Cats are amazing creatures. They bring such excitement and love into our daily lives. They come in all colours, sizes and often with their own stories to tell. Yet, it is important to know how to choose a cat that will be the right fit for you and your family.
After all, cats live 10+ years and you want to be able to provide a loving and forever home! These 5 Steps to Choosing the Perfect Cat will help you make the best choice for your newest family member!
5 Steps to Choosing the Perfect Cat in No Time!
Where to Adopt
All cats deserve a good home. I always recommend finding your cat at a local shelter or rescue. These are the cats that are in the most desperate need for a home. The cost of adoption normally includes spaying/neutering, vaccination and microchipping. Save a life and adopt from your local shelter or rescue!
Age
When deciding on a cat, it is so important to understand the difference between a kitten and a mature, adult cat. By nature, a kitten is more adventurous, playful and mischievous. They are often underfoot and occasionally may need assistance with their grooming habits. They are also fragile, so it is important to keep this in mind if you have small children in the home.
Children may mean well, but can easily injury a kitten. However, kittens are often more adaptable than an older cat. An adult cat normally has an understanding of good litter habits and boundaries. They often have been exposed to children and/or other pets, so it makes the transition into a new home pretty painless. A cat at any age is precious!
Gender
In my experience, both female and male cats are both fabulous in their own ways. The important thing is to have your cat spayed or neutered. It is not only helps them behaviourally, but also health-wise. The best way to get a sense of a cat’s temperament is to spend some time with him or her prior to adoption.
Indoor/Outdoor
Indoor cats live a much longer life than that of outdoor cats. Yes, there are exceptions, but in general, indoor cats don’t have to face the dangers that lurk outside. Keeping your cat indoors is the only sensible choice. With the luxury of cat furniture, cat shelves, etc. you can provide your cat with an active lifestyle and give him the best possible chance at a long and happy life!
Special Needs
Cats with special needs often require frequent vet care, attention, lifestyle modification, etc. Choosing to adopt a special needs cat is amazing and I can’t recommend it enough. However, be sure that you can provide kitty with the important essentials as well as the extra love they will need.
Looking for More Cat Content to Enjoy?!
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Stacie says
Great tips! Which of your kitties is that cutie in the picture?
Kristen says
Thanks Stacie!!! The top photo is Jasper and the bottom is Alice!!
Erika E says
Love this post! Cats are wonderful and adopting is the way to go.
Kristen says
Absolutely Erika!
Brutus Duffy says
I’m a vet tech and can say that my 8 cats chose ME. They were dumped, sickly, unadoptable and I am lucky to work in a field where I can properly take care of them. One has one eye and is diabetic. One had part of its tail chopped off on the highway. Another one has a bad heart and was close to death(we have had him for 10 years now).
We urge everyone to adopt/rescue from a shelter or rescue organization. There are so many of them out there.
Kristen says
You are an inspiration Brutus. I have 9 cats and most of them are rescues. I absolutely LOVE animals and want to give them the very best life I can. Thank you for having such a big heart and a gentle spirit!!!!!!!
heidi c. says
I agree with you about keeping you cats indoors! It helps prolong their kitty lives!
Kristen says
Exactly!
MyBitsandBleeps says
All my cats have been rescues; each and every one. Currently I only have one cat and I am so lucky to have him. I believe each cat came into my life for a reason. As painful as it is to lose each one, it only means that I have more love to give. You see each of my cats have taught me something about myself. Most importantly, I’ve learned that love is never-ending and it re-generates itself. Always; just give it time.
Kristen says
I couldn’t have said it better myself Jeannine! Jake is SUCH a blessing in your life and a true kitty cutie!
