Channel Episode: Adopt? Or Shop?

Hi CatCrazies! Adding a feline friend to your family is an exciting journey. Whether you choose adoption or a breeder, each option offers unique benefits. While “Adopt Don’t Shop” is popular, it’s important to consider all perspectives. Explore the pros and cons, hear personal experiences, and make an informed choice that’s best for you and your future furry companion! Discover the purrfect path for bringing home your new cat. Let’s jump in!

TRANSCRIPTION

Petra Luna 

Hello Cat Lover! When it comes to adding a furry feline to your family, you have plenty of options. You can choose from shelters, rescue groups, or breeders, each offering different advantages. It really depends on what you need or want.

These days it’s very trendy to say ‘Adopt Don’t Shop ‘and everybody and their uncle seems to be on board with this. Not only that but there’s also a lot of shaming going on right now when you decide to get your cat from a breeder. Funny thing is that nobody seems to mind dog- or horse breeders. What’s the difference here? So, let’s look at this with an OPEN MIND and common sense instead of groupthink today.

Adopting a cat from a shelter or rescue group can bring immense satisfaction as you save a life and provide a loving home!

I know it from experience because I adopted Six-Toes, a beautiful Calico Hemingway cat from a kill shelter. She was supposed to be euthanized the next day. She came to the shelter with 4 red kittens –and they got adopted as soon as they were old enough. But their mom, Six-Toes was already 9 months old and nobody wanted her. I saw her and fell in love right away. They told me at the shelter to bring Six-Toes back after a week if I didn’t like her – then she would have had one week of a nice life. That stuck with me. Of course, I didn’t bring her back. And she became my big cuddly fluffball. It made me feel so good that I was able to rescue her. There’s nothing better than that!

Getting your cat from a shelter or rescue group will cost you less than it would cost to go to a breeder and they will take care of neutering/spaying the cat before you get them. Also, you make room for a new stray cat that might come in. The biggest gratification: you change the life of a homeless cat forever. So these are the AWESOME things about adoption.

Rescue groups are pre-screening their cats and making sure they are healthy… that might not always be the case at a shelter. They try but oftentimes just don’t have the time and resources for it. Also, rescue groups sometimes even have purebred pets, for example, when the owner died or rented a new place where they weren’t allowed to bring their pet and couldn’t get a hold of the breeder. So, it is definitely worth checking on that. Also, there are specific rescue groups that ONLY rescue specific breeds – you can search on Facebook for those groups.

If you decide to go to a breeder, it's likely because you're seeking specific personality traits in your cat or a specific look. Breeders offer more control over the desired characteristics of your furry companion. Maybe you have kids and might want an active cat that fetches balls and is interactive. Or you desire a calm companion, who likes to be close to you no matter what - like Ragdolls or Persians. Of course, all cats are different, but you can get a general direction when it comes to personality. Pedigreed cats often have less predatory instincts, which might make it easier for them to stay indoors.

So, let’s debunk a few misconceptions about breeders. Reputable breeders prioritize health over looks and profit. They invest significant time, money, and care into raising their kittens. They will probably spend all their money on healthy cat food rather than food for themselves, and I can say that because I know many of them.

With all the vet costs and vaccinations kittens need, and the time a breeder spends to bring these little critters up, oftentimes supplementing feeding them every two hours day AND night, there is no profit. It’s merely helping get the money back they spent. Plus, many breeders are also involved with rescue groups and help with the Trap/Neuter/Return program.

Also, pedigreed cats make up only a small percentage of all cats in the US and they rarely end up in shelters, because breeders will most likely take them back before that ever happens. Responsible breeders are not to be blamed for an explosion in the cat population. Oftentimes, it is people who feed cats but don’t take on the responsibility of taking them through a TNR or the Trap/Neuter/Return program – even when it is free. And what happens then is that the cats they feed will have litters that then most likely end up in shelters.

Another reason for cats to end up in shelters is unlicensed backyard breeders, who try to make a quick buck, don’t care about their pets’ health, and abandon them or give them to shelters when they can’t sell them quickly enough. That’s why you sometimes find a half-Siamese kitten in bad shape at a shelter. A reputable breeder would never give one of their babies to a shelter. They even take their cats back, if someone who bought a cat from them doesn’t want them anymore.

What I’m saying here is that we can’t throw reputable cat breeders into the same bucket as unlicensed backyard breeders. Unfortunately, uninformed people try to demonize ALL breeders but that is wrong and NOW you know better. As I mentioned earlier, reputable breeders are at the forefront of making sure their cats are healthy and end up in good hands.

If you feel the need to shame somebody then shame people who abandon their animals, or don’t take care of them.

Make your informed decision of what’s right for YOU: ADOPT or SHOP – or both!

If your heart is set on a specific breed and you can’t really afford it again, try rescue groups that only handle these cats or ask a breeder if they have a retired adult or a kitten that’s not really the standard for the breed but would make a great pet. They might give them to you at a special price.

I will list a few great rescue groups and cat associations in the description box below that can help you find what you’re looking for – they will all do the best they can to match the right cat with the right people.

As a final thought: no matter where you get your cat from, have an open mind when it comes to looks because that’s not everything. You have to feel a CONNECTION with the cat you choose. Because they are not disposable, and you will commit to be their caretaker for around 10 – 20 years. They will look at you as their whole world – and it’s YOUR wonderful responsibility to do the best you can to give them a good life.

There you have it! Until next time, stay CatCrazy!