10 Things to Know BEFORE Adopting a Cat

So you want to adopt a cat. Great! Before you go looking for your feline friend, here are 10 things to know before adopting a cat. PRODUCT LINKS ⬇️⬇️⬇️

★ Blog Post
There, you will find the sources for this video.

***

PRODUCTS ⬇️⬇️⬇️

FOOD

Wet:
Dry:

LITTER

GROOMING

ENRICHMENT/TOYS

***

ABOUT US

The Purring Journal posts anything and everything related to cats. That's why our tagline is "Content for cat lovers." 😺

★ Website
★ Merch

***

DISCLAIMER

This description contains affiliate links. If you click one and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only affiliate with products that I truly find helpful, and commissions help support this blog.

This video is made for entertainment purposes only. The Purring Journal is NOT in the medical field. Use the information presented in this video at your own risk. ALWAYS seek medical advice from licensed veterinarians.

***

FOLLOW US

★ Instagram
★ Pinterest
★ Twitter
★ TikTok

***

ATTRIBUTION

***

SONGS

"Barrel Full of Monkeys" by The Whole Other

***

#catadvice #catadoption #catvideos

[ThePurringJournal]

Do you plan on adopting a cat? And were these tips helpful? 🐈

[pawshands]

I have been rescuing cats all my life, and I can say that each one has been different from the others. Fascinating companions that need to be spayed and neutered. Thank you for this video. Many people want a kitty, but a kitty is a handful and if your worried about your furniture then please do not adopt. And please do not purchase for aesthetics, please rescue responsibly.

[nick]

If it’s a thing in your area, definitely look into a cat cafe. We went to one for fun in my GFs hometown and met the sweetest little cat; jumped right on my lap and didn’t leave the whole time. We sadly weren’t on the market for a little friend at the time, but told her mom about her who went to adopt her the next day. Cats were up to date on all vaccines and in good health. Gave a great chance to “trial run” (for lack of better terms) a cat before committing to one you see online and don’t know if their personality will match what you’re looking for.

[crashnebula]

Some more tips:

Be able to consider older cats with disabilities. They also deserve to be loved.

Also consider adopting black cats. They do NOT bring bad luck… We live in a modern world, so leave dumb superstitions behind!

[ruledbyvenus]

First time cat mom here. I recently adopted a gray and white female tuxedo and thankfully I did everything on your list beforehand. I was very specific with the shelter by letting them know what I wanted and they matched Cashmere and I perfectly. She’s only 6lbs and most likely was the runt. She’ll be turning a year young on April 13th. I’m blessed to have her to care for. 💛

[Mr.cat]

When I adopt my first cat she was extremely excited and she started to discover all around the house she is female

[sailincat]

Former cat & kitten rescuer here.
This video provides excellent advice! Points I would like to add or emphasize:

*Adopt, don't shop.* Your local animal control may be killing homeless cats while breeders are selling more for profit. A shockingly high percentage of shelter cats are purebreds, or so close to it you can't tell they aren't. Felines from rescues, shelters, and adoption centers _should_ already be spayed or neutered, micro-chipped, vaccinated, treated for fleas and other parasites, and tested for serious diseases. Consider what all that would cost you at your vet clinic, then pay their adoption fee with a smile. Maybe make an additional donation to help with the cost of other cats needing more expensive preparation for adoption. (For example, I once spent $1, 000 to save a kitten's eyesight. His adoption fee was $75, same as all the others.)

Many rescues and adoption centers will 'take special orders' and notify you when the cat you're looking for shows up. Once a lady told me she wanted to find a kitten or young adult female Siamese or mix who was having trouble getting adopted because she wasn't fully socialized, yet wasn't hopelessly feral. Within a week I had two matches for her to choose from.

*Never, ever declaw a cat or kitten!* If you're considering a declawed cat, then study what adverse effects such mutilation has on the cat's mental and physical health. If you still insist on having a declawed cat, then adopt one which a previous owner had declawed before abandoning them.

Cats are very smart. Each has a complex and unique personality. Just as with humans, adults have a more developed and stable personality, less likely to change over time. Cats which have lived with humans already know most of the household rules. (Whether they always follow your rules is another thing. After all, we're talking about cats here.)

Adopting kittens probably sounds like fun, but be aware, they are furry little vandals! Even more than human babies, they will get into everything, eat things they shouldn't, spill things, damage stuff without regard for replacement cost, and occasionally ignore their toilet training (litter box).

A kitten really needs to interact with other felines during its first year so as to develop a normal personality. Two kittens provide more than double the entertainment! And wrestling with each other helps keep them occupied, exercised, tired out, and less destructive (except when they team up to destroy something).

