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Choosing Your Kitten: Personality and Health

How to Choose Your Kitten: Personality and Health

Updated On August 21st, 2000

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Reviewed By Lauren Jones VMD

After deciding to make the commitment to the time and [finances](https://www.petcoach.co/article/cost-of-owning-a-cat/) involved in owning a kitten, the time comes to actually choose one. It is important to consider the personality of the kitten you want, as well as their age, health and appearance.

Age of a Kitten

Kittens are not small puppies. Rules of thumb that apply to dogs do not necessarily apply to cats, and the optimal age for adoption is one of those rules. While the best age to adopt a puppy is 7 to 8 weeks, kittens should be at least 9 weeks of age, and some even suggest 12 weeks of age before adoption. Kittens need a longer period of time with their mothers and siblings to help them learn normal and acceptable behaviors.

Socialization in the Litter

If possible, it is best to choose a kitten from a litter. Observing the interactions between the kittens and the personality of the mother (and father, if possible) may help you to choose a kitten with the desired traits. Though friendly parents may have timid or aggressive kittens if they are not socialized properly, your chance of having a friendly kitten will increase if the parents get along well with people. If the kittens sense a fear of people in their mother, they are more apt to be fearful, too. Adopting kittens from a feral (running wild) cat can be very problematic, especially for people who do not have a lot of experience handling cats.

How and when the kitten was handled from birth has a tremendous impact on the development of the kitten. Kittens who are gently handled by people multiple times a day and who are exposed to many different people and other animals while they are 2-9 weeks of age, are more likely to be friendly and well-adjusted, and generally get along better with people and other animals. Kittens who did not have a lot of human or other animal contact during this period, or who are mistreated or played with roughly, may be more timid or aggressive.

If possible, find a litter that has been in a home environment and is accustomed to the many smells, sights and sounds that are common in a home. If kittens are exposed to vacuum cleaners, kitchen appliances and other items in the house that are noisy when they are 2-8 weeks of age, they will generally be less fearful of them than those who are not exposed until they are older.

Challenges with Hand-Raised or Orphaned Cats

Kittens who do not grow up with their mother or siblings are more likely to have behavior problems as they grow older. By living with their mother and littermates, kittens learn how to properly cope with disturbances, such as their siblings disrupting their sleep. They quickly learn what is acceptable behavior and what is not. Biting and scratching is simply not tolerated by other cats. If hand-reared by people, kittens are less likely to develop inhibitions against these behaviors and are more prone to displaying them. 

Personality Matters

Watch how the kittens in a litter interact with each other. A kitten should be playful, but not too aggressive. Avoid kittens who hide in the corner or appear to bully their siblings. Kittens should be confident, inquisitive and not reluctant to approach people. Kittens who hiss or hide when handled by humans will be much more difficult to raise into friendly cats. The kitten should not cower or show fear when petted on their head. Kittens should readily accept playing with you. Take a string along and drag it on the floor. Well-adjusted and healthy kittens should eagerly pounce on it and want to play. Realize, however, if the kittens have just had a rousing game of tag or wrestling, they may be tired. Kittens are often either very active or sleeping, with not much in between.

Overall Health

You want to be sure that the kitten you select is healthy. There are some obvious things to check for, as listed below. However, always have your kitten checked by your veterinarian, preferably the day you bring the kitten home.

A healthy kitten should have:

  • Clear eyes with no tearing or discharge. The eyes should be fully open, focus normally, and be able to follow your finger or a piece of string dragged across the floor.
  • A clean nose with no nasal discharge, sneezing or labored breathing.
  • Clean ears with no odor, head shaking or scratching. Black granular discharge could indicate an infection with ear mites, bacteria or yeast.
  • Gums that are pink, with no sores or ulcers in the mouth or on the tongue. The teeth should be white and properly aligned. There should be no odor to the breath.
  • An anal area that is clean, with no discoloration or matted fur, or evidence of parasites. For example, tapeworms may look like grains of rice and roundworms may look like strands of spaghetti.
  • A clean, soft coat with no dandruff. There should be no evidence of parasites, such as fleas or lice. Remember that flea dirt may look like tiny black granules, which dissolve into reddish-brown spots on a moistened paper towel. There should be no evidence of scratching, scabs or missing hair. A kitten's coat will usually not appear as glossy as an adult's.
  • A symmetrical body shape, and one that is neither too thin nor has a protruding belly, which could indicate a severe intestinal parasite problem.
  • A good appetite and fully weaned.
  • No lumps or bumps, including at the umbilicus (belly button).
  • Coordinated movement with no head tremors. Some cats may have extra toes (polydactyly), but this rarely causes a problem.

Be aware of the differences in breeds when assessing the health of a cat. For instance, the ears of a Scottish fold cat are naturally folded forward and downward. Siamese kittens may appear thin because of the length of their bodies and limbs.

Article by: Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, and Lauren Jones, VMD

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