8 Questions to Ask a Shelter to Make Sure That Cat Is Right for You

Get the essential info, like if the kitty you want has a strict “look-no-touch” policy.

January 1, 1970

So, you’ve decided to adopt a cat. Good for you! There are so many cats out there in need of a home like yours. Now, you just need to find the right cat. That might feel like a daunting task, but don’t worry. Veteran cat behaviorist and long-time shelter volunteer Stephen Quandt of Cat Behavior Help has great advice for how to find your new addition.

First, you want to make sure that you are truly ready to be a cat parent. It’s a big responsibility, and if you’ve never had a cat before, you may not realize just how much care and attention they need. “You might think that getting a cat means you are getting an animal that is lower maintenance than a dog, and in some ways that’s true,” Quandt says. “But the idea that cats are aloof or don’t need or want our attention is not really true. They need us.”

It’s also important to make sure everyone in your house wants and is ready to care for a cat. You don’t want to find yourself in a situation where someone resents the pet because they didn’t want one. Don’t be fooled by all those videos on social media of men (it’s always men) who said they didn’t want a cat and then fell in love with said cat eventually. Those changes of heart are the exception, not the rule. And you’re putting a lot of pressure on a kitty if you’re asking them to win over someone who doesn’t want them.

And if you are thinking of getting a cat for someone as a gift, please don’t, even if the person is your kid and they’ve been asking for one for months. Get them a cat, by all means, but let them choose the one they want themselves, because no matter how well you think you know them, you will probably get it wrong.

Quandt advises: “I’ve watched hundreds if not thousands of people make adoption decisions, and I can never predict why someone says ‘I want this cat and not that cat.’”

Here are the things to keep in mind (and the exact questions to ask) as you make your choice.

How to pick the right shelter cat for you

Ideally, you want to tour the facility and meet and spend time with any cat you might be interested in before you sign the adoption papers. You can’t know a cat’s personality or how they will respond to you based on what they look like or a picture you see online. It’s essential that you get the chance to interact with them, and most facilities can provide you with a quiet room where you can do just that.

When looking over your options, though, make sure to keep an eye out for the cat who wants you. “There are so many great cats in shelters and sometimes people pass them by, because they think there is something wrong with them,” Quandt adds. “They are old or have three legs — and I watch the cat watching them, yearning for that contact, but the person walks away, and I see the cat drop their head ... I don’t know what they are thinking, but I believe they see their chance going away, and it breaks their hearts.”

Once you get some one-on-one time with your prospective cat, see how they interact with you. Do they lean in for rubs? Are they standoffish? Are they playful and rambunctious? Do they roll over and show you their belly right away? Crawl into your lap? Take treats out of your hand? Some people don’t need a particularly affectionate cat, just someone to share their home with and give some attention to. Others want a cat they can snuggle with all night long. Both are valid. It’s good to know what you are looking for and to share that information with the shelter so they can point you in the right direction.

8 questions to ask before you commit

Once you’ve zeroed in on a cat, don’t be afraid to ask the shelter anything and everything that’s on your mind. You need to know what you’re getting into, and it’s the shelter’s goal to place the cat in the right home. They don’t want them to end up back in the system, so they should be willing to answer any questions you might have, such as:

Is this cat spayed or neutered?

If not, they will often perform the surgery before you take them cat home, but you can and should ask, so you know for sure.

If the cat is sick at the time of adoption, does the shelter have a medical policy?

Some shelters will give you free medical care for any known health issues — medicine, at least — for a week or two post-adoption, while you establish your cat with a new vet. This is not guaranteed, though, so if you are adopting a cat with known medical issues, ask.

What is their medical history?

Do they have the cat’s medical records? Are they up to date on their vaccinations? Have they been dewormed? Do they appear to be healthy? How are their teeth?

If they need extractions or other surgery, that costs a lot of money, and you may be able to get the shelter or rescue to do those surgeries before you take them home. That is what I did with my two elderly cats who were three-weeks post surgery and fully healed by the time I brought them home. You also need to know about any preexisting conditions before you sign them up for an insurance policy.

Do they like being picked up?

