First and foremost, on behalf of those hungry and thirsty stray animals, we thank you for your kindness. Despite appearing content basking in the sun by the wall, the feeling of being left out in the rain or snow without shelter, thirsty or in pain, with nobody to turn to, is something few truly understand. Thank you for bringing them home and providing them with a loving and warm future.
When adopting a stray cat, regardless of its age, there are several things we must do:
Ⅰ Health Check-Up Since these are cats with a history, their lives often come with hidden injuries. Conducting a detailed health check-up provides us with a good opportunity to understand their condition and determine how we can better care for them. Moreover, it’s also an essential measure for protecting ourselves from zoonotic diseases.
Recommended health check-up items:
- Physical Examination: Similar to human check-ups, assess the cat’s weight, temperature, heart rate, breathing, and dental health. This provides the most direct indication of the cat’s physical condition.
- Parasite Screening and Treatment: A crucial step for protecting both the cat and ourselves. Testing for and treating internal parasites like roundworms, tapeworms, and heartworms, as well as external parasites like fleas and ticks, is essential.
- Virus Monitoring and Vaccination: If concerned about the cat’s health, virus testing can be conducted. If the virus test is negative, or if all other health check-up items are normal, vaccination can be administered to the cat after about two weeks of bringing it home (with vaccination, moms won’t have to worry about their kittens easily contracting feline panleukopenia). Remember to also administer the rabies vaccine to protect both the cat and yourself.
- Other check-ups recommended by the veterinarian based on the cat’s physical condition.
Ⅱ Supplies Food, food bowls, water bowls, litter, litter boxes, beds, toys… the list can go on as needed. Every cat owner has a pile of their cat’s essentials at home, so there’s no need to say much about this.
Ⅲ Cleanliness As a veterinarian, I believe that getting rid of external parasites is sufficient before bringing a cat home (although many owners may not agree). Cats have big personalities, and washing them before they’ve gotten used to you could easily upset them. Scaring a cat can lead to resistance, diarrhea, hiding, depression, or even illness. When cleaning, make sure to be gentle.
Ⅳ Quarantine This is especially applicable to households with multiple cats. Any existing relationship issues between cats or hidden diseases can be addressed during the quarantine period. Therefore, households with multiple cats are advised to observe quarantine. The observation period can be set at about two weeks, during which personalities and health conditions usually become quite clear. Of course, if you’re planning to adopt an orphaned kitten, in addition to the above points, you may need to stock up on some basic knowledge about being a foster parent.
Welcoming a stray cat into your home is a significant decision. Apart from the time, effort, and money required, it’s also a confirmation of responsibility, a lifelong commitment. As animal lovers, we naturally hope for an increase in adoptions to reduce the number of stray animals. However, before making this decision, please consider carefully: Can you commit to “loving and respecting you, whether in poverty or wealth, in sickness or in health, until death do us part”?