Читать книгу The Cat Owners Handbook - Graham Meadows - Страница 34

Many non-pedigree kittens are offered for homes from six to eight weeks of age. At this age they should have been properly weaned and socialize well into their new homes. They still need toilet training, and are unlikely to have had any vaccinations.

Play fighting is an important part of the kitten’s mental and physical development, where the animals learn to attack others and defend themselves.

By contrast, responsible pedigree breeders will not usually allow their kittens to go to a new home until they are at least 12 weeks old. By this time they are house-trained and have received their first course of vaccinations.

A kitten may be far more appealing than an adult, and fulfil your need to nurture a young animal. You will have less idea of what its temperament will eventually be, but the way a kitten is handled and brought up will influence its character, and properly treated the vast majority of kittens turn out be ideal cat companions.

When deciding between kitten and adult, do remember that animal shelters have juvenile and adult cats waiting for, and deserving of, a good home. Some pedigree adults become surplus to breeders’ requirements and, after neutering, are available as pets, and it is easier to determine the temperament of an adult cat.