Why You Should Adopt an Adult Cat

When people go into a shelter to adopt a cat, they always want to look at the kittens. Let’s face it, kittens are adorable; they’re so tiny, and they have the cutest little faces. I’m not trying to discourage anyone from adopting a kitten, because all cats need homes. I just want to suggest reasons why you should consider adopting an adult cat.

Cost

Adult cats are often cheaper than kittens. Price should not be the reason you adopt one animal over another, but it can be a factor. Many shelters have a higher adoption fee on kittens, because everyone wants one. Adult cats tend to be less desirable than kittens, so they minimize the adoption fee in hopes it will encourage people to adopt them.

There's More of Them

This brings me to my second reason. People don’t usually want adult cats. Everyone wants the tiny, adorable kittens, and they completely overlook the adult cats. Many of these adult cats have been in the shelter for a long time, just waiting for their forever home. Adult cats can spend most of their life waiting to be adopted. Adopting an adult cat will give them a second chance at life, and they can be your greatest companion.

Personality

Adult cats are great because you already know their personality. Kittens are hard to tell, because they haven’t adopted a personality yet, so you never truly know what kind of cat you’re getting. With an adult, you can ask for something specific. Do you want a lap cat that’s going to snuggle all day and be perfectly content to lay around and be pet? Or, do you want a more high energy cat that’s going to play and run around all day? With an adult cat, you can really pick out what type of companion you want.

Come as They Are

This one isn’t something that is guaranteed across all shelters, but when you adopt a kitten, you usually have to get them fixed yourself. Some places will pay for it, or include it in the adoption fee, but it’s still something you have to deal with. After the initial spay/neuter, your kitten will have to recover. With an adult cat, they’re more than likely already fixed. This means you don’t have to take them in for surgery. When we adopted our two cats as kittens, we had to get them fixed ourselves, and we had to pay for it. When we adopted my cat Marzipan, she was already spayed, so we didn’t have to worry about it.

Adult cats are also litter box trained, which means there’s less mess when you first bring them home. Not all kittens understand the litterbox yet, and since it’s stressful for them to transition to a new home, they’re more likely to have accidents. You develop a special bond with a cat when you adopt them as an adult. Somehow, they just know that you’re their hero, and they love you so deeply in return.

I remember when I went in to adopt my newest cat, Marzipan, the woman in the shelter asked me what I was looking for. When I told her I wanted to adopt a cat, she immediately brought me over to the kittens. She began explaining that they didn’t have many kittens, but they’d be getting more soon. She was shocked when I told her I was actually looking for an adult cat. She happily began bringing me around to the adults, telling me a little bit about them.

There are many benefits to adopting an adult cat, but there are also benefits to adopting a kitten. You have to decide what’s best for you and your family. There’s not right or wrong way to adopt a cat, but maybe the next time you’re looking, consider giving one of the adults a chance.