How to Choose a Healthy Kitten

Are you looking for a new kitten? There are many places to find kittens. There are the local animal shelters, the animal control shelter for your city, pet stores and do not overlook your local veterinarian. Sometimes kittens are abandoned at the clinic or they may know someone that has had a litter recently.

When choosing your new kitten, there are some things you can look for to try to get one that is healthy.

1. Check for activity, you want a kitten that is playful and affectionate. Avoid one that cowers in the corner of the cage or is hissing at you. You also want to avoid one that is sluggish, it may indicate he is ill.
2. Check the eyes. If the kitten is squinting or has an eye discharge, it could indicate he is coming down with a respiratory infection. If that is the case, all the other kittens in the shelter will probably also be incubating the same infection. Leave and try another place.
3. Check the mouth and gums. If the gums are pale or white, the kitten may be anemic or have some other disease or parasite. Again, try somewhere else.
4. Check the ears, any debris in a kittens ears could be indicative or ear mites. It is also an indicator that the kitten came from somewhere that did not take care of the cats and he may be harboring other diseases, such as leukemia or FIV.
5. Check for parasites, any fleas again indicate that the kitten is not well taken care of.
6. If you are getting the kitten from a family, ask if the mother has been vaccinated and tested for Feline Leukemia. You may also ask the shelter if they have tested for the Feline Leukemia virus. Once you have a kitten, it is wise to test it again. Feline Leukemia and FIV can be passed to the kitten from it’s mother and it some times takes a few months for the tests to detect it.
7. Also check the litter pan. If you see any diarrhea, move on.
8. Getting a sick kitten or rescuing it from an un-healthy environment will only bring you heart break. If you find an individual or a pet store that has ill kittens or is negligent with the health of the kitten, it is better to leave the kitten and then file a report with the SPCA to investigate. If you adopt a sick kitten, and he has Feline Leukemia, FIV or some other diseases, you will be spending lots of money and still may never get him completely healthy.

As soon as you adopt your kitten, take him to your veterinarian for a health exam and a parasite check. There are some parasites that will only show up with a microscopic exam. Get him de-wormed properly, start the vaccinations and use the flea control product your veterinarian recommends

Over the counter medications will NOT rid your cat of the internal parasites that do the most damage and are a waste of your money. Over the counter flea medications can also be toxic and still do not work well. Flea collars are also a waste of your money. Never use a product made for a dog on your cat. Cats are more sensitive to insecticides and it can have dire results. Your veterinarian has your kitten’s health as his (or hers) top priority and is well worth the investment for a long an healthy life.