BEFORE YOU ADOPT
Adopting an animal may be more involved than you realize. We want the best possible permanent home for our fosters and everyone that comes to JCHS goes through the same adoption process. Consider the following:
- Will you be able to care for the animal at all times and in times of crises?
- Can you afford the food, medical care, entertainment, love and other special needs your pet will require?
- Will you stay with your pet until the end of its life and not send him/her off alone when the time comes?
A DOG’S LIFESPAN: Most experts agree that small dog breeds tend to outlive the larger breeds. The general rule of thumb is the larger the dog the shorter the lifespan. There are exceptions to every rule but large breeds tend to live about 10 yrs. Smaller breeds live about 12-15 yrs. Bear in mind that genetics play a large part in this too.
One of the fastest ways to shorten a log’s life is to keep him outside all the time. Even with a shelter outside, these dogs age quickly when they have to deal with constant element exposure. This is one of the reasons we do not adopt out our dogs if we know they will be kept outdoors all the time.
A CAT’S LIFESPAN: A feline’s average age is 12-15 yrs. IF the cat is kept indoors, its longevity is increased to around 18-20 yrs, barring any serious medical conditions. Again, there are exceptions to every rule. Indoor-outdoor cats usually do not live as long due to traffic accidents, cat fights, diseases from other cats and other causes. This is why we do not adopt out to anyone that will not keep the cat inside at all times. The lifespan of a cat can be affected by being indoors, by nutrition, health care, breed, and genetics.
Cats and Cat Years Conversion
Converting between cat years and human years isn’t as simple as using a factor of 7 (as some people erroneously think with dogs, and sometimes cats). The main reason is that cats mature quickly in the first couple of years of life. To convert cat age to an equivalent human age, an accepted method is to add 15 years for the first year of life. Then add 10 years for the second year of life. After that, add 4 years for every cat year. This means that by year two, a cat has matured to about the same as a 25 year old human. Here is a link to a cat age to human age calculator : http://www.calculatorcat.com/cats/cat-years.phtml
PET PERSONALITY/QUESTIONNAIRE
CAT
What you are looking for in a CAT
Name:_____________________________ Breed:______________________________
Age: _______years/months Male____ Female____ Spayed____ Neutered_____
If you have ever surrendered a cat, to whom and where:_______________________________
Would your pet live: Inside_____ Outside_____ Both_____
Lap Cat: Yes/No Playful: Yes/No Talker: Yes/No Independent: Yes/No
Friendly to all: Yes/No Nervous: Yes/No Timid/Shy: Yes/No Calm: Yes/No
Declawed: Yes/No Possessive: Yes/No Biter: Yes/No Loner: Yes/No
Likes Brushing: Yes/No Litterbox Trained: Yes/No Halter Trained: Yes/No
Good with Children: Yes/No Good with Dogs: Yes/No Good with Cats: Yes/No
Medical Problems: __________________________________________________________
Allergies: Yes/No If yes please list_______________________________________________
Exercise Level:
_____Laid Back (Spends days sleeping, occasional playtime, usually prefers laps to playing.)
_____Playful (Regular playtime, chasing laser lights, feathers, toys, etc.)
_____On the Go (Jumps a lot, doesn’t seem to wind down, always ready to play, etc.)
Other Information: _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
- Active – Inactive
An active cat runs around the house, loves to play and is constantly looking for an opportunity to get his person to play with him. An inactive cat spends most of his time sleeping or resting with no desire to play.
- Social – Unsocial
A social cat comes to see visitors and strangers when they come to the house, enjoys being petted by them, and even sits on their lap. An unsocial cat hides from visitors and does not want to be petted or approached, sometimes even from certain family members.
- Even Temperament – Uneven Temperament
A cat with an even temperament does not get scared easily from thunderstorms, loud noises or visits to the veterinarian. A cat with an uneven temperament will hide the moment there is any loud noise, thunderstorm or party, or, when you try to get her into her cat carrier.
PET PERSONALITY/QUESTIONNAIRE
DOG
What you are looking for in a DOG
Name:_____________________________ Breed:______________________________
Age: _______years/months Male____ Female____ Spayed____ Neutered_____
If you have ever surrendered a dog, to whom and where:____________________________
Lived: Inside_____ Outside_____ Both_____ Slept: Inside_____ Outside_____ Both______
Friendly: Yes/No Nervous: Yes/No Timid: Yes/No Submissive: Yes/No
Calm: Yes/No Digger: Yes/No Barker: Yes/No Possessive: Yes/No
Chewer: Yes/No Separation Anxiety: Yes/No Fence Jumper: Yes/No
Housetrained: Yes/No Crate Trained: Yes/No Obedience Trained: Yes/No
Leash Trained: Yes/No Halter Trained: Yes/No
Good with Children: Yes/No Good with Dogs: Yes/No Good with Cats: Yes/No
Medical Problems: _____________________________________________________________
Allergies: Yes/No If yes please list_________________________________________________
Exercise Level:
_____Couch Potato (Spends days sleeping, occasional walks and/or playtime)
_____Mild Exerciser (Spends days outdoors, short daily walks and/or regular playtime)
_____Moderate (Long exercise periods, multiple daily walks and/or regular playtime)
_____Athlete (Regular jobs/runs and/or regular sport activities such as chase, Frisbee, etc.)
Other Information: ____________________________________________________________________
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