What Is a Healthy Cat?

More than hundred million pet cats live in the houses in the world.

What is it about these creatures that has made them world’s most
popular pet in the last decade?
Is it their grace and beauty? Or is it their
ability to be somewhat independent and fit into our busy lifestyles?

Regardless of the reasons, it is definitely cool to be a cat owner.
You have also decided to become a cat owner—or at least, you’d
like to think it was your decision.

In reality, it is often the cat who chooses you.
Each cat has a unique personality and different behavior
patterns, so I hope you will find the perfect fit for your household.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A HEALTHY CAT

Bright eyes, a shiny coat and an alert disposition are all characteristics
of a healthy cat. Healthy cats have good appetites, groom themselves
well and interact with their owners.There is no one best place to find
a healthy cat, so in your search consider local shelters, breeders, neighbors,
friends, coworkers and veterinary clinics and hospitals.

The most important factor in choosing a healthy cat is a good personality.
You can tell a lot about personality even with kittens.

Cat Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook, Fully Revised and Updated

To test a cat’s personality, hold her in your arms and see if she is relaxed or tense.

Cradle her upside down in your arms, like a baby, and again, see how
she reacts. If you are looking for an affectionate cat, and the one you are
testing will not let you hold her for more than a second, you may want to reconsider your choice or plan to do some work on gaining the cat’s trust and training her to relax.
Two to seven weeks of age is the period considered to be critical to
a kitten’s socialization. Kittens who are handled by many people and
interact with other cats and animals during this time tend to adjust better
socially as adults. Ask about a cat’s early experiences when you are
considering her for adoption.

The next test is to touch the animal’s ears, gently open her mouth
and touch her toes. Again, the more the cat is willing to let you handle
her, the more likely she is to be trusting of you in general.
If you put the cat down and walk away, is she interested in you?
Does she follow you? I do think there is chemistry between certain cats and certain
people. Is the cat alert, responsive and playful?

Test this by throwing a small toy, or even make one from a ball of paper.

All these little tests will give you some idea of what the cat’s personality is like.

Even with a very healthy kitten, the health care costs for a kitten for
the first year are generally higher than they are for an adult cat.
Kittens have less well-developed immune systems than adult cats, so they are
more susceptible to infections. They also require more routine health
care during their first year of life than older cats do. This includes initial
vaccines, viral and fecal testing and spaying or neutering.