1) Kitten or cat? - Kittens are adorable, but they can be destructive and need constant supervision to keep them from hurting themselves and damaging your belongings. Because they tend to playfully bite and scratch, kittens may not be a good choice for very young children. You should also consider whether or not adopting an adult cat is a better option for your lifestyle. Adult cats are easy: what you see is what you get. Often they're already litter-trained, too! Adopting an adult cat is the best deed you can do, too, since they're often overlooked in favor of kittens.

2) Adopt a kitten and save a life - Kitten adoption is the most humane option, and it's easy! In fact, animal shelters are flooded with litters of kittens for adoption, especially during "kitten season", from early spring to late fall. Kittens and cats are euthanized in most shelters at a much higher rate than dogs, and are badly in need of adoption. Adopting a kitten or a cat will make you a life-saving hero!

3) Prepare your house - Like toddlers, kittens will explore every inch of your home when able. Make sure to secure areas where hazardous materials are stored, or where the kitten could chew on cords. Kittens can get stuck or lost behind furniture, so keep those areas blocked off as well.

4) Don't adopt on a whim ? Adopting a kitten is a huge responsibility, so make sure you're ready. Cats can live to be over 20 years old, so you'll need to be ready to commit to your kitten for a very long time! Your pet's well-being will have to be considered in all kinds of decisions, including travel, social life, relocating to a new home, adopting other pets, having children, etc. Even though kittens are irresistible at first sight, take time to consider the effect adopting a kitten will have on your daily life.

5) Make it easy on yourself ? If you decide to adopt a kitten (or a cat), use the internet to find shelters and rescue groups in your area and see the kittens and cats they currently have for adoption. Adopt-a-Pet.com (www.adoptapet.com) is a free service where you can search for the perfect kitten for you, and see photos and videos of kittens available for adoption in your local shelter.

This article is brought to you by Adopt-A-Pet.com. To find kittens for adoption and learn more about adoption visit us at or .