How has adopting a cat changed your life? Each cat that I’ve adopted has been a unique blessing. Last year, I wrote a touching story about how my cat, Cinco, had saved me as much as I had saved him. This year in participating with the Remember Me Thursday® campaign, I want to show you how adopting a cat can be a blessing to you!
How to participate in Remember Me Thursday®
Have you helped a kitty to find a forever home? Image courtesy of Remember Me Thursday.
Remember Me Thursday® is a worldwide campaign by the Helen Woodward Animal Center to bring attention to the importance of adopting pets. You can participate with pet lovers all across the globe! Visit the Remember Me Thursday website to learn more about these opportunities:
- Pet Photo Contest
Posting a photo of your pet on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtags #RememberMeThursday AND #RememberTheRescue could win some money for your favorite animal shelter or rescue! - Local Remember Me Thursday Events
Want to participate in person? See if there is an event in your area. - Light a Candle
Unfortunately, many homeless pets pass away before finding a forever home. Light a candle in real life or digitally to bring awareness to these pets. There is an online gallery here.
Reason #1: You are the chosen one.
Dexter sound asleep in my lap.
When you visit an animal shelter or an animal rescue, there are usually a lot of cats to visit. It can take some time to figure out which cat is the one that is a perfect fit for your family. Shelters and rescues allow you to visit with the cats and see how their personalities blend with yours.
Cats are unabashedly honest creatures. If they don’t like you, they will make that clear from the moment you meet each other. Granted, cats can be shy upon first meeting a new person, they also have ways of making it clear which people they love.
Adopting a cat allows the cat to choose you as much as you have chosen them. If a cat is affectionate to you, it is because they have chosen you. You can begin your relationship with a rescued cat knowing that they want to be a part of your life. It’s not the luck of genetics that their life has become entwined with yours, it is a choice that they have made. They think that you are special and important. Finding that kind of love (even in other humans) is difficult!
Reason #2: You’ll reap a harvest of love and joy.
Manna (right) and Dexter cuddling on the couch.
From a young age, I was taught that people “reap what they sow”. Whatever you plant in the ground is what will grow there (and often grow many times what was planted). It is both a blessing and a curse depending on the actions you choose to carry out in your life. It’s a similar philosophy to that of Karma.
Adopting a cat gives you an opportunity to plant the seeds of love and joy in your life. It can take some time, but a rescued cat rarely fails to return the love that is given to them. You may have a cat that is very affectionate or a cat that moves you to tears of joy by finally purring for you one day. Either way, there is no greater feeling!
Reason #3: You are a real-life hero when adopting a cat.
BatCat (Dexter) giving me a hug.
American culture is flooded with superheroes. I admit that I am a superhero nerd girl. However, it is pretty striking that for all of the superheroes that exist, the only real superpower they have is that which rescues people from boredom for a couple of hours.
You can actually save a life. Without wearing a cape (or spandex) you can save a cat from being euthanized just for existing. Overcrowding in animal shelters limits the resources that shelters can provide for each cat. Some shelters will choose to make room for incoming cats by euthanizing perfectly healthy cats because they have not been adopted within a certain time frame. It is a very difficult reality.
By adopting a cat, you are swooping in and saving the day for 2 cats! The cat you’ve adopted will now have a forever home and the shelter or rescue will have room for another homeless cat. You can be real life superhero! You are saving lives from peril in real life.
Reason #4: You’ll learn valuable life lessons from your cat.
Manna being joyful without any hesitation.
There is a reason why cats found in folklore are often seen as wise and mysterious. Somehow, cats have learned a lot of things that humans have yet to figure out. They have great self-esteem, they know how to relax, and they never wonder if they are valuable. Cats don’t have a problem saying “no” or taking hold of great opportunities.
Dexter and I sharing a hug!
Adopting a cat can change the way you look at your life. In the beginning, adopting a cat can teach us to open our hearts. Love can make us blossom. In the end, we learn to be thankful for all that we have and compassionate towards others. Our petals may fall to the ground, but they will always retain the sweet scent they had while they were in full bloom.
Reason #5: You’ll laugh like you’ve never laughed before.
Cats are funny and they know it. Adopting a cat gives you a lifetime of laugh-out-loud moments. Cats will do things you had no idea that a cat could do just to get your attention. I’ve shown off a ton of my cats’ funny moments in our Funny Cat Pictures and Niptoons categories, but here are a few of my favorite funny cat memories:
- Obi-Wan, my first cat, once got into a cabinet in the bathroom and got himself wedged into a pantyliner box. He then proceeded to push that pantyliner box out into the living room with his head still inside. Thanks, Obi!
- Cinco used to get jealous when my husband would put his arm around me. When he saw that, he would try to wedge himself between my husband and me.
- When Manna was a very young kitten, she pooped down my sister’s cleavage. It was runny kitten poop. Very gross, but considering no harm was done, also very funny.
- Dexter was very excited for his first Christmas. He received a catnip banana as a part of a gift in a cat blogger gift exchange. With everyone watching, he grabbed that banana and rolled around on the floor with it until he couldn’t anymore. He fell asleep right where he was with his prized banana and didn’t wake up for hours.
