Looking for a cat? You can get all the love for half the price until July 26 as the BC SPCA holds a cat adoption promotion.
It’s presented by Hill’s Science Diet at all SPCA locations across B.C. to encourage animal lovers to check out the adult felines in the society’s care.
While the Cowichan branch of the SPCA isn’t as inundated with cats as it used to be, there were still 14 adults awaiting adoption as of Wednesday, according to Branch Manager Sandi Trent.
They’ve already had six go to new Cowichan homes as part of the promotion.
“That’s six adults, which is really good because it’s kitten season and four of those adults were seniors which is very special,” she said.
Choosing an adult cat is easier than getting a kitten because you know what you’re getting, personality wise.
“That’s especially true if someone comes in and they want ‘Velcro cat’ who goes with them everywhere or something else specific. Kittens will run around and be little hellions until they’re five or six months old; then you start to see what their true personalities are like. Normally, we ask people to come in and sit down for an hour and just hang out, if they can and get to know the adult cats so they can make the right match. Kittens are also a lot of work, too, like puppies, you have to have the energy to keep up with them,” she said.
Senior cats can also suit older people who are looking to adopt.
“A senior cat is easier to look after. [Owner and pet] are set in their ways and if you can get the right personality match, it’s a match made in heaven,” she said.
But even when folks think they want a younger kitty, fate can intervene.
At the Cowichan branch, folks saw a sad story turn happy this week, Trent said.
“Last week, we got in a vari-kennel that was left at the front gate overnight. The door was open on it and there was orange cat hair inside but no cat to be found. We put a live trap out and two days later we caught this cat. We got him in the shelter and he turned out to be just a lively, affectionate boy. We traced his tattoo and found the owner had given the cat away three years before and they couldn’t remember to whom. We were at a dead end.
“So we decided to get him all vetted and vaccinated up. It turned out he was nine. We put him up for adoption and it turned out he was one of the first ones to go this week. We had a family come in and that was just what they were looking for. Both the kids sat down and he was jumping from lap to lap. It was such a phenomenal match. They had originally come in looking for a younger cat because they have younger kids, but the children were the ones who made the choice. That was the cat they wanted; they just loved him. It was a super happy ending considering he’d been left at the gate and spent two days in the bush. He’s a lucky boy, that’s for sure.”
If you want to get in on this adult cat adoption promotion, it’s time to get moving. It comes to an end Tuesday, July 26.
“I think it’s being held because we have such an overpopulation of cats province-wide in B.C. But Cowichan Cat Rescue has a huge impact for us. That’s why we don’t see all the strays we used to. We do get a certain number of owner surrenders, but that’s usually because people can’t find housing,” Trent said.
Anyone who wants to adopt a cat, contact the Cowichan branch of the SPCA at 250-746-4633, particularly if you have a specific cat you’re wanting to see, just to make sure it’s still there.
“We’ve got a questionnaire to fill out if people have a specific want list,” she said.
“Hill’s Science Diet is excited to continue our long-term sponsorship of this special adoption event,” Hill’s Pet Nutrition General Manager Joe Giles said. “The Hill’s Food, Shelter & Love partnership program with the BC SPCA and our support of this even,t is a natural extension of our mission.”