If your local shelter doesn’t use a formal program to rate a cat’s personality, you can still use some objective criteria when choosing one to adopt:

• First, remember that cats differ in behavior and personality. Don’t choose a cat like a coat: There’s more to it than color, texture and size!

• Observe a potential pet’s reaction to you when the cage door is opened. And try to meet the cat in a private room so you can observe his reactions to you and to a new place. Does he approach or retreat?

“Don’t let them just take the cat out and hand it to you,” says Jim Monsma of the Washington Animal Rescue League in Washington. “You’ve lost a lot of data.”

• Think about how people-oriented you want your cat to be. A cat who’s all over you the minute he meets you is going to be the most fun to visit in the shelter. But are you going to enjoy that behavior every waking moment? Or do you want a cat that’s more independent – a quiet presence keeping you company?

• Is it important that your cat deal easily with new situations? If your house is a constant whirl of activity, it might not matter that that shy cat is the most beautiful one – because you’ll probably never get a chance to look at her when she’s always hiding under the bed.

• Finally: Adopt an adult so you know what you’re getting. There’s no way to tell how a kitten is going to turn out.

Copy the Story Link