Cats aren’t any less loving or deserving of a home than dogs, yet they’re often reduced to second-class status at the shelter. Whereas a dog will melt your heart with a friendly lick through the bars of a cage, cats in a shelter tend to be more skittish or reserved, which doesn’t help their case.
The sad fact is, cats don’t do well in shelters, for many reasons. They are very much creatures of habit. The disruption to their routine that comes with being surrendered to a shelter is deeply unsettling to them.
They’re taken from a familiar place and made to live, sleep, and eat in a small cage, cut off from socialization or the comforting sounds and smells they know and understand. They don’t know why they’re there or how long they’ll be there, just that they don’t want to be there.
As a result, they are scared and anxious. They will not be warm and inviting towards strangers, but seek safety in the corner of their cage, avoiding contact with unfamiliar people.
Even more so than with dogs, the behavior a cat exhibits at a shelter is likely not an accurate reflection of their personality in a home setting. It isn’t fair to judge them in these conditions, but we tend to do so anyway because we’re afraid to take a chance.
Adopting a cat directly from a Guardian’s home through Get Your Pet gives you a better opportunity to see what you are really getting. A better chance for the cat to present themselves as the loving creature they are. A better chance for you to save a life, and prevent a frightened animal from ever having to enter the shelter, where their chances are so diminished.
Adopting a cat is one of the most fulfilling and rewarding things you can do. Cats make excellent companions for college students, older people, and families alike. They require relatively less maintenance than dogs, require less playtime as adults, and value time spent lounging around the house or just being by your side.
Because cats tend to be more reserved than dogs, earning a cat’s love can sometimes seem even more meaningful than gaining the trust and love of a dog. Many cat owners can relate strongly to the phrase “Who rescued who?” because of the bond that they’ve experienced with their new feline friend.
Please consider helping a cat go directly from one good home to another by adopting through Get Your Pet. Start browsing here to find adoptable cats near you.