There are so many animals that are in desperate need of a loving home so if you have decided to get a cat, why not choose one from your local cat rescue home or animal shelter?

By adopting from a shelter instead of buying from a pet shop, you help those animals that are most in need to find a home and help fund the rescue work so that other cats can be saved. Many of these felines have had difficult lives so far – they may have been abandoned, abused or neglected by their owners. So, responsible rescue centres will take special care to match owner and pet and find them a good home. They will give you as much information as possible about their charges’ personalities and histories to help you choose wisely.

At the animal shelter,use your power of observation.

Take some time to just watch the cats and kittens without trying to interact with them. Observe how active they are and what type of attitude they have. A cat that stays huddled in a corner or appears lethargic may be sick, which could mean expensive vets bills in the future. Or the poor cat may nave been abused and so is terrified of everyone and everything. If you have the time and patience, please don’t automatically dismiss an abused feline. They can repay your care many times over.

Give the cat a thorough examination, starting with the eyes. Bright and clear eyes with no discharge or weepiness are a good sign.

The nose should be clean and slightly moist.Again,there should be no discharge.

Ears should also be clean. Those that are extremely dirty are potentially contaminated with ear mites which can be very difficult to eliminate and can easily spread to other cats at home.

Finally, the cat’s fur should be clean, shiny, and free of fleas. Fleas can be particularly bothersome to both the cat and to the owner. Eliminating fleas once they infest the home can be very difficult.

Listen to the cat. A cat that coughs, sneezes, or sounds congested can be quite ill and should be avoided. Also, listen for sounds of contentment. A cat who is purring is probably happy and healthy.A meow can indicate either trouble or contentment – a long, pleading meow could show that the cat is ill. On the other hand, a playful meow could mean the she is already developing a bond with its potential new owner!

Watch how the cat plays. Some pet owners are looking for playful cats that will scamper about the house and chase and play with toys. Others would prefer a more docile cat who will spend hours cuddled up in the owner’s lap.

See how they play with each other first to get a feeling for their disposition. This is particularly important for pet owners who already have a pet cat at home. Then play with the kitties yourself.

Take out a string, ball of wool or car keys and dangle them in front of each cat. The one that seems most alert and active is likely the better choice. Of course, you could always take home more than one if the decision is just too hard to make

It is so rewarding to adopt a cat from a cat rescue shelter and know that you have saved its life and given it a comfortable home but do be aware of potential problems. Any cat or kitten that comes from a shelter will be stressed to some level. This stress has put them at a higher risk of attracting a respiratory infection. They may also be more prone to bite or scratch you before you have bonded. Most cat rescue shelters offer a spayed or neutered cat, with full shots and de-worming but You must also get your cat tested immediately for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV).

finally,listen to the advice of the shelter workers and don’t rush into any decisions.

When it comes to kitten adoption, nowhere can offer you more choice than your local animal shelter. At certain times of the year (usually mid-spring through early fall)shelters often have more kittens than they have homes for them.

If you really want a specific breed of cat and can’t find one at the shelters, try a breed rescue group.

By adopting a “shelter” or “rescue” animal, you are giving an animal a second chance, and maybe it’s last chance. Overcrowding and lack of resources results in many of these cats and kittens being euthanized.

You can also help to keep the pet population in check by adopting a “pre-owned” animal.

Before you go to the shelter or call a rescue group, you should have some ideas of what you are looking for in a cat or kitten. Are you willing to groom a longhaired cat as often as required? Are you sure no one in your household is allergic to cats?

Is this your first dog or cat? If so, you may want to talk to other pet owners to be sure you have a realistic idea of what you are getting yourself into. Remember that this is a long-term commitment, as much as 20 years for a cat! Look hard at your budget before deciding on a new pet. Don’t forget food, vet expense, possible boarding or pet sitting, groomers, kitty litter, etc.

