cats are living longer, an average 10 to 15 years, so look ahead into your own future and ask yourself if you will be willing and able to provide your cat with shelter, food, and regular veterinary care. Of course, predicting the future is impossible, but you can make some reasonable guesses. For example, if you anticipate that a future job change or promotion might require you to move across or out of the country, perhaps you should postpone getting that adorable cat or kitten, unless, of course, you’re absolutely certain you can take the animal with you when you move. Likewise, if marriage is in your future, make sure your intended spouse likes cats and that your new lifestyle and living arrangement together can accommodate your pet.
Housing concerns: Make sure that your housing situation is suitable for owning a cat. In some situations, certain restrictions may apply to, or even prohibit, the keeping of pets. Sneaking a pet into a rented residence without permission or without first checking out the rules could get you both evicted. If you rent, your landlord may require an additional fee, plus a pet damage deposit in case your cat claws the draperies or carpets. This practice is neither uncommon nor unreasonable. As a cat owner, you are liable and responsible for any property damage or personal injuries your animal may cause. To avoid hassles, find out what rules and ordinances apply in your area, then decide whether you can comply fully, before you acquire a cat.
Travel and time spent away: Animals, like children, need special attention and someone to look after them when you’re not around, so before acquiring a cat, consider how much time you normally spend away from home. If you travel often, do you have a trusted friend or relative who is willing to care for your cat while you’re away? If not, can you afford to board your cat or hire a pet-sitter to care for him while you’re away? Are you home enough to spend quality time with your cat and give him the love and attention he needs and deserves? If not, owning a cat, or any pet, could become a constant source of worry and guilt for you, especially if you tend to feel bad about not being able to spend enough time with your pet.
Pet allergies: Many people are allergic to cats, some more than others. Unfortunately, many cats are surrendered to animal shelters each year because their allergic owners cannot tolerate the severity of their allergy symptoms. Proteins produced by the cat’s salivary and sebaceous (fatty oil) glands trigger the allergic response. These proteins are deposited onto the cat’s fur when the cat licks himself during grooming. When dry, the proteins flake into easily inhaled airborne particles called dander. This cat dander, rather than the cat itself, is the true allergen, or allergy-causing substance. The tiny particles settle primarily into carpets, draperies, upholstered furniture, mattresses, walls, and ceilings.
So, as you consider getting a cat, think about you and your family members’ allergic tendencies. Even if you have no allergies, consider others close to you who may no longer feel comfortable visiting your home because their asthma or allergies worsen in the presence of felines. It would be grossly unfair to the cat if you had to give him away later simply because your social life suffers.
For the person who experiences only mild or intermittent allergy symptoms, certain compromises may allow a comfortable coexistence with cats. Suggested coping strategies include vacuuming frequently, replacing carpets with hard floors, replacing upholstered furniture with vinyl or leather, washing the cat in distilled water once a month, applying antiallergy wipes or sprays to the cat’s fur, using an air purifier in the home, and keeping ductwork, furnace, and air-conditioning filters clean. Many people effectively manage their symptoms with various allergy medications or desensitizing allergy shots prescribed by their doctors.
Your age and health: Certainly, most people expect to outlive their pets, but this is not guaranteed. Consider what would happen to your cat if you died suddenly or became incapacitated by an injury or illness. Too often, an animal faces neglect, abuse, or abandonment if the owner has not planned ahead for its care in case of an emergency. This is especially true for pet owners who live alone. Give a trusted person advance instructions–and keys–to enter your property immediately and assume care of your cat if you should die suddenly or become disabled.
Your will and your cat: To further ensure that your pet will be cared for if something unexpected happens to you, include your cat in your will. More and more people are recognizing the importance of doing so. In fact, legal experts recommend that you will your cat outright to a friend or relative who has agreed in advance to comply with your wishes regarding its care. In your will, appoint that person as your cat’s guardian. You also may wish to bequeath a modest sum of money to that person to cover the cost of your cat’s care during its remaining years. For more information about wills and the laws in your state, consult a lawyer.
Where to Find the Right Cat
Once you’ve decided that you want a cat, and what type of cat you want, the next step is finding a suitable candidate. If papers and pedigrees are not important to you, you should not have to search far for a feline companion, as there is no shortage of random-bred cats in need of good homes. To begin, check your local animal shelters, humane society chapters, animal rescue organizations, or cat clubs. Larger organizations are usually listed in the telephone book or advertise in local newspapers. Most veterinarians’ offices have information about such organizations, and many even post a list on their bulletin boards of pets needing homes. Other avenues to pursue include the classified section of your local newspaper, pet stores, or friends and neighbors with unplanned litters.
Adopting from a Shelter
An animal shelter is an excellent place to begin your search for a cat in need of a good home. While you’re more likely to find random-bred cats there, even purebreds sometimes end up being surrendered to shelters for adoption.
Not all shelters are alike, however. Some are private or volunteer organizations, while others are funded by tax dollars and operated by city or county governments. Generally speaking, an animal control facility is a public institution that must accept any animal brought in. Some animal control facilities, especially those in poorer areas, operate on low budgets and have limited space, and as a result, may be forced to euthanize more animals than they are able to keep and place in homes. Private shelters and volunteer rescue organizations, on the other hand, are more likely to have a no-kill policy. Such organizations are able to exercise this policy by refusing to accept more animals once they reach capacity, or by using a network of foster homes where cats are cared for until they can be permanently placed.
Adoption practices vary widely, but most shelters will require that you fill out a questionnaire and sign a form agreeing to have the cat spayed or neutered, unless this already has been done. Often, by asking a few questions, the shelter workers can help you select a cat that has a temperament best suited to your own personality and lifestyle. Some shelters may even want to visit your home, to ensure that the cat will be housed and cared for properly. Do not be offended by organizations that attempt to investigate your suitability as a pet owner; they are acting in the best interests of the animals they have sworn to protect.
Most shelters also request a donation or charge an adoption fee–usually no more than $50 or $60–to pay for the food and veterinary care the cat received there. If the organization had the animal spayed or neutered, the fee helps cover that cost as well. Another reason shelters charge a fee is that people naturally tend to place greater value on and take better care of a pet that they pay for, as opposed to one that is free.
High-end shelters, or those with bigger budgets to spend, sometimes screen their animals in advance for various parasites
