Choosing a Kitten If you're getting a kitten, try to choose one
you can see with her mother and siblings. If you can, meet the
father, too, although this is often not possible. Every kitten
differs somewhat from his parents and siblings, but many
personality and behavioral traits are inherited, and kittens
learn a lot from their mothers. If the mother is calm and
friendly with people, chances are her kittens will be, too. If
mama cat is shy or un-friendly, her kittens might not be very
social, either. How a kitten is handled also has a profound
effect on his development and attitude. A kitten who is handled
gently and frequently by different people from his first few
days onward and who is exposed to other gentle animals will be
more social throughout his life than kittens who are ignored or
mistreated during their first few weeks. If he has been exposed
to the sights, sounds, and smells of a normal household during
this period, he'll be better adjusted and more confident than a
kitten raised away from people