There's an issue much deeper than the cost of kitten supplies or the adoption and veterinarian costs to consider when adopting a cat. It's the personal commitment you are making to another living creature -- one who will depend on you for its very life. Are you ready?

It's a Long-Term Commitment

Your kitten may be with you for a very long time. An indoor-only cat has a life-span of 20 years. You will go through many changes in that time: career moves; new houses; relationships; children. The one constant will be the animal as a permanent fixture in your life. Cats bond deeply with their owners, and a separation can be extremely hard on them (and on you and your family as well).

Time For Your Cat

Kittens should never be allowed outdoors, and adult cats are healthiest and happiest indoors, with their human families. If you let your cat outside, it faces danger from other animals, cars and even people. In order to have a contented indoor-only cat, you must be willing and able to spend time with it; have toys and scratching posts and safe places for it to be comfortable in.

The Cost of Kitten to Cat Ownership

The cost of owning a kitten is much more than just the initial adoption fee! When estimating the total amount, remember to include basic annual and emergency veterinary care; toys, supplies (including litter) and food. This will be an expense you will have to plan for over the next 20 years. Almost immediately, you will need to spay or neuter your kitten, and at the same time, make sure it is microchipped for a permanent form of ID.

Are You Sure A Kitten Is The Right Pet For You?

Do allergies run in your family? Have you asked your landlord for permission to bring a kitten into the home? Are you planning to relocate soon? If you have very young children at home, a delicate kitten can be killed by an enthusiastic toddler hug -- and a playful kitten scratch can really hurt and scare a child.

Learning Kitten and Cat Behavior

Did you know that you shouldn't stare into your cat's eyes? Or at least, you should break the look with a slow blink. That's because staring (in cat language) is an aggressive behavior, while blinking, looking away or even yawning helps to defuse the situation and suggests friendship.

Learning about cat behavior can be interesting and fun, but more importantly, it can help you spot an illness. For example, if your cat suddenly urinates outside of the litter box, it's the animal's way of telling you that there's a problem: either the cat is unhappy about a change that has been made recently in the home, or you need to schedule a vet visit.

It may seem a bit one-sided, all this talk of 20 year commitment, costs and so forth, but the first time your cat really communicates with you, the first time she or he unmistakably blinks those huge eyes at you (in response to your blink), you'll understand the deep, silent rewards of cat ownership.

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