Cats

Reasons to Get a Cat

Cats are undeniably fantastic pets. Their personalities are varied and unique, and although they can sometimes be annoying, they are incredibly adorable, which most cat owners feel makes up for it. Their attitude also makes them quite funny. Some cats are very cuddly, while others prefer affection on their own terms. In any case, your life can be greatly improved by adopting a cat.

Cats may be picky when it comes to humans. When adopting a cat, there may always be a risk that it will prefer another member of the house over you. However, this makes the experience of being chosen by a cat all the more special. There are few better feelings than when a cat hops onto your lap, purring, before curling up for a nap. Affection varies between different breeds, as well as between different cats.

Additionally, according to an article from Scientific American, studies have shown that the frequency in which cats purr can improve healing from injuries in humans, meaning that owning a cat can make you healtheir ("Why do").

Responsibly and Ethically Adopting

At this point, it's important to state that if you would like to adopt a cat, you should adopt from a local shelter. According to the American Bird Conservancy, "Today, more than 100 million feral and outdoor cats function as an invasive species with enormous impacts. Every year in the United States, cats kill well over 1 billion birds. This stunning level of predation is unsustainable for many already-declining species like Least Tern and Wood Thrush" ("Cats | Invasives"). If you are looking for a particular breed of cat, adopt one already in a local shelter, instead of buying from a breeder.

Besides the destruction cats' overpopulation causes to the environment, private breeding adds to this by marketing "specially-bred" traits. Oftentimes, these special traits cause health issues. One example is the Munchkin breed, easily recognized by their abnormally short legs, which creates weaker cartilage in their knee joints. Eventually, they may be grinding bone against bone with each step they take, bringing them lots of pain.

Even reputable breeders with healthier cats just add more to their multiplying numbers, meaning more kittens hit by cars, getting sick due to human waste on the streets, and more kittens being euthanized in kill shelters that simply don't have the resources to care for the amount of exponentially rising population of cats. This is why spaying and neutering your cats is also important.

If you are interested in helping reduce cat overpopulation while ensuring they can continue to live healthily, try researching and volunteering at any local TNR programs. (Trap, Neuter, Release)