Adopting A Cat:
Should You Be Adopted By a Cat?
Your cat will depend on you, although begrudgingly,
throughout its life, and with proper care may live 16 to 18 years or more. Are
you willing and able to care properly for it and provide a stable home for that
long?
Don't adopt a cat without prior budgeting for veterinary care and other
expenses. Routine veterinary care includes scheduled vaccinations and boosters,
tests for internal parasites and viral diseases, and wellness examinations for
health maintenance. This will cost about US$100-$300 a year. This, of course,
depends on your regional veterinary services and on the general health and good
fortune of your cat. Preventive wellness maintenance is less costly in many
ways, financially, physically, and emotionally than treating acquired problems
due to a lack of appropriate wellness maintenance.
If you cannot immediately afford the appropriate veterinary care for a cat, you
should not adopt one until your budget can accommodate those new
responsibilities. Do not believe that you can acquire a cat and never need
veterinary services. Regular and routine vaccinations and examinations are a
must for keeping your cat healthy; in fact, rabies vaccinations are required by
law in most areas
According to Humane Society studies, these are some
combinations of animals that tend to work well:
- two kittens
- an older kitten and a puppy
- a pair of mature neutered animals
- two cats
- two dogs
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Every year people who love their cats dearly, kill them.
Contrary to popular belief, when a domesticated house cat meets the real world
outside, it's not a good thing. On an average day, an outdoor cat may encounter
dogs, other not-so-friendly cats and wild animals, or stand a great chance of
catching worms, fleas and ticks. There are also far more deadly possibilities
like eating poisoned food or pesticides or catching feline leukemia or
immunodeficiency viruses. When you add getting lost or hit by a car to the list,
it's no wonder that the chances of your cat surviving are slim.
Each year humane societies across the country see far too
many cats whose owners thought they were happier outdoors. On an average,
outdoor cats live just 2 to 3 years while indoor cats live 15 years or more.
That's why we plead with you to really love your cats by getting them a tattoo
or microchip, having them spayed or neutered and caring for their health with
check-ups and vaccinations. And, keep them indoors for the rest of their happy
lives.
Cat & Kitten Vaccinations
Cats are independent animals. Their natural roaming habits
may bring them into contact with other animals -- increasing their exposure to
disease. Several diseases that cats get are almost always fatal -- feline
leukemia, feline infectious peritonitis, and rabies, for instance. Other
diseases can kill kittens or destroy the good health of adult cats. Fortunately
for your pet, vaccinations are available and recommended by your veterinarian
for these diseases as well as for feline panleukopenia and feline respiratory
disease. Vaccines protect pets against common viruses and bacteria that cause
disease. Prevention not only assures the best quality of life for your pet but
it also costs less than treatment. Without a vaccination program, many cats will
come down with a serious or even fatal disease
Some factors your veterinarian will consider before
beginning a vaccination program are age, overall health, the need for diagnostic
tests and risk of exposure. Vaccines help protect your cat from infectious
diseases but other aspects of your pet's health are equally important,
especially nutrition and parasite control. Your veterinarian is your partner in
insuring the best preventive care for your feline companion and friend and to
keep you informed about new developments for providing a long, healthy life for
your pet.
Converting Your Cat From An Outdoor Cat To An Indoor Cat
You must help your cat make the transition through
determination, patience and planning. You also may need to modify your
environment and lifestyle. One method that may help your cat make the transition
to an indoor lifestyle is to bring it inside for
increasingly longer stays. Over time, the cat may adjust to longer periods
indoors. If the cat remains committed to life outdoors, you can help it adjust
by providing an outdoor enclosure or run that the cat can access through a
window or pet door.
If you cannot or prefer not to offer your cat a run or
enclosure, consider leash-training the cat so you can supervise its' time
outside. Do not attach the leash to the cats collar, instead attach it to a
figure-eight style harness from which the cat cannot escape. Do not leave the
cat outdoors unsupervised while it is on the leash or a lead as it could fall
prey to free-roaming animals and be unable to defend itself. Your cat may be
frightened by wearing a leash so accustom your pet to the harness and leash
indoors before taking it outside.
 To
help an outdoor cat adjust to life indoors, you must bring some of the benefits
of the great outdoors into your home before, during and after the transition.
Offer your cat opportunities to look outside by installing perches and shelves
near windows. If possible, place bird feeders near the windows to attract
wildlife your cat will enjoy watching. Place the perches near sunny windows and
if the weather allows, leave the windows open so your cat can enjoy plenty of
fresh air.
Exercise for indoor cats is a must. To encourage your
ex-outdoor cat to exercise, offer the cat interesting toys and spend time each
day playing with it. Despite their owners best efforts, some cats resist all
attempts at being kept indoors. If your former outdoor cat appears unusually
stressed at staying indoors, you may want to consider trying short-term drug
therapy during the transition period. If you decide to tranquilize your cat, do
so only under the supervision and care of a veterinarian. If you prefer an
alternative to drug therapy, homeopathic remedies may help your cat adjust to
its new living conditions.
Converting an outdoor cat to life indoors may be stressful
for you and your cat, but allowing a cat to go outdoors is stressful too. If you
are trying to convert a street cat into an indoor pet you must have patience and
dedication. You also must be willing to make the cat's new lifestyle stimulating
and enjoyable. The effort will be well worth it for both you and your cat.
Feline Urine Spraying
Why is your cat spraying? Cats will spray for a number of
reasons. Is there a new pet in the house? Is it a new house? Has the litter box
been moved or is it dirty? Perhaps your cat does not like the particular brand
of litter you buy. Maybe there is a medical problem that you should be aware of.
Has there been a recent death of an old pet?
How can you stop you cat from spraying?
- Have your cat examined first by a veterinarian to rule
out a medical problem.
- Have your cat spayed or neutered if you have not
already.
- Move the litter box to the area where your cat is
spraying in hopes that your cat will begin using it, then gradually move it
back to its original location.
- Perhaps mood modifying drugs will need to be prescribed
by your veterinarian.
- Hormone-like area sprays (FELIWAY) have recently also
shown some promise in modifying this behavior.
- Attempt to find out what started the cat spraying and
try to fix the problem.
What are the chances of your cat stopping spraying?
Spraying usually ceases if the tomcat is castrated prior to reaching one year of
age. Cats who are castrated past one year of age have varying results. According
to one study, 87% will abandon the habit after castration and 13% will not.
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