How to Choose a Cat from the Humane Society

Instructions

• 1

  You might think that finding a cat from a humane society shelter will be difficult and is bound to take up a lot of your time, but this is not the case. Instead of going there and browsing through cages upon cages filled with cats, you can very easily visit their official website to search for the shelter nearest to your location. Just log onto www.humanesociety.org and then browse your way to theshelterpetproject.org.
• 2

  Once you reach this page, search for a pet by inserting your zip code. If you find the cat you are looking for, then you are in luck. Just make sure this cat is available in a shelter near your region.
• 3

  You can now learn more about the adoption process by going through the official website which will help you gain a clear picture of just what you are getting yourself into.
• 4

  Once you have made your call and informed the concerned officials about the pet you want to adopt, you now have to do some homework of your own by looking around your house, and determining how you will adjust the animal in your surroundings.
• 5

  If you live on rent, you need to ask the permission of your landlord. If he or she does not permit pets then you have a problem on your hands, which needs to be taken care of before bringing the cat home.
• 6

  Do not choose a cat for its looks alone. If the cat is adorable, but bad-tempered, it might not be able to fit into your house, or develop an affectionate relationship with your family. Make sure you get the friendliest cat possible, and look for the traits that you want in a pet - do you want a cat that is docile, energetic, quiet, etc.
• 7

  When choosing a cat, focus on the length of the hair. Cats with little or medium hair groom themselves and you will need to brush them very rarely, not on a weekly or daily basis. However, cats like Persians have very long hair and require more time and effort on your part for the grooming process. Cats with smaller hair will be uncomfortable during the winter while bald cats can also die in this weather, so pick a cat according to the sort of climate you live in.
• 8

  Cats can often scratch and bite their owners when they are being playful. As the new owner of a cat, you need to be aware of this fact; do not reject the animal after getting bitten or scratched, and remember that the cat was being friendly. However, one thing which you need to keep in mind is that while some cats like being touched there are some who despise this act and would probably get agitated. Spend some time with the cats you like at the shelter, to gauge their personalities.
• 9

  Do not force your hand towards the cat you are interested in, in order to hold it. Instead, make a fist and extend it towards the cat; if the animal head-butts it, then consider this a friendly greeting.