If you've decided you want an exotic shorthair kitty to be your new companion, you've made a good choice. Exotics are calm, affectionate, soft-spoken cats. Adopting an exotic shorthair may take some searching, but it will be worth it for you, and your new fur friend will be forever grateful.
Adopting an Exotic Shorthair Cat
Step 1
Check the requirements for adopting a cat. Most pet adoption agencies have strict guidelines that potential pet parents must meet. This is to ensure the pet goes to a good home, with a family that has the best intentions and the means to provide for their new family member. The agency may have rules about your home, income, lifestyle, and views about cat care.
Step 2
Find an agency from which you'd like to adopt your shorthair. An online search is the easiest way to find several agencies with exotic shorthairs up for adoption. You can look through general pet adoption websites, or you can search for breed-specific rescues. Many rescues will group exotics with Persians, so keep this in mind when you're searching.
Step 3
Decide what you're willing to do to bring your exotic shorthair home. How far will you travel? Will you pay to fly or drive to the location? Will you pay to have the cat flown to you? Some adoption agencies and rescues offer a "halfway" ride or arrange for a volunteer to drive the cat to you, but not all of them can or will offer this service.
Step 4
Search patiently. You may not find the right cat for you right away, and your application for adoption may be rejected a few times. Don't get discouraged; this is normal. Just keep trying, and soon the right match will come along and you'll find your new kitty.
Step 5
Prepare your home for her arrival. Ask the adoption agency about your cat's most recent home. Find out what food she ate, what her routine was, what toys she liked. This will help you make things hospitable for her when she arrives, and will make the transition easier on her.
Step 6
Be patient again when your kitty first comes home. Many cats run and hide when they first arrive in their new homes. Most exotics are gentle, mild-mannered kitties who love to sit in laps, so your new furry friend should take to you quickly. If she doesn't, don't fret. As long as you provide her with everything she needs -- love, food, water, playtime, more love, and a clean litterbox, she'll come to love and appreciate you as her new guardian.
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Tips
- If your exotic is hiding and won't come out, visit your kitty briefly and regularly at her hiding place. Don't try to grab her; let her sniff your hand. Leave her food, water and litterbox close by, and let her come out when she's ready. If she won't eat, place some food as close to her as possible so she gets the idea. Eventually your shorthair will learn that you aren't scary -- you're just there to provide for her needs.
Writer Bio
Madeline Masters works as a dog walker and professional writer. In the past she has worked as a fitness columnist, fundraising copywriter and news reporter. Masters won two Pennsylvania Newspaper Association Awards in 2009. She graduated from Elizabethtown College with a Bachelor of Arts in English.