Some cats will only let the person who feeds them pick them up. Some cats won’t let anyone pick them up. And some cats love being touched by everyone. You may be able to figure some of this out when you interact with them in the shelter, but if you’re not sure, ask.

Are they using the litter box well?

Most rescues will be very upfront about any litter box issues, but don’t be afraid to inquire about this, too. Some people can handle cats who go outside their litter box, but the vast majority of people cannot. Keep in mind that there are ways to train a kitty to use their litter box, but it takes effort and time.

Do they like kids or other animals?

Again, the shelter should make all of this information readily available from the beginning, but if they don’t and you have kids or other pets, it’s crucial that you let them know. Some cats are fine with a busy and bustling house. Others are not. And if you think you can change them, you are probably wrong.

Are they part of a duo?

Sometimes cats come as bonded pairs or meet and connect once they get to the shelter. But you may not know this unless you ask. If a cat has a friend or is bonded with a littermate, the best thing to do is keep them together. Doing so eases the transition for both cats and will probably make them easier to care for once you get them home.

Info you hope you never have to use: What is the return policy?

No one adopts a cat thinking they will return them, but it is better to return a cat to the shelter than to neglect or resent them. “If it’s really not the right cat for you, you should bring the cat back,” Quandt says. “When people return a cat, for whatever reason, they are usually experiencing a mix of shame, guilt, and loss.”

He also urges anyone who’s had to return a cat to remember that sometimes that is “part of the matchmaking process” and that when shelter volunteers learn more about why a cat didn’t work out for someone, they can find a better home for them next time.

How to get the most out of your trip to the shelter

OK, so you know what questions to have prepped before you go to the shelter, but when you show up (and the mindset you have when you arrive) also matters. Quandt suggests showing up early in the day, when the cats (and shelter staff) are fresh and ready to interact. If you show up at the end of the day, cats might be sick of being handled by strangers, and you may not get an accurate understanding of their personalities.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, keep an open mind. It’s perfectly natural to go in thinking you want a certain type of cat, but being too rigid about what you’re looking for will severely limit your options. And your preferences may be based on assumptions — like the idea that male cats are friendlier than female cats — rather than facts. This is something Quandt often hears; he insists this is not true. Even if you had an experience that seems to justify a certain prejudice, the truth is that every cat is different and the more willing you are to give them a chance, the more likely you are to find your perfect match.

The kitten factor

So, should you adopt a tiny, baby kitty? It‘s definitely a good option, especially if you want to bond with them at an early age. But if you’ve never raised a kitten before, trust me when I say that doing so is a lot more work than you might expect.

Kittens are full of energy, and they need someone willing to play with them regularly and tolerate their shenanigans. That said, kittens are agents of chaos; not a day goes by when most of them don’t wake up and choose violence. It’s fun for the right person, but you need to know for sure that you are that person. If you think your kitten will stay sleepy and docile forever, you will almost certainly be disappointed.

If you want a chill cat, Quandt suggests looking for one that is at least four years old. “Many cats go through a personality change around two to four years old,” says the expert, who has had many clients reach out to him after their cats began behaving differently around this stage of life. “If you get a cat before this age, you need to understand that they are still developing and their personality may change.”

The pros of adopting an older cat

Don’t sleep on senior cats, either. The best, snuggliest, most loving and blissed-out cats I’ve ever had have all been older ones. Sure, senior cats may require a few more trips to the vet and no matter how well you care for them, you will most likely have to say goodbye to them sooner than you would a kitten. But they are great for people who want to avoid the chaos of the younger years.

I adopted my last pair of cats when they were 14 years old. They were surrendered by a woman who got them as kittens but could no longer care for them. They were the loveliest cats I’ve ever known and I’m grateful to have been able to care for them when they were at their most vulnerable.

Ultimately, if you show up at the shelter sincerely hoping for the cat who is right for you (or your kid or friend who’s in tow), you’ll be just fine. In fact, you’ll be better than fine, because you’ll have a new family member. And sure, they will knock your water glass over from time to time, but all those cozy biscuits they’ll prepare for you will make up for it.

Charles Manning

Charles Manning is an actor, writer, and fashion/media consultant living in New York City with his two cats, Pumpkin and Bear. Follow him on Instagram @charlesemanning.