June is Adopt-a-Cat month!
It’s also the start of kitten season, when tens of thousands of unintended and unwanted kittens will be dumped at shelters. People think, “Oh, kittens are so cute, they’ll be adopted.” But the sad truth is that there just aren’t enough homes available, and shelters everywhere will euthanize litter after litter of sweet, friendly, adorable kittens for the next 6 months or more.
The good news is that sharing your home, life, and love with one or more feline friends has many benefits for you, as well as for cats who would otherwise be euthanized for lack of a home.
Petting a cat can lower blood pressure, and cats provide fun and laughter ,as well as a sense of calm and peace (though not necessariliy at the same time!).
Children raised with cats have better social skills, are more responsible, and are gentler and more respectful of other beings.
Studies show that people who have cats have a 40% reduction in their chances of having a stroke.
If you’re pet-less, consider getting two kittens or cats together, so they cat play with each other (rather than becoming destructive due to boredom), and provide their own companionship while you’re at work or school. Clearly, if you have less than two cats, you need at least one more! (But please, don’t forget to spay and neuter!)
Visit Petfinder.com to view cats available for adoption in your area (and beyond!)
Click here to learn how to introduce a new cat to resident cat(s).
Click here to learn how to introduce a new cat to a resident dog.
Click here to listen to a podcast about adopting a cat from the CATalyst Council and AVMA.