has no problems in its mouth. The teeth should be white, not yellowish or stained. Going to the nose, there should be no dry discharge of mucus, not even moist mucus. Lastly, when you go, check the body, there has to be no pot belly. The overall appearance of the kitten should not be bony. Its flesh should be evident and the skin should not be taut. You can check this by holding the skin at the back of the neck. Once you let go of it, it should immediately go back into place. Otherwise, the skin is dry.
Check carefully if there is a swelling in the middle of the belly. If there is, this might be an indication of hernia. Another thing you may want to look at is the rectal area. If there is irritation there, if that area is soiled, the kitten may be suffering from diarrhea. After examining these things, look at the hair or the coat. If you see any kind of dirt in it, you may be dealing with fleas. What looks like dirt can actually be flea feces and not your ordinary dirt that came from dust.
Lastly, check the environment where the kitten is currently residing. The environment should be clean. If the kitten shows playful behavior and an attachment to humans, this is an indication that it is happy and that it is healthy. If the kitten hisses or threatens to bite you when you try to pick it up, you might want to stay away. This means there is no chemistry between you and the animal.
Preparing Your Environment
Before even making the purchase or adoption, responsible cat owners should prepare the living environment. Always make sure that food and water dishes are clean and separate from household dishes. This is to ensure that no diseases from cats are transmitted to humans. Next, prepare brushes made just for your cats. There are also grooming gloves available in the market. Cats love to be stroked and brushed.
