June Is Adopt-a-Cat Month: Bring Home Your Kitty Right MEOW!

Back in October, I wrote an article about how that month is dedicated to dog adoption and the wonderful benefits of bringing home a canine pal from your local shelter or rescue organization. Now, as the kitten above was obviously glad to hear, it is Adopt-a-Cat Month, or as some call it, Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat Month. The month of June is recognized as the special month for bringing home a kitten, but really late spring and early summer are a great time to adopt as this is the time of year when the most kittens are born so the shelters are just brimming with precious newborn kittens.

While it would be wonderful if everyone would spay or neuter their cat so that there would be no overabundance of kittens, that just is not the reality. The silver lining to this unfortunate situation is that you can easily find the perfect feline companion at practically any shelter out there. You can find just about any breed or an amazingly cute mixed breed kitten not-quite-patiently waiting for you to come and take it to its new home!

One thing that often discourages people from adopting from a shelter is they do not think they will be able to find a particular breed that they desire. This, however, is rarely the case. At the time of this writing, Petfinder has over 2400 Maine Coons, more than 4300 Siamese and in excess of 2300 American Shorthairs. These are some of the most popular breeds in America at this time! Even if your local shelter does not have the breed you are looking for, they likely can find it for you in a very short time. No matter what you are looking for in a feline companion, the local shelter or rescue group will almost certainly be able to find a pet with the perfect personality to be your new best friend.

It is hard to imagine that so many thousands of loving, caring creatures have been turned away from their homes, and yet every day new homeless animals are received in shelters across the country. Sometimes owners move and cannot have pets in their new home or they owners situations change and they can no longer afford the pet. The reasons the shelters fill up are many, but so are the reasons to adopt.

1. You will always have an agreeable companion for sitting around on a lazy afternoon.
2. Generally, cats are a low maintenance pet (if you don't count the litter box).
3. Very energetic playmate for any small rodents or large insects who happen by.
4. Uniquely designed sandpaper tongue very good for exfoliating dry skin.
5. Great opponent for playing the "Cat Game" from Super Troopers (though you almost always lose).
6. Nothing soothes frayed nerves like a purring kitten laying on your face.
7. No need for expensive trips to the cat groomers.

The American Humane Association encourages cat adoption during the month of June so you know it is a great idea. Cats make great family pets or they can be the perfect companion for a solitary individual. No matter what you are looking for in a pet, now is the perfect time to consider visiting your local shelter and introducing yourself to the many feline friends available for adoption. It is a safe bet that the problem will not be finding one cat, but instead will be choosing just one.

Of course, when it comes to cats, having more than one may not be such a bad idea. This may particularly be true if you will not always have time to spend with your cat or if the cat will often be home alone. The right cats can be very sociable and having another cat around may be just the thing they need. If you decide this is the way to go, however, you owe it to the cats to be sure you are prepared to handle having two cats in your home.

Like any other major life decision, there are some important things to consider before adopting a cat or kitten...

• Will you be able to dedicate enough time to socializing and caring for your cat?
• How much attention will you be able to give your cat on a daily basis?
• Are you able to afford the financial responsibility of owning, feeding and caring for a cat?
• Is your home a safe place for a cat or kitten?
• If your feline will be a family pet, is everyone agreed that welcoming a cat into your home is a good idea?

Just because you do not give the perfect answer for every question does not mean that adopting a cat is a bad idea, but these are all things to consider. For instance, if you will not be able to give the cat a lot of attention on a daily basis, then adopting an older, more laid back and independent cat would probably be a better idea than taking home a high energy kitten that always wants to play. There are cats to fit almost every lifestyle, so be sure to put a lot of thought into which cat or kitten you take home.

If cat adoption is not an option for you at this time, here are some other ways to celebrate cat adoption in the month of June...

• Your local shelter or rescue organization can always use more volunteers!
• Local shelters or a national pet adoption organizations always need donations.
• Use blogs, forums, emails and word-of-mouth to let others know how rewarding adopting a cat can be!
• Next time you see a kitten, give it a friendly scratch behind its ears!
• If you already have a cat or cats, be sure to have them spayed or neutered to help reduce the overpopulation of kitties.
• Share this hub right MEOW!