People sometimes display a whacked sense of priorities where it comes to deciding when and how to adopt a cat. They will turn a blind eye to the hundreds of cats in local shelters but become obsessed to adopt one needy cat far away, that has made the news. I remember a 28 pound cat in a shelter in California who made the news simply because of his size. The shelter received over 300 offers from throughout the United States and Canada; some even claimed that he was their cat.
I call it the "people being people" syndrome, and I am as vulnerable to it as any. You see, mass tragedy, such as animal shelters' "death row cats," is often too hard to witness. One can adopt a cat "in the news" without the pain of walking past cage after cats of cats begging for a new home. While it may seem noble to adopt a needy cat by long distance, there are several reasons why it is better to adopt a cat from your own local animal shelter
- Animal Shelter Rules
Many animal shelters require an in-home inspection and interview to make sure you are equipped to give responsible care to a cat. Other rules may specifically prohibit long-distance adoption of a cat. - Transportation Considerations
Going to a new home is stressful enough to a shelter cat. Putting him or her through air transportation or a long-distance drive can only exacerbate his stress. - Adoption Follow-up
You and/or your veterinarian may discover medical conditions that the shelter did not disclose. It is important to be able to contact the shelter at short notice in these situations. - Potential Problems
There are unfortunate times, despite all efforts, that an adopted shelter cat simply cannot adapt to his new home. Some shelters require that the cat be returned to them in such cases.
The message I want to impart is that if you have any inkling at all to adopt a cat to enrich your life - run, don't walk, to your nearest animal shelter or cat rescue group. I guarantee that you'll find dozens of cats every bit as appealing as the headline-makers. You'll also be every bit as much a hero as people who adopted cats long-distance, as the result of a news article.
Especially to one special cat.
