How to Adopt a Stray Cat

Some people just feed them, and call them outdoor pets. Most of the time, a true stray cat is too wild to make a good pet. But if the animal is friendly, you may want to adopt it.

Most homes just wouldn't be complete without the beloved family pet, and getting around to picking the new addition to your home can be a very exciting time. We all usually turn to brand spanking new kittens and puppies when we want to get a pet, but what if you could make more of a difference with your choice in family companion?

Choosing to get your new cat or dog from a shelter could be one of the best things that you ever do. These poor creatures are often neglected, abandoned, and even worse, abused by previous owners, making them scared, frightened creatures that you could make the world of difference to. Your love could change their lives. If you really want to get a pet, could you possibly adopt a cat or dog from a shelter?

There are a number of reasons why adopting a pet is a better idea than buying one from a pet store or breeder. For one, it will work out to be cheaper. Most shelters actually allow adoption for free, and even if they do charge, it will be a much cheaper price than buying a puppy or kitten from a store. On top of that, some of the animals in the shelter will already have been micro-chipped, neutered or spayed, and will have had up to date vaccinations. This won't apply to all of course, but you could still save money in the long term.

Of course, the major reason for choosing to adopt a pet from a shelter rather buying a "brand new" one is the fact that you will be giving a new lease of life to an abandoned pet. It will be like a second chance for them, and although the adoption process may be difficult with obstacles to overcome, especially if the pet was abused, the bond that will be created between you will be one that will last a lifetime as long as you treat it right.

You will find that adoption is not a difficult task. There will usually be many shelters or organizations in your area and you can use the local phone book or the internet to find out more. You will need to have some sort of idea of the kind of pet that you want. Are you looking for a cat or a dog? How big is your home? Can you only have a small animal? Can you adopt more than one? Are you looking for a specific breed or temperament? The more information that you can give to the staff in the shelter, the more of a chance that you are going to get the pet that will be perfect for you and your family. Some dogs may have been so badly abused that they are not suitable for homes with small children. Other pets may not get on with the ones that you already have in your home. This is stuff that you can easily discuss with the staff at the shelter.

Each shelter will have its own set of rules and regulations so adoption from one place to another will vary. Some shelters may charge, some may carry out checks on the home to ensure that the pet is going to a good owner, some may even require regular checkups in your home. This is information that you will discuss with the staff at the shelter and they are steps that are put in place to ensure that the poor creature never has to end up in the shelter again.

Stray cats are not vicious, nor are they normally aggressive to people (with one exception at a hotel I was hired to work at). Because the people at the hotel were feeding the cats. Never feed stray cats - it causes several problems.

Stray cats will leaving droppings and urine in the areas they live, and will of course scratch and dig. Stray cats are a source of fatal and non-fatal diseases transmittable to humans and domestic cats, including rabies, ringworm, toxoplasmosis, cat scratch fever, allergies, feline leukemia, feline distemper and secondary bacterial infections.

The best way to help with America's stray cat problem is to never feed them, and to initiate trap, neuter, release programs. Always spay or neuter your pet cat!

Here is a complete list of my stray cat educational articles:
Trap Neuter Release Programs for Stray Cats
Stray Cat Trapping Techniques
Stray Cats in the Attic
Should You Feed Stray Cats?
Common problems caused by stray cats
How to catch a stray cat to bring it to the shelter
How many stray cats are in the United States?
What should you do if you find a litter of stray kittens?
How to Adopt a Stray Cat
What to do About Stray Cat Fighting and Spraying
How To Get Rid of Stray Cats