Article by Virginia Sutherland
When the time comes to welcome a cat into the family, the question of whether to purchase a cat from a breeder or pet store or to instead adopt a cat from another family or an animal shelter can come up.
If you’re looking for a purebred cat to take to cat shows then there is no question that you will probably wind up dealing with an expensive purchase, but if you don’t really care about the purebred status of a cat then your options are wide open.
There are different advantages to getting your cat from either a shelter or a breeder. Breeders will give you a guarantee and the kitten will come with a wellness check by a veterinarian. You may be restricted in showing, and most certainly breeding. Getting a cat from the shelter assures that cats has been screened for some diseases and you will also most likely get a history about the cat.
Some people are very set on a particular breed. Or a particular personality trait. One way to get what they want is to buy a cat from a breeder, however, most cat breeds are available for adoption, and getting hte personality you want may be easier with an adult cat than with a kitten.
Adopting a cat does not reduce the possibilities of getting the kind of cat you are wanting. All kinds of cats in just about all breeds are available for adoption. A plus to adopting a cat that has had a previous owner is that they are already litter box trained, and it is easier to get a feel for their personality when they are past the kitten stage.
Not only do cats at shelters come with a medical history, along with information about how they deal with young children or other pets or cats, adopting a cat, giving it a safe loving home is a particularly heartwarming thing to do, knowing that you just may have rescued this cat from death.
You can also find a cat that is looking for a new family by scouting the ads in the local papers. Or post a notice in your local grocery store. Many cats have to be relinquished due to a divorce, allergies, death of the owner, changed living conditions, etc.
The advantage of adopting a cat from another family is that there usually isn’t any charge involved unless the cat is a purebred with documentation. The disadvantage is that unless you take the cat to a veterinarian beforehand, you can’t ever be quite sure if the cat has some underlying health issues that may wind up costing you quite a bit of money.
Some struggle with the decision of whether to rescue a cat at the shelter, or to purchase one from a breeder. Rest assured that once you do decide to get a cat, one will find you. Cats are just like that. You can start your search, investigating your options, and before you know it “your” cat will appear.