Six Rescue Pet Tips and Tricks: Cats

Last blog was all about the dogs. Well now it’s the cat’s turn. This month, at Deceased Pet Care, we wanted to highlight something that’s near and dear to our hearts: Pet Adoption. October is National Adopt a Shelter Pet Month. We wanted to celebrate this month by giving you Six Tips and Tricks for bringing home your first shelter cats. It’s easy to love coming home to a feline friend. We want to help by setting you up for success for you, your kids, and your kittens.

Same Covenant, Different Ball of Yarn

If you have a heart for rescue pets, but don’t have a lot of time, a rescue cat might be a better option for your first adoptee. Cat’s take less time to care for and usually offer a smaller financial burden for the owner. Even so, you should make sure you are willing to do everything necessary to make sure the cat has a safe, happy, and healthy home. Make sure you all your family members or housemates are good with the new addition. Allergies are often more severe with cats, so check to make sure no one in your house has a known allergy. We don’t want to add doctor’s bills to our monthly expenses.

Picking out the Right Cat

We get it, cats are adorable. Kittens are crushingly cute. But it’s important to think about what kind of feline friend you want before visiting the shelter. Do you want an active cat, a lap cat, or somewhere in between? Adult cats need a home just as much as kittens, and often require less time and effort to get properly adjusted. Do you have small kids? A kitten might not be the best choice.

When in the shelter, give a quick walk through and see which cat catches your eye. Watch for subtle behaviors like interest or aggression. Once you have a couple cats (or kittens) that catch your eye, ask the help to spend a little time alone with each.

While playing with your potential housemate, check for signs of physical health problems. Is their fur healthy, is there heavy discharge around the eyes? These signs point to bigger issues. It’s not a game changer, just be mentally prepared for potential higher medical care costs.

Finally, see how you and your cat interact. Does she like to be held, can you pick her up, or does she paw and nip at your hands. With just a few minutes you’ll know if you are a good fit.

Ask Questions!

There is no such thing as too many questions when you’re considering adoption. Ask the shelter attendant about known behavior issues, health problems, history, and anything else you can think of.

Coming Home

Transition can be extremely stressful for a cat. Make sure you have a crate to transport them. You cat can get frightened and jump all around the car. You don’t want that distraction while driving. It could even lead to an accident.

The First Few Days

Once home, make sure your cat has a smaller enclosed space to adjust before letting her around your whole house. We recommend a bathroom with a litterbox, food and water placed on the opposite side of room, and a few toys to play with. This is where you’ll get to know your new cat even better.

After a few days, your cat should be comfortable enough to explore. Once she’s free to roam around the whole house, make sure you have a designated scratching post. Corrugated cardboard or a carpet post sprinkled with catnip will provide a much needed placed to dull those claws.

It’s All Fun and Games

Your new cat has a personality too. Spend some time exploring what she likes. You can play:

Chase - There’s nothing like a laser pointer or a mouse on a string to send your pet leaping around the house. It’s a great way to burn off energy and get a little exercise to boot!

Hide and Seek - Placing little hidden treats like toys and food around the house are a great way to get your kitten exploring. Start easy and get gradually more difficult over time. Soon your cat will be a little Christopher Columbus.

Fetch - Believe it or not, cat can fetch too. Start with a small edible treat and train them to seek and return. Before you know it, you’re cat could be like man’s best friend too.

Catnip - Your cat will go crazy for anything catnip. Use it as an incentive for play or good behavior.

Roll Around - Finally, cat love nothing more that swatting and rolling a ball around between their paws. It reminds them of their hunter gatherer days. A ball of string, or a crumpled ball of tinfoil are cheap and easy ways to keep your cat happy, entertained, and exercising for hours.

This October, you can be a hero to a pet at your local shelter. Consider adopting this fall and give happiness and health to a pet in need. She’ll be guaranteed to send a little happiness your way too. At Deceased Pet Care, our pets are family, and there’s no better way to expand than adoption. Will you join us?

imagecredit: cutedogsandcats.xyz