What to Know Before You Adopt a Cat

Cats make wonderful pets, but there are several things you need to know before you decide to adopt one.  By going through the adoption process, you will be committing to keeping your new pet happy and healthy.  It’s very important to learn about cats and how to properly take care of them before you take on the responsibility of being a cat owner.

• You can adopt an adult cat or a kitten.  You have a better chance of bonding with a kitten than an older cat, but there’s a chance that your kitten won’t develop the personality traits you are looking for despite intensive training.  If you have specific behavior traits in mind, you might want to look for an older cat that exhibits them.  Adult cats are also better for families that have young children because they are usually calmer than kittens.


• Kittens need a lot of attention and energy.  Taking care of a kitten can be very stressful if you don’t have a lot of free time to spend on playing games and training.  Kittens typically do not sleep through the night, so you might be woken up early in the morning frequently if you decide to adopt one.  Kittens also need regular veterinarian checkups and a number of vaccinations.  You must be prepared to spend some money and time on visits to the veterinarian.


• Cats are natural predators.  If you have other pets, you will have to be extra careful if you decide to bring a new cat into your home.  Cats and dogs will usually tolerate each other, but it might take a while before they feel comfortable living together. 


• You must be ready to make a long-term commitment before you go through with adopting a cat.  Many people return cats to shelters because they weren’t ready for the responsibility of taking care of them.  Being moved from one place to another is very stressful for animals and must be avoided at all costs.  Make sure you are ready to take care of a cat before you bring one home.