adopting a cat?

        Hello everyone,

   I have a question about cat psychological health concerning his adoption and i hope someone can help me to get some information about it .

   In a special situation a had to give  the older cats  that i have in my house for adoption because they are  16(with the kittens but only the older will be adopted) and my parents think it's a lot .but the problem is that the cats they are actually used with each other th older cats they are about 4 months will they be able to get used with new people ? also i met a girl she s a student living alone so the cat will stay alone in the house while she's outside is that ok for the cat ? and what is the perfect age of a cat for adoption ?

 (sorry for my english)

      Thanks.

It really depends on the cat(s). Generally, younger cats adapt more quickly to being adopted out, but older cats can adapt fine as well. If they're bonded, having the cat(s) they're bonded with adopted out with them to a new home can help them feel more at ease than going alone. Older cats who have lived in a home for a long time will be used to the home they know, so it's a bigger change for them. With the new owner's patience, they'll eventually start to feel more at home there and get more comfortable with new people and new sights, smells, etc.

It depends how long the girl is gone. Some cats are more aloof, so they don't always need someone to be with, whereas other cats are very social and experience anxiety when their people are gone. As long as she can provide quality time for the cat when she is home and the cat doesn't feel stressed being alone, it should do fine. Also consider how much cats sleep - if she is gone to class during a large part of the day, her cat will probably spend quite a bit of time napping, and can wake up to enjoy her company in the evenings when most cats are more active.

I would argue there is no "perfect age". I know some people prefer to adopt young cats, like under 6 months or under a year old so they can "train" them for the rules of the house and such since they're a bit more malleable (plus, their 'baby cuteness' is very endearing). My boyfriend used to say he didn't want a cat over a year old because they could have bad habits from their previous home, but I don't believe that. In most cases, you can reinforce the behaviour you want in a cat of any age.

I agree with the earlier comment. But having a cat that old be adopted might be harder on it because it is so well adapted to its current situation.

Sara Aberkan said:

 
        Hello everyone,

   I have a question about cat psychological health concerning his adoption and i hope someone can help me to get some information about it .

   In a special situation a had to give  the older cats  that i have in my house for adoption because they are  16(with the kittens but only the older will be adopted) and my parents think it's a lot .but the problem is that the cats they are actually used with each other th older cats they are about 4 months will they be able to get used with new people ? also i met a girl she s a student living alone so the cat will stay alone in the house while she's outside is that ok for the cat ? and what is the perfect age of a cat for adoption ?

 (sorry for my english)

      Thanks.

Click to expand...

Hi, why do you have to give your older cat up for adoption? 16 year old cats can be very hard to find a new home.

It's also hard on the 16 year old cat. A 4 month old kitten would adapt more easily.

Fortunately it looks like OP clarified in a purraise to @StephenQ that she meant she has 16 ~4 month old cats, rather than 16 year old cats.

@Sara Aberkan

Ah thank you for clearing that up!  4 months of age is a fine age to adopt out, there is no perfect age exactly so long as they are at least 8 weeks old.  Ideally, you would have them tested for FIV/FeLV before you adopted them out, and it would be great if you could start the on a dewormer, and initial vaccinations.  If you can't get them spayed/neutered before the adoption (that would be ideal) then please discuss this with the adopters.