How to Pick the Right Kitten

Before you go out to select a cat, think about what you want from your new pet. Do you want a "lap-cat"? A playful-cat?, an independent cat?

Visit your Local Humane Society.
Once in the Cat area of your humane society, wash your hands and wash them often. The idea is to avoid spreading kitty-colds to other cats.

The best place to start is with the cat's age. Four to six months old lets you avoid the little kitten stage, which can be fun or exhausting depending on your point of view. Male cats seem to be prone to more health issues but also seem to make better lap-cats. But all cats are different so go with behavior over gender.

Look at all the cats, watching for energetic and attentive cats.
Some cats will be watching "you". Some people say, "People don't pick cats, they pick you." Once you see a cat that you feel a kinship with, take him/her into a room and hold the cat. If you want a lap cat, you want to see if the cat will stay with you or try to get down. Some cats do not like to be held, others will lean into you and soak up your affection. Keep this in mind when picking a cat.

Narrow your choices down to two cats. Take them both into a room and see if they get along even a small amount. These 2 cats need to like each other which leads up to my last step.