Adopting a cat and what you need to know

8th January 2018

If you want to adopt a cat then it’s likely that your nearest animal shelter will be able to help you. Animal shelters have thousands of cats waiting to be rehomed. Take a look at our rundown of the process of adopting a cat.

Before cats can be adopted, animal shelters will have them vaccinated, treated for fleas or neutered before they are sent on to a new home. Cats will also receive a thorough health check by a vet. If the cat has any illnesses, you will be told if he will need to take any medication after you’ve taken him home.

Some animal shelters may need to perform a home visit to make sure your living environment and lifestyle will suit your new pet. Some cats might not be able to live with young children or other animals, so you’ll need to bear this in mind when choosing the cat you wish to adopt.

Animal shelters often rely heavily on donations from the public in order to run successfully. When you adopt a cat, you might need to pay an adoption fee which will cover the cost of the cat’s care whilst it is at the animal shelter. This will cover all the treatment that your cat received whilst being cared for at the shelter.

Many animal shelters give you the opportunity to view cats that are up for adoption online and arrange for you to visit them in the shelter prior to adopting them. This gives you the chance to assess their temperament and decide if they are the right cat for you.

Once you have adopted a cat, give him plenty of time to adjust to his new surroundings before letting him outside. If you have any problems with your new cat, contact the animal shelter you adopted him from for advice – you’ll probably find they’ll be more than happy to help.