Adoption instead of purchasing can provide a permanent home for stray cats. Zhiyong is a lucky stray cat who was rescued by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) to be adopted, beginning the second half of its life.
YAS paid a return interview to JY, the adopter of the cat, to share the happy ending of the cat’s journey home. Meanwhile, those looking to adopt cats can understand the preparation for, process of and common questions on adopting cats.
Q: Can you introduce Zhiyong? Its name is special.
JY: The original name of Zhiyong is Puff. I read it as Peeff by mistake and thought of “brute courage”. I felt that “Zhiyong” sounds well and called it “Zhiyong” after that.
Q: Why do you plan to adopt cats?
JY: Frankly speaking, I planned to adopt a dog as I like walking dogs and playing with them. But the conditions for raising dogs are different. Most dogs have to walk outside every day. But my husband and I have to work for a long time and dogs cannot stay alone for 10 hours every day. Besides, the small house is another problem. So, I gave up.
JY: Keeping cats also require attention. Compared with dogs, cats prefer staying at home for a whole day and they are suitable for busy workers. My two roommates keep cats and I have the experiences in keeping cats. I decided to adopt cats.
Cats cannot determine their life and owners’ kindness counts
Q: Why do you choose adopting?
JY: I like British Shorthair and other noble cats as their round faces are lovely. But there are many cats that are abandoned. You will find many cats abandoned for various reasons if you search “adopting a cat” online. Some owners plan to have children, migrate to other countries, or have family members sensitive to cats…Cats cannot determine their life and they can be abandoned at any time. So poor.
JY: We collected materials online, such as to adopt an adult or an infant cat and if it is necessary to install window screens. I visited the SPCA and watched their cats, and made the decision after that.
JY: I came across Zhiyong during my fourth visit to the SPCA. To be frank, it is fate! During our visit, many cats were labelled as “adopted” or “under approval”. The white two-year-old Zhiyong caught little attention. Maybe most people prefer baby cats to adult cats. As baby cats need more time to take care and we cannot feed them 4-6 times each day for months, we decided to adopt Zhiyong.
JY: The adoption process was smooth as my husband and I have kept pets before. We showed the photos of our window screens, bowls for cats and others to the SPCA staff. After negotiation for mutual understanding, the SPCA completed the approval and notified that we can bring the cat home.
JY: Bringing Zhiyong home was not easy. After meeting the doctors and staff to fully understand the case history and habits of Zhiyong, we tried to bring it home. But it refused to go with us. Maybe the SPCA staff were too kind to it and it was scared to leave.
Survivor of kennel, SPCA seeks home for Zhiyong
Q: Zhiyong is a survivor of a kennel, right?
JY: Yes. Volunteers reveal that a kennel at Ping Che, Ta Ku Ling is suspected of dog abuse in April 2019. The police, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and the SPCA initiated actions and found 36 dead dogs and cats in the kennel and saved nearly 100 cats and dogs. Most of them were unhealthy and Zhiyong was one of them.
JY: The SPCA told use that Zhiyong suffered from common diseases of stray cats, such as skin diseases and gingivitis, but has recovered. Zhiyong was healthy upon adoption and we are grateful for their care.
JY: Zhiyong was timid after arriving at our home and would hike under the bed after hearing the sound of elevators. Gradually, it got used to them. It seems as if the owner of the house and every corner is its territory. It remains calm even when strangers come in.
Repeat important things three times: Install window screens, install window screens and install window screens
Q: Are there any differences in your life after adopting the cat?
JY: Our home has become a cage (laugh). We installed a DIY window screen to save money. But I want to emphasize that it is very important to install window screens. Zhiyong would rush to every window to catch the cuckoo out of the window in spring. If no window screens, Zhiyong would become a flying cat.
JY: I think that owners should understand the nature of cats. For example, you cannot prevent cats from scratching as they are hunters. You should know that your furniture may be destroyed before you keep a cat. Cats like climbing and catching birds and they may fail to realize dangers. Window screens are important to keep them safe. If you have decided to keep cats, you have to take good care of them.
Q: It is said that cats are not close to human beings. Are there difficulties in getting along with it?
JY: It is said that cats are not close to human beings, but that is not true. During my home office hours due to the outbreak of the epidemic, Zhiyong always sat on my knees to work together with me. Later, I resumed working at office and Zhiyong was not used to that. It always plays with me after I returned home. I thought that I must have kept a dog. Whatever the pet is, it needs our care.
More love from owners, more lovely the cats
Q: Do you have anything to share with green cat keepers?
JY: Many say that Zhiyong is more beautiful now (laugh). As long as owners take good care of them, all cats will be lovely. Please don’t care if your cats are noble. The more you love them, more lovely they will be.
JY: I think the most important is to learn about the nature of cats, their necessities and changes. Routine feeding is also necessary. Cats cannot speak. We have to pay more attention to carefully check if they are sick or injured.
JY: Medical expenses should be arranged by owners in advance. Cats have to accept immunization regularly and body check every year. Their medical expenses are higher than those of human beings. Old cats tend to have more diseases such as kidney and heart diseases. Please take them for medical treatment and care when necessary to reduce their pains.
Keeping cats is “regretful”
JY: Cats are really healing. The weekends always pass so quickly when watching Zhiyong playing at home. The only “regretful” thing is that cats will leave this world before me. I cry whenever I think about it. I will take good care of it in its remaining days!
Adoption instead of purchasing
Domestic cats like Zhiyong can live as long as 15 to 17 years. However, stray cats have an average life of two years due to accidents or other issues (such as having poisonous food by mistake or malnutrition). Some kennels are notorious and merchants just use them for breeding. Even noble cats and dogs are living under severe conditions. Adopting animals or supporting animal protection agencies can save stray animals and send signals to kennels. It is difficult to change the world, but your decision on adoption can save the life of pets.
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