Do the world a favor; bring a cat home

By Sandra Boydston
Published: May 12, 2008

Spring and summer are typically viewed as seasons of joy and fun; unfortunately, at animal shelters across the country, the warm weather months are often a time of great sadness.

As the temperature increases so does the birthrate of kittens. Hundreds of thousands of kittens and adult cats are surrendered to animal shelters across the country during the warm weather. The cats and kittens surrendered far outnumber the available homes. According to American Humane’s Web site, “out of the millions of cats who enter shelters each year, only about one in four (is) adopted into loving homes. In fact, most of them — more than 70 percent of them — must be euthanized.”

To bring attention to this sad state of affairs, to increase the adoption of cats and kittens, and to promote spaying/neutering of cats, American Humane and the ASPCA will have “Adopt A Cat” Month and “Adopt A Shelter Cat” Month, respectively, in June. These organizations along with countless other animal welfare organizations across the country will promote special adoption events each June.

With shelters teeming with felines available for adoption, choosing just one feline as a forever friend can be a daunting task. However, if you are a cat lover ready to share heart and home with a new friend, then June is a great time to begin the adoption process.

The benefits of sharing your heart and home with a feline friend are becoming common knowledge; pets and cats help lower blood pressure; pets/cats help decrease depression and loneliness; and pets/cats provide love and companionship.

Influential people across the ages have recognized the beauty, intelligence and goodness of felines:

“There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.” Theologian, musician and physician Albert Schweitzer
“A cat pours his body on the floor like water. It is restful just to see him.” Author and scholar William Lyon Phelps
“A kitten is a rosebud in the garden of the animal kingdom.” Romantic poet Robert Southey
“Time spent with cats is never wasted.” Author Colette

And while the benefits to the human guardians are great, it is important to remember the benefits we humans bestow upon our adopted felines: a second chance at life, a safe and happy home, and lots of love.

To celebrate national Adopt a Cat/Shelter Cat month during June, the Lynchburg Humane Society will offer a special cat/kitten adoption packet for each feline adopted from its 3305 Naval Reserve Road location. This adoption packet will include helpful cat/kitten care information, along with tasty treats and fun toys to welcome your new cat home.

For information, visit http://www.lynchburghumanesociety.org or call (434) 846-1438. Other sources of information about adopting cats include http://www.americanhumane.org, http://www.aspca.org.