Save A Life!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
By: Connecticut Humane Society

Adopt a shelter cat or kitten.

Photo by Les Robertson

It’s June and time to celebrate National Adopt-A-Cat month.  According to American Humane, about 4 million cats enter shelters every year.  Simply put, the amount of homeless felines is staggering. So how can you help save lives? 

Adopt a shelter cat or kitten.

If you need a reason to adopt beyond your love of cats, consider this:

• Cats are really funny.  They’ll always bring a smile to your face with their antics.  And with the stress that so many of us face, we can all use a good laugh.

• Cats are good for your health.  Studies show that people who have pets live longer, healthier and happier lives.  All it takes is finding the feline of your dreams.

• You will be saving two lives; the kitty you take home and the kitty waiting for space in the shelter.  That makes you a hero!  Not everyone can claim to have saved a life.

• Spring is breeding season for cats which means even more felines need help during June.

• CT Humane shelters in Newington, Waterford and Westport have dozens of wonderful, vaccinated, spayed/neutered, and health checked cats and kittens available for adoption today!

Now that you’ve decided to adopt a mature, cuddly and well-trained adult cat or a cute, fun-loving kitten, you’ll want to make sure your family is ready to welcome their new companion into the fold. 

1. Make sure the family is ready. Establish a routine for basic care like feeding, litter changing and grooming and then divide the tasks up so everyone can get involved.  Of course, everyone will want to participate in training, exercise, play and cuddling.

2. Learn about kitty language.  Fluffy will tell you all about her needs and desires, as well as her frustrations through body language and vocalizations.  Go to your local library or search the internet for articles that can help you learn how to communicate effectively with your new cat.

3. Stock up on all the supplies you’ll need.  Don’t forget to include toys and a scratching post.  Making sure Fluffy has an outlet for her play and scratching needs will keep everyone happy.

4. Make sure Fluffy can be identified.  CT Humane felines are all microchipped.  Make sure to register and update so that folks can help Fluffy can find her way home if she ever gets lost.

5. Give Fluffy some privacy.  When she first comes home, she’ll need a room where she can have the space and time she needs to adjust to her new surroundings.  Put her food, water, and litter box in a low-traffic and quiet room.  Make sure that the human members of your family respect her privacy and keep the room closed off to the other pets in your home.

6. Don’t expect Fluffy to network with everyone right away.  That can be overwhelming.  Introduce any family members who did not come along to the adoption one at a time.  Save meet and greet with neighbors and friends until Fluffy is eating and eliminating on a normal schedule.  Introducing other pets in the home should also be done slowly and carefully.  In some cases, it may take several weeks before Fluffy is ready to meet her fellow 4- legged family members.

7. Cat-proof the rest of the home.  Once it’s time to let Fluffy have free access, you’ll want to make sure that items she might chew or swallow, items that might be poisonous/toxic, and foods that are unhealthy are safely stowed away.

Thank you for adopting and being part of the solution to pet homelessness!