Adopting a feline is a great choice, almost like a blessing. It is proven by science that having animals, especially cats and dogs as part of the family, enhances the bond and relationship between family members. Therefore, also helps in maintaining positive mental and emotional health.
However, if ever you are planning to adopt a kitten, it’s best to think things through. We get it, it’s hard to resist their cute paws, tiny ears, wobbly walk, and shiny eyes BUT in reality, adopting a kitty ’s as serious as adopting an infant child. The responsibilities and the energy it requires are at a very serious level.
Have you ever asked yourself if you are up for the challenge?
If you are not sure what to answer, it just means you are not fully aware yet of the consequences and the changes it may trigger in your life. Kittens are not as fine and proper as adult cats just yet. They are not trained, they will not understand you easily, they are blank papers. All they know is to sleep, eat, destroy things, play, play, play, and did we mention play? We can say that it is naturally hard for them to behave. Their demands, because of the difference in our timeline, are more intensive than a 1-year-old human child since they reach this period after 3 to 4 months.
Setting this aside, adopting a kitty truly depends on how much you want it and how much willing you are to go through their first stages in life; we’d never know, it may just work out! That is why In this article, we will give you the Pros and Cons of adopting a kitten to help you decide if it is the ‘purr-fect’ choice for you!
IMPRINT:
Imprint is like a mark and this is very important in animals. It lets them rapidly develop their behavior patterns such as attraction and recognition to its own kind but in our case since we are hoomans, a substitute.
This should be one of your top priority whether you are deciding between an adult cat or a kitten since both should be treated as family. Their imprint on you will determine your kinship to that cat and vice-versa, until their last days.
PROS – Imprints develop well and are more solid in kittens more than in adult cats.
CONS – They will be very dependent on your presence and sudden changes in the environment, or in some unfortunate events like a change of ownership, will not be taken lightly and can lead to depression or more popularly known as separation anxiety.
CAT-TITUDE:
This defines their whole being as a cat and as your child. Their ‘cat-titude’ will be their standard grounds in decision making. This is where you are required to practice your inner parenting.
PROS – Kittens are easier to discipline than adult cats as their behaviors can still be controlled and changed. While cat adults, especially those raised by their feline parents will carry and follow the upbringing they were thought from the beginning.
CONS – Kittens are too playful and free-spirited to follow rules. It will demand patience and a lot of energy from your end. If you are not ready to implement hard-core discipline and to accept rejections, adopting kittens is not for you.
LIFESPAN:
This is the duration of your cat’s life that they can spend with you as their hooman parents.
PROS – You will be able to enjoy longer years with a kitten than with an adult cat.
CONS – Adult cat’s life are almost limited, if unfortunate, they can also catch some illnesses and rest sooner than normal.
IMPORTANT NOTE: We don’t discourage possible cat owners in choosing adult cats over kittens but rather, we are encouraging them to make a wise decision based on their needs and capabilities. This is the reality and an average cat’s life lasts just about 12 to 14 years. Don’t be sad or angry because that doesn’t matter. What’s important is the journey and how happy the stay will be.
LITTER TRAINING:
This is one of the most crucial elements in cat parenting as this is where the smell and cleanliness of your house will depend on.
PROS – Kittens will be hard to train at first but eventually, if you will be patient, they can be as tidy as Tom in Tom and Jerry. They will also remember this training until they are old. It’s something they will never forget because cats hate dirt too. It’s the same reason why they cover their poo-poo with sand. That’s how much they hate it.
CONS – It requires a lot of patience and energy. Unlike adult cats who are already trained, kittens can be mischievous at times and though trained, lacks discipline to fulfill a simple litter training to stay clean.
DESTRUCTION:
This is where you will see the difference between an adult cat and a kitten the most. If you can’t control your cats in this matter, just be good at hiding your wires.
PROS – Kittens are easy to scare. Just stomp your feet and they will be on their way.
CONS – Kittens are well known for being destructive. Not that they intend to be that way but its because they are on a stage wherein they are very curious about their surroundings.
They are expected to put deep scratches on your sofa just to feel it with their claws, I mean paws. They will also gnaw and chew whatever can’t poison them. Unlike adult cats who spend their extra time in endless sleeping, kittens have endless energy to allocate into anything, DESTRUCTIVE. Again, hide your wires!
Whichever of the two options you choose, make sure to be a good cat parent. If you decided to finally adopt a kitten, raise them well. If you decided to adopt an adult cat, make their remaining years worthwhile. Remember that a good pet parent only regrets one thing, and that is not being able to spend more time with their animal children.
If you want to share some stories about your experience as an animal parent, send us an email at (insert email address here). We are excited and if it’s too funny to keep to ourselves, we will share it on our social media channels! SHARING IS CARING! Thank you for reading!