Deciding to adopt a cat is a life-changing decision that we hope you’re excited about! But before you do, here are 5 essential things to consider before choosing your feline.
收养一只猫可能会改变你的所有生活！但在这之前，您需要考虑以下 5 个事项。
- Having a pet is a life-changing commitment. What should people consider before adopting a cat?
收养宠物意味着你承诺为它而改变自己。在收养猫之前，你应该考虑什么？Before you adopt a cat, the first thing you should do is ensure you’re allowed to have a cat where you live. I’ve seen many heartbroken adopters forced to return their cats because their landlord finds out, their roommate is allergic, or their parents don’t allow it.
在收养猫之前，你应该做的第一件事是确保你住的地方允许养猫。我见过许多伤心欲绝的收养者被迫归还他们的猫，因为被房东发现，或者室友过敏，或者父母不允许等原因。Next, think about your lifestyle and what type of cat would fit in best. Are you often busy outside your home? Shelters and rescues often have two adult cats who have grown up together and would be so grateful to go home together. It’s so heartwarming to see a pair of cats who are already friends get to stay together, and while you’re away, they’ll have each other for company and security.
接下来，考虑一下您的生活方式最适合养哪种猫。你经常在外忙碌吗？在收容所和救援机构总可以找到两只一起长大的猫咪，他们会很高兴能一起回新家。当你离开家时，这对好朋友可以互相陪伴，彼此依偎。If you’re home often, you’ll have more time for an active kitty or kittens that need a lot of playtime. Some cats can even be trained to walk on a leash or go for stroller rides.
如果您经常在家，可以考虑一只活跃的猫咪，用更多时间来与它作伴和互动。有些猫经训练后甚至习惯用牵引绳或者小推车。You also may want to consider bringing home a single cat. There are so many cats who are great with people but terrified of other cats. They don’t always make a great first impression on potential adopters if they’re in a shelter surrounded by other cats, but they’ll flourish once they’re in a home with you.
您可以考虑只领养一只猫。因为很多猫与人相处融洽，但害怕其他猫。在收容所里，周围都是其他猫，它们总是畏手畏脚。但是一旦在您的家中，它们就会活跃起来。And remember to keep an open mind — you’ll have the best odds of finding a great match by doing so. Don’t get hung up on the color, sex, or age of a cat. Every cat has its own personality, so never discount a cat just because they aren’t male, female, young, a certain color, or fluffy.
记住要保持开放心态——这样你将有更大的机会找到最好的伙伴。不要纠结于猫的颜色、性别或年龄。每只猫都有自己的个性，所以永远不要因为猫是不是雄性或雌性、是否年轻、是不是特定颜色或毛发，而决定收养与否。If you’re overwhelmed or unable to decide, talk to the staff and volunteers at the shelter about your lifestyle. Let them know if you live with others, including any pets and people or situations you encounter regularly, and let them guide you to the cats that they think would mesh well with your life.
如果您不知怎么选，可以与收容所的工作人员谈谈您的生活方式。让他们知道您的居住情况，包括您经常接触哪些宠物和人，让他们引导您找到适合的那只猫。 - What are the benefits of adopting a rescue cat?
领养被救助的猫有什么意义？There’s a huge need for cat adoptions right now, so please know what an enormous difference you’re making by adopting a cat. Adoption is critical to help cats, as they account for about 70% of shelter pet deaths in the United States. And if we’re going to meet Best Friends Animal Society’s goal to get the entire U.S. to no-kill by 2025, cat adoptions are crucial to making it happen. I encourage cat lovers to adopt their new best friend at a local shelter or rescue.
现在收养猫的需求很大，所以您的每一次收养都意义重大。收养对于帮助流浪猫改善生活来说至关重要。我们鼓励爱猫人士在当地的收容所或救援机构收养他们的新朋友。By adopting a cat, you’re not only saving that particular cat, but you’re also making space for the next cat that comes into a shelter.
通过收养一只猫，您不仅拯救了那只可爱的猫咪，还为下一只进入收容所的猫咪腾出空间。 - What should you consider before adopting a kitten?
在收养小猫之前你应该考虑什么？Because they’re so cute, many people will be tempted to adopt a kitten. It’s hard not to succumb to that level of cuteness, but kittens require an extra level of care.
很多人都想收养一只幼猫，因为它们太可爱了，人们很难不屈服于这种毛茸茸的小可爱，但幼猫需要更多的照顾。Kittens are adorable but be aware that they’re more work than an adult cat. Kittens need to be fed more often and use the litter box more often. Single kittens need lots of positive reinforcement training to help them learn that biting and scratching are for toys.
