Cats are wonderful, loving creatures. It's not uncommon to see a cat in every other home, sleeping cozily on the laps and furniture of their owners. It wasn't always this way. It is said that the cat wasn't domesticated until about 5000 years ago, in the valley of the Nile, but where did they come from?

The people of Upper Egypt had learned to grow and harvest their own crops. The wellbeing of the people depended on these crops. A means of storage had to be used. At first, these people just kept their grain in baskets, which they soon found was a mistake. Mice, rats and other vermin were eating the grain. This, in turn, attracted the African Wildcat. These cats ate the vermin that was destroying the crops.

The people were grateful to the cats and encouraged them to stay by feeding them fish heads and other scraps. The cats, being abundantly fed and seeing the men as no threat to them, moved in permanently. The African Wildcat was naturally calm and adapted well to living with humans. With time, the cats allowed the humans to approach them, even touch and hold them.

Cats proved to be loyal and endearing companions. They made for excellent hunters, since they sleep in a series of short periods and wake much easier than dogs do. This made their work possible night and day. Cats can also see better than dogs at night and their hearing surpasses a dog's. Cats would even wake the dogs in the house if they heard something suspicious that the dogs managed to sleep through. They got along greatly with the dogs and humans loved them.

Today, cats are used for show and companionship. Most people don't keep cats for hunting vermin anymore, as this is generally unnecessary in this day and age. There are many different breeds of cats, each different in their own way. Here are some tips to follow when looking for a purebred kitten.

Look for a kitten in your area. You'll want to visit and inspect the cattery of your choice before you make any decisions to purchase, so finding a breeder in your area will make this more feasible. The cattery should be clean and in good order. There shouldn't be an overcrowding of kittens and their habitat should be open and clean. The litter boxes should be kept up nicely and the food and water dishes full and clean. The kittens should never be caged. If there are breeding males present, their cages should be large and clean. The cats should look healthy, having full, shiny coats and no ribs showing.

The kittens should be used to being handled everyday. They should be sweet and outgoing, not timid and afraid. Cats that are handled regularly have a better temperament. Ask to see the parents of the kittens. Both parents should have good temperament and be very healthy. This will also help determine the personality of your kitten. Ask the breeder how soon after birth they sell the kittens. A good breeder doesn't allow the kittens to be taken home until they are at least twelve weeks of age. Some even wait until they are sixteen weeks of age. This is to ensure the health of the kitten is good and that the immune system has developed properly.

Also, ask if there is a waiting list. Good breeders don't have an overabundance of cats and many have waiting lists you can be placed on to ensure you get the kitten of your choice. If the waiting list is too long, or there are no kittens available at the time you want one, the breeder might refer you to another cattery.