Should I adopt a cat, a teenager, or a kitten?

Everyone wants a kitten, and yes, kittens are cute. And we do have a lot of kittens available for adoption just waiting for homes. But we have a LOT of beautiful and loving adult cats waiting for homes too. If you truly want to save a life, please don’t forget “Yesterday’s Kittens” when making your selection of a new pet.

Before adoption, please consider the following:

• While kittens are quite possibly the cutest things in the world, they are also very active. Kittens require both physical and mental stimulation to keep them occupied. In the same way kittens can be destructive: Toppling plants, chewing wires, climbing your curtains, knocking your cell phone off the counter, and climbing your legs. Adult cats don’t require the constant supervision that kittens do although adults can still be extremely playful like their smaller counterparts. The adults have also learned appropriate play manners and don’t run the Indy 500 in the middle of the night!

• Adults will already be neutered, and some are declawed, which will save you money if you prefer a declawed cat.

• Do not assume a kitten will live longer than an adult. There is no way to predict the life span of a cat. The kitten you choose may only live 8 years. The 5 yr. old adult you choose may live another 12 or more years.

• There is also no way to predict how large a kitten will grow. The runt of the litter may grow up to be a 20+ pound cat. If you adopt a petite adult cat he or she is already full grown and the only growth will be to his/her girth!

• A kitten’s personality will be much more developed by the time they are teenagers (6 to 12 months of age). If you are sure you would like to adopt a kitten consider adopting a teenager. They have all of the same personality characteristics as the smaller kittens but their personalities are more fully developed – and you will therefore have a better idea whether they will be a match with your family.

• If you have an older cat, a kitten might be too energetic for your senior cat. An adult cat could very well be a much better companion choice.

• Adult cats are more settled, often more affectionate, and want more lap time.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS: Adult cats will be fully vaccinated. A kitten will only have its 1st shot, and will need 2-3 more boosters 3-4 weeks apart ($25-$50 ea.) A kitten will only have its first deworming, and will need 1 or more treatments ($10 ea.), plus fecal parasite checks ($20 ea.) If you plan to declaw, we may have an adult that is already declawed, saving you the expense ($200+) and the hassle, plus saving a cat the trauma.

PERSONALITY CONSIDERATIONS: All kittens are cute and playful! However, they only stay small for a very short time, and as they mature their true personalities emerge. It is impossible to predict what a kitten’s adult personality may ultimately be. There is no such thing as “molding a kitten’s personality.” Cuddly kittens may turn into not so cuddly cats, no matter how well treated they’ve been. Very social kittens may grow into “loner” cats. The kitten that used to fall asleep in your lap may prefer not to be picked up as an adult. We strongly suggest that if you are looking for a ‘lap kitten/cat’ that you consider adopting a “teenager” or an adult cat. This way, “what you see is what you get,” and you can then select the cat that is perfect for you and your family. Remember, this is the cat that will be part of your family for the next 15-20 years - not the little kitten that was so darn cute!

IF YOU WOULD LIKE ANY SUGGESTIONS ON YOUR POTENTIAL NEW ADDITION, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US AND WE'D LOVE TO GIVE YOU RECOMMENDATIONS!

Important! WE NEED YOUR HELP. We want to continue to help the homeless, stray,

and abandoned kitties of this world. We think every cat deserves a fair chance. But it isn't easy.

Our volunteers work tirelessly giving of their time, energy, and their own personal money to

help save just one more cat. No cat is turned away. Won't you help us too? Your donation of just a few dollars

will feed many cats for days. It's easy and tax deductible. Please follow this link to donate.