Choosing the type of cat you will adopt or purchase is, of course, the first exciting step you will take on your journey to cat ownership. You will need to consider several factors such as age (do you want a kitten or an older cat), sex (would a male or female cat suit you best), health (could you commit to adopting a cat with a health condition), and how the cat will fit in with your lifestyle. Some cats, such as valuable pedigrees, are best suited to an indoor life whilst others will be more at home outdoors, so that is another factor to consider. If you have a large yard, could you build a cat run for the cat to use during the day?

Whilst it can be a major problem when your new cat begins using your furniture as a scratching post, this can be rectified by purchasing or making some specific toys and posts that your cat can use to sharpen his claws. Once your cat is trained to use these rather than your sofa and curtains, this should no longer be an issue. Whatever you do, please never consider declawing your cat as an option- read the horrific facts about declawing here.

There are a number of cat breeds available and each has its own characteristics. Whilst there is not such a difference between cat breeds as there are dog breeds, there are still some breeds which may or may not suit you. For instance, Persian cats need grooming every day to ensure that their coats stay tangle free, and Siamese cats can be very vocal. If you want to buy a pedigree (purebred) cat, then you should do some thorough research on the breeds that interest you.

Once you have made your choice, you can look forwards to years of happy cat ownership.