Choosing a Kitten: Health Signs to Check

A kitten is a very special and precious thing. It is easy to get swept up in emotions when choosing a kitten. Remember that you need to do a check of their health before you bring your kitten home. This will save both you and the kitten future trouble.

Coat

A kittens coat should be smooth and soft to the touch. There should not be any bald patches. Be sure to check for fleas and ticks before bringing the kitten home. If the kitten is scratching often this is one sign. Fleas look like tiny brown speaks on the fur, they leave behind small black dot droppings and these are a sign as well.

Eyes

The kittens eyes should be dry, not watery. There should be no discharge coming from it's eyes. The third eyelid should not be visible as this is a sign that the kitten is ill or it's eye is damaged. You should also test the kittens eye sight. While covering one of the kittens eyes move your finger slowly towards the other eye. The kitten should blink. Repeat this process for both eyes.

Nose

The kittens nose should not be too dry. It should feel velvety to the touch and be slightly moist. There should not be any discharge. The kitten should be breathing steadily, not with labor or unevenly. If it's breathing sounds wrong it may be a sign of infection or possible something more serious.

Ears

The kittens ears should be clean. The ears should also be dry and relatively free from wax. dark colored wax is a sign of ear mites. The kitten should not be scratching it's ears as this is a wanning sign.

Mouth

Open the kittens mouth gently but firmly. It should have pale pink gums. Healthy gums are a sign of a healthy kitten. It's teeth should be white and its breath should be odor free.

Abdomen & Rear

The kittens abdomen should be round. Its should not be swollen looking or engorged. Be sure to check that the kittens rear is clean. If they seem to have diarrhea this could be a sign of illness or allergy. Diarrhea is more dangerous to kittens than to cat because they get dehydrated quickly.

By checking your new kitten before you bring them home you can avoid both illness for you kitten and preventable veterinarian bills for you.