Before taking a kitten home find out about the type of care it was getting. Kittens can leave their mothers from about the age of eight weeks and most 'moggies' will not be vaccinated (inoculated) by then. If you are buying a pedigree kitten it will not be able to leave the breeder until it is 12 weeks old and will usually have had some, or all, of it's vaccinations. Ask which vaccinations it has received and you should be given a vaccination record signed by a vet (with details of the kitten's identity).

You also need to know whether your kitten has been treated for fleas or worms and what sort of food it has been eating. Feed the same food for a few days and reintroduce new foods gradually (if you need to) so that your kitten's system does not get too much of a shock.