When buying a cat don't look at the animal first.
I know this sounds counter intuitive and the first thing we want to do is pick up and cuddle those loveable little fur balls but don't.
First take a look at the environment she and her litter mates have been raised in.
You are wanting a companion animal that has been well socialized and who is healthy.
You can tell a lot about how easily the cats or kittens you see will fit into your home by first considering how their parents have been raised.
The difference between feral cats and the ones purring contentedly in the lap of luxury is basically luck and socialization.
For a cat to be friendly with humans she needs to know that humans aren't the enemy.
Cats must be socialized very carefully and frequently from an early age for them to fit easily into life in our homes.
That being said...
I must admit that I've seen a few former feral cats who've done OK as pets if their owners don't expect them to be "cuddle buddies".
All in all, cats are amazing for their ability to step back and forth between the line of tame and wild.
It's amazing, before their eyes are even open your new kitty began learning about their world.
What's safe and what's not.
Who and what will be a part of their world.
When other animals and people are a part of that world from the beginning kittens become much better pets.
They are more loving, attentive and playful because they know what to expect and who to trust.
Without interaction with people from this early age all the kindness and attention in the world won't matter much.
A kitten raised away from people will always be tentative and shy around humans.
This is why you must consider how your prospective new kitty has been raised BEFORE you fall in love with how she looks, purrs etc.
Also make sure proper care was given to the momma cat during her pregnancy and after as well.
Proper care of the mother and frequent handling of the kittens is absolutely essential to having loving, outgoing and relaxed companion cats.
Stress to the mother cat can negatively effect her kittens both before and after birth.
Studies have shown that if a mother cat isn't fed properly her kittens are slow to develop and may never fully develop either mentally or emotionally.
I know this sounds counter intuitive and the first thing we want to do is pick up and cuddle those loveable little fur balls but don't.
First take a look at the environment she and her litter mates have been raised in.
You are wanting a companion animal that has been well socialized and who is healthy.
You can tell a lot about how easily the cats or kittens you see will fit into your home by first considering how their parents have been raised.
The difference between feral cats and the ones purring contentedly in the lap of luxury is basically luck and socialization.
For a cat to be friendly with humans she needs to know that humans aren't the enemy.
Cats must be socialized very carefully and frequently from an early age for them to fit easily into life in our homes.
That being said...
I must admit that I've seen a few former feral cats who've done OK as pets if their owners don't expect them to be "cuddle buddies".
All in all, cats are amazing for their ability to step back and forth between the line of tame and wild.
It's amazing, before their eyes are even open your new kitty began learning about their world.
What's safe and what's not.
Who and what will be a part of their world.
When other animals and people are a part of that world from the beginning kittens become much better pets.
They are more loving, attentive and playful because they know what to expect and who to trust.
Without interaction with people from this early age all the kindness and attention in the world won't matter much.
A kitten raised away from people will always be tentative and shy around humans.
This is why you must consider how your prospective new kitty has been raised BEFORE you fall in love with how she looks, purrs etc.
Also make sure proper care was given to the momma cat during her pregnancy and after as well.
Proper care of the mother and frequent handling of the kittens is absolutely essential to having loving, outgoing and relaxed companion cats.
Stress to the mother cat can negatively effect her kittens both before and after birth.
Studies have shown that if a mother cat isn't fed properly her kittens are slow to develop and may never fully develop either mentally or emotionally.
Source...