The most popular cats in Australia are the Australian Domestic (long or short hair) and there is good reason - they are well rounded cats, whose coat and temperament suit our habitat, their coats range in colours and they love to cuddle on a cool winter's day! Although if you are thinking of bringing home a purebred cat, which is also a popular choice, make sure you research for the best fit. Here are the run down on some of the most popular breeds:

Persian: known for its beauty, the Persian has a luxurious long coat and flat face. Persian's are often laid back, sweet and people-oriented. Persians require daily grooming and respond well to daily cuddle or play time with their favourite human. 

Siamese: one of the oldest and most recognisable breeds, the Siamese is a vocal high energy cat, who demands every bit of attention it desires. Enjoys high places and playing 'dog like games' like fetch!

Maine Coon: known as the gentle giant, the Maine Coon can weigh as much as 10kg! Owners have reported that their Maine Coon can speak! Maine Coon has become very popular in the last few years, because of their loving nature and ease with other pets and children. 

Ragdoll: known for being docile (mainly because when held they go floppy - like a ragdoll) and are great for families, the Ragdoll is an intellgient cat who loves to learn tricks and please their owners. 

The most popular cats in Australia are the Australian Domestic (long or short hair) and there is good reason - they are well rounded cats, whose coat and temperament suit our habitat, their coats range in colours and they love to cuddle on a cool winter's day! Although if you are thinking of bringing home a purebred cat, which is also a popular choice, make sure you research for the best fit. Here are the run down on some of the most popular breeds:

Persian: known for its beauty, the Persian has a luxurious long coat and flat face. Persian's are often laid back, sweet and people-oriented. Persians require daily grooming and respond well to daily cuddle or play time with their favourite human. 

Siamese: one of the oldest and most recognisable breeds, the Siamese is a vocal high energy cat, who demands every bit of attention it desires. Enjoys high places and playing 'dog like games' like fetch!

Maine Coon: known as the gentle giant, the Maine Coon can weigh as much as 10kg! Owners have reported that their Maine Coon can speak! Maine Coon has become very popular in the last few years, because of their loving nature and ease with other pets and children. 

Ragdoll: known for being docile (mainly because when held they go floppy - like a ragdoll) and are great for families, the Ragdoll is an intellgient cat who loves to learn tricks and please their owners. 

Congratulations! Having a new kitten in the house can be a rewarding and exciting time. But taking responsibility for a new life is not without its challenges. Bringing your kitten up well and providing a healthy, stable and safe environment are critically important, as is ensuring regular veterinary care. Preparing the kitten’s room in advance so you can concentrate on giving the new arrival the love and encouragement it needs to settle in comfortably.

• First thing you will need is a travel crate or a cardboard travel box to transport your kitten from the breeder or pet shop to your home or places like the vet. 
• Choose a corner or a room where your kitten sleeps. Cats like routine, so put the kitten’s bed where you plan for it to stay as it gets older.
• Position the litter tray in a discreet corner of the room, with the food bowl in the opposite direction and the water away from both, as cats dislike drinking next to food.
• You will also need a bed. Kittens are happy to sleep in a box, but a soft bed, cane basket or its travel crate can also be a suitable bed for your new little family member. 
• A cat scratching post is a must. Your kitten will need toys to play with, to develop its skills and enrich its play time.
• ‘Kitten proof’ your home by ensuring that there are no dangers to the kitten left around the home.
• Put soft bedding in its carrier/crate so that it feels comfortable on its trip home in the car.

It’s important to get to know your kitten in order to create a bond. Interaction should take place during the times when your kitten starts to feel more comfortable in your home. During the first couple of days, any physical contact should ideally take place when the kitten initiates it. After that handle it throughout the day for short periods, and only allowed limited supervised contact for young children. This would avoid the kitten from being over handled. Spend time on the floor playing at the kitten’s level. Play with it if it seems interested, but don’t preserve if it appears anxious. Kittens need plenty of sleep when they are young. Even more so than adult cat. So it should never be woken up for cuddles or play time.

• Bring home a small piece of cloth or bedding with the mother cat’s or littermates’ scent. The familiar smell should help your kitten to feel more comfortable and relaxed.
• When you get home, place the crate/carrier in your chosen corner/room and open the lid. Allow the kitten to explore at its own time.
• Show the kitten where its bed, food and water bowl and litter tray are, once it feels comfortable you may leave the room for it to settle in. The kitten might show little interest in food at this stage but don’t worry about it.
• The first night will most likely be difficult for the both of you. Make it easier by putting a hot water bottle and a ticking clock in the kitten’s bed to simulate his or her mother’s heartbeat. It’s also a good idea to put a soft toy in the bed for the kitten to cuddle.

Your Kitten needs very few things to survive, but to flourish they may need some extras! 

