| The family brought Tiger home, but hadn't | | | | made it an outdoor cat, and it died of feline |
| prepared their house for him. When he saw | | | | leukemia. That story definitely had a very |
| their dog, he bolted, found a dark place and | | | | sad ending? |
| hid. | | | | |
| | | | ? Knowledge of Your Cat's Physical Needs |
| His new owner searched the house but couldn't | | | | |
| find him. That night he came out of his | | | | When your cat climbs out of the carrier box |
| hiding place and found an open window with a | | | | for the first time, will you be equipped with |
| torn screen.... | | | | the essentials? |
| | | | |
| His would be owner knew there were predators | | | | Or, will you discover that you need these |
| in the area. She called Animal Control and | | | | things later?and bring them in one at a time, |
| posted signs around the neighborhood, but she | | | | after your cat has defecated in the corner, |
| knew there wasn't much chance. | | | | started clawing the furniture, or begun some |
| | | | other unauthorized behavior you are not |
| She was right. | | | | prepared for? (And, be advised, a cat is a |
| | | | very obsessed animal?once she starts doing |
| FIVE THINGS YOU MUST CONSIDER BEFORE ADOPTING | | | | something, it is very hard to change it). |
| A CAT. | | | | |
| | | | Making sure you have on hand what you need to |
| In Parts 1 and 2 of this series we considered | | | | receive your new cat is vital. You must be |
| the vital need to prepare your house for your | | | | equipped with the basics before you bring her |
| cat, make sure her medical needs are met, and | | | | home. |
| that you yourself are ready for the adoption | | | | |
| of a feline -- an independent animal that | | | | ? Your Home Prepared. |
| doesn't respond to teaching and training the | | | | |
| way a dog would. | | | | I can't emphasize this enough. You must be |
| | | | certain your home and your house occupants |
| Before you bring your new kitty home, make | | | | are prepared for the arrival of your new |
| sure you have: | | | | kitty. If she is frightened in any way, and |
| | | | can find egress from the house, she may do |
| ? Time | | | | so. If this occurs, she will not know where |
| | | | she is, and you may never see her again. |
| A cat needs time spent with her. One of the | | | | |
| big mistakes busy people make is to fail to | | | | FIRST INTRODUCTIONS |
| realize that they have crazy schedules that | | | | |
| don't allow them to spend enough time with | | | | So, when your cat first climbs out of her |
| their newly adopted cat. | | | | carrier, is she going to be set upon by every |
| | | | member of your household all at once? And |
| This could ultimately result in your cat | | | | when she does, will she flee in terror, |
| running off. If you have no time to spend | | | | trying to find the safest and darkest corner |
| with your cat, she will not choose your house | | | | she can find? |
| as ?her den?. She will go searching for | | | | |
| another one, and you could be soon reporting | | | | Or will you introduce her gradually? to try |
| a ?lost cat?. | | | | to reduce the trauma as much as possible so |
| | | | she can adapt to and feel at home in her new |
| Or, to your consternation, you will find that | | | | situation? |
| the cat you thought would be a loving | | | | |
| companion has bonded with another member of | | | | Your technique for doing that can be a |
| your household?somebody who did have the time | | | | deciding factor in whether or not your cat |
| to spend. | | | | adapts to your home immediately, by the next |
| | | | day or the next month, or flees the house |
| ? Money | | | | altogether. |
| | | | |
| A lot of people don't count the cost of pet | | | | THE DAYS TO FOLLOW |
| ownership. In their exuberance to adopt a | | | | |
| cat, they forget that they don't have the | | | | Do you know how to take care of your new cat |
| budget to keep her. Belatedly, they discover | | | | in the days to come, assuming you handled |
| they don't have the cash on hand to buy their | | | | your first introductions well? Do you know |
| new feline's basic necessities or give her | | | | about allergies, special foods, bathing, |
| the medical attention she is most certainly | | | | grooming, hair balls, removing urine, |
| going to need. | | | | training and teaching without frightening and |
| | | | alienating her, and a multitude of other |
| Many people shun pet medical insurance, not | | | | situations cat owners wrestle with on a daily |
| realizing that the same things that happen to | | | | basis? Do you know the hazards involved in |
| people happen to cats, and can cost large | | | | letting her become an outdoor cat? |
| sums of money to cure. This can result in | | | | |
| losing their beloved pet because the price to | | | | KNOW WHAT TO DO |
| save her is ?just too high?. | | | | |
| | | | As you've often heard, 'preparation is the |
| ? Knowledge of Your Cat's Medical Needs | | | | key to success', and nowhere does that apply |
| | | | more appropriately than to cat ownership. If |
| Some people who adopt strays or cats owned by | | | | you are prepared, your adoption will probably |
| friends don't realize the full extent of the | | | | go very smoothly ? and your relationship with |
| medical attention their new cat may need: | | | | her will be a joy. |
| | | | |
| -- A complete physical examination | | | | I say probably because every cat is |
| | | | different. Even with the best preparation by |
| -- A complete vaccination regimen | | | | a knowledgeable owner, a cat may still want |
| | | | to hide for awhile. And if you discover |
| -- Spaying or neutering | | | | that's the case? |
| | | | |
| In particular, that cute kitten you brought | | | | You need to know what to do. |
| home from a friend's litter will need a long | | | | |
| series of vaccinations (along with boosters) | | | | John Young is a writer and cat lover who has |
| that will extend over a period of a couple of | | | | owned one cat or another ever since he was |
| years. You can't do it all in one day. | | | | four (or, maybe they owned him). His book |
| | | | "Your New Cat's First 24 Hours", , is |
| To fail in this will almost assuredly mean | | | | written for new and veteran cat owners who |
| tragedy down the line. I know. I failed to | | | | want to smoothly introduce a new cat to their |
| give one of my kittens its vaccinations. I | | | | household and care for her thereafter. |