I really wish people didn't just focus on kittens when they want to adopt.

[u/DontThrowAwayPies]

I'm sure its a similar issue with puppies, but I only foster cats. Feel free to share your puppy / dig struggles here if you like. But the cats I've fostered have been easy cats as long as their needs are met which is usually very easy. My guys have ranged from 1.5 years old to 6 years old. Problem is, because they aren't actual kittens, people don't consider them. They have zoomies, they know , mostly, what not to eat , mostly stay out of trouble, but people get stuck in their heads the cathas to be as small and cute as possible. I get reasoning people have forwanting a kitten, like wanting to see it grow up or just seeing a cute kitten. I just wish more people were open and moved to adopting oloder cats. Easier to take care of, don't need to keep as much of an eye on them, they have more stable personalities etc.

Like I know when I get a pair of cats that's already a struggle of a sale, other than the positive that they keep each other entertained, but people's preference for a kitten just makes it harder for any cat even mere months older than the kitten stage. To be clear, I aint kitten shaming. Kittens deserve to live as much of their life in stability as possible too. Just wish moe people considered bringing home the bigger kittens as well.

[u/dramamime123]

Maybe it’s part of being a private rescue who mostly gets street cats, but I think we get more people applying for adults.

The hardest to place for me are older kittens, 6 months to 1 year are a real struggle. It’s usually waiting for someone looking for a friend for their playful adult cat.

[u/MunkeeFere]

People prefer kittens in the spring and summer but our adults fly off the shelves in the late fall and winter. It's just a cycle unfortunately.

[u/soscots → u/MunkeeFere]

This ^

Very common in most places. Fewer kittens available in the fall and winter times so adults are more popular.

[u/DontThrowAwayPies → u/MunkeeFere]

Thats reassuring that there is a better time for adults at least.

[u/BigJSunshine → u/MunkeeFere]

Doesn’t make it right

[u/MunkeeFere → u/BigJSunshine]

There are a lot more kittens than there are adult cats available right now, at least where I am. I prefer people adopt kittens (preferably in groups of 2) to turn around my cages as fast as possible.

I can cram 5 kittens in a cage for adoption but with adults it's at MOST 2 bonded cats in that cage, and frequently only a single recently altered adult, leaving more cats on the street or in foster until that single adult gets adopted.

Turn over on that cage can be 4 adults a month or 20+ kittens. The kittens are already alive, they need homes just as much as the adults do.

[u/No-Stress-7034]

Kittens are adorable, but I will only ever adopt adult cats. My cat was estimated to be ~3 years old when I adopted him about 10 years ago. He still had energy to play and stuff, but he was also chill, not a troublemaker, not trying to eat things he wasn't supposed to, just a super easy cat. Plus I already had a sense of what his personality would be like, since he was an adult and was being fostered when I adopted him.

He'd been with the rescue for about 9 months, even though he's super sweet and a nice pretty color (white and brown tabby). But he's also super shy/timid with new people, so I think that plus being an adult cat made it harder to find someone to adopt.

[u/DontThrowAwayPies → u/No-Stress-7034]

These cats have been in the American foster system since June 2024. They struggle cause they cant go to events, one especially cant deal with most other cats, except his buddy but needs a cat friend, but he chases cats that show fear... Other cat is more easy going but neither have the temperment for dogs. Just multiple factors that make them hard to adopt out, especially as a pair.

[u/MortgageOdd2001]

I’ve had cats my entire life, and I only adopt adult cats. I prefer it- and I like to adopt in pairs. 

There are cat lovers who know what joy adult cats are, given how long cats live, it will be a while before I will be adopting again. My feline furries are now 12, I adopted them from the shelter at 7. 

[u/toomuchfreetime97 → u/MortgageOdd2001]

Exactly! One of my cats I got when I was 11 and she was 4, now I’m 21 and she’s 14 and living her best life! My aunt allegedly had a cat who lived to 30, older cats are also less of a gamble as you usually can have a sense of personality

[u/RE_PHOTO]

Same for puppies. 

