This touchy subject started with a conversation with Dad‘s friend. Dad’s buddy was planning to adopt a cat for his daughter’s birthday. He was wondering what kind of kitty to get. Which leads us to wonder, does a cat make a great gift? Should you give ANY animal as a gift? Our conclusion is MAYBE, an animal as a gift is not a good gift without real research. Now we are sure you are wondering, what do you mean? Why? Doesn’t everyone love cats, dogs, and all the other 4-legged beautiful furbabies out there? Why wouldn’t companionship, friendship, and unconditional love be a great gift?

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The truth is picking the perfect pet is more than just grabbing the first furbaby you see. If it is a dog, do they have time to train him/her? Is this new furbaby the right breed for their household? You can not say the same for cats, you say? What if someone is allergic to the cat? Even if they already own a cat, the new cat may put out more Fel d 1 then the one they already have causing allergies. The new cat might be a more aggressive breed and not get along well with other pets already at home or children. There are other ways as well that the new pet may not be suited for their home environment.

These are very important things to think about before adopting or gifting a new furbaby. Will there be enough time for them, the rest of their life, to play – including exercise and human interaction? Is there enough money and commitment for incidentals like if they have any special needs, need sensitive food (which can cost 3 times more than regular food), or needs excessive amounts of exercise, not just to be let outside a few times a day. Are they just going to be thrown outside and not cared for or have true human interaction? Furbabies need to go to the vet several times especially when they are young for their shots and to get spayed or neutered. Which once again is not super cheap, but worth it to make sure they are happy, safe, and well taken care of. Can the new pet parents do this?
A few questions to think about is how old is the person you are getting a pet for? Are they able to take care of their new addition responsibly? Just because your little one wants a cat or puppy or any other furbaby does not mean that they will take care of them. Sadly, sometimes with time, the newness of your newly adopted family member becomes not as fun. They consider their furbaby’s wellbeing as a chore of cleaning after them, feeding them, walking them, etc. At this point, sometimes, kids just do not want the animal in the house. Just because they might like the neighbor’s furbaby, does not mean they are ready, or even want one for themselves.

We do not want you the reader to think we are on a soapbox telling you yes or no to getting a furbaby. We just know a lot of little things get overlooked when getting a pet: vet, shedding, having a forever toddler, food, litter if you are getting a cat, toys and the list can somewhat go on. The biggest thing people often fail to anticipate; is a cat can cost about $350 to $400/year and a small or medium dog costs about $400 to $500/year, with larger dogs even more.

We have seen people get puppies of kittens for gifts and a few months later they end up at the shelter, where their chances of being euthanized become much greater. Sadly, the furbaby has no idea what he or she did to end up there. Be educated with the furbaby you are looking into adopting. There will be accidents, vomit & messes to clean up, and several other little bumps you will have to overcome.

Now let’s talk about your new soon to be furbaby. Yes, a dog can be trained not to get on that sofa that you don’t want animal hair or scuff marks on but what if you get a cat? Well, that training is just going to be laughed at. Cats are going to do what they want. Also, you must prepare to make your house animal safe, and from that point on just know somethings won’t survive well with your cat, like that new vase you are looking at. Seriously you might chuckle at that thought but we do this all time. Monthly, while shopping, Mom says, “Oh I like this, but the cats would destroy it.” That statement has kind of become our family motto.
Let us talk about shedding. With our nine cats, it is a losing battle. We can sweep and two seconds later there is hair flying across the floor. It will get on your clothes and so forth. Just be prepared to have a lent roller or wear your furry shirt with pride. (Dad laughing at own joke)

Ok, so now you have read the bad and you’re still ready to get that furbaby. Instead of YOU going out and picking that furbaby for them, we suggest purchasing a toy or a carrier with a “pet gift certificate” for your local humane society or a responsible breeder. This way, your child or that special someone can pick out his/her own kitten or puppy or goldfish. For children, your gift will bring added excitement that their new adoption is actually their own baby. We believe this is a very important step to help in forming a special connection with the one they choose.

Don’t forget, if you have other pets at home, to introduce the newest one securely. We recommend a few things in our previous article So, You Want A New Cat?

If you are getting a puppy read some basic training tips, and learn some stuff about the breed of dog you will be getting. They are not all the same. I can assure you of that.
Thank you everyone for reading today’s blog post. Please know that we at Kittystead do not want to impede you, scare you, or make you feel guilty about getting a pet as a present, we want to educate you as to how to really make this new adoption the perfect gift. Please be sure to sign up for our newsletter for tips, blogs to come and so much more.