The Wrld Page

Forum: Adopt, don't shop, for four-legged friend

Several years ago, I added a Siamese cat to my family. Mochi had been picked up as a stray by a local animal control agency. When no one claimed him, he was turned over to a Siamese cat rescue group. The first time I took him to my veterinarian, a man at the vet's office peeked into Mochi's carrier and then said to his wife, "He's a Siamese."

"I just adopted him from a rescue group," I explained.

Incredulous, the man responded, "Siamese cats don't need rescuing!"

June is Adopt a Shelter Cat Month, and for people with the energy, resources, patience and love to devote to a feline companion, it's the perfect time to save a life by adopting a cat from an animal shelter or reputable breed-rescue group. Whether you have your heart set on a rambunctious kitten or a more sedate "lap cat," a regal Persian or a sassy tabby, animal shelters are overflowing with cats of every stripe.

I'll never understand why some people still turn to breeders, classified ads or pet stores - all of which contribute to the animal overpopulation crisis - when animal shelters and rescue groups are filled to the brim with lovable, affectionate cats (and dogs) who would make wonderful companions. With so many more animals than there are good homes, shelters have no choice but to euthanize many healthy and friendly cats. Every year, 3 million to 4 million cats and dogs are euthanized in animal shelters.

If you're determined to have a specific breed of cat, you can still rescue an animal in need of a loving home. Having a pedigree doesn't protect cats or dogs from being tossed out like old furniture when they're no longer wanted. I recently adopted a second Siamese cat who, like Mochi, was a stray. Romeo had been neutered and declawed, so obviously he wa

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