HOW OLD SHOULD THE KITTEN BE TO BRING HOME?
The kitten that you bring home should be ideally 12 weeks old. By doing so, you ensure that the kitten has developed excellent litter box habits, is fully physically and psychologically weaned and has been vaccinated twice. When the kitten is given the first vaccination, at about 7-9 weeks old, this vaccine completely knocks out all the antibodies and protection left from the kitten's mother, and until the kitten receives his second vaccination, he is somewhat more vulnerable to contracting an illness. The second vaccination, given normally at about 12 weeks, is the one to which the kitten's own immune system actually mounts a strong defense, and the kitten is then protected for travel. Usually, the new owner provides the third vaccination at about 16 weeks of age.
 

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BE SURE THE KITTEN IS HEALTHY: 
When selecting your kitten, be sure that the kitten looks well-fed, with a slightly plump tummy, and the eyes should be clear with no watery discharge. Do not purchase/adopt a kitten younger than 10 weeks old, or you will be asking for trouble. 12 weeks of age or older is best. Check the environment carefully where the kitten came from to determine how well-kept and socialized the environment has been for the kitten. It is also very helpful to see and meet the parents of the kitten, whenever possible. The kitten's ears should be clean and pink, and the kitten should not be sniffling or sneezing. Also look out for bald, patchy places on the coat. A healthy kitten should be very alert, and curious, and after a possible initial period of shyness, should relax and exhibit a friendly, playful attitude towards you.
 

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PREPARING FOR BRINGING YOUR KITTEN HOME:
You will need to have the following items on hand before bringing home your new kitten:

1. Litterbox, that are not too deep and difficult for your new kitten to climb into.
    
   Litter for the litterbox you might be surprised at how picky some kittens can be. Some cats prefer the very finely grained litter, and some prefer the coarser types. Don't give up if your kitten does not seem pleased at first they will definitely let you know when you have hit upon the right mixture.
   (Take the help of the breeder in order to know what the kitten is used to).

2. Scratching Posts (Or Some Type of Cat Furniture)!! They are invaluable in your training your kitten to avoid harming your furniture. Scratching their claws is a healthy, natural instinct for a kitten and cat, and providing them with the right place to do that will keep you both happy. Be aware that some cats prefer rough surfaces like sisal rope…others go crazy for plain old carpet.

3. Grooming tools suitable for the breed of your kitten; such as brush and comb for a long-haired kitten/cat, or flea comb or special brush for short-haired cats. You'll also need clippers for their nails, not the "human" kind of scissors. Get the clippers made especially for cats, which you can find in quality pet stores. Trimming the kitten's nails should be a straightforward
   fact of life, and you certainly don't want to hurt the kitten by cutting into the "quick" or splitting the nails.

4. Certain types of plastic, wood, and even some types of ceramic bowls may contain tiny cracks that can harbor potentially harmful bacteria. Most professionals recommend using glass and stainless steel food and water bowls, and cleaning them regularly.

5. Providing kittens with suitable toys helps to ensure they fulfill their need of playing.  Be careful to avoid toys with small strings or beads that can be swallowed and stuck in the kitten's throat or intestinal tract.

6. You'll need to have a carrier for the safety of traveling with your kitten, and trips to the vet. The carrier should be large enough for the kitten to stand up in and turn around. Choose a sturdy carrier with plenty of ventilation, that will still allow your kitten to stand up and turn around in when she is fully grown.

7. Have the right, nutritious food on hand. Changes in diet and water, even litter and environment can cause minor diarrhea and other problems.

8. A nice cozy bed is a great idea for the new member of the family. Your kitten will soon know that this is her/his special place. Choose a bed that is well constructed and machine washable.

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DEVELOPMENT OF A KITTEN:
At birth, a kitten usually weighs about 3 ounces, and gains about a half an ounce a day of muscle, bone, organ development, and body systems.
   
Around the 7th to 14th day, the kitten's eyes open (the eyes may open separately, and one eye may open as much as a week later than the first eye), and they are fully functional at 2 weeks of age. In the second or third week, the kitten's outer ears straighten, and by the third week, the kitten begins to crawl, gradually learning to straighten her/his legs.
 