幼猫很可爱，但要照顾它们比养成年猫更辛苦。小猫需要更频繁地喂食和更换猫砂。单只幼猫需要大量的强化训练，帮助他们了解只能咬和抓玩具，而非其他物品。To help, I encourage adopters to open their homes to a pair of kittens. All cats have to bite and scratch — it’s feline instinct. A pair of kittens learn that biting and scratching is something they should do to each other during playtime and not to their humans.
为此，我们建议收养者可以同时收养两只小猫。所有的猫都喜欢抓咬——这是猫科动物的本能。两只小猫在玩耍时会对彼此又抓又咬，就不会再针对他们的主人。 - What questions should you ask during the adoption process?
在收养时你应该问什么？You can ask what cat food your new pet is currently eating, what kind of litter they use, and if they’ve found certain toys or scratchers the cat enjoys. Having familiar food, toys, and litter in your home can make your new companion’s transition easier. The shelter should let you know everything they know about your cat’s medical history, but be sure to ask if they don’t.
可以询问您的新朋友目前正在吃什么猫粮，使用什么样的猫砂，以及是否有喜欢的玩具或猫抓板。家里有熟悉的食物、玩具和猫砂可以让你的新伴侣更好地过渡。收容所应该让您知道猫的所有病史，一定要记得询问他们。Keep in mind that many questions might be too difficult for the shelter to answer. For example, you can ask the shelter/rescue if the cat is good with other cats, but unless the shelter staff knows what the cat is like in a home with other cats, this will be tough for them to answer. That’s why it’s so beneficial for rescues and shelters to get cats into foster homes, it means you’ll have better answers about how your cat behaves in a home.
当然，许多问题对于收容所来说可能无法给出答复。例如，您可以询问收容所这只猫是否和其他猫相处得很好，除非收容所工作人员知道这只猫和其他猫在一起时的情况，否则他们也很难回答。这也是为什么要将猫送入寄养家庭而不是一直呆在救援中心和收容所。如此，对猫咪在家中的行为表现，你会有更好的答案。 - What can people do to make their new feline’s transition from a shelter or foster environment to a forever home as smooth as possible?
如何做能使带回来的新朋友顺利地过渡呢？The most important thing to do is leave your cat alone for the first couple of days. As difficult as that sounds, it will help your cat feel like they have control in their new environment and will help them come out of their shell faster. Don’t worry if they aren’t very hungry or are hiding a lot. These things are very common, and if you give them time and space, they will emerge and show their true personality after a couple of weeks or months in their new home. It’s also a great idea to give your new cat a place to hide that’s not under furniture. Put out a box with a blanket in it or buy a cave-type bed so the cat doesn’t make a habit of hiding under furniture.
注意，在最初的几天里让你的猫安静独处。这样会帮助您的猫感觉自己在新环境中拥有控制权，帮助他们更快地摆脱困境。只要他们不是很饿或一直躲藏不出来，就不要担心，给他们足够的时间和空间。他们会在来到新家几个星期或几个月后展现出他们的真实个性。准备出一个装有毯子的盒子或买一张猫洞床，这样猫就不会躲在家具下面了。
Additional Information 其他信息
It’s important for everyone in the home, especially children, to meet your new cat so you can observe how they interact with them. Every child has their own unique energy, and every pet reacts differently to every child. It is a good idea to introduce your cat to one person at a time, so it isn’t overwhelming for them.
让家里的每个人，尤其是孩子，认识一下你的新猫咪，可以观察他们如何与猫咪互动。每个孩子都有自己独特的能量，每只宠物对孩子的反应也都不一样。每次只介绍给一个人给猫咪认识，以免它感到不安。
If you can’t commit to adoption, fostering is a great way to help a cat. Cats are much more comfortable in a home environment than in a shelter. As a foster parent, you can be their gateway to finding a great adopter. Virtual meet and greets allow cats to show their true personalities, and fosters can answer important questions potential adopters want to know, like do they get along with other cats/pets/kids.
如果您无法收养，那么寄养也是帮助猫的好方法。猫在家庭环境中比在收容所要舒适得多。作为猫咪的养父母，您可以帮助他们寻找一个好的收养家庭。线上见面，让猫展示他们的真实个性，回答潜在收养者想知道的重要问题，帮助猫咪找到一个温馨的新家。
