Question
For the last few months, I have been gradually preparing to adopt my very first cat! I've been a fish owner and a partial dog owner before, but have never taken care of a cat on my own before and have been doing a lot of research to make sure that I'm fully ready for cat ownership. There are a few different friends of mine who have let me interact with their cats to decide what kind of cat is right for me, and I've learned a lot about how every cat is different and has a different personality and temperament.
Something I haven't found a lot of good help on yet, however, is how to choose the right cat for me in terms of temperament, and make sure that our personalities are a good fit for each other. I'm a very mild-mannered, quiet person, and feel I would pair best with a calm-tempered and relaxed cat as a companion. I could use some tips on how to get a good feel for a cat's general personality and how they will behave in your home.
What are some good ways to tell a cat's temperament and personality when deciding to adopt? And, as a related question, are there any negative indicators or warning signs I should look for that a cat might not be a good fit in my home?
Answer
My advice on how to figure out which cat to adopt is pretty much always, "Talk to the people that are currently taking care of them."
In general, they will know which animals are particularly adoptable, and they will definitely want to tell you. But also, they will have a much better idea of what their cats' temperaments might be like than you will be able to observe.
Cats generally just don't act like their normal selves when they're being judged for adoption. They're often being presented in a shelter situation, and that's very stressful for them. But even when they're not, most cats just aren't too comfortable around total strangers that come to look at them. As a result, I think a lot of people don't really have much of an idea what their cat will be like when they take it home, but you can have at least some idea if you just ask.
For what you've stated you're looking for, I have two particular recommendations:
- Look at cats being fostered or have a known history. This way, you can really be certain of what the cat's temperament will be like in a stable home. Considering foster cats might be more work though, because they won't be at a central shelter.
- Look at mature cats. By "mature" I don't necessarily mean elderly (though if you're willing, adopting an old cat is a kindness because they're often unwanted due to their age), but rather that they are no longer "young." Young cats are usually more energetic than mature cats, but also adults have established personalities. Kittens, on the other hand, may very well change as they mature.
Answered By - Kai