Which to choose... kitten or adult?

Kitten or Cat?
Kittens are curious, playful, and full of energy, while adults are more relaxed and less mischievous. Kittens also require more time to train and feed. Cats are only kittens for a few months, though, so the age of the cat you adopt really depends on the environment you're bringing the cat into and if you're willing to kitten-proof your home.

Everybody loves kittens! They're adorable--soft and fluffy, adventuresome and playful, comical and crazy. They are irresistible, but a kitten may not be the right choice for you. Even long-time cat owners sometimes forget that having a kitten in the house is much like having a toddler live with you. Suddenly your home is a new found kitty playground. From the kitten's point-of-view everything is created for their enjoyment. Curtains are made for climbing (as are legs--with or without pants), cords and wires are made for batting at and chewing on, everything is meant for tasting, and moving targets (including feet and ankles) are made for pouncing on and biting. Replacing all that furniture can get costly. Still sound like a good idea?

If the answer is yes and you are willing to kitten-proof your house, then a kitten may be a good choice for you. The kitten will be healthier and happier if he has a playmate, so get two! Believe it or not, there will be less wear and tear on your house and on you if your kitten has a friend to chase around. Kittens that enjoy playing with each other quickly learn to control their playful aggression. Bite too hard and you lose your playmate--a valuable lesson and one that you will appreciate when they get their grown-up teeth.
The playful mischievous kitten stage is short-lived, and by six months Kitty will be looking like, and acting in many ways, like an adult. For some the best idea is to by-pass the kitten stage all together and to adopt an adult.

If there is an elderly person living in your home or a child under the age of five, an adult cat, rather than a kitten, is the better choice for your household. Kittens have a way of getting under foot and their playful attacks can easily pierce the skin of a senior citizen or young child. They learn to retract their claws and to inhibit their biting as they mature, but until that time, Grandma and your little one(s) can sustain considerable damage.

Young children usually don't have the maturity to handle kittens responsibly, and can easily hurt a young kitten. Naturally children want to pick up and hold the only living creature in your house that is smaller than they are. When the kitten squirms to get away, they tend to squeeze harder to keep the kitten in their arms. The kitten may sustain internal injuries and the child may be bitten or scratched. Constant supervision is necessary to prevent such tragedies.
Families with small children would be better off selecting a cat who's at least four months old, an adult, neutered male with a laid-back personality for their family pet is a wonderful choice. Males generally tolerate handling better than females and if the cat is over 18 months old, the personality and temperament are already well established--"what you see is what you get". Another plus is you won't have to worry about your feline companion becoming pregnant and having to care for more than you bargained for. Often pet owners adopt a friendly, cuddly, kitten only to discover that as they mature, the personality may also change.