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About Norman Auspitz
Expertise
I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience
I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.

Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

You are here: Experts > Animals/Pets > Cats > Cats > adopting cats

Cats - adopting cats

Expert: Norman Auspitz - 11/9/2009

Question
since the loss of my beloveds... I am going to possibly look into adopting a new cat or kitten. I don't want to say I am replacing my cats, but...I don't know.
ok no more sadness.

here is my question--

should I adopt from a shelter?
take in a stray?
get a free kitten out of a box?

I could go to the shelter...
Or I could go on craigslist and see hundreds of 'free kitten/cat' ads..
Or I could go to my neighbor, whose cat JUST had a litter of kittens.

What do I do? I want to do the best thing..

Answer
Kayla,

The politically correct easy answer is to say adopt from a shelter, however, let's look at some pro's and con's. In the end, the decision is totally up to you. People adopt in all three ways and, most of the time, never have a problem.

The biggest three issues you need to face are the age of the kitten; whether or not it will be neutered/spayed when you get it; and whether or not it will have its shots when you get it.

The minimum age for a kitten to go to its new home should be 12 weeks of age. At this age, they should be socialized to humans, litter box trained, have all their shots. They can be neutered/spayed, if the vet is willing to do it at 12 weeks.

Some shelters neuter/spay everything that gets adopted out of their facility, some do not.

Most people giving away kittens want them gone by 6-8 weeks. The pro on these is you know who the mama is and whether they have had health issues in kittenhood. Usually, they have not had any shots, they have not been socialized to humans, and they are almost never neutered or spayed.

Shelter cats, on the other hand, are unknowns. The history on these kittens is generally unknown, although they usually have had their shots. Most shelters do not socialize to humans. Some shelters have abhorrent conditions and you may be adopting a health problem.

Strays are similar to the shelter situation in that you do not know what they where they have been, if they have had shots (doubtful), if they are neutered/spayed (doubtful), and rarely have they been socialized.

The final comment I have is never adopt a sick kitten, especailly, if they want to give you some meds to get them over it. It is possible that, whatever the kitten has, it is not getting over it!!!!!

When you do adopt your new kitten, it is imperative you get it to a vet for a check up as soon as you can.

Best regards... Norm.

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