adopt a cat from a shelter

He’s not actually from a shelter - but I did adopt him out of unpleasant circumstances, so I’m counting it. This woman had a kid, and he was the kid’s kitten. But I guess when he grew into an adult, the kid wanted nothing to do with him - and neither did the kid’s mother. So she put him outside with her two other cats. Which might have been fine, if they didn’t live on a 10-acre farm.

The other two cats have since been killed by wild animals. Apollo here has a big nasty red scab behind his one ear and some blood inside his other from being attacked from something mean a few weeks ago. Poor guy.

The woman’s brother and sister-in-law, who live in another house on the same property, have their own two cats who are very territorial and don’t like Apollo on their turf - so they couldn’t take him in. But they have left food out for him every night since his family ditched him, and put him in the garage on the coldest of nights. I’m glad I could adopt him and give him a safe, warm home with someone to love him - because I’m not sure he’d have lasted much longer out in the woods with the foxes and such.

He’s about 15 lbs., and very, very fluffy. He’s got a mane around his face like a lion’s. He’s got gorgeous coloring and is so so so affectionate. He’s loving having a soft, warm couch to nap on, and not having to share his food with skunks or worse.

I love him already. I hope he’ll like it here.

I’ve actually been meaning to do this pretty much since I moved into my apartment 4 1/2 months ago, but I just can’t decide if I should wait till after Christmas when I have a bit more money for all the supplies I’ll need.

I’m adamant that I want the cat to come from an animal shelter. Much the way I feel that people make too big a deal about their children being born of their own flesh and blood, I think people make too big a deal about their animals coming from a breeder or a pet store. Especially since I feel you can’t really own another living creature.

Animals in shelters, even “no-destroy” shelters, need our help. There are “no-destroy” shelters that will destroy, if an animal goes too long without being adopted and becomes a financial liability. I think it’s awful that anyone feels the need to put an animal down because there’s no one to love it.

I want a (preferably male but I’d make an exception for the right female) cat that’s at least 8 months old but no more than 3 years old. I wish I felt confident enough to take on a much older cat - they need love and companionship as much as any other and have a much harder time getting adopted - but the selfish truth is I don’t want to get attached to an animal that could very well up and die on me within just a few years of adopting it. Of course, any animal can up and die at any time, but I prefer to minimize those chances.

The other major advantage to adopting from a shelter is that a lot of times you can arrange to have the animal immunized and neutered before it even leaves the place. Even though my cat will be an indoor cat, I still realize it could conceivably sneak out the door here and there, and I’m a responsible enough citizen not to let it go out creating even more kittens without homes.