Seriously consider some of the least-adopted cats, such as all black, amputees, blind in one or both eyes, or otherwise less than perfect. Cats have an amazing ability to overcome physical handicaps. Once a new cat is integrated into your household, none of those things will be important compared to their personalities and how they interact with other family members.

Understand how long cats live. Many people don't realize 20-year-old cats are not unheard of, although the average lifespan is closer to 15. As the video mentioned, research the cost of taking care of a cat. Ask your vet to help you estimate the cost of healthcare, routine and otherwise. I recently spent around $600 on a cat during the final few days of its life. It happens.

If you don't already have experience with a local vet you're happy with, then ask for suggestions from people involved in rescue, foster & adoption. There's a good chance they spend more time and money at vet clinics in a year than you will in a lifetime.

I'll stop here, because I doubt anyone is going to read even this far.😸

[cattitude]

Great information! It's always smart to do some research before adopting any animal companion. It's a serious commitment! They are counting on you to care for them for the rest of their lives! This is an awesome video to watch for anyone thinking of adopting a cat!!😻🐾🐾

[Chibi-kittenplays]

Don't consider cat insurance. GET a cat insurance. It is so important, you never know

[didoryan]

I was watching your video because soon in a few weeks I will get a new young cat as my first cat has died from his old age.

He died about 10 weeks ago this year 2023.

[yoonjioni]

I am far from being ready to adopt one. But I've been getting information left and right so I know everything about cats when I am financially able to adopt one. I've been in love with cats all my life and I really want to adopt one even stray ones. But I want to make sure I am able to care for them completely before adopting cause I never in my life would like to see a cat suffer. So thank you for making this video. I'll make sure to take these advices into consideration.

[OurCatioHome]

Thank you for another excellent video with important content too! Yes, just like people, they all have different personalities and are always very special in their own right. Happy cat pairing to everyone!

[barbaracholak]

Thanks for sharing your information!
Helpful hints👍
Salutations 🐾

[BGunBunny]

One of my Torties (Pixie) is fascinated by the toilet and she will wait patiently while I do my business. After I'm done and I flush, she will jump up onto the seat to watch the log swirl around and disappear. She has even circled the toilet trying to figure out where it went. 🤣

[thehauntedgirl]

Thank You, these are very helpful tips!👍🏻
I can’t wait to adopt both a female kitten and male kitten soon. 🐈‍⬛🐈♥️

[NiceMuslimLady]

That first black cat looks a lot like my Miss Midnight the Spoilt Feral Queen of the Cat Tree. She is this feral mum that had kittens that needed help in April 2020. She HATED being inside. But, when her kittens needed help, she let me take them and later, I heard her outside looking for them, so I caught her. I promised her that after she got fixed, she could leave if she wished. She was finally fixed in January 2021 and...now almost two years later...she's still here! She has never asked to go back to living outside. In fact, she has gotten really spoilt living here to where she absolutely does not even want to go outside at all! She is right now on a cat tree playing.

I also have two other girls that get along just great with each other. Miss Patches was my first one and she ALWAYS has her daughter, Miss Booties right next to her. It's actually difficult to get a picture of one without the other one.

Miss Patches two sons, Mr Blacky and Mr Tiger are friends with Miss Midnight's brother, Mr Tabby the Feral House Cat. When Mr Tabby joined us, Mr Blacky was like "oh no!" Miss Booties was just apoplectic "oh HELL NO! In fact, ::censored:: and the horse you rode in on!" She was cursing him out in cat for over a year! She's ok with him now. Miss Patches was like "oh, hi". Mr Tiger was like "Want to be buddies?" Miss Patches has always been welcoming. She has nicks in her ears from fighting with other cats, but, I have never seen her behave aggressively towards any other cats. Before I got her, I used to hear her fighting with other cats. I don't think she instigated them.

I have, right now, 14 cats, including several ferals. Even the feral ones are quite happy here, especially today, since it's raining. I saw some of the ferals this morning playing with toys.

[annegillespie]

Very good info on video about adopting a cat, 🐈🤗 ! I have one cat, which is good for me right now! 😺😸

[elizabethpeterson]

When I was 11 years old that I became best friends with my family’s 2nd cat. I first met him when he was a stray. I was very lucky that he turned out to be a big sweetie. Even our 1st cat was a stray, too. These 2 both were red tabby cats. The 2nd cat was a big sweetie. He was loved by my mother and me. The 1st cat was more than my father’s and sister’s cat.

[ameliawarfield]

You should also know that if you live in an apartment, you should check with your landlord if a cat is okay.

[ZESTYBLACKBOYY]

Thanks I might get a ragdoll cat this summer