Second Chance: Adopt-A-Cat Month

10 Jun Second Chance: Adopt-A-Cat Month

Second Chance Humane Society’s Animal Resource Center and Thrift Shops have been servicing San Miguel, Ouray & Montrose Counties for over 26 years. Call 626-2273 to report a lost pet, learn about adopting a homeless pet, or about the community medical, spay/neuter, volunteer, and other services. View shelter pets and services online: www.adoptmountainpets.org.


George

Why is June the best month of the year? Because summer has finally arrived, the days are long and the air is sweet? Nope. Is it because of the many wedding vows exchanged this month? Nope. Is it because school is out and children can more freely annoy their parents? Nope. It is because June is Adopt-A-Cat Month!

My name is George the Adorbs and today’s Second Chance Pet Column offers many reasons adopting a cat in June makes sense.

For starters adoption is great karma. Saving lives (emphasis upon the plural form of life) earns you big points in the “awesome person” category. About 3.2 million cats end up in shelters annually and, of these, about 860,000 are euthanized. Adopting a cat not only saves that cat’s life, but also opens space for another homeless kitty. Double karma points.

Adopting a cat can save your life too. In addition to the stories of cats waking their people during a house fire, it has been scientifically proven that cats are good for your mental and physical health. From lowering your blood pressure, risk of stroke, stress, anxiety and depression to increasing your sense of happiness and well-being we are pretty much the win-win solution to what ails you.

Not only is cat adoption a great investment but also fiscally advantageous. For relatively few greenbacks, you’ll take home a cat who is already spay/neutered, current on vaccines and microchipped. Plus you can’t put a price on a lifetime of love and purrs and free cat hair in your coffee.

We save children’s lives too. Yep, cats improve children’s resistance to asthma and reduce the chances of kids developing allergic diseases. We also keep mice at bay, preventing them from nibbling baby toes. Just saying…

Cats can help make your other pets happy too. Bringing another cat home from a shelter can (typically but no guarantee) helps reduce your other pet’s feelings of loneliness when the people part of the family are away. Of course, this good part occurs after the initial rejection of the new cat by other family pets, some general havoc, and a few sleepless nights. But it really does all settles down (typically, but no guarantee) and is more than worthwhile once you spot your new cat cuddling up with your formerly cranky and lonely cat.

Senior’s lives are dramatically improved by our presence as well, especially loving, low-maintenance adults like me. I just like to sit on laps, watch the birds fly by and well…just be cool. I adore seniors.

I am six-years-young and healthy with a strong purpose in life. My loving person passed from COVID-related illness and that turned my life upside-down. But I have adjusted quickly here at the Second Chance Shelter and am ready for another loving family who will recognize what a special, loving, and brave boy I am.

I hope to meet you soon, but if you aren’t a cat person June 15th is also Go Fly a Kite Day, so you can always do that…