From Franny Syufy,
Your Guide to Cats.
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In our first lessons, we discussed things to consider before deciding if you should adopt a cat, and what kind of cat you might want. We're ready to move on to the subject of where to go to get your new kitty. The following are several alternatives, depending on your motivation and budget, and two alternatives you should NEVER consider.

Humane Shelters

You can do yourself and a grateful cat a huge favor by looking first at your local shelter. Kitties here are almost always destined for euthanasia (our polite term for killing) if not adopted within whatever time limit has been set for that particular shelter. Shelters charge an adoption fee and generally require you to provide for vaccinations and neutering of the cat you bring home, or those costs might be built into the fee. Some shelters have arrangements with local veterinarians who will provide neutering and shots at a discount; others use a certificate methods; occasionally a shelter might offer a small refund upon proof of neutering. Shelters are sometimes dismal, sad places, but often the volunteers try to provide a bright environment for visitors, as well as for the resident cats. The third photo in the photo slide-show above is of cats in a Northern California shelter.

Before visiting a shelter for the first time, be sure to read "How to Choose a Cat at the Shelter." It offers valuable advice on learning how to select the right cat for your family.

Rescue Organizations

These volunteer-driven groups are springing up in abundance all over the U.S., Canada, and in other countries too. Some groups are fortunate enough to have their own "shelter"; most depend on volunteer foster homes to care for the cats until a permanent home can be found. The foster homes groups sometimes have regular "adoption days" where people can match up to a pet. Petsmart is the industry leader among pet stores in that they do not sell cats and dogs; they do open up their stores regularly for rescue organizations "adoption days". with their PETsMART Charities in-store Luv-A-Pet adoption program. The first photo at the top shows the wonderful "store" of Happy Tails, a remarkable cat rescue organization in Sacramento, CA.

"Free to a Good Home"

Perhaps a neighbor or co-worker has a litter of kittens they're trying to give away, or you happen upon a classified ad in the newspaper. Consider that taking one of these kittens is encouraging the donors in their folly of failing to spay/neuter the parent cat(s). "We always find homes for them," is the standard excuse. Understand also, that each of these kittens displaces a potential home for a shelter cat destined for euthanasia.

If you've already fallen in love with that kitten, carefully question the owner about its history, whether it's had vaccinations yet, any illness in the litter--better yet, ask to see the mother cat in the home environment. You'll get a better idea of the conditions the kitten has been living in, whether there is any visible indication of illness in the rest of the litter, and the condition of the mother cat.

Breed Rescue Groups

Breed rescue groups perform a valuable humane service in rescuing and returning lost purebreds to their owners, and finding good homes for others that have been given up by their previous owners for one reason or another. This would be a good place to start if you're looking for a particular breed of cat. Expect to be carefully screened as reputable breeders will not place a cat in a household unless they're positive it will be cared for properly. No one wants a revolving door scenario for these cats. The second photo is the photo slideshow at the top of the page is a Siamese cat rescued by a breed rescue organization and displayed for adoption at a TICA cat show.Here's a list of breed rescue organizations for starters.

Next > Reputable Breeders