Tips on Choosing an Affectionate Kitten

Choosing just the right kitten is an important decision. Finding a kitten that has an affectionate personality is important to many people. Owners who want to be regarded as more than simply a "walking can opener" should spend some time checking out kittens as much as possible before making a final decision. While it is easy to be swayed by a kitten's looks, people who want a cat to cuddle with need to make a decision based on factors beyond a pretty face.

  1. View the Family

    • It is best to see a kitten interacting with his litter mates to get an idea of how the group as a whole behaves and how the different kittens fit into the group. It is also a good idea to meet both parents if at all possible. While a friendly mother and father are no guarantee of an affectionate kitten, fearful parents, especially the mother, are likely to pass this trait on to their kittens. A kitten that is comfortable with his litter mates and parents is likely to do well in a new environment.

    Socialization

    • Ask plenty of questions about how the kittens have been raised. Kittens that are handled and played with every day are much more likely to show affection than those that are left alone most of the time. It is a good idea to look for a kitten that has been raised in a normal home, with ordinary household sounds and activities going on around him. Lots of visitors handling and petting the kittens will help, too, as such kittens have become used to the ideas that people are a source of pleasure and that noises in the home are not to be feared.

    Personality

    • Prospective owners should spend some time watching kittens play together, to try to get an idea of each kitten̵7;s personality. When looking for an affectionate pet, avoid any that bully their litter mates or who seem afraid of everything. A good choice is the kitten who plays well with the others and that will come to you when invited to do so. He should also show an interest in playing -- doing things such as chasing and pouncing on a string or feather.

    Hand-Reared Kittens

    • While it may seem that a hand-reared kitten is bound to be the most affectionate, this is often not the case. Since the kitten missed growing up with a mother and siblings, such a kitten is likely to be overly aggressive, biting and scratching more than normal. This is due to the fact that the cat did not experience normal family life, with all of the corrections and frustrations that growing up in a litter of kittens entails, so the kitten doesn̵7;t know what is appropriate and what is not. Experts agree that it is hard to train a hand-reared kitten that is too aggressive.