adp_description_block67
Basics Of Cat Adoption

Adopting a cat can see you develop one of the most beautiful bonds of your life as you connect with your feline friend. Cats are playful creatures who can be very affectionate and form a strong relationship with you. Every time you play with your cat or simply spend time with them, you may notice a significant drop in stress levels and experience a boost of happiness. However, it is important to remember that cat adoption is a big decision which comes with a lot of responsibilities. Your home will become the cat’s home and you become their family. To ensure they get the best possible future with you, there are a few things that you need to understand before proceeding with cat adoption.

Things to consider before cat adoption

Whether you are opting to adopt a kitten or a grown cat, here are some things you need to consider before going through with the entire process.

The cat will need to be spayed/neutered:
If the cat has not been spayed or neutered already at the time of adoption, you will need to get this done. If you are adopting a kitten, you will need to get them spayed/neutered once they are of suitable age. Do talk to the shelter house and a vet for more information on the procedure.
Proceed with cat adoption only after reviewing your routine:
If you lead a busy lifestyle, you will need to consider how you will make time for your cat. This includes taking care of your pet and maintaining their feeding times. You will need to dedicate your time to planning the right food, serving meals at proper intervals, and ensuring that you can make time for play too.
Adoption is a long-term commitment:

Adoption is a permanent duty and a bond that lasts for a lifetime. When you bring home a rescued cat or adopt one from a shelter, you are providing the animal with new hope. The cat will be a member of your family and you will need to treat them as such. The lifespan of cats generally ranges from 12 to 20 years, and this is how long your commitment will be. Only once you have considered the enormity of your decision and are ready for it, should you go through with cat or kitten adoption.

Providing favourable conditions for the adopted cat

Before you bring home an adopted or a rescued cat, you will need to make a few changes in your house to create favourable conditions for them. You can begin by doing the following:

Remove items that can be toxic to a cat, like certain plants or chemical agents.
Cover up exposed electrical wires in a way that the cat can’t reach them (since they might try to chew up the wire, which can lead to a severe accident).
Prepare your kids and teach them the basics of being responsible around a cat.
Keep a special room or space for the cat, so they can feel safe and get a sense of belonging.
Find a vet near your area where you can take the rescued cat for regular check-ups.

What are some benefits of cat adoption?

Adopting a cat also has many benefits such as:

You help a cat in need:

If you adopt a cat instead of buying one, you will be helping a cat in need. You will be giving a rescued cat much-needed shelter, their own space, and a family that loves them.
The cat will most likely be trained:
A cat that is adopted from a shelter will already be trained in basic activities like feeding from a bowl and using a scratching post.
You can adopt a cat based on their personality:

One of the biggest benefits of adopting a cat from a shelter is that they often have an already established personality. This makes it easier for people to adopt a cat that best suits their lifestyle.

Factors to keep in mind when adopting a cat

When adopting a cat, here are a few factors you should keep in mind:

Presence of other pet cats:

If you have other cats at home, you will need to adopt a cat that likes their company. You can talk to the shelter home about this, so they direct you to cats who bond well with other cats.
The inevitable costs:
Adopting and taking care of cats means having to bear quite a few costs – costs of regular vet visits, medicines, foods, toys, and more. Moreover, if you are bringing home a rescued cat, they may require even more care and attention from a vet. So, do consider these costs before proceeding with the adoption.
Your routine:

When you adopt a cat, you should be able to make time for them and give them proper care and attention. You can also consider adopting a cat whose lifestyle matches yours. For instance, a cat who likes being independent can be a perfect choice for someone who is often busy.

Essentials to purchase for your cat

To give your cat the best life, ensure that you have all of the following essentials:

Food and water bowls
Litter box
Scratching post
Toys
Cat nips
Cat grooming equipment
A durable carrier or crate
Cat bed
Collar with an ID tag

Frequently asked questions

What is the best age cat to adopt?

If you are looking to adopt a kitten, the age of the kitten should ideally be 12 weeks. At 12 weeks of age, kittens are ready to move into a new home. You can also adopt a middle-aged cat that is younger than 10 years. Middle-aged cats usually have developed a personality which makes it easy to adopt them. Cats are also at their healthiest during this time. Adopting an elderly cat, who is over 10 years of age, also has some benefits. For instance, senior cats will already have a developed personality, and will most likely be less active and prefer staying indoors.

What basics do you need for a cat?

A few basic things that you need for a cat are food and water bowls, a litter box, a scratching post, some toys, cat nips, some cat grooming equipment, a carrier or a crate, a cat bed, and a collar with an ID tag.

What is the first thing you should do when you get a cat?

The first thing you should do after you bring a cat home is to make them feel safe and secure. The cat may feel nervous at first and might take time to open up and get used to you. Give your new pet the time and space they require, and they will adapt to you. Meanwhile, you should also have good quality cat food, food bowls, and water bowls ready at hand.

How long does it take for a cat to bond with you?

