Before you get your first cat...

Part 4: Where to Find a Cat to Adopt

In our first lessons, we discussed things to consider before deciding if you should adopt a cat, and what kind of cat you might want. We're ready to move on to the subject of where to go to get your new kitty. The following are several alternatives, depending on your motivation and budget, and two alternatives you should NEVER consider.

Humane Shelters

You can do yourself and a grateful cat a huge favor by looking first at your local shelter. Kitties here are almost always destined for euthenasia (our polite term for killing) if not adopted within whatever time limit has been set for that particular shelter. Shelters charge an adoption fee and generally require you to provide for vaccinations and neutering of the cat you bring home, or those costs might be built into the fee.

Some shelters have arrangements with local veterinarians who will provide neutering and shots at a discount; others use a certificate methods; occasionally a shelter might offer a small refund upon proof of neutering. Shelters are sometimes dismal, sad places, but often the volunteers try to provide a bright environment for visitors, as well as for the resident cats. The third photo in the photo slide-show above is of cats in a Northern California shelter.

Before visiting a shelter for the first time, be sure to read the article "How to Choose a Cat at the Shelter." It offers valuable advice on learning how to select the right cat for your family.

Rescue Organizations

These volunteer-driven groups are springing up in abundance all over the U.S., Canada, and in other countries too. Some groups are fortunate enough to have their own "shelter"; most depend on volunteer foster homes to care for the cats until a permanent home can be found. The foster homes groups sometimes have regular "adoption days" where people can match up to a pet. Petsmart is the industry leader among pet stores in that they do not sell cats and dogs; they do open up their stores regularly for rescue organizations "adoption days". with their PETsMART Charities in-store Luv-A-Pet adoption program. The first photo at the top shows the wonderful "store" of Happy Tails, a remarkable cat rescue organization in Sacramento, CA.

"Free to a Good Home"

Perhaps a neighbor or co-worker has a litter of kittens they're trying to give away, or you happen upon a classified ad in the newspaper. Consider that taking one of these kittens is encouraging the donors in their folly of failing to spay/neuter the parent cat(s). "We always find homes for them". Understand also, that each of these kittens displaces a potential home for a shelter cat destined for euthanasia.

If you've already fallen in love with that kitten, carefully question the owner about its history, whether it's had vaccinations yet, any illness in the litter--better yet, ask to see the mother cat in the home environment. You'll get a better idea of the conditions the kitten has been living in, whether there is any visible indication of illness in the rest of the litter, and the condition of the mother cat.

Breed Rescue Groups

Breed rescue groups perform a valuable humane service in rescuing and returning lost purebreds to their owners, and finding good homes for others that have been given up by their previous owners for one reason or another. This would be a good place to start if you're looking for a particular breed of cat. Expect to be carefully screened as reputable breeders will not place a cat in a household unless they're positive it will be cared for properly. No one wants a revolving door scenario for these cats. The second photo is the photo slideshow at the top of the page is a Siamese cat rescued by a breed rescue organization and displayed for adoption at a TICA cat show.Here's a list of breed rescue organizations for starters.

Reputable Breeders

If you've enjoyed cat shows and are burning to show your own Siamese, Maine coon cat or Persian, you'll probably want to buy from a breeder. You may meet the likeliest candidates at a cat show, or call the local breed club of the breed of your choice. You'll want to learn all you can about that particular breed, so do your homework, starting with the CFA (Cat Fanciers' Association) or the TICA (The International Cat Association Inc.) These and other organizations offer loads of information on the breeds they recognize, as well as member lists.

When you find a breeder, ask lots of questions:

1. Inquire about seeing the cat or kitten's parents
   If it is a kitten, you should be able to see the Queen (or mother cat.) It is possible the father comes from another cattery, so he may not be available.
2. Ask to see littermates, if a kitten is your choice
   Is your first choice the "runt of the litter?" How does it interact with the other kittens? Ask the breeder why this particular kitten is for sale as a pet.
3. Request a tour of the cattery.
   Watch for overall organization and cleanliness as well as the apparent health of the cats. Do not be concerned too much about strong urine odor, particularly around the male cats. They are intact, and with whole females around, may spray their territory. Having said that, most breeders will make a reasonable effort to eliminate spraying odor.
4. Get a copy of your proposed cat's pedigree.
   You should be able to follow its lineage for several generations back. Look to see evidence its ancestors have been shown in cat shows (the titles will be evident.) Breeders with faith in their cats' lineage will almost always show their cats, and will proudly tell you about the cat's ancestors' successes.
5. Get a health guarantee and understand its meaning.
   Many breeders will only agree to replace the cat or kitten with another one from the same cattery. Unless disclosed up front by the breeder, in the event your cat later shows verifiable evidence of a hereditary defect that prevents its ability to be shown, you may want a money-back clause, or at least a clause guaranteeing a sound cat as a replacement.
6. Read and thoroughly understand the terms of the sales contract.
   It is a legally binding document, and conscientious breeders will enforce its clauses, particularly those involving spay & neuter and no declawing.
7. Retired Queens
   If you are interested in a "retired" queen (she will have probably already been spayed, ask how many litters she bore over what period of years, before retirement. Most reputable breeders will retire their breeding queens earlier rather than later.
8. Get References
   Ask for, and follow up on references from other happy buyers before making a commitment.

Again, expect to be under as much scrutiny as you are giving their setup. Breeders put a lot of love, time and money into developing their line and they'll follow-through without hesitation if they think you're not living up to your sales contract in terms of food and housing, veterinary care, neutering (in case of a pet or retired breed stock), and vaccinations requirements and/or limits.

Sources to Avoid at all Costs Pet Stores
Most pet stores get their kittens and puppies from "mills"--breeders who are breeding for profit, and not to preserve and promote specific traits of the breed. These commercial catteries often breed dozens of different breeds, pay little attention to conformation of lineage, and many times the animals live in unsanitary, inhumane conditions. Many pet stores are refusing to sell cats and dogs, and some states are even looking at laws prohibiting the sale of those animals in pet stores. By all means, go to your local pet store to buy toys, cat food, beds and scratching posts, but look elsewhere for that precious new family member, and you can save yourself a lot of money and potential grief.
NOTE: Many large chain stores, such as PetSmart, and some smaller pet food stores, have agreements with local rescue groups to allow showing of their rescued cats, usually on weekends.

• These are the exception to the pet store rule, and are great places to find an adoptable feline companion
• "Kitten Farms and BYBs (Back Yard Breeders)
  There is some discussion about the term "Back Yard Breeder," but what I am referring to are those breeders who crank out litter after litter of substandard kittens with no thought to genetics, with a dozen different breeds on the premises. Kittens from these breeders more often than not end up with breed rescue organizations.

  If you have done your homework and ask all the questions above, these breeders will be pretty easy to spot, so say "No, thank you" politely and walk away.

This is the final lesson of a two-course series of lessons on "Before You Get Your First Cat." Be sure to continue to the next series on "Your New Cat," which will give you all the help you need in shopping for your new cat, making your home "cat-safe," and what to do when you bring him home, along with the information you'll need on getting him off with a good start in his new home, as a family member for life.

You can also receive the "New Cat" series by email, with links to different articles sent each week, for eight weeks.