The Purr-fect Day For Cat Adoption

Spring is in the air and the month of March is filled with purr-fect holidays centered around fantastic felines! This month boasts two cat-loving holidays: Cuddle Kitten Day on March 23^rd and Respect Your Cat Day on March 28^th. While the origins of both annual holidays are unknown, cat lovers don't need an excuse to give their felines some extra loving. At any rate, these two spectacular days provide you with the perfect opportunity to adopt a cat from your local animal shelter. With that said, here are some cat adoption tips to make the process easy, fast and fun!

Prepare Your Home

Before you bring your new furball home, you'll need to prepare it with all the supplies you will possibly need to care for it. With that in mind, some cat caring staples include:

• Litter box
• Food & water bowl
• Toys – especially cat scratching posts
• Cat bed
• Treats

While those are just the essentials, it's important to stock up on other supplies like cat medicine, grooming tools (brush, cat-specific shampoo) and a collar. Also, be sure that you prepare yourself for a long-term furry companion as cats can live to an age in upwards of 15 to 20 or more years!

Consider The Source

One of the first places you should check for a cat is your local animal shelter because more times than not, they are over capacity in terms of how many cats they can house. Unfortunately, many felines found at shelters are euthanized each year because they simply do not have the proper funds to care for them over the long term. While it is a sad reality, you can step in to help by adopting a cat at the local shelter but the positive aspect to it, these cats are up-to-date on their shots and many are already spayed or neutered.

If the animal shelter is too far away from your home, you could consider adoption at a nearby pet store. Many pet stores will actually sponsor cats from the local shelters and have them in their care at their store. This means you could find a cat to adopt at the pet store and just following their adoption procedures. Just note that it may take a few extra days to take your kitty home because the pet store sends your adoption application to the animal shelter and that takes some time to process.

Upon Arrival

As soon as you can take your cat home, make sure that you understand most cats are not big fans of traveling, so they may be a little temperamental during transportation. Nevertheless, once you arrive home, give your cat some time to adjust to their new environment as they may be shy or nervous for the few first days. If you think about it, they were just in a completely different environment at the shelter or pet store, so they will need time to assimilate and explore their new home.

Let your new cat become familiar with a limited area at first where they will have access to their litter box and food and once they are more comfortable, you can let them roam freely. Over the next few weeks, your cat will get acquainted with you, your family members and other household pets, and you'll start to truly see their personality unravel. The amount of time it takes for your cat to get comfortable will vary, so let them adjust on their own terms and guide you through their level of attention, whether that be hand petting, sitting on your lap, etc. Provide them with the necessary creature comforts and give them the companionship they seek, and your new cat will be happy and content in no time!