June Is ‘Adopt a Shelter Cat’ Month

June is “Adopt a Shelter Cat” Month (but adopting from the street is good too!), and I’m here to tell you why you should do just that and make this month a good one for a feline who is waiting for a forever home!

I’m the proud guardian of seven lovely cats: Charlie, Mei-Mei, Tyler, Lucifer, Blue, Cooper, and Puppy. They all came to me as kittens—I plucked each one off the streets of Manila, saving them from a life of misery, hunger, and disease and a potential death by being run over or becoming the victim of a cruel human.

I never imagined that my life in Manila would include a cat—let alone seven. But each cat brings something different to my life, and they all have their own very distinct personalities.

Charlie loves to play with her own shadow and chases her tail in circles (but only when nobody is around). Mei-Mei is super-affectionate, and she follows me everywhere and loves chasing everything. Lucifer loves to play in the sink and puts his paw (and sometimes his head!) under the running tap while I’m brushing my teeth in the morning. Tyler—always the attention-seeker—screams from the moment I walk in the door until the moment I scoop him up for some cuddles. And Blue loves to wrestle his two younger brothers, the gentle Cooper and feisty Puppy, on my bed.

My seven have a great life with me, but millions of other cats aren’t so lucky. Because of the current companion animal overpopulation crisis, millions of unwanted cats will end up in animal shelters this year, and many of those will be euthanized because of a lack of good homes. Countless more will suffer on the streets.

My furry friends have brought such joy to my life, and I couldn’t imagine my life without them now. Most people don’t have the time or means to care for seven cats, of course, but if you have the ability to provide for just one cat and enough room in your home and your heart, please consider adopting a cat from an animal shelter. And remember: There’s no excuse not to have your animal companions spayed or neutered. Spayed and neutered animals live happier and healthier lives, after all.

Posted by Rochelle Regodon