Kittens require:
On the considerable other hand…
They are darned cute.
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Adult cats are considered a tougher sell, though this should not be so. After all, adult cats have these advantages:
While they do not have the immediate advantage of a kitten’s massive cuteness factor, adult cats are just as capable of giving and receiving affection. Because that is another big reason kittens are an easier sell. They are usually open and trusting in this baby stage, but also high energy and easily distracted. However, most people find it easier to interact with a kitten. Most people feel more sure of receiving affection from a kitten.
But kittens grow up.
At a certain point in the cat’s adolescence, they will want to play Cat Poker. No matter what age the cat might be when we acquire them, we will always need to learn how to deal with adult cat sensibilities.
That’s when the real depth of the relationship reveals itself.
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Another option to keep in mind is the age of the adopter. I am in my late 60′s. I certainly feel young and phsycially strong, but realistically speaking, a kitten might outlive me. Adopting an older or “senior” cat seems like a better long term plan to me. Many shelters, especially “cats only” places are beginning to provide assistence with vet costs for older cats adopted from them. The Cat Care Society in Lakewood, CO is a good example.
And I know from experience that providing a home for an older cat languishing in a shelter environment is a wonderful event, which provides pay offs in affection give and take for months and years to come.
Woodstock´s last [type] ..More quirky baseball
Excellent point, Woodstock! Senior cats can be the most mellow cuddlebugs around. We don’t know how long we might have with them; but that is true of any cat.
I usually get kittens because I’ve always been a multiple-cat person, and kittens are more readily accepted by a cantankerous dominant cat. (And because they’re so cute!) Also, with kittens you can have a clearer idea of how long they’ll live, since with many adult cats it’s hard to tell their exact age. At the very least, you know the kitten is under a year.
Not that I don’t appreciate adult or senior cats. Kittens grow up, after all, and I find something to enjoy about every lifestage. My 20 year old cat was extremely close to me, and would happily spend all night curled up on top of me. And the old guys seem to bring out the mothering instinct in me, as I try to make their last years comfortable. But with a kitten, you’ll hopefully get to see them at every lifestage.
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