How to Choose the Right Cat

Buying or adopting a cat is a very serious decision and should never be made on impulse simply because we have seen an attractive cat or because our child has been asking us for a pet for a long time. It is true that cats do not need to be taken outside for walks several times a day. However, they require a great deal of attention, engagement and care. They can form strong attachments to their caregivers, and insufficient interaction may contribute to frustration, stress and attention-seeking behaviours, such as persistently entering areas from which they are usually discouraged, scratching precisely the furniture we particularly value, or vocalising repeatedly in an attempt to elicit a response.

A cat is not a "low-maintenance" animal. Cats are highly sensitive to their environment and may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of chronic stress. Prolonged exposure to stress can contribute to a range of health and behavioural problems, from somatic illness to significant changes in emotional state and behaviour that may, in some respects, resemble symptoms associated with depression in humans.

Before buying or adopting a cat, we should carefully consider how much time we can realistically devote to our new companion, how often we travel, whether somebody reliable will be available to care for the cat during our absence, and what financial resources we have available. The financial aspect must always be considered, even when we are adopting a cat from a shelter or taking in a homeless cat that has appeared hopefully on our doorstep. Every cat has the same fundamental physiological and emotional needs for food, health care, warmth and security, regardless of its origin.

Domestic non-pedigree cats deserve exactly the same standard of care as pedigree cats — perhaps all the more so because many of them have had a considerably more difficult start in life. When I talk about money, I do not mean only the purchase price of a kitten if we decide to buy a pedigree cat. We must also consider the long-term cost of appropriate nutrition, environmental resources, toys, routine veterinary care and, should it become necessary, treatment for illness or injury.

Unfortunately, we rarely think about all these things at the moment we adopt a cat. At that point, all we see is a fluffy, affectionate little bundle. A cat may live for well over a decade, and we must be prepared to provide a suitable home and appropriate care throughout its entire life.

What Should We Be Prepared For?

- cats have a remarkable tendency to wake their caregivers between 4 and 6 a.m. Five o'clock seems to be particularly popular. Sometimes there is no obvious emergency whatsoever — they simply arrive for affection, purr directly into our ears, tickle us with their whiskers and occasionally add some enthusiastic vocalisation for good measure;
- cats will investigate virtually everything and climb almost everywhere. One of the most controversial locations is usually the dining table. Most new caregivers promise themselves that they will never tolerate such extravagance. Cats do, indeed, learn surprisingly quickly not to jump onto the table while the human is watching. They will, however, often conduct a very thorough inspection in our absence.

Cats are also highly demanding in terms of their physical environment, something that can initially be difficult for new caregivers to accept. The environment, appropriate spatial organisation and sufficient access to essential resources are fundamental to feline welfare and emotional security. Unfortunately, public understanding of cats' environmental needs remains inadequate.

We need to understand that creating an environment in which a cat feels safe and able to exercise meaningful control over its surroundings may require rearranging the home and purchasing or installing additional structures such as scratching posts, cat trees or elevated shelves. I discuss this subject in greater detail in the Cat-Friendly Home section.

Pedigree or Non-Pedigree Cat?

The vast majority of cats living with people are non-pedigree domestic cats, many of them originally found as strays. Pedigree cats can be expensive, so depending on the breed, a considerable initial financial outlay may be required. If a particular physical appearance or breed-related characteristics are not important to us, we should seriously consider adopting a cat from a shelter, rescue organisation or foster home.

A non-pedigree cat can be an extraordinary companion. One potential difficulty is that we often know very little about the cat's parents, its socialisation process and early developmental history. As a result, predicting the adult cat's temperament and behavioural characteristics may be more difficult.

With a responsibly bred pedigree cat, more information should normally be available. The parents are known, and we may have an opportunity to observe their behaviour and temperament. We can see the conditions in which the kittens were born and raised, assess how the adult cats respond to people and learn more about the kitten's early social and environmental experiences. We can also predict the cat's adult appearance with considerably greater accuracy.

However, if a particular appearance is not important to us, please remember the many abandoned cats waiting for safe and caring homes. I also know many households in which both possibilities have been combined very successfully, with a rescued domestic cat and a pedigree "aristocrat" relaxing comfortably on the same sofa.

When adopting a non-pedigree cat, I strongly appeal for exactly the same level of conscientious care that would be provided to a pedigree animal — and, of course, for responsible neutering. Far too often, I have encountered attitudes in which a shelter cat or rescued stray is treated as an animal expected simply to "manage somehow", because if the cat is lost or dies there is supposedly "no financial loss" — after all, the cat cost nothing. Sad, but true attitude of some owners I have encountered and I strongly disagree with it. Every cat is a feeling and sensitive creature, no matter whether bought for money or rescued frm the street.

Kitten or Adult Cat?

Kittens are wonderful. They have seemingly inexhaustible energy and an irresistible enthusiasm for life that quickly becomes contagious throughout the household. It is almost impossible not to smile while watching a tiny feline devil in action, constantly pretending to be a fully competent adult cat and intensely hunting a table leg or absolutely anything else that happens to move.

At the same time, kittens are wonderfully clumsy and disarmingly ineffective. The mischief that drove you almost to despair ten minutes earlier is immediately forgotten when a warm little bundle climbs onto your chest and settles there, purring loudly.