There are a lot of factors which affect how quickly a cat bonds with you. Some of these factors include how old the cat is, what kind of shelter they have grown up in, whether they had a home before that, and what kind of life they had in that home. Bonding also majorly depends upon your behaviour towards the cat. So, there is no definite number of days to answer this question. All you can do is show the most care and affection possible to the cat while also giving them the required space and time to connect with you.

How long does it take an adopted cat to adjust?

A lot of factors affect how quickly an adopted cat can adjust to their new home and new owner. These factors include the cat’s age, whether they had a home before yours, and whether they had a good life there. The cat’s ability to adjust also depends upon the circumstances that brought them to the shelter home and your behaviour towards them. It is best to be patient and wait for your feline friend to get used to their new life.

adp_related_article_block382 60 YOU MAY ALSO LIKE …

adp_related_article_block382
Special Nutritional Needs of Senior Pets

adp_related_article_block382
How to Keep Your Cat’s Urinary Tract in Tip-top Shape

adp_related_article_block382
Your Cat’s Language: What Meows, Chirps and Yowls Mean

adp_description_block206
Kitten Training

Share
Your kitten is one of a kind, not to mention adorable. But training your li’l baby comes with some basic guidelines. Scroll on for a handful of our favorite kitten training tips.

Set up your kitten for litter box training success.

Introduce your new kitten to their litter box as soon as they get home. Then always set your cat in their box right after meals and as soon as they wake up from naps.

And don’t forget to reward your kitten with a treat, toy or some extra love after they use it.

Kitty, meet litter.

Litter, meet kitty.

Nip kitten biting in the bud.

When Kitty forgets their manners and bites you or shows their aggressive side, say “ow” or “no” clearly and sternly.

Then slowly remove your hand — or other body part — from their razor-sharp clutches. Pick up your kitten, place them away from you, walk away and ignore them.

You can also redirect them to a feather wand or another toy or activity if you want. But that’s your call.

Ouch!

That’s my hand,

not a treat, tiny cat.

Squash kitten scratching (and save your furniture).

By giving your little feline lots of sturdy scratching posts throughout your house, especially where they like to hang out, you can save your favorite furniture from unwanted claw marks and damage.

Oh, and be sure to trim your kitten’s nails regularly.

Say it with me:

Sofas are NOT

scratching posts.

Cue the cat carrier training.

Teach your kitten that their cat carrier is a safe, comfortable place to chillax and feel protected.

Trust us, by making a carrier part of your fuzzball’s daily life, road trips and vet visits will be easier and safer for years to come.

Cozy up,

Buttercup.

It's midnight. Bring on the zoomies, furry one.
(Actually, please don’t.)

Curb the crazies when you’re asleep.

Want to stop your kitten from bouncing off the walls while you’re supposed to be deep in slumber land? Try these tips.

Have a long play session later in the evening.

Feed your feline a big meal of delicious, nutritious Opens a new windowIAMS™ Healthy Kitten or PERFECT PORTIONS™

Spend 15 minutes of purr-worthy snuggle time before you hit the hay.

Did you know there are five distinct cat personalities?

Yep, it’s true! One of our favorite Opens a new windowstudies from the University of South Australia proved it.

To help train your kitten, pick the word that best describes them:

Skittish

These anxious felines tend to run away when the doorbell rings and are fearful of new situations.

The key to training a skittish kitty? Practice lots of patience and never force them to face their fears, like meeting your house guests after they’ve already runaway and hidden.

Outgoing

Some call them nosy, but we call them fearless. Outgoing kitties are curious and adventurous. They love to explore and get into everything — and they sometimes act naughty because they’re bored.

One of the tricks to training an outgoing kitten is to give them lots of toys and actively play with them. It stimulates their mind and helps burn off energy.

Dominant

“Bossy” best describes these kitties. They bully other cats (and even other pets) and hog things like food bowls, toys and litter boxes.

If your kitten fits this category, be consistently firm and make sure you play with them regularly so they have less energy to be aggressive.

You might also want to make sure your little CEO (Cat Executive Officer) has their own food bowl, water bowl and litter box.

Spontaneous

Two words describe these felines: impulsive and erratic. Their behavior and moods are unpredictable, even if they’ve encountered the same situation before.

When training, never raise your voice — it’ll just ramp up your kitty’s nerves and make them more erratic.

Also, be sure to stick to a consistent daily schedule for feeding and playtime so your little fuzzball knows what to expect and doesn’t get stressed out.

Friendly

This personality is every cat lover’s dream.

These sweeties can usually be found curling up against your shins, meowing loudly and purring away.

The key to training these kittens is to never yell and to socialize them early and often. That way, they’ll continue to be everyone’s best friend for life.

You had me at
meow, li’l feline.
adp_related_article_block269 236 YOUR --spice-- MAY ALSO LIKE …

adp_related_article_block269
Understanding Kitten Food Product Codes

Read More

adp_related_article_block269
Is Your Kitten Ready for Adult Cat Food?

Read More

adp_related_article_block269
Cat Nutrition Food and Importance of Protein for Cat

Read More