A very basic checklist before you adopt a pet, no matter where the cat is from.

Know thyself and thy family!

• How much time and attention can you give a new pet? This includes not only basic needs, but play time and purring time. Be truthful!
• Decide in advance the best places in your home for her to sleep, eat, drink, and the equally important (but far less entertaining) needs to urinate and defecate? Don’t carve this in stone; things may be different than what you expect in the beginning while the cat and you get to know one another.
• Who will take care of these basic physical needs every single day? Can several people share the responsibilities on a rotating basis?
• What kind of temperament will fit in with your family? A cuddly quiet lap cat? A high energy talker? One who runs to greet you and demands attention? A cat who likes to run and play and chase invisible things (these are known as greeblings and live in a dimension that only cats can see)? A kitten that will grow up and require lots of attention and training along the way? An older cat that may have some fears or habits that will require you to work with her calmly and consistently to abate them? Even young cats may have become afraid like our Jennifur, who was tormented as a kitten by some vicious school boys. She avoided our older son until he grew taller, seeming to associate a certain height with those bullies.
• Can your cat live indoors with you? It will lengthen his lifespan, keep him healthier, less prone to ticks, fleas, disease and uninjured. There is a myth that cats must live outside to express their wild natures. Baloney. Outside cats get lost, run over by cars, killed by wildlife, badly trained dogs and vicious people. They can unknowingly eat rats or mice that were poisoned by your neighbors. In suburban areas, they can drink antifreeze in someone’s garage and die. In more rural areas cats make great coyote food, and can be killed by rattlesnakes and black widow spiders.Cats can hunt, hide, run, jump, chase, stalk, “sharpen” claws (a misnomer), sleep, eat, and eliminate waste all in the comforts of your home. Or do you want an indoor/outdoor cat? Be clear on how this will benefit all concerned.
• Don’t like litter boxes? There are self-cleaning ones now, both electronic and manual (you roll the container and dump the contents of the tray into the trash). We have two of the latter type; they’re inexpensive, save litter, and turn a 5-minute task into 30 seconds.
• Some cats have been trained to use the (human) toilet. There are books about potty training cats. Jennifur used to do this on her own, except she never did manage to flush the toilet
• Do you want a “barn cat” for killing the mice that eat the grain you need for your horses? Some cats are better for this than others, and a good local animal shelter will know which ones will suit you.
• How will your cat be cared for when you go on vacation? Some cats actually travel well; many do not. Not all vacation spots are suitable for a cat (or dog). There are “pet hotels” or boarding places of various quality. Check with your vet and the phone book.

Our first cat came to us at a time when I was working at an office. After I came home from work one day, David and the boys said, “you must leave work early tomorrow so we can take you to see this cat at the county shelter!”

So I did and we did.

In one cage was a chocolate black cat with white ear tufts and green eyes who meowed vigorously, and sniffed and pawed our fingers when we put them up to the bars. He let us stroke him through the bars. Eyes and ears looked fine. No drool. Nice white teeth. Alert and ears forward. So far, so good.

We asked to have him let out so we could hold him. He stayed on the counter for a few seconds and then jumped and hid under a table. The attendant got him out. Scott held him and we admired him, while I performed a brief external physical exam. After we asked about his history (found wandering, no collar, no ID chip, neutered, no rabies, ticks or known diseases), we asked for the adoption contract. The person helping us said she was very happy that an older cat was going to a good home.

The veterinarian gave him a clean bill of health and age estimate of 2 to 4 years.

We bought the basics: the same food he was fed in the shelter, two steel bowls: one for food, other for water. A litter box and litter.

Once released into the family room, Panther raced around and promptly hid under the comfy chair. There he stayed for most of 4 days, coming out only to eat, drink or use the litter box. We put all three necessities near the chair and very gradually moved them a little further away every 2 days. We talked to him in soothing voices. We petted him while he was under the chair and were rewarded with a few tentative purrs. On the fifth day, we actually saw our cat!

Over the next 6 months it became evident that Panther had been abused. He cringed if he saw a newspaper, stick, broom or pillow being moved or even held. He crouched and ran for his life if he passed through the kitchen while we ate. The vacuum cleaner noise terrified him.

It has taken much patience on both sides. Three years later, Panther sleeps wherever he wants, purrs loudly when stroked, plays with Jennifur, stands up to Charger in mock “boxing matches”, and will visit us while we eat to see if there are any interesting tidbits of turkey or chicken we would share with him.

Panther has taught us to relax, meditate, and most important of all, to have patience.