Adopting A Cat
Are You Ready for a Cat?
Some points to consider
To adopt a cat is to make a commitment for the animal’s life time. A properly cared for cat can live as long as 20 years. Do you have the time to commit to your pet?
Cats may have a reputation for being independent, but the truth is that they get lonely and bored when left alone all day and all night.
If you have young children, are the children sufficiently supervised so that they and the cat can play together happily and safely?
When you adopt a cat, you also make a financial commitment: Each year, you will be responsible for veterinary care, food, pet sitting, and other expenses. There is no way to economize significantly on cat care basics. Quality cat food should not be replaced with table scraps. Veterinary attention and vaccinations must be kept current if your cat is to have a long, healthy, and happy life.
Is your home situation relatively stable? Cats, especially new arrivals, appreciate a stable routine at home. If your family is in a period of crisis, it would be wiser and kinder to wait until your problems are resolved before bringing home a new pet. Can you provide a secure home? While most cats adjust to changing homes as long as they have their people and familiar household items as reference points, if you have a career that calls for international postings, you may be faced with the wrenching choice of leaving your pet behind with friends for a few years or subjecting her to extended kennel stays in order to satisfy local quarantine laws.
Similarly, if you live in a rental property, have you gotten your landlord’s advance written permission to have a cat? Keep in mind that finding pet-friendly rental housing can be quite a challenge if you ever have to move, particularly in areas with tight rental housing markets. You need to be committed to going the extra mile to find a new home where your companion is as welcome as you are.
One of the best places to get a cat is from your local animal shelter
The chances are good that the shelter may have some background information on the kitten or cat you select. And if you are considering a pair of cats (to keep each other company while you are away from home), you probably will be able to find two compatible cats or litter mates there, although there is no guarantee that litter mates will remain compatible as they mature.
Your local animal shelter can also help you find a pet whose personality is suited to yours and offer counseling to help you set up your household to welcome the newcomer. A shelter adoption counselor can answer your questions about taking care of your new pet.
Most importantly, your local animal shelter may be able to help arrange a spay or neuter procedure for your new cat. This is essential: a single pair of cats and their offspring can produce as many as 420,000 kittens over a seven-year span. Shelters must humanely end the lives of millions of cats each year because of the lack of lifelong, responsible homes. In addition, untold numbers of cats experience terrible suffering, cruelty, and death on the streets. Avoid adding to this tragic surplus by ensuring that your cat is sterilized.