CAT RESCUE

Previously I wrote about shelter dogs vs. puppy mills. Now I want to address the feline side of this equation.

As pet parent to only one feline and one that adopted me not the other way around, I'm definitely not an expert on this subject but I suspect most of what applies to adopting a dog applies to adopting a cat.  If you do not intend to breed and show your cat, you should consider adopting from a shelter if you are interested in a mixed breed or breed rescue if you prefer a purebred feline.

For a purebred, I think the Cat Fancier's Association website is a good place to explore. Besides a breeder referral service, the website suggests adopting a mature purebred retired from the show ring or breeding program as an alternative to getting a kitten.  This is a particularly good idea to consider if you want to cut to the chase instead of putting up with kitten antics in the wee hours of the morning, experiencing kitten-hood in general or feline juvenile delinquency before settling into a normal routine with a mature cat.

In addition to any of the well-known animal groups such as the ASPCA and North Shore Animal League, the following links have cats available for adoption and are worth exploring:

Sean Casey Animal Rescue:

http://www.nyanimalrescue.org

City Critters operates in Manhattan by coordinating adoptions through pet stores and veterinary offices:

http://citycritters.org/

Infinite Hope is located in Brooklyn and handles primarily feline adoptions:

http://www.infinitehopeonline.org/index.html

Check Muffin's Pet Connection.  Operating in New York and Brooklyn, they rent traps, offer discount spay/neuter coupons for cats (and dogs) as well  as TNR feral cat only spay/neuter coupons:
http://www.muffins.org/