How to choose a healthy kitten

 You have already firmly decided to get a cat and went to choose a kitten. It doesn’t matter if you chose a purebred or outbred animal, but it is important that the pet is healthy. How to choose a healthy kitten?  

What does a healthy kitten look like?

• The eyes of a healthy kitten are bright and clear, with no discharge.
• A healthy kitten’s ears are clean and show no signs of ear mites or other infections—there are no black lumps or crusts.
• Look into the baby’s mouth: the gums and tongue of a healthy kitten are not pale, but pink.
• If the kitten sneezes and flows from the nose, this should alert.
• The coat of a healthy kitten is shiny and clean. Bald spots can be a sign of scabies or other diseases.
• Be sure to part the coat and check the skin – in a healthy kitten it is clean, with no signs of irritation or scratching.
• The tummy of a healthy kitten is not swollen. A swollen abdomen may indicate the presence of parasites.
• Pet the kitten and look at his reaction: is he shying away and hiding, or is he trying to be friendly?

Even a healthy kitten needs a vet

In any case, even if you have chosen a healthy kitten, it does not hurt to get the contacts of a veterinarian in advance. It is great if you can choose a veterinarian on the recommendation of cat owners whose opinion you trust. After all, you need to communicate with the veterinarian regularly, and it is better that you feel calm with him. If you find a veterinarian in advance, so much the better. He will be able to recommend a good breeder or shelter contacts where you are more likely to choose a healthy kitten. Ideally, you should take your kitten to the vet before bringing it home, especially if you have other pets. If the veterinarian does detect health problems, you can start treatment faster and (in the case of an infectious disease) prevent other animals from becoming infected.