Amy Heffernan says
Great advise. We adopted our kitty! 🙂
Kristen says
yay!!!
kathy downey says
Thnaks,i really enjoyed reading all this imformation about cats
Kristen says
Thanks Kathy! I am such a huge cat lover and I decided it was time to start writing about what I know..hehe
kathy downey says
Yes Kristen i’m glad you are, many people even though they are cat owners there are many things they don’t know and being able to read these posts are great.I have done funding raising for TNR group in the area,all kittens found are vetted and a home found for them as for the adults,workable ones are found a home and the others are released back to the colony after they are fully vetted (.spaying/neutering, vaccinations and any other treatment needed.I have actually told some folks who adopted about your blog’s great articles about Cats.
Kristen says
You have no idea HOW much I appreciate hearing this Kathy. You have been a loyal reader for some time and your support and kind words ALWAYS touch my heart!!!!
RICHARD HICKS says
Very good tips for someone looking for a new kitty. I adopted 2 half siamese from the AARF 7 years ago and keep them inside. They are the most pampered kitties ever and I love them to death!
loucheryl says
Your cats are adorable. Great post. It’s so important to pick a cat that fits in well with your life.
Kristen says
Thank you so much and I couldn’t agree more!
Victoria Ess says
Great tips! Great things to think about regarding age.
kathy downey says
I totally agree with you about keeping you cats indoors,I help with a rescue group and to many die on the street
AD says
Thank you for posting this! I have been considering getting a cat, but no idea what to look for in a feline.
Jeanette says
I wish we could get a cat. There are too many that have allergies in our family. This is a great post for those that are looking and I know a few people that are so I will share this with them!
Monica says
Love this, so much useful information for those people considering adoption. We have always had rescue kitties too and they are such a joy!
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
These are great tips. What I really love about them is that you can apply them to picking out almost any animal.
Liz Mays says
Ah these are definitely good things to think about. We may adopt another cat if we end up moving into a bigger place. We adopted one of our cats as a kitten and the other two were older and already had babies.
Diane Roark says
You did a great job educating me on cats. I have never had a cat and had no idea about any of this stuff. All I know is they sure are precious.
Thanks for sharing!
Diane
Stacie says
There is much to consider when choosing a cat. We have three cats ourselves and they are strictly indoor cats.
Sherry says
Our cat Puddles was a rescue. My daughter actually found her in a puddle out in the country. Puddles was only a month old at the time. All of our pets have come from a shelter.
robin rue says
We actually just took in my sister’s cat yesterday! She’s 14, so she’s an old girl, but we are very happy to have her.
Sarah says
These are great tips for selecting a cat. I had no clue what I was doing when I selected my first cat as a teenager. I opened the cage of kittens at the pet store and one jumped out on my chest and clawed me. I said I want that one, and that was the cat we bought. I wish I would have had tips on how to choose a cat then, he was such a trouble maker.
Sarah says
Great tips! We used similar tips when picking out our dog. It’s important to make the right choice when getting a forever pet.
Ann Bacciaglia says
You know how much I love cats. They bring so much joy to my life. Yours are so darn cute 🙂
Dawn Lopez says
Our cat actually chose us! These are all great things to consider though if you are actively out there trying to find a new family member. 🙂
Marjorie at Dash Kitten says
We find speciao needs cats tend to choose us which we are more than happy about. Our seniors have been the most awesome examples of grace in spite of suffering before they came to us. These are good sensible tips.
Sab Edwards says
I’ve been adopted by all of our cats…the cat we now have is Fluffy Butt, and he walked into our house one day and just never left.
Kelly says
All great tips for someone making the decision about getting a cat! We have two cats that we adopted as kittens from a local shelter.
Lola The Rescued Cat says
We’re all for adoptiin here, that’s for sure. Our mom says thst we chise her! I think we made a great choice.
Rochelle says
Great post! I’ve thought about getting a cat, but have no idea where to start. I agree with adoption, too – especially with all the feral cats that have kittens here in NYC.
Brianne says
These are excellent tips! My kiddies are dying for a cat but with two dogs, I think we will have to hold off.
Kamira Gayle says
Jasper and Alice are adorable. Sweet faces. Yes, great tips to consider when adopting. Also temperment/personality too. Some cats are just couch potatoes and others are always energetic so depending on who is adopting finding a match in that department is a good idea too. I am definitely an advocate for adopting from a shelter too.
