You must first decide whether or not you want a kitten or a cat. There are advantages and disadvantages to each. A kitten will adjust more easily to your lifestyle than will an adult cat. But, an adult cat will already have gone through that rambunctious, crazy period. It is easier to recognize the personality type, e.g., shy or outgoing, if the cat is half-grown or older. The most important consideration is whether or not the cat is healthy and psychologically undamaged.

What do you look for in a cat? Many white, blue-eyed cats are born deaf. Longhaired cats, for the most part, are calmer and more docile than short-haired. Long-haired cats usually cause more allergies. We could go on and on.

Whatever cat you select, you must first determine your own needs and level of commitment. A deaf cat, for example, will make an excellent pet but may take special training.

Whatever the breed, pure or mixed, any cat will be a good pet if you have been careful in your selection and are determined to teach her through praise and reward rather than through punishment.

It is best not to choose the runt of the litter. Too often, they do not get enough nourishment, having to fight brothers and sisters for a place at the lunch counter. This sometimes results in health and behavior problems. Also, many runts are excessively aggressive, learned from fighting for their rightful place or, on the other hand, they can turn into shy adults.

Choose a cat or kitten that is healthy. Choose one that is weaned no earlier than eight weeks. Research shows that the longer a kitten stays with her mother, up to sixteen weeks, the more sociable she is with other cats. Sociability is an important factor in selecting a cat or kitten. It is important for a kitten to be socialized to people. This is accomplished by the caregiver, taking each kitten out of the litter on a regular basis and letting her be handled by a variety of humans. At a very early age, a kitten should be socialized to dogs so that when she is an adult she will know what a dog is all about and will not be frightened by one.

If you are a person allergic to cats, select one with short hair and then spend time each week brushing and combing her. There are cat shampoos which will render the cat's hair allergy free. A daily rubdown with a towel soaked in distilled water will remove the dried saliva (dander) that causes allergies.

In testing a cat for her sociability to people, pick her up and see if she is content to let you hold her. If she struggles to get free, she may not be a good choice. Pick her up and put her next to your face. If she purrs spontaneously, she is contented to be with humans. Put her on the floor and see if she stays close and wants to be with you or if she runs away.