"Plenty of play time, treats, and a little TLC goes a long way in getting your cat to comfortable in his/her new home."

Adopting a cat can be one of the greatest decisions you ever make. It can even be life-changing. The little (or not so little) guy or gal you bring home just may end up being your best friend, your breakfast chit-chat companion, your most trusted confidant, and a tugger of heartstrings. Each cat has their own personality, some with more attitude than others, some with more energy, some with an endless need to be on your lap, and others who would prefer to keep a respectful distance at all times. You never really know what you’re getting into when you walk in to adopt a cat from an adoption center, or when you’re scanning online for your new best fur friend, but that’s part of the joy of the journey – getting to know your new cat. 

However, the decision to adopt a cat shouldn’t be taken lightly. There are many factors to be taken into consideration when adopting a cat (or cats!). You’ll need to think about how much time and energy you will have to dedicate to your cat, budget for emergencies in addition to the routine costs of caring for your pet, and you will also likely need patience and a certain tolerance for a bit of mess.

We spoke to TikTok veterinarian Dr. Hunter Finn, as well as Kristie Buccella, Shelter Director of North Shore Animal League America about everything you need to know before adopting a cat.  

If you have never adopted a cat before, you may be a bit overwhelmed, so starting with the basics, we’ll look at where to adopt a cat and what you’ll need to prepare before you bring them home. 

There are plenty of places to find your new furry family member, from shelters to agencies, to rescuing a cat directly from the street in your neighborhood, to Craigslist… the options go on and on. However, as Buccella says, “There’s no need to purchase a pet when so many homeless ones are patiently waiting in shelters. The more animals that are adopted, the more room a shelter has to rescue additional homeless animals. At North Shore Animal League America we like to say when you adopt, you save two lives: the animal you take home and the one who now has an open space to be rescued by us.”

The adopt don’t shop motto holds up, with Dr. Finn adding that “There is no shortage of cats who need homes in this world, unfortunately.” So a solid first stop for adopting a pet would be heading to your local shelter. The only cons to adopting a cat from a shelter are that “It may be months or years before you truly get to see the cat's personality and play styles,” and that “you really have limited information on their medical history, which can be tough at times especially if you are adopting an older animal.” However, there will be a factor of the unknown regardless of where you bring your pet home. 

Another route would be to go through a pet adoption agency. Some pros about pet adoption agencies are that they really put in their due diligence to make sure that the pets they home don’t end up back in the shelter or on the street. That means that every prospective pet parent is most likely going to be put through a rigorous application process in order to qualify. For this reason, Dr. Finn notes that when going through an agency, “you can be denied for reasons outside of your control. They are in place to help make sure animals do not get returned to shelters or put in harmful situations but sometimes can be tough to get the animal you want if you don’t meet certain criteria.” 

A third option is to go through a foster program, which won’t necessarily have a brick-and-mortar location, but “Some of these groups do pop-up events at local pet stores, some do in-person appointments and facilitate one-on-one meetings between animals and potential adopters.  There are a lot of good people working together to find animals the homes they deserve,” says Buccela. 

Before you make the final call to adopt a cat, you’ll need to make sure you have a few necessities before you sign any papers and bring him home. According to Buccela, those necessities are: 

Dr. Finn says, “Some cats enjoy drinking water from a fountain and I usually recommend these to my clients.” 

You can splurge on a self-cleaning box, but there’s really no need to get anything fancier than a simple pan.

Your cat may be picky about their litter, so you may have to try a few different kinds before you find the Goldilocks litter. There is clay litter, pellet litter, fancy smart cat litter that indicates potential health issues, and there are even toilet training kits if you are feeling brave. 

There is no need to go overboard, just a few to tide them over until you figure out what kinds are your new cat’s favorite. Some like laser toys, some simple fake mice, some like the crinkly kind – you never know! Buccela also says that “Wand toys are always excellent choices as they mimic prey-like behavior creating a high energy, high-value play interactions.”

There are also a few things that you’ll want to eventually get for your new adopted cat, but don’t need the minute you get home. Those things include: 

“Find a number of toys or objects that resemble birds. Examples include feathers, stuffed toys covered in feathers, objects suspended in air, and toys making chirping noises. Entice your cat to play by making each object move and fly through the air. Does your cat follow the object? Does he/she follow all of the objects or ignore most of them? Take note. 

Next, put those objects out of the kitty's sight, and try objects resembling mice, such as fur, stuffed animals, furry mice, and balls. How does your cat react when you make each of these objects move? Does kitty want to chase it? Or is he/she waiting for you to bring the feathers back out? 

Try both bird toys and mouse toys at the same time by alternating them about every 20 seconds. Which does the kitty prefer? Does he/she prefer some of each kind? 

Finally, put all of these toys away, and try toys resembling bugs. You can try a laser toy, a string with a knot on the end, and some dry food or treats tossed across the floor. How does your cat react? Try to alternate with the bird toys and mouse toys to see which prey is best. If your cat seems to enjoy feathers and/or objects in the air, choose toys resembling birds. If your cat prefers furry toys and/or toys moving on the ground, choose objects resembling mice. If your cat likes tiny objects with lots of movement, choose toys resembling bugs.”

There aren’t many things that you’ll need for a senior cat that you wouldn't need for a younger cat. However, you may need an extra item here and there. 

A few things you might need down the line for an older cat: 

While it may seem like a totally different process, the options for kitten adoption are pretty much the same. Buccela clarifies, “At North Shore Animal League America the process is the same. No matter what animal you may intend to adopt, when you arrive at our Adoption Center you’ll meet with a member of our Adoptions Team who will work one-on-one with you to determine the kind of animal that is the best fit for you and your family to adopt.” The same will be true at shelters, foster programs, and all of the rest.

Another thing to consider when planning to adopt a kitten, is “Kittens are adorable – and exhausting.  Kittens are a lot of work and you need to be prepared for their energy, their mischievousness, and their curiosity,” says Buccella. It’s for this reason that two kittens are often better than one. “This is ideal as not only do they socialize with each other, they entertain each other and use up much of that kitten energy playing with one another.”

Same story for what you’ll need for a kitten, save for potentially needing to feed her kitten food rather than adult food, and maybe stocking up on some antibiotic cream for all of those inevitable, playful kitten scratches!

All in all, you’ll have to be patient with your new family member. Dr. Finn reminds us, “It may take months before you feel that bond and they feel comfortable with you, or it may be like that from day one.” Buccella adds, “Don’t take it personally if your new cat is hiding and fearful at first. Plenty of playtime, treats, and a little TLC goes a long way in getting your cat to comfortable in his/her new home.”

If you’re still struggling with your decision, North Shore Animal League has created a “Get Pet Ready” guide for anyone thinking about becoming a pet parent to help you assess whether this is the right time to adopt, as well as offering some tips to help alleviate the natural anxiety that comes with bringing home a new member of the family.  Visit www.animalleague.org/getpetready for more info.