Where to get a cat

Image by Wombatunderground1 via Flickr

OK, so now comes a big question, and I know that I am going to make large groups of people angry with me, but I have to go with what I believe. If you feel I am treating any particular group unfairly, please respond to this post. I am more than happy to listen to other points of view.

The question that I am referring to is “Where do I get my new cat?”.

First, I would emphatically say to stay away from pet stores, unless they are offering Humane Society or other animal rescue adoptions. The animals that you find in most pet stores are often cats from breeders that they could not sell themselves, or they are from large breeders who just supply pet stores . These are often the cats that become the cats you will later find at the Humane Society/Pound/ASPCA/Rescue.

Second, unless you want show cat with a pedigree, don’t go to a breeder. While you can find the purebred cat you want, there is often more inbreeding than is good for your pet. Even if this is not the case, and it often is not, there is no need to use a breeder to find the breed you want.
As you may have already guessed, I want you to get your new family member from an animal rescue or Humane Society adoption center. You can find just about any breed of cat you are looking for, if you can be a little patient. I personally have always had long haired cats, mainly Persians, although I have also had one Himalayan and one Maine Coon cat. I haven’t always gotten a new family member on the fist trip, or at the first location, but it has never taken overly long to find what I was looking for.

Also along the same line, showing patience, please don’t see a cat you like and take it home immediately based just on appearance. Hopefully the location you are adopting from has a private room that you can spend a few minutes getting to know the personality of your possible new friend. Whether they like to cuddle, or are playful. If they may be more of a scratcher or biter, or don’t like to be held or petted. You can get a real feel for the cat in only fifteen minutes or so.

My other strongly held opinion is, adopt an adult cat, not a kitten. Yes, I know. “But kittens are so CUTE!” And maybe that is my point. There will always be people willing to take home a cute kitten. The adult cats don’t always have it so easy. The adults also can be easier to integrate into your home and schedule than a kitten might be. But, it may also be that you find the perfect cat and it is only three months old. Please consider the adults and even the “mature” adult cats when looking for someone to take home.

Finally, I will just touch on want ads in the paper. If someone has had an “unexpected” litter, and is giving away kittens, just remember that you will probably have more out of pocket expenses at the vet for this type of cat, and that “Free” never is. This is also a great reminder to spay/neuter your cats.

To find a shelter near you, and to see what they have to offer, use the pet finder link to the left.  It is a free service and offers wonderful resources for finding a new companion for your home.  And make sure you get your cat "Tagged" with an electronic identifier so your new friend doesn't end up back at a rescue.

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