It’s Always a Good Time to Adopt a Cat
June is National Adopt-A-Cat Month. With so many beautiful, sweet, playful felines available for adoption, there’s never been a better time to adopt a cat. If you’ve been wanting to find the best possible addition to your family, we are so happy to help you get started.
Shelter Cats
We highly recommend finding your next best friend at an animal shelter. Shelter cats are already spayed/neutered, current on all vaccinations and parasite prevention, dewormed, and microchipped. Many available cats are in their adult or senior years, and deserve homes and loving families. Plus, all available animals are screened for any behavioral issues and have great descriptions of their personalities, preferences, and ideal lifestyles/environments.
To promote National Adopt-A-Cat Month, most shelters or rescues are offering free or reduced adoptions for all the cats in their care that need forever homes.
How to Prepare
Kittens are incredible, but they do require a lot of attention, time, and money to get them on the path of health, safety, and happiness. If you are able to devote yourself to their intense needs for play, exercise, mental stimulation, age-appropriate nutrition, and training, adopting a kitten (or two) could be wonderful.
Getting Preppy
It is crucial to examine your lifestyle, household, home type, and other family members (human and animal alike) before you adopt a cat. While they don’t require excessive room to run or a yard, cats definitely benefit from a certain amount of space. Questions to ask include:
- Will my landlord have an issue with me keeping a cat in my house/apartment?
- Is my home safe for a cat?
- Can I offer a cat security from predators, other cats, falls, toxins, and other environmental hazards?
- If my home isn’t totally cat-proofed, can I make adjustments that ensure safety, security, and relaxation?
- Does my lifestyle give me enough time off to relax at home?
- Can I pay for a cat sitter or boarding facility to care for my cat when I leave town?
- Am I employed to the degree that I can easily pay for veterinary services, excellent food, and high-quality toys?
A Word About Associated Fees
It may cost upwards of $400 to get set up to adopt a cat. This includes the cost of adoption, supplies, food, and initial veterinary care. Their litter box, carrier, toys, bedding, and more are all a part of the initial cost. As cats age, their medical costs may go up incrementally, but it’s also likely that all related fees will even out over time. You can expect that monthly cat care is about $50.
Before you adopt a cat, it may also be worthwhile to consider pet insurance or contributing to an emergency savings account on their behalf. This can cover the cost of urgent care, and removes the barrier to care when they might need it the most.
Adopt a Cat Today
If you have questions about the adoption process, how to prepare your home, and the successful ways to introduce a new cat to resident pets, please give us a call at (865) 609‑0311. Our staff at Volunteer Veterinary Hospital is always happy to help!