June is National Adopt a Cat Month! If you're looking to expand your home with a furry friend, then a cat might be the best thing for you. If you're on the fence about adding a feline family member, June is the time to do it because humane organizations nationwide offer special incentives to encourage people to adopt. Incentives may include waived or reduced adoption fees, seniors for seniors programs, or extras like free vaccinations, spay/neuter surgery, viral testing, a microchip, or cat accessories.
There are so many reasons to adopt a cat, but here are three of the most important.
You’re saving a life: Any shelter cat, old, young or, at-risk, need stable homes. Due to a lack of resources, shelters often euthanize animals they consider unadoptable first. These “unadoptables” include older cats, black cats, and kittens with physical challenges.
- Adopters tend to overlook older cats but inside cats can live 14 to 18 years, so you could have plenty of time with your new friend. The beauty of adopting an adult is “what you see is what you get.” Kittens, like human children, change as they mature. That cuddly youngster may grow to be totally different. If a senior kitty jumps in your lap at the shelter, he’s going to be a lap cat tomorrow and next year.
- Black cats also experience adoption discrimination. Adopters don’t notice black cats and kittens because they’re harder to see inside a cage and they don’t photograph well. Then, there’s that bad luck reputation. In truth, black cats are considered good luck in most parts of the world. Studies show that the genetic mutation that gives a black cat his ebony coat is also associated with a healthier immune system.
- Special needs cats also get the brush off from adopters, but caring for a cat with physical issues is a sweet and humbling experience. Instead of taking home a perfect feline, consider adopting a cat who has a beautiful spirit, but a less than perfect body.
Cats enrich our lives: Research shows there are health benefits associated with owning a cat. Having a cat lowers blood pressure and decreases the risk of heart attack and stroke. The presence of a cat diminishes loneliness and depression.
Adoption helps more than just one cat: Overburdened shelters take in millions of stray, abused and lost cats every year, and by adopting a cat, you’re making room for others. Not only are you giving more cats a second chance, but the cost of your adoption goes directly towards helping those shelters better care for the cats they take in!