Adopting a pet: a step-by-step guide to responsible adoption

You’ve fallen in love with a four-legged ball of fur. The kitten’s the perfect colour, it was the first one to approach you and it’s the coziest of the bunch. Whatever the reason, you’re totally taken with the cat and you want to adopt it. Unfortunately, we often adopt cats based on esthetic or behavioural criteria guided by our emotions. But is that really the best way to proceed?

What is responsible adoption?

There’s no question that, when it comes to finding the right cat to adopt, there are several factors to consider. In fact, adopting a cat or a dog from a shelter involves very different processes. Adopting a dog from a shelter often involves a selection process that allows the shelter owners to ensure that the animal is a good fit for your lifestyle and personality.

On the other hand, adopting a cat is another story entirely. Historically, the cat overpopulation problem has resulted in overburdened shelters in Quebec. Consequently, shelters focus on finding homes for cats as quickly as possible to avoid having the animals euthanized because of a lack of space. This explains why shelters are not very choosy when it comes to potential cat adoptees, and that’s perfectly understandable. Even if a cat is adopted by someone who’s not a perfect fit, at least the cat gets to live!

Given this situation, many Quebecers have failed to learn the right way to choose a cat. They often visit a shelter or pet shop with a variety of preconceptions about a cat’s colour, sex or breed, and with only one selection criterion in mind: falling in love. For others, adoption is simply a matter of opening the door and letting a shivering cat in for just one night. Few adoptees are aware of the selection criteria that should be taken into account in order to adopt a cat whose personality is compatible with theirs, an approach known as responsible adoption.

The responsible adoption process

Responsible adoption is also about accompanying adoptees throughout the process and providing them with the tools to understand their new pet’s needs once they’re at home.

Adoptees will learn about the basic concepts of cat behaviour, appropriate training methods and the best ways of planning the cat’s new space in order to prevent behaviour problems that might lead to pet abandonment.

Did you know that more than half of all adoptees abandon their cats within two years of adopting them? Responsible adoption effectively reduces cases of abandonment in the short term.

Mondou Adoption Zones

More and more ethical breeders and shelters are promoting responsible adoption, which is also the case for Mondou’s Adoption Zones. These zones, designed and developed by cat behaviour experts, are the ultimate in enriched environments for cats. The concern that experts show for a cat’s well-being is not limited to its environment and time spent in Mondou’s Adoption Zone. The cat’s personality has to match that of the adoptee to ensure that the two are happy for the rest of their lives together.

When you come to pick up a cat at Mondou’s Adoption Zone, you will be greeted by staff trained by cat behaviour specialists from the Cat Educator's team. But first, you will have to make an appointment for a short interview. Since every cat in the Adoption Zone has been assessed, the adoption staff can easily point out which cats seem to be best suited to living a happy life perfectly tailored to yours.

Beware! Responsible adoption gives Adoption Zone specialists the right to refuse to finalize an adoption if the cat is not deemed to be a good fit for your lifestyle. Although this may be frustrating, it’s important to realize that the decision is as much about the cat’s well-being as it is about yours. You may be put on a waiting list if none of the cats in the Adoption Zone is a good fit for you at the time of your visit. Fortunately, new cats arrive every week, and being on a waiting list means a shorter wait time.

Responsible adoption through Mondou’s Adoption Zone prevents you from adopting a cat that’s not a good fit. Although it may not be love at first sight, you can be sure that you will come to love a cat that’s right for you.