Successful Cat Adoptions – Avoiding Surrenders
Surrenders – A Big Problem
According to the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies 27% of shelter cats in Canada were surrendered by their guardians. In the US, the American Humane Association found that 32% of cats are surrendered by their owners due to allergies and No Pet Policies alone. It’s Adopt a Cat Month so we’re talking about how to increase your chances at successful cat adoption.
Adopt All the Kitties! Not Much of a Solution to Over Population in Shelters
We’ve all seen the social media posts about adorable kittens needing a home. The cute pictures of fluffy kitties pull our heart strings and make us want to adopt them…all of them. Adopting all the fuzzy kittens on impulse increases the chances that you’ll end up surrendering your cat. Successful cat adoption is a big decision, there’s a lot to consider.
Causes of Surrenders
The main reasons owners surrender their cats to the shelter are:
• Job and home stability – moving to a home with a No Pet Policy and moving long distances for work are significant drivers of shelter surrender
• Allergies – if you have pet allergies talk to your doctor before adoption
• Tolerance/Patience level – cats have a reputation for being easy to care for. But that doesn’t mean that they are a no-effort pet. Cats can be temperamental and fastidious. For instance, your kitty might stop using the litter box for seemingly no reason. It might be behavioural or medical, but you have to know that you can handle it with patience and in the cat’s, and your own, best interest
• Finances – food, medical care, pet insurance, litter box, there are a lot of costs to consider
By addressing these things before adoption you can increase your chances of a successful cat adoption.
Adopting a cat is a great way to save a life and to enrich your own. The best thing you can do is adopt responsibly to minimize adoption surrenders. If you’re really interested in adopting a cat check out our blog Adopting a Shelter Cat, you’ll find:
• Questions to consider before you adopt
• What you’ll need to prepare for your new cat
• An overview of the adoption process
• The cost of having a cat
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We want to hear from you! Do you have a shelter kitty? Post a picture of your adopted friend on our Facebook page
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Want More?
Check out the articles used to write this blog:
ASPCA Shelter Intake and Surrender Stats – http://www.aspca.org/animal-homelessness/shelter-intake-and-surrender/pet-statistics
5 Reasons Cats are Given Up for Adoption and How to Avoid These Problems – http://www.vetstreet.com/dr-marty-becker/5-reasons-cats-are-given-up-for-adoption-and-how-to-avoid-these-problems