Where do pet kittens come from? Shelters, breeders, and feral environments are the three major sources of feline pets in today’s U.S. households. As recently as 28 years ago, statistically as many as 17% to over 30% of cat owners obtained their pets as strays. Today, cats are also likely to come from shelter adoptions or are purchased from recognized, knowledgeable breeders. However, many first-time cat owners may not understand why organizations such as the Cat Fanciers’ Association advocate waiting until the kitten is 16 weeks, or at the very least, 12 weeks, before it goes to a new home. Shelters, which may be pressed for space/time/services, sometimes encourage the earliest possible adoption and place kittens as soon their first inoculations are safely in place.
For first-time cat buyers, the breeder should give every available bit of advice and help. But it begins with selecting the right cat or kitten, and most people want young kittens without having the knowledge of how young is good for both kitten and owner. The views of conscientious breeders are discussed below, in conjunction with reasons CFA requires kittens to be 16 weeks old before they can enter a show hall, whether for exhibit, competition, or sale.
Proper Socialization vs. “Survival”
A properly raised, well-socialized kitten will be at ease with people and other cats or pets. It will be able to tolerate noises and distractions in a normal home. Older kittens are generally better with young children in inverse proportion—the younger the child, the older the kitten/cat; the older the child, the younger the kitten that can safely be introduced to the household. Both situations should be tempered, however, with observation of the child’s awareness and empathy for a small animal.1
Denne historien er fra April 2024-utgaven av Cat Talk.
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Denne historien er fra April 2024-utgaven av Cat Talk.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Checklist For What to Look For in Your Club's Next Show Venue
Show Manager To Ring One, Please
Tonkinese
When You're Well and Truly Tonked
AVOIDING The Kitten Fear Period
Young kittens seem fearless.4 As soon as those eyes open and they can get their legs under them, they are off to see the world if their mama and humans let them.
No Milk For You!
Milk Issues and Kittens
Fostering Kittens
When asked if I would be interested in fostering a queen and her eight newborn kittens, I volunteered without question.
Do You present ? Polish! OR DO YOU
IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS!
No Kitten! Cats Are Part of the Military!
Felines have graced the decks of boats and ships back nearly to the beginning of time, roaming freely on passenger ships, war vessels, and merchant schooners, keeping vermin at bay.
Feline Summer Movie Fun!
School is almost OUT! Huzzah! But raindrops are plunking against the window, the amusement and water parks haven’t opened yet, camping is out, and roasted hot dogs and S’mores are another month away.
Kittens Are Special...
...and so are some of the show rules for them:
Genetic Pleiotropy and the Risks in Breeding Recessive Mutations
Nearly everyone loves what’s rare and unique. A slight defect in the minting process of a coin can create a demand and a value well beyond the face value of the coin. The coin is functionally no different than its perfectly minted counterpart, but its scarcity and uniqueness alone make it more desirable than the rest.
