Best Places to Purchase or Adopt

When a family wants to add a pet to their home and are concerned about leaving a dog alone all day, a cat is a wonderful pet. Cats require food, clean water, and a litter box that should be scooped out at least once a day. Since they're considered to be more independent than dogs, cats are usually content sitting at a window or in a sunny spot on the floor. Some cats are more friendly while others tend shy or aloof, especially if they aren't socialized.

Purchasing A Cat

The reason for anyone to purchase a cat is if they're looking for a purebred. It's important for adopters to find a breed that's compatible with their family's lifestyle. For example, a Bengal Cat has a lot of energy and will require toys to keep them occupied. Persians must frequently be groomed. The person purchasing the cat should research breeders in their area and never buy a cat from a pet store. Reputable breeders don't sell their kittens to pet shops. Adult cats are sometimes an option when a breeder is no longer breeding some of their adult cats. Another way to find a purebred is to search breed specific rescues.

Nationwide Cat Adoption

One of the best ways anyone can find the perfect cat for their family is to search nationwide. Websites like Adopt-A-Pet and Petfinder feature cats that are available for adoption from more than 10,000 sources around the country. It's easy to find a cat by searching:

• Location
• Age
• Breed
• Gender

The sites offer useful information about cat care, especially for new owners bringing a cat into their home for the first time.

Adopting Locally

Adopting a cat from a local pound or shelter is the ideal way to give a homeless cat a loving home. Most cities and towns have a local animal control where potential adopters can go to meet the cats that are available. Animal control will charge a fee for the adoption, and some require the cat to be spayed or neutered. Millions of cats and kittens are relinquished to local pounds every year, so it's important to spay or neuter.

Shelters and Rescue Groups

Non-profit shelters and rescues have a lot of cats that are available for adoption. Ways that groups get cats:

• Owners that relinquish pets
• Relatives after a family member's death
• Abandoned or stray
• Animal Control
• Humane Societies

Local rescue groups take advantage of social media to showcase the cats available for adoption. A lot of pets find their forever home at local adoption events at retail stores and other locations. One of the great things about cat rescue groups is that when the cats are taken to a pet retail outlet for an event, they stay at the store's adoption center until they find a new home.

A cat may be fearful when coming into their new home. Here are some suggestions that can help a cat get accustomed to its new surroundings.

• Confine the cat to one room for awhile
• Provide places to hide like an open closet or a box
• Offer toys to play with

It's important to let the cat become used to its surroundings gradually. The cat has to get used to different scents and sounds, especially after being in a kennel. The family should be patient with the new cat. Animals are like people, and some take longer than others to acclimate. When the cat realizes that it's living in a friendly environment, it will overcome its fears and become a fun and loving addition to the family.