You have decided to get a cat

1.1 Cat as a pet

Cats are always mysterious, fine and are a source of charm for the person throughout the history. A cat was admired, then pursued, and now it is loved again. Cats are perfect for the city life of the society of our century. Both thoroughbred and ordinary cats are attractive, grateful and  easy in keeping pets. Irreplaceable partners of people of all age and nationalities, they are very changeable: fearless hunters one minute and purring fans of comfort in another.

1.2 What breed to choose?

It is possible to get acquainted with different breeds at the exhibitions, and also through catalogs and atlases of cat breeds. At the exhibition the owner of the animal you liked will tell in detail all about the pupil, about the breed he cultivates, will show cats` photos from the cattery and will tell, when the next litter is expected.
Don't hesitate, ask in detail about the temperament, leaving, character, habits, health, about everything that you are interested in. As a rule, the owner of the cat answers the questions with great pleasure if not to tell - inspiration.
To make your choice successful, attentively look at yourself and your family from outside. What are you? What would you want to bring in the house? If it is vivacity you look for then vigorous orientals, rexes, Persian colorpoints, somali; if you don't have an opportunity to look after a fur coat of a cat daily, than long-haired Persians are not for you; if you love silence in the house talkative Siameses will irritate you; if you are a fan of everything rare, the original, hairless sphinxes just that breed which will underline your extravagance. Every cat has its character, but, nevertheless, every breed has its unique features — you are to choose.

1.3 Male or female?

Often people, wishing to get a kitten, ask, who is better: a male or a female? This question has no answer at all, a choice between a male and a female — a case of personal predilections. The only thing that can help with this question, is to tell about the difficulties the future owners of courageous handsome males and gentle coquettish females would face.
Basically these difficulties are connected with sexual instincts. Having reached pubescent age, the females start to demand the spouse several times a year loudly and persistently .With some kitties it happens twice a year, with the others — every 2-3 months, and even more often. All cats have estrus differently, but anyway this is a considerable anxiety. But if you love small kittens and you have free time to take care of the cat's family, then everything is all right.
Sexual problems aren't alien for males too - the matured cat to attract the probable ladyloves can start to mark the territory what your apartment is. And though the specific smell of urine of the mature cat is irresistible for females, but it hardly will be pleasant to you.
But whoever you choose, it is necessary to make clear at once, for what purpose you get an animal. If you  decided to breed the cats then the question is only in your desire, knowledge and experience. But if you don't have time and desire to take up the problems of breeding, than the true and fair decision will be the castration of the animal.
Having dared for this step, in many respects not only you will win, but also your pupil. For cats this operation is simple enough - both testes are severed. Operation takes place in clinic, but this very day the animal can be taken away home. Contrary to all prejudices castration doesn't affect at all a psychological condition of the cat, in most cases  it becomes simply more easy and more tender.
It is considered that operation is better to be made at the age of seven months when organism formation basically comes to an end. In this case the sexual instinct has no further development, and the cat remains indifferent to females, doesn't mark territory, its urine has no sharp, unpleasant smell. In the rest he behaves the way its ungelded colleagues-cats do, and at all has no doubts about itself. If the cat has been castrated after one or several copulations, it, most likely, will keep interest to females and even can mate with them, but there will be no brood. Such cats can be used to cover the temperamental females who flow more often, than they are allowed to have brood.
At females the castration is connected with difficulties at least because the operation has cavitary character.
There are two ways to prevent the pregnancy by the surgical way — gonads removal with  uterus and pipes and bandaging of uterine pipes.

At bandaging of uterine pipes the female cat has regular estruses and it is still attractive for male cats. At uterus and uterine pipes, gonads removal, the female cat has no estrus and any sexual problems, and also all illnesses connected with sexual system vanish. As for which of two variants of castration to prefer, it is up to you to choose, for this purpose it is necessary to consult with the veterinary surgeon.It is recommended to perform such operation after the first estrus, better not earlier than 8-10 months. In this case the operation is easy and there is a  small probability of complications. Operation isn't reflected in mentality of a cat by no means, simply she will stop to dream about the fantastic prince several times  a year and won't exhaust your nerves with night concerts. In the rest it remains the same gentle, clever and beautiful kitty.

1.4 Age of a chosen kitten

It is better to take the kitten away from its mother at the age of 3 months. Certainly, it is possible  to do it earlier, but in any way not earlier than 2 months. For the cats living in more natural conditions, for example in villages, the cat's family often breaks up only when mum-cat will bring a new litter. By this time the previous kittens usually already possess a set of molars and come nearer to mature age. Once I observed, how a rural domestic kitty, having week kittens, fed up the extracted mice to  the overage daughter from the previous litter. In this respect it is necessary to trust a parent instinct — it is more obvious for a cat  when its kittens are ready to begin an independent life.

