Cat - Adult Cats are Fun Too - Adopt An Older Cat

Save 5% on orders over $75 at Only Natural Pet Store! Use coupon code CJ75. You've finally made the decision to adopt a cat, you've dreamt about it for quite some time. Visualising your cute new little kitten playing around the floor and looking up at you with those big baby blues. What could possibly go wrong, after all it's only a tiny kitten. But have your really thought about how much time, effort and trouble a kitten really is. A kitten is packed full of energy and curiosity and will cry for attention, scratch the furniture, bite and urinate everywhere until it is litter box trained, and will run around the house getting into all sorts of scrapes and trouble. And it's up to you to look after them 24/7. If you've got the time and dedication to look after a kitten, great, but if not, why not think about adopting an adult cat. A lot of potential adopters seem to think of an adult cat as second best, as if they are defective or worn out like a second hand car. That's just not the case. Most adult cats have found themselves in animal shelters from no fault of their own. They may have out lived their owner, their owners may have moved to somewhere that doesn't allow pets, become lost or someone in the family may have become allergic to them. The reasons are far to numerous to list them all. The cats themselves are perfectly healthy animals, bristling with fun and energy and simply looking for a caring loving home. Adopting an adult cat has many advantages. Remember an older cat has already developed its personality. So you will know what kind of pet they will be and whether or not they will suit your family. Many people go for the cute little kitten; only to find out that they grow into a very shy and non-playful cat that likes to spend all it's time away from the family. That's fine if that's what you want, but too many people decide that this is not for them and returns the cat to the shelter. Rejection is a very harsh punishment for the cat just because you didn't take the time to think about what sort of cat would be the right pet for your family. An older cat will also be less demanding of your time than a kitten and will require less supervision, well after the first few weeks anyway. They will be able to spend time alone when you are out of the house without getting into too much trouble and hopefully will already be litter trained. There are also many benefits for older owners in adopting an adult cat. Adult cats are much calmer and more likely to want to spend some quiet time sitting on your lap for strokes and purring. Studies have shown that cats can have a real health benefit for humans in reducing their stress levels and blood pressure. I can't image an energetic curious kitten being as good for your stress levels somehow. Many worry about health problems and vet bills for the older cat. Usually when you are adopting a cat from an animal shelter they will be able to let you know if the cat has any underlining medical conditions and what it is likely to cost. Many will even provide you with free medical treatment for your cat if they over 10 years old as an incentive for more of the older cats to be re-homed. Cats can live well into their late teens and even early twenties with all the advances in food nutrition and medical treatments. So that 12 year old cat waiting in the animal shelter for a good home is still a good bet and will still be able to provide you with many years of fun and love. Our own cat is now 14 years old and still behaves like a playful youngster and keeps us entertained for hours. It can be a very rewarding experience to adopt an older cat, not only because of the pleasure they will give you over the years but also in the knowledge that you have provided a loving home for what was probably a very frightened and confused cat, who had no idea why he had lost his family. More cat health and cat care tips can be found at our site http://www.our-happy-cat.com A feline friendly community full of helpful advice and fun things to do to make sure you have a happy cat and a happy you. Copyright 2007 Kate Tilmouth Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kate_Tilmouth Cat - Too Human By Far I know I make my living by selling to pet owners and I don't want to bite the hand that feeds; but lately I've been getting increasingly worried that some pet owners are getting some things out of proportion. It seems that the inclination for people to think of their pets in terms of human attributes is beginning to go a bit too far. Our pets are more pampered then our partners, according to a recent survey The study, designed to explore the bond between pets and their owners, found that more than 80 per cent of pet-owners admit to giving more fuss and attention to their animals then to their partners or children. For me the statistic above is the most worrying. Surely the purpose of having a pet is to add to a healthy home life, not replace it. Don't get me wrong, once the decision to get a pet has been taken, we are duty bound to take proper care of them. However, this should never be at the cost of our families. If you can't combine paying proper attention to your family and caring for an animal, then to be frank, you are not ready for a pet. Of more than 250 respondents, 10 per cent had even made provisions for their pets in their will. Making sure that a pet is properly cared for after your death is a responsible thing to do, this can be done by talking to a relative and leaving money for them to care for your pet. The results of the study also showed that cats are the perfect pets with almost half of all those who took part owning one or two of the feline friends. Dogs proved the second most popular with 36 per cent and rabbits came in third at 16 per cent. Paw Pals owner Victoria Reinthal, said: "We are delighted that pet owners seem to take great care of their beloved pets and are particularly encouraged that so many people have made sure their pets' needs are catered for after their death." "Eighteen per cent of people spend '80 a month on making sure their pets are pampered, including visits to the grooming parlour and buying special pet friendly treats and toys. I appreciate that it is an individual's prerogative to spend their money however they see fit. My own view is that buying your pet the odd treat or grooming product is fine, but spending '80($160) on pampering an animal is obscene. Some low income families could use this money to feed themselves on this amount of money. She goes on to say "What this suggests is that looking after our pets is top priority in many households." Well I'm pleased to see that so many pets are being well cared, but if this survey is to be taken at face value, then too many of pet owners have got their priorities wrong. In the long run a dysfunctional family is not a good environment to have a pet.