indescribableCats wind up in shelters for a lot of reasons, and very few of them are "because s/he was a bad cat." People lose their jobs, or move away and don't take their pets. Kids leave for college. People die. People lose the wherewithal to feed themselves, much less an extra, meowing mouth. And in all of these cases the cats, who have no idea what's going on, wind up suffering for it.
Amazing cats come from shelters. Adult cats who don't need to be trained; kittens who have all the world in front of them. Cats whose personalities are already plain when you meet them, making it so much easier to find the right cat for you. Cats who need you.
I've been very upfront about why none of my current cats are from shelters, and why my lifestyle and emotional needs are better met by reputable breeders. But if you don't fall into this category, and feel that there might be a cat-shaped hole in your life, go and take a look at your local shelter.
This post brought to you by the California Dammit Why Can't I Take Junebug Home Oh Yeah Alice Would Kill Her To Death Committee.
June 9 2012, 22:51:45 UTC 5 years ago
I will also throw in a plug for adult cats. They aren't problematic to acclimate, as many people assume they are. If anything, they're easier because you aren't dealing with the constant kitten stupidity which, while adorable, is exhausting.
I also want to say that adopting two at a time saves two lives AND gives them a playmate. This works even when introducing new cats into a home with cats already in it. If we had not adopted both Etrigan AND Smooch, we would have been able to keep neither. As it is, they are friends with one another, and play with one another, and thus they do not pester the other cats (too much) and are not lonely.
And, finally: special needs cats. This doesn't have to be "needs thrice-daily infusions of unicorn tears imported from Siberia." It doesn't have to mean expensive food or medical needs. It can just mean being deaf or missing an eye or a leg or just being kinda ugly. These pets get passed over for "perfect" pets with all their parts, which is a shame, since they are often incredibly sweet and easygoing cats.
This guy is a purebred blue-point Himalayan:
I adopted him as a young adult. He'd been in foster care for months because nobody wanted him. What the hell? Sure, he has a gimpy pushed-in head on one side and a twisted snout and an empty socket where his left eye should be and he makes sounds like someone breathing through Jell-O when he sleeps. Also, he smells like a yeti's old laundry. But I think he's beautiful, and all the ways in which he is somewhat less than breed standard don't cost me anything in health care. Plus, he is goofy and makes me laugh every single day, and you cannot put a price on that. I mean, really:
I can't believe nobody wanted this angel. (Did it hurt when you fall from heaven? 'Cause your face is kinda fucked up.)
My beloved Tazendra who passed away a year ago and change was a stray kitten found by a friend, and she kept me going through the worst depression I'd ever had. I would not be here if not for her, which makes her my hero. At the risk of being cheesy, adopt a pet; the life you save may be your own.
<3
June 9 2012, 23:11:01 UTC 5 years ago
I still wish my kids would let me bring Junebug home.
June 9 2012, 23:53:17 UTC 5 years ago
June 10 2012, 04:12:27 UTC 5 years ago
Distinguished monocular yeti-cats FTW!