Adopting A Cat

Adopting a cat can be an exciting process for the new cat owner. However, the cat owner should be somewhat cautious and never impulsively adopt a cat or kitten. There are four main sources of kittens and cats. Cats and kittens can be adopted from pet stores, breeders, rescue groups, or animal shelters. There are also private sources such as a cat owner whose cat had a litter of kittens.

People looking for a purebred cat are likely to look for a breeder first, but they may also want to check with animal rescue groups and animal shelters as well. Before selecting a particular cat breed, the prospective cat owner should educate themselves on the needs, characteristics, and health concerns for that specific cat breed. Cat breeds vary in the time that the cat owner needs to devote to grooming. Cat breeds have different characteristics such as how independent the cat is and how vocal. Cat breeders can inform the cat owner of special health concerns for the breed and any veterinary screenings that have been done.

When choosing a cat, the cat owner should spend some time with the cat or kitten. The cat should be friendly and affectionate to the prospective cat owner. If the cat owner is looking for a laidback lap cat, the cat owner may want to pet the cat’s stomach and see if the cat will tolerate that or try to bite. Many cats do not like to be touched on their stomachs. However, cats that are very people oriented and laidback are likely to be more tolerant.

A prospective cat owner who suffers from cat allergies should gradually spend increasing amounts of time with cats. The allergic cat owner should spend a significant amount of time with the cat that the cat owner wants to adopt before making a commitment. After spending long periods of time with the cat, the cat owner can be in a better position to judge whether or not the cat will cause allergy symptoms.

The commitment of cat ownership should not be entered into lightly. The cat owner should calculate the costs of cat ownership including food, supplies, and veterinary costs. The prospective cat owners should consider purchasing cat health insurance when they adopt a cat. Responsible cat ownership begins before the cat is adopted when the prospective cat owner considers important aspects of cat ownership.