 Considering that entire books have been written on the complexities of introducing a new kitten or cat into a household, you’d think most people would avoid, or be discouraged from, introducing a pet to the household at an overcrowded, overstressed time like a holiday. But determined gift-givers are not easily discouraged.
An animal is not a gift
An animal is not a gift. The kitten or cat or any other animal is a living being with physical and emotional needs as complex as yours. Her life does not begin when she enters your household but, like you, she is involved in her own cycle of existence, including past experiences and present needs which are as much a part of her as those stripes on her forehead that caused you to choose her over all the other cats at the shelter. The real gift is the lifetime of memories and love that grow through the years.
The holidays can be dangerous
 We get so caught up in our excitement and honest goodwill that we forget about what can go wrong. The holidays actually hold potential dangers for our animal companions (see “Have a Safe and Extremely Happy Holiday”, Cat Chat December 2006 and December 2004). For instance, mistletoe and holly are both toxic to cats but we may decide to go all natural with a centerpiece that contains both items. Even tinsel and ribbon can cause serious harm to a cat who decides to eat it.
If the recipient household isn’t accustomed to the presence of an animal companion, then those dangers are multiplied. You may not adequately prepare your household for a curious or frightened feline, and an accident within the house or an escape is entirely possible. Even if the household already has a feline or two, all cats are not the same and the new kitty may have the habit of eating inanimate objects where the resident kitties have never done that. The last thing you want your gift to turn into is the tragedy of an injured or lost pet.
Veterinary care at the holiday
Whether the household is accustomed to cats or this is the first entry, finding emergency care during the holiday season is difficult. Most shelter kittens and cats today are healthy and have received all the veterinary care they need up to the time of their adoptions; indeed, many shelters won’t even let animals go until they are spayed and neutered, have all the recommended basic care and are healthy and socialized.
 But a new kitty is more likely to develop an illness under the stress of changing living accommodations. It may be due to an underlying condition not evident at the shelter or it may be acquired after joining the household. An injury may occur if the cat is frightened by the changes, or the cat may totally embrace its new accommodations and end up climbing the tree, walking across the stove, eating holiday decorations, leaving you to find an emergency clinic open on Christmas Day.
What about the recipient?
As fun as surprises are, it’s the recipient who will be living with the kitty from this day forward. Even if the giver is in the same household and has furtively questioned the recipient to discover details of the recipient’s preferences, here are at least three quick reasons why the recipient should choose the kitty.
First, all cats are not the same, and forming a bond with an animal is just as complex as it is with another human. Of the billions of other humans on earth, or the hundreds we come to know in our lives, we only become real friends with a handful. What makes us think we can bond with any animal who comes along?
Second, the recipient may have some preference as to where the kitty comes from. Every city and region has a list of shelters and rescue organizations which are generally bursting with cats who need good homes, and as difficult as it may be, you can narrow down the list somewhat using your own homemade criteria—the shelter that has the most cats at the moment, for instance, or one that has a clinic for which you can buy a membership for low-cost care in the future.
Third, you need to be absolutely certain the recipient really wants an animal companion. Yes, you’re sure that if you just get the cat into the house it will all work out, but it’s wrong for both the animal and the human to try to force the bond when neither of them actually wants it. Many people talk on end about adopting, play with other peoples’ animal companions and even visit or volunteer at shelters, but only they can decide when and even if they are ready for the commitment.
One other issue to consider is the impact on shelters after the holidays from impulse adoptions of pets. Nancy Peterson, a companion animal issues specialist for The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), says, "It's important to remember that animal shelters, and their innocent charges, will suffer the effects of impulse purchases of pets as gifts… We need to remember that pets can't simply be returned or discarded like a broken toy." The HSUS website has an excellent article on adopting at the holidays: “The Best Gift You Can Give: Waiting to Adopt Until After the Holidays”. You’ll find plenty on this topic on the internet—CatChannel.com has a feature entitled “Carefully Consider Kittens as Gifts” by Pam Johnson-Bennett, CABC, IAABC-Certified Animal Behavior Consultant , and the ASPCA website has a special news alert along with a YouTube video explaining the importance of waiting until after the holidays to bring an animal home.
 Let’s go shopping!
All is not lost! "Most people are so busy during the holidays -- parties, shopping, guests, travel -- that we often recommend people think about purchasing a gift certificate from their shelter so they can bring the animal into the household at a less busy, less stressful time and allow that animal to relax into its new environment and bond with its new family,” says Gretchen Fieser, Director of PR and Business Relationships at the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society. You can see if your local shelter or rescue organization has a gift certificate policy where you can prepay for an adoption or alternatively, make a donation in the name of that person. If not, make up your own certificate and put the money aside. Give the certificate at the holiday.
Best wishes on your new arrival!
When the big day comes, we wish you a future full of love and good memories with your new kitty. Don’t forget that we love to hear your stories and to receive your cat’s product reviews!
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