If you are adding to a household of pets, consider the ones you already have. Will they accept another animal? Most dogs and cats can learn to live with each other eventually, but some will have a harder time adjusting than others. Some cats do not tolerate other cats well. Planning ahead for the introductions and potential problems will ease the way considerably.

If you are renting, are pets allowed? Are you planning to move in the near future? Consider your lifestyle, your habits and your home. Once you are sure that you are ready to adopt a kitten, then you can consider the individual animal you would prefer?”

My favorite breed of cat is the “domestic shorthair”, a catch-all term for mixed breed cats. Really, unless you are looking to show or breed the animal, there is really no reason to choose a purebred cat.

Mixed breed cats tend to be healthier. Since most genetic anomalies and predispositions to disease are carried on recessive genes, mixed breeds will be less likely to inherit these traits. Often times you get the best of both worlds – or at least the best of both breeds. The animals will usually exhibit the most predominant traits of their breeds so knowing something about the different breeds will tell you something about the animal you are considering. Most breeds of cats differ only in physical characteristics, personalities are not determined by breed. Siamese, for example, are known for their vocalizations.

If you have your heart set on a specific breed, and you have done your research and know that the breed is right for you and your lifestyle, then you might want to consider looking for a rescue group for that breed. The internet is a good resource for finding a rescue group in your area.

When visiting a shelter, remember that cats are usually much more timid than dogs, and are often frightened by large, noisy spaces. Their behavior at the shelter is a response to their environment. They may seem frightened, shy or depressed. Talk to the shelter personnel, find out as much as you can about the cat’s normal behavior.

Once the kitten has adapted to its new home it should shed its fear and anxiety. Hopefully they will turn out to be the perfect cat or kitten for you. And don’t forget to have them spayed or neutered!

I think it is great when people adopt a dog. Today there are so many different ways to adopt and choose that new family dog.

I think it would be great to help a dog with his behavior problems right out of a dogs homeless shelter?

To me, they are the insecure ones, who feel the most alone and probably have some issues that you will need to help them with.

The easiest way to adopt and what most people do first I think is search the newspaper for advertisements from breeders who are selling new puppies.

Other options are to find breeders via listings on the internet, while still more may simply purchase a puppy from a local pet store.

But for me personally, I think the best method, however, in terms of being helpful to society in general is to adopt a dog from a local animal shelter. They are the helpless ones who need you to rescue them.

Just think what adopting a dog would do. Wouldn’t you suddenly have a new friend into your life?

It also helps to reduce the number of unwanted and homeless dogs in your area. Unless the shelter is a no kill zone facility (and these are sadly few and far between), it will also save a dogs life.

Here are some useful reasons why to go to a shelter:

1. Adopted pets have had their shots

2. Shelters often have information about a dogs temper.

3. Adopting a pet frees space in the shelter for more dogs

When you adopt a dog you can be sure that the staff at the shelter has had the dog examined by a vet for diseases and parasites and that the dog has had its shots.

This is not always true of dogs acquired by other means such as kids giving away those free puppies in a box in front of the local grocery store or PetsMart.

The dogs at a shelter are not just strays and often are turned in to the shelter by former owners for various reasons.

When this happens, the shelter collects as much information about the dog as possible, including whether its good with children, how much it barks, how playful or obedient it is, whether its housebroken, and other important details.

While it is true that this information is only as good as the honesty of the former owner, most of the time it is fairly accurate.

Animal shelters provide a valuable service to the community that they serve by keeping the streets as free of stray animals as possible.

Because many of them do this with little or no public funding or governmental support, they are very limited in the number of dogs they can have in the shelter at any given time.

The only way that they can bring in more stray animals is if they remove the ones they currently have. This is done through adoption or euthanasia.

Obviously they would prefer to have the dogs adopted rather than killed. Adopting a dog could very well save its life and allows the shelter to bring in another dog in its place.

Not only would that help them, but it would place even a more special bond between you and your dog. You had just become that dogs personal little guardian angel.