A lot of Persian kittens are sold at six weeks by people who are breeding for money and nothing else. The kitten is adorable, goes home, and is at the vet within a fortnight.
What to check in person:
- Age. Eight to twelve weeks minimum, litter-trained, eating solid food. Six weeks is too young no matter what the seller says.
- Eyes. Some tearing is normal in a flat-faced cat. Thick discharge, crusting or a squint is not.
- Nose and breathing. Any rattling or sneezing means walk away.
- Ears. Dark crumbly wax is ear mites.
- Coat and skin. Part the fur and look at the skin. Circular bald patches with crusty edges are ringworm, which is contagious to you as well as to the cat.
- Belly. A pot belly on a thin kitten is worms.
- The mother. Ask to see her. If you cannot, ask why.
What else do you check, and has anyone bought a kitten that turned out to be sick? What did it cost to put right?