Early Selection Program

Early Selection Program

We advocate and encourage early selection of your kitten wherever possible.
It is very rewarding to you, to the kitten and to us to have
you visit frequently, via the Internet, or in person if you can, on a weekly basis.

All families participating in Early Selection have the enjoyment of direct access to their kitten's own web page
designed specifically for each new family. All kitten web pages are a customized pictoral history from the moment of birth
to their most recent stage that includes comments, notations on progess and any special reports of interest to the new owner.

We recommend visiting in person as often as you can for early bonding.
Your kitten will come to know you and the transition will be less traumatic when the time comes to take it home with you.

Early selection gives you the added joy of watching and sharing the early stages of your kitten's growth and development.

Stages of Development

We have compiled an outline of the stages of development or growth process of the kittens.
According to our experiences and observations. They are as follows:

1. PEEPER STAGE: (from age 1 to 3 weeks) This is the early infant stage. Be prepared to fall head over heels in love with your kitten (if you haven't already) when it opens its smoky blue eyes and sees the world and you for the first time :-)

2. VELCRO STAGE: (from 3 to 5 weeks) During this stage your kitten is at the peek of being very impressionable, and what a perfect time for some of those impressions that they will carry forward for the rest of their lives - to be of you! If it is possible for you to attend some early visits, you can be actively involved in assisting the weaning process and begin to participate in the raising and socializing of your kitten . They are learning to walk without toppling over and advance to running without flipping head over heals from their lack of experience.

3. TODDLER STAGE: (from 5 to 8 weeks) Changes in your kitten are quickening and so are the activity levels. They perfect their running and it now becomes a scurry maneuver. This stage can be a bit messier as they watch with great curiousity as mama teaches them to use the litter box and they'd rather taste it or play with it. Some learn faster than others do and they will perfect this training when they're darn good and ready. Toys are now of more interest and so are toes under blankets and the draping edges of bedspreads. Mama is becoming rather boring to them except if she happens to walk by and your kitten has a notion to visit the milk bar! Kitty "rough and tumble" is in full force now, and it is time to learn what is appropriate and what is not, that siblings play a large role in, both in teaching and learning - while mama oversees.

4. EXPLORER STAGE: (from 8 to 10 weeks) The whole world of fun begins to open up and it is time (after initial vaccinations) to come out of the nursery and join the family and home activities. It's very scary at first, but orientation occurs rather quickly and smoothly. Learning continues and refinement on earlier acquired skills takes place. Your kitten begins to take on the world (often poofing up to shows you and others that it is NOT so small). Harness training begins now for some displaying courage.

5. LEAPING LEOPARD STAGE: (from 10 to 14 weeks) There is no holding back now! The Mini Olympics has begun. Climbing, romping and holy terror streaking across the room is a normal part of the kittens waking hours. There is no turning back to the wobbly velcro kitty he/she was only weeks before. You will get the odd glimpse of a kitten that thinks it's now a cat! Very silly! Their jumping skills come into play as now they'll swiftly leap and jump at anything that moves. This is when they play with everything and anything because life is just sooooo much fun! It is a time of extra caution on our part for they are very vulnerable to harm being yet somewhat fragile. Harness training is continued after confidence building has been accomplished.

6. TONKA STAGE: (from 14 to 16 weeks) You would think a magic wand was waved over them as they rapidly mature and wrap up all they need to know to get on with their new lives away from the nursery. They set their skills and become more concrete in confidence by now being exposed to and adjusted to normal household hustle and bustle. They have completed their life's orientation and should be capable of adjusting to a new environment with ease.

Kittens are amazing little creatures and each and every one of them is a beauty to behold
as they go through all of these stages.

Anxious new pet owners are asked to be patient and not request to take their kitten home earlier than we prefer to keep them at the cattery. We have noticed, the length of time we have chosen to retain the kitten for appropriate raising makes a significant difference in the kittens mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health. Also, this time factor adds enhancement to the development of their social skills and minimizes future behavioural deficits. This is in the best interest of the kitten for both, the immediate, and long term.