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I adopted my kitty, Gracie, 7 years ago. Before we found each other, she was given up for adoption several times, passed-on from home to home. Because these families gave up on her, I was lucky enough to find her.

Why was she given up for adoption each time you ask? When I first adopted Gracie, she had a serious insecurity issue, and due to this insecurity, she would leave me “not so nice” gifts on the bed. Why was she so insecure? Because everyone gave up on her – she had no one in her life that she could trust, and leaving messes on the bed was her way of dealing with her confusion. It took a lot of patience, understanding, and unconditional love on my part, to get her through that stage. Now-a-days, she meow’s a little to get her favorite treat, but that’s as bad as it gets. She has not had an inappropriate incident for 6 years now. Patience is a virtue.

Adopting is a serious, time-consuming matter. Before adopting, ask yourself these questions –

• Are you truly ready to adopt? Are you honestly, genuinely ready? Obviously many families or individuals think they’re ready until they adopt, and find out it’s not at all what they wanted. Really think about it before going down that path. It’s not fair to the animals, or other potential adopters (that are ready), as it can lead to many negative issues, that are hard to reverse.

• If you happen to get a pet with health issues or behavioral problems, are you willing and able to take the time to care for them or train them? Behavioral problems is one of the most common reasons adopters return pets to shelters. This is a matter to be taken very seriously, and thought about completely.

• Will having a pet fit into your lifestyle? What kind of pet do you want to adopt? Dogs are a huge commitment. They need several walks a day, a regular feeding schedule and require a lot of attention. Do you work all day, but you still want a furry companion? Perhaps a kitty is better suited for your lifestyle. You are not just taking care of yourself anymore, you are taking care of another living being.

• Can you afford to care for an animal? Between veterinarian bills, basic training, and household needs, including food, beds, leashes, etc, pets can get expensive. If you can barely afford to keep yourself going, don’t bring a pet into the situation.

• Both you and your new pet are trying to adjust to the situation. Who knows what their past was like, but they could be trying to recover from an abusive situation, or abandonment. If you have patience, they’ll come around. Most importantly, do not give up on them!!! It would be them suffering, because you, as a human being, did not genuinely consider your situation prior to adopting. It shouldn’t be them that suffers.