We have International Cat Rescue Day, which falls on March 2nd, and National Adopt a Cat Month each June. These events are in place to aim the spotlight on the never-ending need for more cat adoptions and also the benefits of adoption.
Regardless of what your situation is, when Adopt a Cat month comes along, it will put any cat lover in the mood to do their part and help out in any way they can. There are several different things you can do to celebrate this special month for our feline friends. Keep reading to learn more.
The 5 Ways to Help the Cause
1. Consider Adopting or Fostering a Cat
One of the best ways to celebrate Adopt a Cat Month this June is by either fostering or adopting a homeless cat. Fostering allows you to give a homeless cat a temporary home while they wait for their forever family, while adoption means you will be sharing your life with a brand-new four-legged family member. Either way, you are saving a life and making room for another life to be saved.
Fostering a Cat
Fostering does not require the same financial or long-term commitment that adopting does. Fostering means you will provide a temporary, loving, and caring environment until the cat finds their perfect forever home. This can take a few weeks up to several months on average and can be a very rewarding experience.
To sign up as a foster, you need to contact your local animal shelter or cat rescue group and find out how to fill out a foster application. As long as you are approved, they will then take steps to set you up with the right foster cat for your household.
The group you are fostering through will typically provide everything your cat needs, from supplies to veterinary expenses. You just provide them with shelter, love, and attention until their forever home is found. Once your foster cat is adopted, you can always bring in a brand-new foster.
Adopting a Cat
Deciding to adopt a cat is not a decision that should be taken lightly or done impulsively. Adopting a cat is a lifetime commitment that leaves you fully responsible for this animal for the rest of their life.
There is a lot to prepare for before adoption, so if you are considering this, it’s a good idea to do some research if you are a first-time cat owner and get prepared for the journey. If you already own a cat, you would also have to prepare for a quarantine period of at least 2 weeks for the newcomer.
If you are feeling especially generous, you could consider bringing home more than one feline. This way, they can provide each other companionship, along with some much-needed mental stimulation, and also keep them up to date on their social skills.
2. Donate to a Local Animal Shelter or Cat Rescue
Adopting and fostering may not be in the cards for everyone. If you would still like to contribute to National Adopt a Cat Month but can’t accept a new cat into your home, consider donating to your local animal shelter or cat rescue organization.
You can donate food, various supplies, or even money, and your donation will be tax deductible. Reach out and see what the organization currently needs, and they will surely be happy to accept anything you can offer to help out. The homeless cats will surely be happy, too.
3. Volunteer at Your Local Shelter or Rescue
Donating money or kitty supplies isn’t your only choice. You can also donate your time for Adopt a Cat Month. Shelters and rescues everywhere are overrun by homeless pets and can use all the help they can get. Volunteers can perform a variety of tasks to help out the shelter. This includes cleaning, feeding, and even socializing and bonding with the animals.
Taking time out of your busy schedule to volunteer is a very rewarding experience that not only allows you to connect with animals that could use love and attention but also lets you connect with your local community and give back in a very special way.
Ask your local shelter or rescue group what kind of volunteer requirements they have. Some may require a certain minimum for hours or visits every month, while others may not. You will need to fill out a volunteer form before you get started. Who knows, maybe you’ll meet the perfect four-legged match while you are at it.
4. Promote Cat Adoption by Spreading Awareness
Another way you can help during Adopt a Cat month is by spreading awareness of the celebration. Get on social media and promote cat adoption by featuring local shelter pets that need loving homes.
Highlight the desperate need for more families to step forward and do something about the pet overpopulation crisis by explaining the statistics, telling adoption success stories, and encouraging the community to get involved in one way or another.
5. Spay or Neuter Your Pets and Encourage Others to do the Same
The reason why there are so many homeless cats in need of adoption is companion animal overpopulation. According to the ASPCA, over half a million cats are euthanized each year in the United States after finding their way into animal shelters.
The only way to get a firm grip on the homeless pet population is by pet owners everywhere doing their part and preventing unwanted litters. Having our pets spayed and neutered is absolutely essential.
If you have any unaltered dogs or cats, strongly consider having them spayed or neutered to contribute to Adopt a Cat Month. Talk to any family or friends about the importance of it and consider taking to social media to promote it even further.
Benefits of Spaying/Neutering
In addition to helping reduce companion animal overpopulation, spaying and neutering have many other benefits associated with both behavior and health for both males and females.
- They will not experience heat or estrus cycles
- Eliminates unwanted behaviors related to heat cycles
- Reduces risk of mammary gland tumors
- Reduces or eliminates the risk of ovarian and/or uterine cancer, especially if spaying is done before the first heat cycle
- Reduces or eliminates the risk of spraying and urine marking
- Less desire to roam
- Reduces risk of fighting other cats
- Eliminates the risk of testicular cancer
Conclusion
Whether you are ready to adopt or not, there are plenty of other helpful ways to get involved during Adopt a Cat month. It doesn’t have to stop there, either. You can continue your efforts far beyond the month of June and work to spread awareness and education all year round. Promote awareness across your local community about the desperate need for cats and other companion animals to find loving forever homes.
Featured Image Credit: Susan Schmitz, Shutterstock
The 5 Ways to Help the Cause
