One of the most popular pets to give as a gift for young children is often a kitten; their playful temperaments and small size make them not only great companions but also provide a lot of fun for kids. Before purchasing a cat as gift, either for your own children or others, or deciding they would make a great pet for your family there are a few things you need to consider.

First and foremost is what type of cat do you want? Deciding on the breed means weighing up things like whether you have time to care for certain breeds (long coats, medical problems that may be common with certain breeds etc) and how easy or costly it may be to find and buy your chosen breed. Once you’ve researched the pros and cons of a variety of breeds of cat you need to then find a reputable breeder; visit your vet, or local cat association etc and speak to as many sources as you can to discover the best breeder to purchase from.

If you’re not particularly fussy on what breed of cat you want, you may be more inclined to visit a local pet store or animal welfare. Purchasing or adopting a cat or kitten from these locations may still require a little research. Find out as much as you can about the cat before you bring it home: do they know the breed and age of the cat/kitten, has it received its vaccinations or have any known health issues etc.

Once you’ve decided on your breed and where you are going to obtain your new pet from there are still a few requirements you need to fulfil before bringing it home.

Make sure you know which food products are recommended (either from your breeder or what the pet store has previously fed it) you will also want to obtain a few toys, a collar (and possible a lead) and things like kitty litter and trays etc. Decide on where you want your cat to sleep (at least until it has settled in) by sectioning off a room of your house it will give your feline friend the chance to settle in quicker and there is less chance of it getting into trouble if it has free reign of the house. You will also want to talk to your local vet to discuss things like worming, flea control and other health related issues that may arise. Before brining your new pet home you may also want to discuss with your breeder or pet store the best ways to toilet train your kitten and cover any other issues that may arise, particularly if you’ve never been owned by a cat before.

When you first bring your new kitten home it may be a little shy to start so be prepared to give it some space to explore its new surroundings. It won’t take long for it to settle in and start playing.

Remember too, particularly if you’re planning on gifting a kitten to someone else, cats have a long lifespan so the new owners need to not only have lots of love to share with their new pet but also the time, energy and space to care for it.

Cats can be wonderful companions to those that are willing to share their lives with them.