Meow! National Adopt a Cat Month in June – the height of “kitten season,” when large litters of kittens are born and often end up in shelters – encourages us to remember our feline friends when considering a new pet. Also known as Adopt a Shelter Cat Month, it’s a time to learn the cat-friendly ways to prepare your home for a new fur baby, how to know which cat is best for you and how to care for your feline friend.
Shelters are full of cats and kittens in needs of forever homes. More than ever, they need our help. Not only are thousands of newborn kittens joining the millions of cats already in shelters, but a lack of foot traffic, funding and supplies at many shelters struggling to maintain operations during the COVID-19 pandemic further threaten these beautiful animals and their hopes to find a forever home.
These feline fur babies come with as many personalities as they do colors and coats. They curl into our hearts and will just as quickly remind us they decide who they love. Whether they were born in the shelter, surrendered or abandoned, 3.4 million find their way to a shelter.
When considering the adoption of a cat or kitten, take your time. Each shelter animal will touch your heart, so be sure to find a life-long love by following these tips:
- Consider your lifestyle. Will you have time for an active kitten or will an adult cat be more to your pace?
- Make multiple visits before making a choice. Sometimes, the purrfect cat will choose you.
- Spend one-on-one time with the cat so you have some bonding meowments and her true personality comes through.
- Do other members of your fur family need to be considered? If so, be sure to introduce them to be sure their personalities mesh.
- When you bring your new family member home, have a space ready for him to decompress and adjust to his new abode. Don’t be surprised if he hides at first. This is normal cat behavior.
How to Observe National Adopt A Cat Month
American Humane says step one is visiting your local shelter. If you aren’t able to adopt, consider fostering, volunteering, or making a donation. Each shelter provides a list of needed items. If you’ve adopted a shelter cat, share a selfie with your fur baby on social media. Use #AdoptACatMonth to follow throughout the month.
To help, American Humane is encouraging animal lovers to visit their local animal shelter and adopt a cat – or two, contribute to their “Feed the Hungry” campaign, which is delivering hundreds of thousands of meals to shelter animals, and learn more about the joys (and responsibilities) of adding a cat to their families.
Resources
Whether you’re bringing home your first cat or adding to your brood, American Humane wants to ensure all pet owners are prepared for the joyful – and sometimes confusing – moments of adopting a cat, and offers the following resources to get you off on the right… paw.
- A Cat Adoption Checklist
- Introducing Cats to Cats
- Introducing Dogs to Cats
- Choosing a Cat Collar
- Cats and Scratching
- Litter Box Use
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Photo Credit: CebotariN / Shutterstock.com