This week in our series about cat adoption we are talking about where to adopt from!
So, you’ve read the past article and decided that a cat is right for you! Great! Now it is time to think about where you are going to get this cuddly critter from!
Shelters:
Now as you know, we at Lilly’s Kitty Lounge like to encourage adoption. Anipals and humans, this is not JUST because I was adopted. Yes, I am quite awesome because of this fact, but there are many other reasons to adopt from a shelter.
First of all, there are so many cats (and other furry creatures) out there without homes. We are wonderful pets and are often overlooked for fancy breeders. Don’t get us wrong, reputable breeders take their pets seriously and will care for them well… but don’t forget the rest of us in the shelter! With so many of us needing homes, why look elsewhere? Not to mention that adopting from a shelter does have its perks as we often come vaccinated, micro chipped, and checked for health problems. In addition, an adoption fee from a shelter is often much cheaper than a breeder. So unless you have your heart set on getting a purebred animal, we encourage you to first take a look at your local shelters!
The ASPCA has a great way to find these! If you haven’t seen the address on the previous entries, go ahead and visit it here.
You can also google it online as well as look in your good old Yellow Pages!
Petfinder.com is also an excellent resource as many shelters will list their animals on this website as well!
Giving a shelter pet a home is not only beneficial to you but it is beneficial to the community! It aids in getting overpopulation under control and getting animals in loving homes. There are so many of us pets who are sadly put to sleep solely because they couldn’t find us a home. So if you can, look to your local shelters first!
Breeders:
If you are looking for a pure bred, especially a baby, breeders are often one of the only ways to go. We suggest before looking at breeders to look for local purebred rescue groups. A lot of the time you can find the breed you want through those. The only problem is it is often harder to find a kitten or younger animal at these shelters. Again, these animals are just as in need of a home as others, so do look into the local pure bred adoption groups first.
If you plan on going with breeders make sure to do some research! A good breeder should be involved in some type of accreditation to ensure their breeds are up to standard. In addition they should have records for the pets they are selling including the shots and other medical treatments that they have had. They should be able to provide proof to you that the pet is in good condition. In addition, when you visit them you should be able to meet the parents of the animal you are going to adopt. Often good breeders will be just as curious about you as you are about them, making sure that you will be a good home for their much loved babies. Make sure you check out where the pets are kept and how they are cared for. This will immensely help you to see if this breeder is right for you.
Make sure to do your research! If you do, you can come home with a fantastic pet!
Pet Stores
Friends, not to give all pet stores a bad rep, but often the pets in here aren’t very healthy. I am sure there are good ones out there, but I tend to be on the skeptical side when it comes to pet stores. Pet stores often times tend to get their pets from mills and such, which never provide healthy and happy pets. I would use pet stores as a last resort and if you do adopt from there, be extra cautious.
Hope this helps in your search for the perfect companion! Tune in next week as we continue our series on cat adoption! We will be talking about PREPARATION for our arrival! This means all the fun goodies you need to buy us before we enter your castle!
Much love and purrs friends,
