What to Look for When Adopting a Cat

Adopting a cat from a shelter is a very good decision, and not only because it is the most inexpensive way to get a pet. By accepting a homeless cat, you not only save the life of this animal, but you also make room for the next pet that needs help. However, before making a final decision, you need to know a few important things that we have collected in this article.

What to Know When Adopting a Cat

A cat from a shelter is usually an already grown animal that has its sad history. These cats were either forced to live on the streets from birth or were simply abandoned by their owners - and in this case, this means a double mental trauma for the animal. Be prepared for the fact that you have to prove your love and the seriousness of your intentions towards the cat. Even not knowing how to use the human language, the animals in the shelter already know a lot about betrayal, anger, indifference, and difficulties. You will have to overcome this together.

Adopting a Shelter Cat Tips

Create a cozy place where the cat will feel safe. Cats from the shelter know everything about stress, and most likely, moving to your house or apartment will also be quite a stressful experience. Therefore, you need to prepare a place where the cat will feel safe - so he can begin to get used to the atmosphere of your house, to your voices, new sounds, and smells. Start with a cat house, you can choose it here. Also, you need a personalised collar with your address and phone, two bowls, and several toys.

Choose a reliable shelter. As a rule, in large cities, there are several animal shelters, and each institution has its reputation. Therefore, first of all, read reviews about the shelter, its employees. If possible, find out the stories of people who have already adopted animals from a particular shelter, and ask them for personal feedback. Also, read the media in recent years, find references to the shelter and you will get a complete picture of its activities.

Decide on the age of the animal and its character. Many people prefer to take small kittens because there is a chance to get an animal with a stable psyche, which will give in to the upbringing and correction of habits. But there is another opinion. Many potential owners want to get an adult animal, for example, so that the cat protects the private house from mice. Therefore, you need to determine your personal needs and preferences so that the shelter staff can choose the most suitable cat for you.

Be prepared for questions and checks. This is normal practice in shelters that care about the fate of animals, and not just want to give as many cats as possible to relieve themselves. Most likely, before getting to know the animal, you will be asked to briefly tell about yourself and your profession, what lifestyle you lead, how much time you spend at home, whether you have small children who can accidentally harm the animal or plan to move to another city or country. What is more, the shelter employee may ask you to show him your apartment or house, as well as oblige you to make small reports on the life and health of the animal. All these are good signs that indicate that you will receive an animal from responsible people, and they also hope for your responsibility.

Schedule a visit to the vet. Yes, the shelter also has a veterinarian on staff, but the opinion of a specialist from the outside will not be superfluous. Therefore, you need to show the cat that you liked to another veterinarian and listen to his opinions about the animal's health status. Also, the doctor will help you draw up a vaccination plan, perhaps prescribe additional vitamins or specialized nutrition. Be prepared for this, because that means you need an extra budget to adopt a cat.

Listen to your intuition. Cats have a special energy, and if you listen to your inner voice at the time of choice, you will not be mistaken.

Conclusion

There are no bad cats - there are bad people. Before making a crucial step, analyze all the factors again. Fortunately, practice shows that animals that had to go through bad times are reborn under the influence of love and care, so taking a cat from a shelter is always a good idea.