Going Over The Importance Of Cat Adoption And The Month-Long Holiday That Promotes It
June is a very exciting month because it marks the beginning of Summer and is celebrated as National Adopt A Cat Month. Never heard of National Adopt A Cat Month!? Then you’re in luck because this article will cover everything you need to know about this wonderful month-long holiday that promotes shelter cat adoption. We will go over the history of the holiday, why the holiday is so important, and how you can get involved.
The Founding Of The Holiday
An organization called American Humane first founded National Adopt A Cat Month in 1978. American Humane is America’s first & oldest national humane organization. They are committed to helping animals by ensuring they are given the proper treatment, welfare, and safety they need. By creating and promoting holidays like National Adopt A Cat Month, they hope to raise awareness about the struggles that many animals face everyday. American Humane continues to promote this wonderful holiday every year in hopes that it will help shelter cats find a forever home.
The Purpose Of The Holiday
The goal of this month-long pet-themed holiday is to remind people about the importance of adopting cats from animal shelters as opposed to pet stores or private breeders. While there is nothing wrong with purchasing a cat or kitten, there is certainly a greater need for adoption rather than purchasing. Due to over breeding and irresponsible pet owners, there is currently a cat overpopulation crisis in the U.S.
The Sad Struggles Of Shelter Cats
According to statistics from EndPetHomelessness.com, there are roughly 41 million stray/homeless cats living in the U.S. This is an exceptionally high number compared to the number of stray homeless dogs in the U.S. which is 1.3 million.
According to the A.S.P.C.A. (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) roughly 3.2 million cats enter U.S. animal shelters every year. Although many of them are eventually adopted, some of them never get a second chance. The A.S.P.C.A. also reports that out of those 3.2 million shelter cats, about 530,000 are euthanized every year. This is mostly due to a lack of staff, space, and resources.
Reasons Not To Purchase A Cat/Kitten
As previously mentioned, there is nothing wrong with purchasing a cat or kitten from a pet store or breeder. However, there are some downsides to purchasing from a pet store or breeder.
Pet stores commonly acquire their cats & kittens from kitten mills. Kitten mills are essentially breeding operations that are solely focused on profit and usually have inadequate and/or inhumane living conditions. Many kittens that come from kitten mills are subjected to malnourishment, cramped spaces, and little to no medical care. Most kitten mills are dirty and downright cruel places for any animal to be raised in. Always double check where a pet store gets their kittens before buying one.
Understanding where your kitten/cat is coming from and how they are treated applies to private breeders as well. While there are many reputable cat breeders out there, not all of them are very trustworthy. If you go through a breeder, we highly suggest doing your research and making sure they are raising their animals responsibly.
Reasons To Adopt A Cat/Kitten
As previously mentioned, there is currently a serious cat overpopulation problem in the U.S. Every time someone adopts a cat, they are becoming part of the solution to that overpopulation problem. There are millions of cats & kittens in U.S. shelters that desperately need a good home. By adopting a cat/kitten, you are giving that animal a second chance at life.
When you adopt a cat/kitten, you might not get the exact breed, color, or hair type that you want. However, you will get a new addition to your family that will love you unconditionally. Shelter cats are just as adorable and loving as any other cat you would get from a pet store or breeder.
Many animal shelters are also aware of the cat overpopulation crisis and will always spay or neuter a cat before they are adopted. Considering it is National Adopt A Cat Month, there’s a chance that some animal shelters will even waive the adoption fees. When you choose to adopt, you are also helping ease the burden of the animal shelters as they now have one less animal to feed and care for. Essentially, it’s a win for everyone involved. You, the animal shelter, and the cat/kitten all benefit from adoption.
How You Can Get Involved
The most obvious way to get involved with National Adopt A Cat Month is to adopt a cat from your local shelter. If adoption isn’t a good option for you, then consider donating supplies or money to your local animal shelter. Besides supplies and money, you can also donate your time. Most animal shelters are always in need of volunteers and any help is better than no help.
Lastly, you can help spread the word about this incredible holiday by sharing this article with others. Be sure to let your friends on social media know about National Adopt A Cat Month and the struggles that shelter cats are currently going through.
We hope that you and this holiday can help raise awareness about how important shelter cat adoption truly is. For more pet themed articles like this, be sure to check out our blog section by clicking here. If you’re interested in pet sitting services, check out our website by clicking here. Thank you for reading and happy National Adopt A Cat Month!