This joy, however, comes at a price. Kittens are rather like children: if there is something in the house that can be broken, the kitten will almost certainly find it — and will naturally conduct an experiment to determine exactly how breakable it is. Like children, kittens therefore require close supervision and careful management of their environment.

For some people, this level of activity and supervision is simply too demanding, and they prefer to adopt an adult cat whose period of most intense juvenile activity is already behind them. Raising a kitten appropriately also requires a certain amount of knowledge. If this is your first cat, it is advisable to establish contact with a qualified feline behaviour professional or another appropriately experienced specialist who can provide reliable guidance when more difficult situations arise.

Bringing home a kitten is certainly a good option for people who do not want to miss the experience of watching a cat develop and who have sufficient patience to guide and educate a feline youngster. For people who dislike sudden explosions of uncontrolled energy, frantic running through the house and the possibility of minor domestic casualties — a broken vase or a curtain attacked with excessive enthusiasm — an adult cat may be the more appropriate choice.

When adopting an adult cat, however, we must accept that the cat may already have established habits and preferences. Ideally, we should know something about the environment in which the cat previously lived. Naturally, this information is not always available. We should therefore remember that an adult cat may need more time to acclimatise to our home, learn our routines and gradually develop a relationship with us.

The process may, however, be calmer and less chaotic than life with a kitten.

There is certainly no reason to be afraid of adopting an older cat. People very often believe that a one-year-old or older cat will no longer form a strong attachment to them or adapt to a new home. This is simply not true. An adult cat may require more time to acclimatise — although, as always, individual differences can be considerable — but adult cats are entirely capable of developing strong relationships with new caregivers.

Regardless of the cat's age, we must pay close attention to the home environment because many ordinary household objects and areas can be dangerous. Windows and balconies must be appropriately secured. Washing machines, ovens and microwave ovens should always be checked and kept closed when not in use. Plastic bags should not be left within easy reach. Particular attention should also be paid to houseplants, as some plant species are toxic or otherwise dangerous to cats.

Naturally, all of these precautions are even more important when a kitten is involved. More information can be found in the Cat-Safe Home section.

Female or Male?

Both male and female cats can be wonderful companions. The most consistent difference is body size: male cats are generally considerably larger than females, although the extent of sexual dimorphism varies between individuals and breeds.

When it comes to temperament, cats are remarkable individuals and it is impossible to state categorically that personality is determined by sex. Many sources suggest that, statistically, male cats may be more overtly affectionate or more inclined to seek physical contact than females. However, I have encountered so many exceptions that I would be extremely cautious about using this as a basis for choosing an individual cat. Statistics can be treacherous — and remarkably easy to manipulate :)

The choice of sex may also be influenced by cats already living in the home. Sometimes caregivers follow a simple principle: "We already have a female, so now we will get a male," or the reverse. In reality, sex alone is a poor predictor of whether two cats will be behaviourally compatible. Individual temperament, age, previous social experience, health, behavioural flexibility and the organisation of the environment are far more important considerations.

Sex certainly makes no difference to the pleasure and emotional value of sharing our life with a cat. That pleasure can be equally great regardless of whether our companion is male or female.

Naturally, I am referring here to neutered cats. Living with sexually intact cats introduces an entirely different set of behavioural, reproductive and management challenges, regardless of sex.

The one relatively predictable difference remains the point mentioned at the beginning: male cats are generally larger.

How to Prepare for Your Cat's Arrival

A cat may find it easier to settle into a new environment if it can bring a small piece of its previous home with it — a familiar blanket, for example, or a favourite bed. Naturally, this is not always possible. However, if it can be arranged, a familiar object carrying the scent of the previous environment may help provide continuity and support the cat during the initial acclimatisation period.

We should, however, approach the subject of cat beds with a certain amount of humility. A location that we consider absolutely perfect for feline relaxation may be regarded by the cat with complete indifference. Cats frequently choose their own resting places. They adore our armchairs, windowsills, chests of drawers and other locations that were never intended to function as cat beds.

We should also remember that favourite resting places are often rotational. A location that the cat ignored until recently may suddenly become the most desirable place in the entire home — while yesterday's favourite is abandoned without explanation.

Other essential items that should be prepared before the cat arrives include food and water bowls and an appropriate litter tray — or several litter trays if the house is large or has multiple levels.

A scratching structure is another essential element of the feline environment. However, an effective scratching post or cat tree must meet several requirements relating both to its construction and its location within the room. I discuss these requirements in detail in the Choosing a Scratching Post for Your Cat article.

In reality, an appropriate scratching resource should be available in every room or area in which the cat regularly spends significant amounts of time. Scratching structures should also be integrated into the cat's functional movement routes through the environment rather than positioned randomly in locations convenient only for humans.

If we plan to live with more than one cat, the number and distribution of scratching resources must also increase. I discuss this subject in greater detail in the Introducing a New Cat into the Home section.

Toys are another extremely important part of feline care — and they are certainly not a luxury. Appropriate opportunities for predatory play, exploration and interaction are fundamental components of a cat's behavioural environment. More information can be found in the Essential Equipment for Your Cat section.

Dorota Szadurska, COAPE Behaviourist Supervisor
Graduate in Advanced Diploma in Feline Behaviour Management (Level 5, UK)
Graduate in Animal Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw
Member of The International Society of Animal Professionals
Member of The International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants