Adopting a cat is a big decision and there are many things to consider before making this commitment. Feline veterinarians recommend you carefully think about the following 5 items before bringing a kitten or cat into your home.
1) Required Time Commitment
Do you have the time to care, play, and meet your cat’s basic needs? Do you understand basic cat behavior and/or are you willing to learn? Time considerations are of the utmost importance when adopting an animal.
2) Do You Live in a Multi-Cat Household?
Do you already have cats in your household? If so, what are their temperaments? It’s important to consider how the addition of another cat will affect the dynamics of your household.
3) Adult or Kitten?
Are you looking to adopt a kitten or an adult cat? The adoption of a cat can lead to the development of a strong bond, but the experience can vary depending on the cat’s age at the time of adoption.
4) One or Two Cats?
Should you adopt or acquire a single cat or a pair? For example, siblings are already a bonded pair, and will usually remain so for years. They also are great playmates, since they have the same energy level. However, the adoption of two cats will require additional resources.
5) Necessary Resources
Are you able to cover the costs associated with cat adoption? These can include, but are not limited to: food, litter, bedding, veterinarian expenses, spaying or neutering, toys/scratching posts, parasite control, vaccinations, and microchipping.
