Adopting Your First Cat

Dear Professor Murphy:
A lot of my friends have adopted or bought kitties in the last few years.
Their cats are awfully cute and I’ve fallen in love with just about all of them. I’m now thinking that I too would like to become a cat lover and adopt a cuddly companion cat to fill my life. But Professor, some of these same friends, in their haste to get a cat, have made quite a few big mistakes. I really, really don’t want to repeat their errors. Can you give me some tips on what to do first as well as what to avoid before adopting a kitty of my own?
- Soon To Be Cat Lover

Dear Soon To Be:
Does going on a long trip that promises an exciting time capture your fancy? If it does, then you have the makings of a good cat owner, because when you own a kitty, you are about to embark on a 15-20 year adventure. An indoor kitty will live an average of 17 years (whereas an outdoor kitty’s average life span is only about 4 years). That's why Professor Murphy’s first advice in getting a kitty is to keep it indoors where it’s safe and sound.

Now that we’ve got your new friend tucked safe and sound inside, you think most of your work is done. Right?? Wrong!! As Karen Carpenter says, “It’s only just begun.” Adopting a kitty is a three step adventure, that to be successful, must be taken in order: First, think and ask yourself important questions, Second, make well-informed decisions, and Third, avoid common mistakes first time owners make.

Well, now, let’s start with first thing – “Think and ask yourself important questions.” Professor Murphy has listed four questions he thinks are important. There are definitely more things you can ask yourself but as you think of them don’t forget to answer each question honestly in turn.

* Will you have room in your life for a cat throughout the coming decades?
* Is your housing situation stable?
* Are your life plans such that a cat can be included, brought along if you
move, kept by your side through thick and thin, for better or worse?
* And if you have a Professor Murphy in your lap, can you afford to lay in a
good supply of those greenie treats. Professor Murphy is addicted to the greenies! Hmmm … Yummy for the Professor’s Tummy.

Now, let’s move to the second thing in your kitty adventure - “Make well-informed decisions.”

Before adopting, do some research about various breeds and species so you know which ones are best suited to your lifestyle. Evaluate your budget before adopting. Veterinary care (even for a healthy animal: yearly wellness exams, vaccinations, and flea and heartworm control products), pet food, grooming supplies, bedding, litter, and toys add up to a lot more than you might think.

Once you have made a well-informed decision to adopt a companion animal, be smart, save a life by adopting from a breed rescue group or local shelter. Please do not purchase your companion cat from a pet store, backyard breeder, auction, or newspaper ad. Rescue groups exist for virtually every breed of cat. Your humane society or animal control agency can provide you with a list of rescue groups in your area, and many groups also have web sites on the Internet. When thinking about the age to adopt, remember that kittens find homes more easily than older cats, so please consider adopting an adolescent, adult or even senior cat. Mature cats like Professor Murphy are litter-box trained and have learned their manners. A plus is that you can tell what type of disposition the cat has since his personality is already fully developed.

Well, we’ve covered some important ground today in our kitty adventure and you’ve learned a lot. Now we need to talk about the third and last step - “Nine Common Mistakes First Time Owners Make.”

1) Adopting in Haste
If you "impulse-buy" a new purse or a new t-shirt, you can almost always return it if it turns out to be the wrong color or the fit isn't right. No harm, no foul; the purse certainly doesn't suffer from its rejection. But adopting a living, sentient creature such as a cat and kitten, to become a family member, is entirely a different matter.
Adopting a new cat should be for keeps, so consider carefully before you make that decision.

2) Failure to Spay or Neuter a New Cat
Every day Professor Murphy gets pleas for help from people who failed to spay or neuter their cats: male cats spraying every available surface of the house or escaping outdoors to fight other male cats; female cats who keep the household awake with their loud yowling during estrus; and worse yet, "surprise" litters of unwanted kittens. The overwhelming cat population problem society faces is reason alone to spay and neuter. Add the medical problems averted by spay/neuter and there is no reason not to do so.

3) Neglecting Needed Veterinary Treatment Although cats may quickly recover from minor illnesses, they can just as quickly die if an emergency isn't recognized. Cats need certain vaccinations, they need annual examinations, and they definitely need and deserve immediate veterinary care when they become sick or injured. Don't delay in choosing (and using) a good veterinarian.

4) False Economy in Cat Food Choices
Money saved by buying cheap cat food will be spent hundreds of times over on veterinary care. Cats are obligate carnivores, and need a good source of meat protein. They do not need large amounts of grain fillers, especially corn, which is a cheap source of protein used by many cat food manufacturers. Learn how to choose cat food and select the best brands you can afford. You'll find your cat may eat less of the high quality food because they don't have to gorge to get the nutrients they need.

5) No Declawing
Many an innocent new cat owner has been led down the declaw path when a veterinarian asks, "Do you want your kitten declawed when we spay her?" Some veterinarians consider declawing a "routine" surgery. Professor Murphy believes that declawing is cruel, inhumane, and unnecessary in almost every case. No declawing. End of story.

6) Allowing a Cat to Roam Free Outdoors
Many people believe cats deserve the freedom, fresh air, and sunshine of an outdoor life, while many others can offer proof that cats can be very happy and healthy living totally indoors. That the outdoors offers dangers not found inside simply cannot be debated.

7) Neglecting Litter Box Maintenance
Cats will consistently use a litter box, if it is kept scrupulously clean, and if the litter is not scented or unpleasant to the cats' feet. Carefully maintaining your cat's litter box will almost guarantee you that you will not be faced with litter box avoidance problems.

Caveat: If your cat suddenly starts urinating outside the box despite your careful maintenance, you should immediately suspect a urinary tract problem, which is a veterinary emergency.

8) Considering a Cat Property
When you join the ranks of cat lovers, you'll soon find that we commonly refer to our cats as family members, rather than "pets." While cats may legally be considered "property" in some jurisdictions, the term ends there. You can no more "own" a cat than you can own another human being. If you haven't figured out the distinction by now, your new cat will let you know in quick order. In fact, many cat lovers describe themselves as being owned by their cats!

9) Not Allowing a Cat to Be a Cat
A cat is not a child, and a cat is not a dog. Cats' unique ways make them the endearing creatures they are. On the other hand, some of their traits may cause frustration because we don't understand their needs. Cats instinctively seek out high places and sharpen their claws because they are cats, not because they are stubborn and disobedient. Our job is to accommodate those needs in acceptable ways.

As a final word, although cats have a reputation for taking care of themselves, that fact does not equal "no care is necessary." Before rushing in to adopt the darling kitten you saw yesterday, take the time to do your homework: think and ask yourself important questions and make well-informed decisions so you can avoid the common mistakes made by new cat owners. The result will be a happier and healthier cat and a long-term companionship with another purr-fect living being, the likes of which you never dreamed.