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One of the advantages of adopting an adult cat is knowing what we are getting. But kittens are trickier. The common attributes of being kittens can make it difficult to tell what cat type they are.
If we are getting our cat a kitten, with the goal being a close relationship and cat companionship, the effort to match type-to-type will pay off in years of inter-cat harmony. That’s because cats make friends the same way we do; finding mutual interests and sharing a common outlook.
Alphas, Betas, and Gammas use different signals to communicate with their people. They are equally sensitive to their environment, but express that in different ways.
Gammas don’t know how to make changes to their environment. Betas will get us to make changes to their environment. Alphas go ahead and change the environment.
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To make an educated guess about a given kitten’s assertiveness level requires some interaction of our own. If the shelter or home that has kittens offers the option of spending some time alone with them, take it. Bring some toys. If we slowly place the toy on the floor, what happens? (Do it slowly. Tossing it out will make almost any kitten chase it, out of sheer reflex.)
Do they take intervals to study it or immediately start batting it around? Do they watch it from a distance to see if it continues to move on its own? Cautious cats are likely to be a Beta or a Gamma. The quicker they manipulate it, the more confident they are about manipulating their environment.
A soft ring toy is helpful because it will sooner or later be grabbed in a way that makes it flip over and bop the kitten on the head. Gammas will back off. Betas will hesitate. Alphas will immediately renew the attack.
Another useful toy is any remote control device. When the kitten investigates, activate something that makes the object move or makes a noise. The quicker the kitten comes back, the more Alpha they will tend to be. The remote control makes us not a part of whatever it is, and we can see how the kitten deals with non-living objects.
Does the kitten fix its attention on single objects, or keep looking for angles everywhere? The more they look around from all angles, the more Alpha they will be. Gammas find objects in the environment and study them, and will be more sensitive to change as a result. Alphas have an abundance of the cat tendency to look for angles they can use to guess how this object will respond to their actions.
Place the kitten in an empty cardboard box, too high to scramble out of easily. Gamma kittens will simply sit there for a while. Betas will start patrolling the sides, considering their options. Alphas will try to get out of the box.
Kittens who come from a home where they were already socialized and underfoot will be more confident than kittens rescued from a storm drain, where their only contact with people might be when they are getting goo squirted in their ears and eyes. So factor in what, if any, facts we might have about their early experiences to judge their socialization.
Caution with new people is sensible; fleeing in fear is a sign this kitten needs some gentle handling so they can see how nice people can be.
So take a little time to observe, run some experiments, and ponder what types of cats we have, and what types would fit in well.
To choose the right kitten, see if we can figure out The Cat They Will Become.
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There’s more to choosing a cat with The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See my CHOOSING A CAT.