By the fourth or fifth week, the kitten has developed enough curiosity as well as mobility skills to really begin to explore her/his environment. The mother cat is beginning to encourage and teach her kittens how to use the litter box. Make sure that there are several litter boxes available throughout the area where the kittens are, that are small enough for your kitten to easily climb in and out of (small cake pans work quite well for these first training litter boxes!)
  
By the sixth week, the kitten can retract its claws (which have previously been extended!) and has a very keen sense of smell and sight. At this time, the kitten will also start serious playing and grooming, although it may struggle to keep its balance at first!! This is also the time when the baby teeth have come in, and is a clear signal when the kitten is ready for a solid food diet. Get the kitten used to chomping down on plastic drinking straws for their biting and teething needs, and be sure to teach the kitten the difference as to toys and straws are for biting,
NOT human hands or body parts (which are reserved for giving and receiving love).
 
At around 10 to 12 weeks of age, the blue kitten eye color gradually settles towards the permanent eye color; however, this can vary tremendously with each kitten, and their full eye color pigmentation may not be achieved until the kitten is from 1 to 2 years old.
 
At four months of age, the kitten may begin "teething" again as she will begin to lose her baby teeth and grow her permanent ones, a process which will continue until the age of eight months. Plastic drinking straws make great, inexpensive teething toys and training aids to teach kitty that straws and toys are for biting, and human hands are for giving and receiving love!!
 
The kitten can officially be called a "teenager" from the age of 6 months to 1 year, and by the eighth month, this teenager is sexually mature and will have behaviors such as calling, mounting and possibly spraying (even females can spray when they are kept whole) - so it is critical that you will have already had your female spayed or your male neutered at around 5-6 months old - BEFORE they become sexually mature and start those hormonal behaviors.
 

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POTENTIAL HOUSEHOLD DANGERS TO AVOID:

1. Keep all sharp objects such as utensils, knives, razors, etc. safely in drawers or holders so they won't get stepped on or chewed.

2. Kittens and cats are attracted to warm areas, and washers and dryers are notorious temptations for furry warm sleeping bodies!!

3. Toilet lids should always be kept down to avoid a kitten falling in and drowning.

4. Watch out for rocking chairs and recliners, which can trap a kitten if you don't know they are underfoot.

5. Household cleaners are poisonous to cats, and antifreeze in particular should be kept in a secured cabinet out of harm's (and kitty's) way.

6. Speaking of poison, cats naturally like to supplement their meat-eating diet with greens, and indoor cats will usually go after any houseplants that may be about. Be aware that many houseplants are poisonous to cats!! 

7. You can also grow catnip and fresh grass indoors for your feline's vegetarian cravings. It's best not to keep real houseplants indoors when you have young kittens as it is unrealistic not to expect that they may want to chew on the plants themselves which may be poisonous, and/or play in the dirt.

8. Electrical cords are highly dangerous to kittens, yet seem to always attract them for nibbling and teething, which can cause electrocution. When purchasing new appliances such as vacuum cleaners, look for those that have cord retractors, and conceal all wires or encase them in special tubing available from computer and auto supply stores. Even wrapping exposed cords several times with heavy ply plastic tape is better than doing nothing.

9. If you live in an upstairs apartment, or your home has more than one story, always be careful of open windows…even if they have screens, cats and kittens are surprisingly strong and may push the screen out and fall out of the window.

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KITTENS NEED A LOT OF ATTENTION
 
Cats  are extremely social animals, and they need the stimulation and interaction with other felines and with their human family to feel secure, happy and loved. Be sure that you really do have the time available and are willing to commit to spending it with your new feline family member before actually bringing him or her home. Also, for younger adults hoping to add the companionship of a kitten to their lives, it is important to remember that a significant amount of people are allergic to cats, and that lifestyle changes and household moves can be very stressful  for felines.
 
If you are sure that you can meet all the above demands, you must go ahead a adopt a kitten. This would give you lot of pleasure and the kitten a sweet home ,a   protective and caring guardian.