Pros and Cons To Buying Versus Adopting A cat
When you are ready to include a magnificent feline into your family and life the question arises whether to purchase a cat, or to adopt one who is looking for a safe loving home. You can purchase a kitten or a retired breeder for a reputable breeder, or you can adopt a cat from the shelter or from a family who for whatever reason needs to relinquish their cat.
If you’re looking for a purebred cat to take to cat shows then there is no question that you will probably wind up dealing with an expensive purchase, but if you don’t really care about the purebred status of a cat then your options are wide open.
Acquiring your cat from a reputable breeder, (again, a caution about buying a cat from a pet store, in the US at least, many of these cats come from kitten mills where the cats are raised in deplorable conditions) can have some benefits. Many breeders offer a guarantee, and you can research past generations for health issues as well.
Some cat owners swear by certain breeds with regards to a good temperament or healthy constitution, and the only way these folks can be guaranteed that they are getting exactly the breed of cat they want is by purchasing one that has accompanying documentation. For some people, this is the only way they would consider bringing a cat into their home.
Choosing to adopt a cat means that your options are wide open. An added advantage is also that cats waiting for a home will already have lived in one and information about their behavior will most likely be available.
Not only do cats at shelters come with a medical history, along with information about how they deal with young children or other pets or cats, adopting a cat, giving it a safe loving home is a particularly heartwarming thing to do, knowing that you just may have rescued this cat from death.
Not all adopted cats come from shelters. Some people have to give their cats away for whatever reason – allergies develop, moving to another city, financial problems – so if you peruse the pet ads within a local newspaper you’ll probably find an impressive selection of cats looking for new homes.
The advantage of adopting a cat from another family is that there usually isn’t any charge involved unless the cat is a purebred with documentation. The disadvantage is that unless you take the cat to a veterinarian beforehand, you can’t ever be quite sure if the cat has some underlying health issues that may wind up costing you quite a bit of money.
If you are undecisive whether you should adopt a kitty, or purchase one from a breeder, do not worry. Cats have an uncanny way of coming into our lives in just the perfect way. You can start exploring both options, and before you know it your absolutely purrfect furbaby will find you.