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guyz…grate post two day; thanx for sharin ~~~~ we R all rezcuze N
we hope a bazillion petz findz ther foreverz home be coz oh thiz day !!!! ☺☺♥♥
Amen to all that!!!!!
Emma and Buster
Excellent reasons for adopting a shelter cat. The mom says she thinks shelter cats are the most grateful cats of all once they’ve been adopted because it’s not a good life to have in the shelter.
What a great post! The humans here adore Binga, even though she bites them sometimes. And Boodie, even though sometimes she runs away when someone tries to pet her.
Reason #6 You will always have someone to keep your chair warm when you get up. 🙂
Cats and all animals are such a blessing. So many great reasons to adopt!! Benefits for your health and family. 🙂
I only adopt/rescue, did it with my cats in Israel and dogs here, will never give a breeder a dime
Cats can give you unexpected doses of joy. When we brought a dog into the house we were hoping that our cat, Peanut Butter, would at least learn to tolerate the dog. Years later, they are inseparable. They sleep curled up together and insist of drinking out of the same, shared water bowl. In fact, our dog is nearing the end of his life and Peanut Butter has become very protective of our 18 year old dog. Every day she checks to make sure he is breathing and she follows him from room to room, sleeping with him wherever he is. She carefully watches any strangers who approach “her” dog. She is truly devoted to him!
Agree agree agree! Cats (and dogs) pick their owners and give such unconditional love. They become best friends, angels in your life, and expand family! I can’t imagine life without pets!
Mr. N makes us laugh all the time as well. He’s so proud of himself when he thinks he’s found a loophole!
We love this post! Thank you for being such an advocate for adopting from shelters – we especially liked the third point you made (about saving the life of the cat you adopt, AND the life of the new cat who can now go into that cage to be adopted). 🙂
OMG, Manna pooped down your sister’s shirt?! That must have been hilarious! I remember when Cinco went OTRB and then Dexter came along to help ease your pain & be a brother to Manna. I’m really touched to see how many of us flooded the internet with the important message of Remember Me Thursday. So many pets lose their lives waiting for homes in shelters across the country. It’s heartbreaking, almost too much to bear. Each of my pets has been a blessing in so many ways, I wouldn’t trade a single one of those pets for anything in the world. Your photos are really beautiful, I love the one of Manna & Dexter under Reason#2 – priceless.
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
I’ve adopted two new cats with special needs because they were waiting for a long time to get homes at two different rescue organizations. Few people want to take on the financial expense of special needs cats. I took one, then thought ‘what’s one more with the same issues?’ Twice the cost, apparently. Both are very different and I hope they’ll become ‘sisters’ soon.
OMG pooping down the shirt! I so LOL for real! Both our cats are adopted. One was a street cat and the other came from a local cat shelter. So sad. I started my career with an animal shelter, it was so hard seeing all the pets waiting to find a forever home. Such a blessing to be able to help a few.
Dexter makes the best batcat ever! It is so true that cats are honest. Something I love about them. But it’s definitely not for everyone it’s true. All animals need to be adopted, not just dogs but cats and horses too as well as many others. Thank you for sharing!
What a lovely post I am sat here smiling at your true words and wonderful statements. Cats transform our lives indeed. Thank you!
Oh, the stories you share at he end are hysterical! Pooping in cleavage just about takes the cake. Totally gross, but super funny! I love how you compare adopting a cat to being a real life superhero! What an accurate comparison. Great post!!
I have adopted many cats over the years as well as several dogs. They bring a lot of joy and can teach us a lot, although my cats were always quite independent, even Nala who was with us 19.5 years from when she was thrown away like garbage at a few weeks old. Kilo the Pug is a rescue and he is hilarious.
Beautiful post. I am thankful for all my rescues. Thank you for the kind words you left for me on Facebook for the loss of Phoebe. XO
I am so thankful for our rescue dog Babu! He is the love of my life and I am a better person because of him.
If you’ve never owned a cat, the potential to underrate or stereotype them is there. Once you’ve had a cat in your life, though, you understand how sweet and funny they can be. They’re loyal and loving creatures too. Sniff. I’m missing my Miss Bianca and Mr. Irish.
My parents always added puppies to the family, with the exception of one hand me down dog. I did the same, until 3 years ago I adopted my first adult dog. He fit into our household so perfectly and I didn’t miss the puppy phase at all. I thought my cat (a former stray who chose us) was a kitten, but when I took him to the vet, the vet said he was about two. He rules over the dogs with a gentle paw. Everyday my pets make me laugh.
I know you consider yourself honored that your cats chose you! I can’t imagine my days without my girls!
What a great post! They really do choose us, don’t they! I love that you talk about adopting is really saving two lives – the one you adopt and the one that can now saved. Very true!
It is so true that they rescue us right back. It took us months to rehabilitate and socialize the Rooster (Ricky). I will not forget that feeling in my heart when we looked over and saw him crouched down on the main floor of our house, watching the pack. After spending months hiding in the basement, he wanted to be a part of the family!
Paws up for a great post. All fantastic reasons to adopt a cat, that’s for sure! We hope more people adopt pets after a successful Remember Me Thursday,
Wonderful post and a great way to shine light on the positive of this important cause! Love seeing all the posts on this topic! 🙂