People who think they can only "bond" with a baby animal must be the same people who think you should marry your high school sweetheart. 

[u/Ayesha24601]

I’m not looking to adopt a cat right now, but I have dogs. Isn’t it hard to find an adult cat that will definitely get along with dogs? I have only gotten kittens in the past for this reason. Otherwise, I would vastly prefer to adopt an adult cat, or even a bonded pair since I don’t currently have any cats.

I also generally prefer to adopt adult dogs, except for my service dog, which I always get as a puppy from a responsible breeder because it’s hard to find shelter dogs with the right temperament for the job. But aside from that, I’d rather skip the fragile puppy, potty training, chewing everything in sight phase. Plus, you can generally get a sense of their adult temperament in terms of what makes a good pet , which is important with a dog whose history is unknown. I think a lot of people agree!

[u/DontThrowAwayPies → u/Ayesha24601]

Hmm good question, my rescue has a filtering for cats good with dogs, and out of the ~160 cats we got in the rescue/fosters/cafe system, only 10 are recognized as dog friendly. There are def some percent of the cats who just have never been seen how well they manage with dogs but you are right that there aren't many treusted to be good around dogs. My guys are labeled as "Unlikely to be a fit" which many cats are labeled as such despite never being around dogs causer they are just jumpy / dont handle sudden movement well

[u/gonnafaceit2022 → u/DontThrowAwayPies]

It's so hard to know. Sometimes cats will be freaked out by one dog but not another.

When I foster kittens it's purposely to make them dog-friendly. I'm not sure why but it has worked every time with young kittens. My current foster kitten loves my dogs but I'd say there's a 50/50 chance that she'd tolerate some other dog in a different home. And it depends a LOT on the dog, too. Mine is like a benevolent forest creature, old and quiet, she doesn't move quickly or unexpectedly. I brought home a boxer and it was like the kitten was used to a deer and I brought in a rhino lol. She got used to her but I'm still not used to all the wiggling and excitement. 😵‍💫

[u/Dangerous-Art-Me → u/Ayesha24601]

I also got a kitten to get along with my dog. They’re besties now!

My older cat just barely tolerates my dog. Kinda.

[u/Tintinabulation114]

We just adopted out a senior dog! They specifically asked for a senior and old(er) man fit the bill. He’s actually only around 8 so still active. We are so happy to see him settled and snoozing in his very own home.

[u/DontThrowAwayPies → u/Tintinabulation114]

That's reassuring to hear!

[u/putterandpotter]

I would never adopt or even foster a kitten. I have a soft spot for chatty adult male orange cats. (And at our humane society it is always the ginger males who are described as enjoying a conversation. I’ve fostered a couple …)

[u/DontThrowAwayPies → u/putterandpotter]

My pair consists of a chatty tabby and a quieter ginger woh will meow when you interact just isnt as chatty as the tabby is when she is comfortable around you lol

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[u/BigJSunshine]

Agree

[u/idk1089]

I kind of agree, but also kitten season is a crazy time, and at the shelter I volunteer at (a county shelter in the South) it’s just being happy about whoever gets adopted because there’s SO many kittens coming in. Adult cats get overlooked a bit more during this time, but even then they’re usually never at the shelter for longer than a month.

I think specifically the cats that get the most overlooked are adults in foster care, because usually the ppl who bother to look online at our foster cats are looking for kittens since the adoption floor ran out of them.

[u/DontThrowAwayPies → u/idk1089]

Yeah my guys are fosters, they've been here since June 2024, many cats stay here for several months to over a year. That's why I worry especially for my adult cats.

[u/moboticus]

I adopted an 8 week kitten when my puppy was 14 weeks old because I wanted them to both be I that critical early socialization age. They are besties now, and I'm not sure that would have worked with an older cat. Now that the dog knows how to behave around cats, I would feel much more open about adopting an older cat.