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Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Responsible cat adoption


PetSmart is a pet store chain that has a 'perks' card - and the last time I used it, it gave me a few dollars off some pet food I was buying. It's good for coupons and other credits.
I enjoy seeing the different pets in the store - the fish, the guinea pigs and gerbils, the reptiles. What I found most poignant today was behind plexiglass, down along one wall of the store, playing, chilling, and not making much noise - the cats.
I'm not interested in owning a cat - at least not right now. But I respect good cat owners, and know the cats bring value to their humans' lives. Profiles about these cats up for adoption are posted near the cages. One cat's description said its mother was rescued when she was pregnant with it and six litter mates. So - this cat has never had that one, single owner of its own.
PetSmart is featuring adoptions from Perfect Paws Pet Rescue organization - this requires an $80 adoption fee. This covers testing, worming, vaccinations, and spaying or neutering.
Basically, you complete the application to adopt, and they get back to you. There is also a 24-hour minimum wait period, (maybe call it a cooling-off time) before the cat is sent home.
One thing I found useful on the form is that it helps to remind the applicant of some of the things a pet owner has to spend money on: food, grooming, licensing, medical care, etc. There are some other ways the form helps prospective owners become mentally and physically prepared to be pet owners, and that's a good thing. It's a responsibility to not be taken lightly.
Remember to keep your cat indoors, or on a lease, so it doesn't kill those beautiful songbirds. All good creatures, great and small...

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