6 Considerations to Make Before Adopting a Cat or Kitten from a Rescue

• Author: Mikko Rocco
• Posted: 2024-05-08

When adopting a cat, it is essential to ensure they fit well with all your family members. Although you might love a cat the first time you see them, you shouldn’t adopt one in a hurry. Since you’ll live with the cat after completing the adoption process, you need to find one that fits your lifestyle. Here are six considerations you need to make to make sure you choose a cat that fits your family and one you’ll provide with the best care possible:
 

1. Ask Whether the Cat Knows How to Use the Litter Box

Ask if the caretakers at the rescue center have trained the cat to use the litter box. It will prevent you from unpleasant surprises when the cat arrives home. If you adopt an untrained pet, equip yourself with the right resources to train them. Although adopting a cat that hasn’t been litter trained will enable you to delay welcoming him at home until you’ve learned how to do it and prepared a litter-training schedule.
 

2. Find Out the Kitty’s Temperament

It might be challenging to understand a cat’s temperament when visiting them in a shelter. Most cats get stressed when spending time with strangers. Additionally, the commotion and movements of a rescue center can change the temperament of a relaxed kitten.

Ask the center’s volunteers what they feel about the cat. Most of them may have spent time with the feline and can let you know the cat’s personality. However, the cat may not show their true personality until they settle into a comfortable home.
 

3. How Does the Cat Cope with Other Pets?

Adopting a kitty that gets along with other pets would be best if you are a parent to other pets. Some centers conduct behavioral tests to check how the pets living under their care cope with other animals. You can plan for a meeting between the cat you want to adopt and your pets.

In addition, you may request a trial period from the rescue organization whereby you can carry the kitty home to see if they fit in your family before you adopt them. Another option is fostering the cat you want to adopt. That will let you see if the cat copes with your family before formally adopting.

If the cat you choose doesn’t fit in your home, you will have learned about its temperament and personality. You can then share the details with the shelter’s volunteers so they can find the right home for the cat.
 

4. Find Out Why Somebody Abandoned the Cat

Knowing why the kitty’s previous owner abandoned them is essential to understand any future problems that may arise when they start living in your home. People may surrender cats for several reasons, so be ready for any response and know how to handle it.

For example, if someone abandoned a cat for scratching furniture, the pet is not misbehaving. You can adopt such a cat if you are ready to invest energy and time to correct the behavior.
 

5. Does the Shelter Have any Information Concerning Kitty’s Background

While it is difficult to find a rescue center with information about where their cats came from, it doesn’t hurt to ask. Your response can guide you on how best to help the cat transition into living in the new home. For example, a stray cat may experience more challenges when transitioning to a family pet than one that lived in such an environment before.
 

6. What is the Cat’s Health Condition?

Avoid adopting any cat without inquiring about its past and present health conditions. Sometimes, kitties arrive at rescue centers with health problems such as malnutrition and parasites. Recovery from such issues may require medication for an extended duration.

If you adopt such a cat, you must be ready to cover the treatment expenses. In addition, some people surrender pets to rescue centers because they have health conditions and diseases that need costly medication and first-hand care. If the cat you want to adopt has any medical condition or illness, find out about the treatment cost and method before you take them home.

Adopting a cat is a significant decision, whether you are doing it for the first time or have done it before. Therefore, you should take enough time before inviting the pet to your home. The above considerations will guide you into settling on the right cat for you and your family. These factors will enhance the flurry friend’s transition into the new home.