June is also the month of the year when the most kittens are born

Nomi Berger 
for Clark County Today

Started in 1974 by the American Humane Association, June has since been known as National Adopt a Cat Month. And its significance is doubly meaningful because June is also the month of the year when the most kittens are born.

Animal rescue groups such as Furry Friends and shelters everywhere are filled with kittens and cats seeking forever homes: felines of every breed and combination of breeds, featuring as many diverse personalities as they have coats and colors, born on the streets or in a shelter, surrendered or abandoned by their owners.

And never was it more vital than now to consider adopting one of the millions of available kitties, thereby making your homes their forever homes. Not only are kitties good for your health, but they’re also amusing and affectionate, sociable and silly, playful and precocious, chatty, snuggly and cuddly, and as eager to lap up your love as they are to return it. But before you make such a life-altering decision – for them and for you – carefully consider the following three factors: dedication, finances, and lifestyle.

Dedication

This is the initial and therefore the most important factor. Unequivocal and unquestioned commitment to a kitten or cat as the newest member of your family will assist you in successfully managing whatever future, unforeseen problems, obstacles, or inevitable challenges lie ahead. And because cats can now live for 20 years or more, you and your chosen kitty are destined to experience a lifetime of changes, positive and negative, sweet and bittersweet, together.

Finances

Although anyone at any income level can be a good pet parent, remember that the kitten or cat you adopt will be entirely dependent on you for life. If you want your home to be as feline friendly as possible, this means, among other things, paying for food, water and food bowls, litter boxes and litter, cat trees, scratching posts and cat tunnels, games and toys – all of which can cost thousands of dollars over your cat’s lifetime. But most importantly, there are the costs of caring for your cat’s health: the vet visits, both routine and urgent, the unexpected accidents, unanticipated illnesses, diagnostics and medications, and the money all of that entails. And since kittens are typically more costly than adult cats, they’ll require extra vaccinations, vet visits, food, and supplies over the span of their lives.

Lifestyle

More independent, lower maintenance and more self-sufficient than dogs, ideal for people who either work long hours or lead busy personal lives, anyone adopting a kitten or cat MUST care for them daily — from training and feeding them to cleaning and playing with them. Think emptying soiled litter boxes and disposing of litter, vacuuming carpets and removing cat hair from furniture. Think of interacting with them to build and strengthen your bond through playtime – from beaming laser lights around walls and floors to having them chase wand toys with feathers attached to them.

For a potential adopter living on your own, the decision is yours and yours alone. If, however, you have a roommate, spouse or an entire family, one potential obstacle is allergies. Is anyone either a highly allergic person or allergic specifically to cats? Do you have a baby, toddler or very young children who wouldn’t know how to treat a kitten or a cat? Does everyone in your household even want to adopt a kitty?

Once you’ve chosen to invite a feline friend into your life, visit various cat rescue websites and Facebook pages to view the kitties available, and hopefully one or more will “speak” to you. The next step is to email the rescue your application, and when you’ve been contacted, to visit their facilities. Often, the purr-fect kitty or kitties will choose you!

Whether in foster care or in a shelter, all of the kittens and cats are provided with the best food and medical treatment coupled with constant attention and ongoing socialization. Their individual personalities are known, as well as what they like to eat and how they like to play. This vital information enables the rescue to match the right kitten or cat with the right adopter, and ensure, to the best of their ability, that they live happily and lovingly together forever.

And while Adopt a Cat Month may be celebrated in June, the need to adopt a kitten or cat continues month after month, all year round.

About Nomi Berger

Nomi Berger is the bestselling author of seven novels, one work of nonfiction, two volumes of poetry, and hundreds of articles. She is a volunteer writer for Furry Friends in Vancouver and also volunteers her writing skills to animal rescue groups in Canada and the USA.

Furry Friends will be holding cat adoption events every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at East Vancouver PetSmart, 130 SE 192nd Ave, Vancouver, WA 98683. But you are always welcome to view our cats and submit an adoption request through the website at FurryFriendsWA.org. Questions? Contact us at information@furryfriendswa.org.

Who is Furry Friends?

Furry Friends is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit no-kill cat shelter rescue serving Clark County and adjacent counties. Founded in 1999, we are a volunteer run organization that rescues and adopts out homeless, relinquished, and abused cats. We shelter and care for them as long as it takes to find them forever homes. We provide medical exams, medications, spay/neuter, food, and litter for up to 800 cats each year. Furry Friends is the largest cat only shelter in southwest Washington.