After two months kittens have basically the generated mentality and have already passed the initial stages of socialization. It is very important for the future mental health of your cat. The kittens one month old are very lovely and touching, but they only have approached to a threshold of dialogue with similar and with people, they have no life experience, and you should become a mother, a friend and a teacher for the kid. It is, of course, tempting enough, but hardly the person can cope with such difficult role, therefore it is better to entrust it to mum-cat and to suffer 1,5 - 2 months. A kitten and you only will win from it. In this time the kitten will receive a stock of initial knowledge from mother, concept about hygiene, will develop physically in rough games with brothers and sisters. Do  not be afraid that a completely generated person will get to your hands  - after all you aren't going to get the subordinate for yourself , and it is better at once to prepare for dialogue of equal with equal. It in a greater degree concerns the Persian cats as they are especially pets and, having got to the constant owner, very seldom communicate with similar. If a kitten have been taken away from mother at very early age, it excludes the further accumulation of experience of dialogue with fellow tribesmen and further at copulations, a birth and education of kittens the kitten can play the negative role, therefore all stock of knowledge on mutual relation with relatives should be received, living with mother.

1.5 What to pay attention to at a choice of a kitten?

You can live with the cat for 14 and more years so it is important to choose a kitten who will grow and becomes a healthy and happy adult animal. Don't buy a weak and painful kitten only because you feel pity for it. Doing it you can involve yourselves in big veterinary expenses and can test a great grief in case of  the kitten`s death.
Choosing a kitten, you should take into consideration, from what house it occurs, and also a state of health of his mother. If it is possible, you should observe, how the kitten plays to check it up about a lameness. It would be ideal, if kittens are not torn off from mother to 10 or 12 weeks age.
At purchase of a kitten pay attention to obligatory presence of Pet Passport with marks about vaccinations. The kitten should be necessarily vaccinated from virus infectious diseases and, it is desirable, from skinny.
A pedigree kitten is always sold with documents about the origin where the nickname of a kitten, number of its family tree, breed, color, gender, date of birth, the data about its parents and the information about the breeder is underlined.

Photo 1.5.1 Ears should be pure and without excrements. Constant combing - a sign of pincers

Photo 1.5.2 Eyes should be pure, clear and without excrements. The third century should not be visible.

Photo 1.5.3 The nose should be cool and damp without excrements or crusts round nostrils.

Photo 1.5.4 Mouth and gums should be light pink, and from a mouth there should not be a smell.

Photo 1.5.5 The stomach should be roundish, but not blown up that can be a sign of round worms presence.

Photo 1.5.6 The back part should be pure, without signs of diarrhea or any excrements from genitals.

Photo 1.5.7 Fur - a good indicator of health of a kitten; it should be shining without signs of fleas.

1.6 How to determine the sex of a kitten?

The females have anus and vagina located close; a male has anus and penis - on distance.

Photos 1.6.1

1.7 If you have got an adult cat

When you bring an adult cat to the house, it already has habits, small whims which, probably, will irritate you. As it is known, to bring up is always easier, than to re-educate, but also here don't give in at the first failures, don't think that you've done all you could before exposing a rebel from the house. You simply underestimate yourself. Just remember that any cat is "Its Majesty the Cat", and  it is impossible at once to make it change the habits. To beat a cat is worse than it is useless; it can be disciplined only with patience, in no way with beating.

It can appear that the new member of your family is pathologically tidy, patiently waits at a saucer on a floor for the next portion of meal , modestly is content with a foot rug, and you should show all your persistence to drag it in bed and purr a duet.

1.8 Practical test for character definition

These simple tests will allow you to understand the character of your kitten faster and  better.

1. The test for socialization 

Observe a kitten on a distance:

If he runs up to you, rubs about your feet or plays with your laces, means, socialization has passed normally.
If it is timid, aspires to escape at your approach, means, socialization hasn't passed properly, and it is necessary to return again to this stage. Give more  toys to the kitten and try to find time to play with it.

2. The test with a foil ball
Roll a ball from the crumpled foil in front of your kitten. If it reacts not at once, means, it is timid or indifferent to movement round itself.

3. The test for propensity to domination
The kitten who easy allows to stroke  itself on a stomach when it lies on a back, has accepted yours "parental authority", it will be obedient and sociable. If the kitten beats off and tries to scratch you, means, it is capable of unpredictable reactions, for example, nibbling as a caress expression.

4. The test with a loud sound 
Loudly clap, so that the kitten  didn't see.it. If it shows curiosity and remains quiet, means, it is brought up in the rich and stimulating environment. If it is afraid, runs away, means, you should acquaint him with various sounds and other displays of world around that he has got used to a variety of sensations.