The cage was small, but the people were nice and Tiger felt safe. He was fed, petted and regularly groomed. Still, it wasnt home. Tiger had been home, and still had vague memories of the woman who had cared for him and the other cats who lived with her. Then he had been taken to this place, and had been here so long he had almost forgotten home, and the woman. There was uneasiness here, though, and Tiger felt it. Something was about to happen. Something bad. Then two humans came in. He was put in a cage with them. He jumped up in the womans lap. He was put in a dark place that bumped and jostled him. He heard strange, scary noises. He howled, and a male voice answered with noises he couldnt understand. Then there was light. And TERROR! A small hand reached for him and tried to grab him. There were people he didnt know; they all approached him. There was another cat that arched and spat. Then, horror of horrors There was a dog! Tiger fled. He fled down a long corridor and bolted through the first open door he found. He hid in the darkest place he could findamong soft and hard things he didnt recognized. He heard voices. He heard the dog bark, and he shuddered. He heard the childs high pitched voice, and a womans voicewhich were easier to bear. He hunkered down and remained as invisible and silent as he could. Adoption in Haste The staff of animal shelters greet people looking for new pets with both joy and misgiving. People walk between the cages, looking over each cat, and the staff hope they will select a cat that has been there for a long time. But they know what the people are looking for; they are looking for kittens, not adult cats. If there are no kittens, the customers will sometimes reluctantly choose an adult cat as a consolation prize, pay the adoption fees and cart him or her off Only to return the cat two or three days later. Im sorry, but this cat just didnt work out. We couldnt fit it into the family. Or This cat is just too wild. We need something tamer, something that will fit in. What happened? The staff member asks. The cat bolted and hid. It took us three days to find it, and when we finally did, we had to chase it all over the house before we caught it. We need something tamer; something that will fit in better. So go the sad tales of the returnees but wait, it can be worse for cats adopted in other ways. The landlord wont let me keep her, could you please take her in? People who adopt strays off the street, or a friends cat, many times dont realize the full extent of the things they need to do for their new cat: Prepare their house to receive their cat
Take care of their cats medical needs
Make sure their other cats have protection from disease
Take care of their cats physical needs
Properly introduce their cat to their live-in companions, children and other pets And perhaps most importantly: Prepare themselves for a good relationship with their new cat People who have never owned cats before dont really realize what a cat is: A highly intelligent, independent animal which needs love and affection daily but is not a dog. Cats will bond with people, just as dogs do, but they dont always bond with the person who has adopted them. They will choose whom they like, much to the consternation of the person who picked them up hoping to have acquired a new friend. This is one very good reason why the first 24 hours is so important. It is in during that period that your cat will decide whom she wants to bond with. Unless you know what you are doing, it might not be with you. Time A cat needs time spent with her. One of the big mistakes busy people make is to fail to realize that they have busy schedules that dont allow them to spend enough time with their newly adopted cat. This could ultimately result in your cat running off. If you have no time to spend with your cat, she will not choose your house as her den. She will go out searching for another one, and you could be soon reporting a lost cat. Or, to your consternation, you will find that the cat you thought would be a loving companion has bonded with another member of your householdsomebody who did have the time to spend. Money A lot of people dont count the cost of pet ownership. In their exuberance to adopt a cat, they forget that they dont have the budget to keep her. Belatedly, they discover they dont have the cash on hand to buy their new felines basic necessities or give her the medical attention she is most certainly going to need. Many people shun pet medical insurance, not realizing that the same things that happen to people happen to cats, and can cost large sums of money to cure. This can result in losing their beloved pet because the price to save her is just too high. Medical Needs Some people who adopt strays or cats owned by friends dont realize the full extent of the medical attention their new cat needs: A complete physical examination
A complete vaccination regimen
Spaying or neutering In particular, that cute kitten you brought home from a friends litter will need a long series of vaccinations (along with boosters) that will extend over a period of a couple of years. You cant do it all in one day. To fail in this will almost assuredly mean tragedy down the line. I know. I failed to give one of my kittens its vaccinations. I made it an outdoor cat, and it died of feline leukemia. The story definitely had a very sad ending Your cats physical needs When your cat climbs out of the carrier box for the first time, will you be equipped with the essentials? Or, will you discover that you need these things laterand bring them in one at a time, after your cat has defecated in the corner, started scratching the furniture, or begun some other unauthorized behavior you are not prepared for? (And, be advised, a cat is a very obsessed animalonce she starts doing something, it is very hard to change it). Making sure you have what you need to receive your new cat is vitaland you must have the basics on hand before you bring her home. First introductions So, when your cat first climbs out of her carrier, is she going to be set upon by every member of your household all at once? And when she does, will she flee in terror, trying to find the safest and darkest corner she can find? Or will you introduce her gradually to try to reduce the trauma as much as possible so she can adapt to and feel at home in her new situation? Your technique for doing that can be a deciding factor in whether or not your cat adapts to your home immediately, by the next day or the next month, or flees the house altogether. The days to follow Do you know how to take care of your new cat in the days to come, assuming you handled your first introductions well? Do you know about allergies, special foods, bathing, grooming, hair balls, removing urine, training and teaching without frightening and alienating her, and a multitude of other situations cat owners wrestle with on a daily basis? Do you know the hazards involved in letting her become an outdoor cat? Be prepared As youve often heard, preparation is the key to success, and nowhere does that apply more appropriately than to cat ownership. If you are prepared, your adoption will probably go very smoothly. I say probably because every cat is different. Even with the best preparation by a knowledgeable owner, a cat may still want to hide for awhile. And if you discover thats the case You need to know what to do. The Key So, thats why I wrote my book, Your New Cats First 24 Hours, www.yourcatsecrets.com, to give you everything you need to know and have, not only to get ready for your new cat and introduce her to your household, but to understand and care for her in the days to follow. Ive got to say it again: preparationand knowledge is the key. When you decide to adopt, I hope you wont do it in haste. I hope you will do it knowledgeably and with understanding. |
