June Marks Adopt a Shelter Cat Month

In summer, animal shelters are often at peak capacity, so there’s no better time to consider pet adoption. Of the approximately 6.5 million companion animals who enter animal shelters nationwide every year, 3.2 million are cats, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). You could save a life this summer by choosing to bring a cat or kitten home.

Here are a few tips and advice to consider as you make your plans...

Think Ahead

Are you and your family cat ready? Or are you looking to expand your pet family? Georgia Welch, National Training Manager at Invisible Fence® Brand has some tips as you begin planning for your new addition.

• Be Prepared for More than One. Many rescue organizations are hesitant to allow adoptions for a single cat. They believe cats are happier when they have a buddy. They are often looking for you to adopt two kittens from the same litter or two cats that have formed a friendship at the shelter.
• Socialization. 
  • If adding a cat to your family that already includes other cats or dogs, it is often easier if the new pet is young. With dogs, it's easier to add a cat if the dog has been used to living with cats or at least was socialized to cats as a puppy.
  • Most kittens start out friendly with people and if the household doesn't get many visitors, become very wary strangers. Just like dogs, cats need ongoing opportunities to see a variety of people. While some cats are content indoors, many are always looking for a way to get outdoors. Cats can be social animals and when the family is outside on the patio or in the yard, it’s frustrating for them to be isolated indoors.
• Make time for exercise. Just like all animals, cats need exercise. However, many rescue groups require cats to be kept indoors. The top reasons include protecting cats from outdoor dangers like cars, predators, and poisons as well as protecting songbirds from predations by the birds. Many health issues with indoor only cats as well as behavior issues are related to overeating, boredom and lack of exercise. It is important to provide exercise opportunities for our feline family.
• Make Space. Giving cats outdoor space can be provided while also keeping them safe. Invisible Fence® Brand has trained many cats to their systems to keep them in their yard. This protects them from outdoor hazards as well as providing songbirds protection from the cats. Wildlife will quickly learn the boundaries of pets contained on Invisible Fence® Brand.
• Commitment. When thinking about adding a cat to your family, it's important to consider the commitment involved. Cats' average life expectancy is about 15 years, but it’s not unusual for cats to live into their 20's. If that time commitment seems overwhelming, it might be worth looking at an older cat to fit better.
• Find a shelter in your area that you feel good about. AdoptAPet.com and PetFinder.com are two good resources.
• Cat-proof the house (more on this later!).

How Do I Choose?

When visiting a shelter, it can be overwhelming to pick from so many adorable cats and kittens. Consider what’s the best fit for you, your family and your home. The team at Princeton Veterinary Hospital has this advice:

• How much time do you have? While all cats need attention, kittens require extra time and energy, so decide if an adult cat might be better for your schedule and lifestyle – or if you’re ready to raise a youngster.
• Tour the facility before deciding on any one cat to see which one shows interest in you. Once you visit with them, see how they interact. If they try to swat or bite when petting them, this might not be a good match, especially if you have young children at home.
• Looking for a lap cat? Then steer clear of cats that don’t like being picked up. 
• Ask questions! Like how the cat or kitten arrived at the shelter, medical history, behavior trait’s, types of people they like to be around – there are no wrong questions when it comes to choosing your ideal cat match. 

Your Vet Partner

We think carefully when it comes to choosing our own physicians, so why not do the same with our pets? The American Veterinary Medical Association shares some key tips:

• Select a vet ahead of time. Get referrals from friends, family, breed clubs or special interest groups. Read online reviews to see what others in your community are saying.
• Find out what services they offer, including early or late hours, boarding and emergency care.
• Is the staff helpful and professional? Are doctors and technicians easy to talk to and understand?
• See how they interact with other ‘patients;’ ask questions and communicate your needs.
• Bring your cat in for a wellness visit with the vet within a week of being adopted. If you have a record of immunizations from the shelter, take it with you.

Accessorize!

Have all the basics on hand before your new arrival. Some suggestions…

• Stock up on toys, a scratching post, bed and cat tree, if possible. Cats also need scratching posts, and a safe place to hang out. Cats also need a place to feel safe to sleep and hang out. Cat beds and cat trees are handy for providing that sense of safety. PetSafe® offers a variety of toys to help cats get exercise even when indoors. Have a mix of items they can enjoy on their own and interactive ones for playtime. Some toys are designed independent play, like food puzzle toys and toys they can bat around and electronic toys like laser lights. It is also important to provide interactive play like chase with a feather toy or even fetch.
• You’ll need a litter box, litter scoop and good supply of litter.  The general guideline is to provide one more litter box than there are cats. 2 litter boxes for 1 cat, 3 for 2 etc. It is also essential the boxes are kept clean to minimize the likelihood inappropriate elimination. Using auto cleaning litterboxes like PetSafe®'s ScoopFree litter boxes make keeping the litter box clean easy.
• Separate food and water bowls. For transitioning into their new home, start feeding cats what they’re accustomed to unless your vet recommends something else. The best water dish for a cat is a fountain. Cats are generally more interested in moving water rather than still water. Many cats are free fed dry food and given meals of wet food. An automatic feeder can be very handy to control the amount of food and to provide access to food during the day.
• Get a cat carrier for trips and travel, whether around town, to the vet or heading out on vacation. In addition to getting your house ready, it's a good idea to teach your cat life skills to help the cat be comfortable when travel is necessary. PetSafe®'s Come with me Kitty is a combination bungee leash and harness that can be used to teach the cats to walk on a leash for exercise or when trips to the vet or for a vacation, boarding or moving. The same can be said for teaching the cat to be comfortable in a crate or a backpack designed for cats or small dogs. In an emergency, the ability to be contained can be critical if evacuation is required. If the cat hasn't been trained to accept the confinement it can make keeping your feline family member safe when an emergency occurs.
• A cat door is also critical if your new family member will be an indoor/outdoor cat.. Many pet parents set the cat door up to always allow the cat to return to the house, but the owners control when the cats are let outside.
• Indoor Shields® Solutions will help keep indoor only cats indoors. They can block doorways to eliminate the "Cat Dance" at doorways.
• ID tags are important, so a wandering kitty finds her way home in the event she strays. 

Around the House

There’s baby-proofing, and then there’s cat-proofing. Any time new animals are brought home, there’s usually a few prep steps, especially for a curious cat.

• Before bringing a new cat into your home. be sure your house is set up to keep your new family member safe. Some houseplants are toxic. Put away medications, household cleaners and other risky items a cat might be curious about. Cats are also drawn to high places in the house. Be sure breakable objects are not left on shelves to be knocked down.
• Protect your furniture. A cat’s claws need to be worn down, and they’ll do this themselves by scratching on things. Consider Indoor Shields® Solutions and provide them with an alternative for scratching like corrugated cardboard and scratching posts. These Indoor Shields® Solutions can be an alternative to declawing to protect specific furniture pieces.
• Keep them out of your food prep. Our Indoor Shields® Solutions products can keep cats off of food prep areas, control access to food for cats on prescription diets.
• Decide where to put your litter box, away from the feeding area. If other family members are helping out, create a cleaning schedule to avoid squabbles.
• Ensure cats can safely explore their new outdoor environment with trusted products like Invisible Fence^® Brand’s Boundary Plus^® Technology, giving them maximum yard space while not feeling restricted.

Schedule your FREE consultation today to learn more about how we can help support you as you welcome your new cat(s) home!