• Make sure your kitten has several water bowls throughout the house. Never position their water next to the kitten's food as this will make the water taste dirty to the kitten, the same goes for positioning the water anywhere near the litter tray - both kitty no no's!
• If you have other pets make sure you refresh the water frequently, because some cats don't like to drink out of water bowls that other animals have drank out of. 
• Your kitten is totally dependent on you for their health and nutritional needs so they grow into a strong, healthy cat. It is advisable to continue to give your kitten the same food that the breeder fed it for at least a few weeks. If you would like to change your kitten’s diet, it should be done gradually else it will upset the kitten’s stomach. Feed your kitten a premium food that consists of at least 26% protein as cats are carnivores. Wet or dry food is fine, and a combination of both is the best approach. Kittens need to be fed at least three meals per day until they are about five months old. You can gradually reduce their food so that by the time they are about nine months old they are being fed twice a day.
• Make sure your kitten has daily exercise, playing with them is fun and easy - almost anything in the house is fine for them!
• It is important to set some basic rules for your new kitten so that he or she knows how you expect it to behave. Climbing up the curtains may seem cute or funny when it is a little kitten, but it won't be so funny when it is an adult cat!

Keeping your kitten safe and healthy comes down to making sure that they visit the veterinary clinic once a year for their chec-ups and vaccinations (you will need to attend more regularly to begin with) and speaking to your veterinarian about what your kitten needs. To make sure that your kitten is safe and healthy, try the following:

• Make sure you keep up to date with vaccinations, worming and flea treatments. This is important throughout your cats life, but even more so when it is a kitten.
• Do your research and find out which food is best for your cat's breed. Don't steer clear of premium foods because of cost, as often you need to give your cat less of it - so in the end it doesn't cost as much as it seems.
• Make sure there are no small objects (wrappers, staples, ornaments) on your floor these types of objects are really fun for kittens to play with, but are easily cause harm if ingested. 
• Microchip your kitten. Microchipping is a way of protecting your pets if they are being stolen or lost. Cats love to roam and the chances of them being missing or stolen are high. Microchipping is a safe and painless procedure for your cats and it is relatively cheap. This has been recognised as the most effective way of identifying your kitten as the chip can be easily read using scanners found at all vets and rescue centres. Don’t forget to update the contact details held on the database if you move house or change contact number.
• Desexing is important not only to prevent unwanted litters, but also to prevent undesirable behaviours such as roaming, fighting and spraying in males. This should be done by the age of five to six months before the kitten becomes sexually mature. Desexing also has health benefits for your cat including preventing womb infections and mammary disease later in life.

According to Petplan’s recent survey, pet owners are indulgent of their pets: 86% of the pet owners spent money on pet accessories and 75% of owners consider their pet to be an integral member of the family. 83% would cut back on a family holiday or other luxury items to pay for their pet’s treatment when they are ill. (Source: Petplan Pet Census 2011)

The utmost in luxury for your kitten is a Petplan policy. It might not be as fluffy as a snuggly bed or as impressive as an electric water fountain - but it just might save their life one day!

Having a Petplan Pet Insurance policy means than when your cat is unwell, you can make treatment decisions based entirely on what's good for your pet - rather than the expense. Insure your kitten as soon as they become yours. Petplan insures cats that are over 8 weeks of age. If you insure your kitten when it first comes home you will be able to insure it for life, with most probably, no exclusions. Petplan is proud offer pet owners premium pet insurance for their cats. Find out more about our  cat policies and get a quote here.

Insurance is a key part of responsible pet ownership. Insurance is for the unexpected and unforseen and provides you with peace of mind. Whether you have four weeks’ free insurance from your vet or your breeders, or you are considering it for the first time, your best friend will be protected with Petplan. Petplan are the world’s No.1 pet insurance provider. At Petplan we specialise in pet insurance - in fact more pets around the world are covered with us than any other pet insurance provider. We have a strong relationship with the veterinary profession, allowing us to settle your claim directly to your vet. We have a range of policies to suit your budget and needs.

OFF THE MENU:

• Raw fish - Too much can cause serious problems.
• Grapes and raisins - Can cause severe kidney damage.
• Bones - Can splinter or lodge in the intestinal tracts of cats.
• Spicy food - Can lead to digestive problems.
• Liver - So rich in vitamin A that daily feeds of liver can lead to bone problems.
• Milk and cheese - Many cats can develop diarrhoea if given dairy products.
• Chocolate - Can cause increased heart rate.
• Onions, tomatoes and mushrooms - Cause various problems in cats.
• Avocado - Contains persin, causing vomiting, diarrhoea and worse.
• Lilies - Their pollen causes fatal kidney damage to cats.
• Accidents can happen – a full Petplan Policy can provide you with the peace of mind you need