Shelley R Zurek says
While not a cat lover, I think your tips for choosing one are spot on. I think adopting a shelter cat is the best advice of all coupled with spaying or neutering.
Cathy Armato says
This is so wonderful! I agree that a cat is wonderful at any age. I’m so glad you mentioned the important of spay/neuter, it’s so critical. It’s kitten season at shelters, so hopefully lots of people will be out adopting kitties of every age.
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
Debbie says
These are some great things to keep in mind when adding a feline family member to your household. While kittens are cute, there are so many perfect adult cats in rescues and shelters and they can be so much easier to add to your family at this age too. I feel so bad for all the adults that get overlooked for the fluffy little kittens.
Shelby Gottschalk says
Great list! I think a lot of this can relate to dog’s as well. 🙂 Perfect to raise awareness to DO YOUR RESEARCH before adopting!
Hali @daytodayMOMents says
THese are such great tips, what a great resource for those looking to get a cat.
Sweet Purrfections says
If people are thinking about a specific breed of cat, they need to do their research!
Tonya Wilhelm says
What a wonderful post. It’s so important to think about things before bringing another life into a family. We love our kitties.
Lorie Ham says
These are some great tips! I think too many people bring pets in general into their home without giving it real thought and doing research. I especially agree about keeping the cat indoors–I personally couldn’t stand the stress of having an outdoor cat and always worrying something might happen to them.
Jodi M. Clock says
You points are well taken. People need to realize that a cat is a long term commitment and need to find the right fit for their lifestyle.
Beth says
We used to have a lot of stray/feral cats in our neighborhood, especially in the woods behind our house. One little cat was really friendly and hungry, so we started feeding him. He used to come up on the porch and sit in my lap. I decided to take him to the vet to be neutered and vaccinated, but after I made the appointment, he disappeared. A few days later we heard him giving his last meows under the porch, so my husband tore off lattice and crawled under the porch. A huge vet bill and 15 years later, he is still hungry! I never wanted a cat until he came into our lives, but he’s been a great companion.
Kristen says
He was a blessing in your life…*smile
Allison says
When my husband and I lost our first cat in 2013, we made a checklist of all the features we wanted in a cat. This is how we ended up with our oldest. Since then, we have fallen into the camp of “cats find their owners”. Our second cat came from a colony of community cats and the third was a stray kitten that a friend found.
Thank you for promoting the indoor choice! This message has been become my passion. Far too many cats aren’t making it out of shelters alive. As much of a believer as I am in Trap-Neuter-Release, I also think far too many die without ever knowing love. Cats can be just as happy indoors as dogs, and they’re certain safer in this lifestyle.
Dolly the Doxie says
Great tips especially about supporting adoption. I have always believed that a cat chooses you rather than you choose a cat. But however it happens I think that a cat always adapts. We adopted our last cat at age 7+ that we never met and even though it was love at first sight for me now we are closely bonded and I’m glad I did it. I always liked male cats because I think they are more affectionate where females are too independent but there area always exceptions! Sandra and Dolly
Joely Smith says
I think many people do not understand that spaying and neutering are better for a cats health as you mentioned. It is an important fact to share.
We have always adopted or taken strays in – most of our pets find us.
Jana Rade says
It is important to give it a thorough consideration. Evaluating carefully what kind of cat is best for you helps the future relationship and helps ensure that her new home is indeed a forever one.
Shayla says
Great tips! All of my cats growing up chose me, they would wander into our lives and never want to leave 😊
Calvin F. says
Adopted my cat, I believe it chose me.
Elizabeth Matthiesen says
Great tips for those seeking to find a cat/kitten as a pet. I do think that Alice is eying up those cupcakes and wondering why the kittens are sat up there and where did they all come from. LOL
Linda H says
All the cats we’ve ever had have been strays that just arrived on the doorstep or the kids found on the way home from school and no one ever claimed – and they have all been wonderful!