The Infographic is really about my preferences which might not square up with yours. But whether you disagree or agree with my selection, I don’t think that you can disagree with my logic. There are many competing influences when deciding what type of cat to adopt. But common-sense dictates that before you even get to that stage you’ve got to tick a lot of boxes on the following points (not necessarily comprehensive):
- Do you have hay fever, allergies or asthma?
- Are you extremely houseproud?
- Do you like a house which is perfect and sheer and almost sterile?
- Is your budget really tight with very little disposable income?
- Do you work long hours and are therefore away from the home from dawn till dusk?
- Do you share a home with others who come and go and is it noisy?
If you answer yes to the above questions, you should think hard about adopting a cat at this time.

You need to be realistic. Taking on a cat is taking on a heavy responsibility for a long time. Dr. Fogle DVM says that you should have a realistic exit plan in case it doesn’t work out. And he’s talking about the cat✔️👌.
What he is saying is that you need to be able to adopt your cat out to a new owner if you feel you can’t provide quality caregiving. He says that you “must ensure that you know the cat will go on to a safe and secure home. To do anything else is downright selfish on your part.”
Clearly, adopting a domestic cat is a very personal choice. A lot of people are fixed on the idea of adopting a certain cat breed and have been for a long time. Nobody could dissuade them. These are aesthetic and emotional influences.
Personally, I tend to have a more businesslike and logical approach as you can tell in the Infographic. I’m not saying that’s a better approach. It is just mine.
But if you are really into animal welfare you would not adopt a purebred, pedigreed cat because in doing so you are passing up on the opportunity to adopt a rescue cat and save a life.
In a strict sense and perhaps being a little harsh, every purebred cat created by a cat breeder is a barrier to the adoption of a counterpart rescue cat in a shelter somewhere.
They say that when you adopt a kitten you don’t quite know what you’re going to get as an adult cat. Of course, you can mould that cat to a certain extent but you can’t change their inherited character. When you adopt an adult cat, you know what you are getting. When you adopt an elderly cat, you know that you will get a quiet, subdued cat that is unadventurous and should not give you any worries in terms of behaviour. However, they will probably give you some worries concerning their health. And health can affect behaviour.
Dr. Fogle says that: “Personally, I get so much fun out of watching the unselfconscious and heroic antics of kittens that they are my selfish preference”. Most people will get that and most people will have the same preference. I understand that. Once again is about whether you want to prioritise cat welfare or prioritise your selfish preferences!
And when you adopt a kitten there are start-up costs such as neutering. One ongoing expense in adopting a longhaired cat is professional grooming if you take that route.
I live with a male cat. He’s a rescued former feral. I fostered him and therefore didn’t have a choice as to his sex. If I were to have a choice as to gender, I would adopt a female cat because they tend to be less adventurous, less boisterous perhaps, slightly timid perhaps. I think these are all positive attributes because they bring peace of mind to the cat caregiver.
Also, female cats probably tend to be slightly less aggressive and therefore there is a reduced chance of being scratched and perhaps bitten in a redirected aggressive episode.
Below are some more articles adoption.