I know I’m preaching to the choir here, after all, this is a blog for cat lovers and I know I don’t have to tell you all just how incredibly wonderful cats are!! In our world, there are not enough adjectives available to describe how much we love our feline friends, to the point we make up words to convey just how pawtastically and purrfectly amazing they are!

But, June is *Adopt-a-Cat Month, so I would be remiss if I did not do my part to extol the virtues of these exquisite creatures to those who might not know as we do, that by having a cat (or two, three, or eight as in my case) in their lives, that they will be happier and healthier people.

So, I invite you all to help me write this post and share it with the rest of the world – our goal would be to reach out to people who might not have ever had a cat and don’t realize just how special they are. Some of these people have preconceived notions that all cats are the same – that they are independent and aloof creatures who don’t make good pets. Clearly, we know that is ridiculous – the range of personalities our cats can exhibit is endless and the love, loyalty, and companionship they share with us is exactly why they do make such wonderful pets.

As a multi-cat guardian, I can attest 100% to the fact that each cat has a unique and special personality. Life is never dull and while they might have moments of aloofness and independence, for the most part, they are highly social and interactive within the dynamics of our household.

Or maybe it is someone who thinks they are only a dog person and that they don’t like cats. Typically these are people who have never had a cat and have not given them a chance. Or maybe it is someone who already has a cat and is debating if they should adopt another one for whatever reason – maybe they have lost a beloved cat to the Bridge and are not sure if they are ready for another cat yet or maybe it is someone who is concerned with having multi-cats.

I look at Kizmet and Jazmine – both cats who were rescued from dire circumstances and I can’t imagine what their lives would have been like had they not been found. Adopting them is the best thing Dan and I have ever done and the love and joy that they have brought to us is impossible to project in mere words.

All I can say is that with the millions of cats living in shelters – from kittens to senior cats, to black cats that are hard to adopt, to cats with special needs, and everything in between, they are all waiting for a forever home and many of them will either be euthanized due to overcrowding or they will spend the rest of their lives living in a caged environment. Is that what we want for them? What better time than now to find a reason to open your heart and home to a new feline family member?

I have detailed some of the top 10 reasons I think someone should consider adopting a shelter cat and I ask you to add to my list by sharing some of your reasons in the comments! Let’s make this June really count and see if we can help make a difference to all those shelter cats who need a safe, loving, and happy home. The love and companionship they give us are priceless and how wonderful would it be if every cat could have a home one day!

10 GREAT REASONS TO ADOPT A SHELTER CAT

1. By adopting a cat, you are literally saving a life. What better feeling is there than being able to say that you genuinely made a difference in this world by providing a living, breathing creature a chance to live out the rest of its life in a warm, safe, and loving environment?

I usually focus on Jazmine and Kizmet’s story, but the truth is, Harley was also a rescue cat. She was extremely shy when we got her back in 2004 and to see how relaxed she has become in recent years does my heart good.

2. They give you a reason to get out of bed – let’s face it, life can be difficult nowadays and sometimes we wonder what it’s all about. Having a warm and furry being that is eagerly awaiting your company – not just to feed them – but because they want to share the day with you makes a big difference and they give your life a sense of purpose and responsibility.

This is just 4 of the 8 reasons I get out of bed every day… Seen here is Kizmet, Zee, Rolz, and Mia.

3. You always have a friend – when you have a cat you are never alone. They make for loyal and devoted companions and they never judge you. They don’t care if you wear makeup or what your income level is. Your religious beliefs are of no concern to them and they don’t care what color your skin is or how much you weigh. They don’t care if you have a college degree or what kind of car you drive and it doesn’t matter to them if you live in a palace or a box. You can be straight, gay, male, female, young, old, black, white, short, tall, and on and on. All they care about is having your care and love – you give them that, and they will return it a thousand times over.

This is not the most flattering picture of me, but I love it because it is real and it represents my life. It clearly shows the love I have for my cats and how much they love me back. This was taken when Jazz was nearing the end of his life and he is at my side. Zee is up at my head, Harley on my stomach, and Zoey on my legs.

4. They are entertaining – never mind mindless TV. Whether you watch a cat playing with a toy or napping peacefully in a sun puddle, they will amuse you for hours with their antics and unique personalities!

Jazmine is one of the most entertaining cats I have ever known! If you were to let her, she would play fetch with you for hours on end and she is the proverbial little trouble maker that you just can’t get mad at!

5. They give you a reason to smile. This might seem overly simple, but the fact is, we don’t smile nearly enough anymore. Just looking at a cat being a cat will give you endless opportunities for a smile – that’s just the way it is with a cat and in some ways it’s like having kids – no matter what kind of trouble or circumstance they get into, you take one look at their sweet little faces and you can’t help but laugh out loud!

I could go on forever with all the funny and whimsical things my cat do and it is the simplest of acts that give me reason to smile. Seen here is Mia as she finds joy in a palm leaf!

6. They are actually good for your health! Studies have shown that cats have the ability to decrease our depression, stress and anxiety levels. They can also lower our blood pressure and decrease the risk of heart attack and strokes.

Just like everyone else, my life is filled with stress and angst – my cats help to keep me calm and balanced and there is no doubt they have made my life happier. I am seen here with Zee who actually doesn’t mind me hugging him for a picture!

7. They make us better people and improve the quality of our lives. If you care to really pay attention to how a cat communicates with you, they are master teachers with great lessons. They teach us to live in the moment and to slow down and appreciate life around us. They are the reason we will gladly let them sit on our chairs and why we will let them nap on our legs, even if it gives us leg cramps and we need to use the bathroom because we don’t want to disturb them – that is how intense the level of love we feel for them is – they make us far less selfish as we put their needs and desires above ours.

I don’t do it nearly enough, but taking the time to just relax on the couch with a cat and a good book is one of the greatest pleasures of life. I am seen here with Rolz who is typically not a lap cat – he and I both recognized this special moment in time and appreciated it for the simple gift it was.

8. While cats certainly need to have basic needs met – food, litter, veterinary care, and things of that nature, they are relatively low maintenance and because of that, they make great pets across so many levels – they can get along with children, other cats, dogs, and more. With the right care and patience, they can adapt to virtually any circumstance and so there really are very few valid reasons why someone should not adopt a cat.

This was Christmas last year and you will note a mixture of cats, chaos, kids, and a dog. Proof positive that cats can get along in just about any situation.

9. A cat has a range of emotions and communicative abilities so strong that it can create a feline-human bond that reaches to the very depths of our hearts and soul.

Cats don’t need to speak our language to convey what they are feeling. Peanut is telling me here that she loves me and I am reciprocating the message to her.

10. Simply put, cats have the ability to change our lives and each and every one of them deserves a chance for a happy life and a good home.

By adopting a cat and giving them a good home you have the ability to change not only their lives, but yours. Just take one look at these cats – you would swear they are smiling they look so happy and content…

So there you have it – whether it be in honor of Adopt-a-Cat Month or any month for that matter, you have been given some GREAT reasons to adopt a cat. We’ve stated our case loud and clear here at Zee and Zoey’s and turn the tables back to you. What are some of the reasons you think someone should adopt a cat? Or do you have a special comment about a cat you adopted that changed your life for the better?

*Adopt-a-Cat Month was launched in 1975 by the American Humane Association and is a registered trademark. For more information about this organization and the Adopt-a-Cat program, please click here.