The gift that keeps on giving
I was a newly minted pet photographer 10 years ago when I fell in love with the cats in our backyard who served as my willing models. Being a newbie with cats, I was shocked by how quickly they multiplied. Two cats became seven, and when the seven cats reached adulthood, it became problematic.
As fortune would have it, a good college friend of mine who lived very near the office of Compassion and Responsibility for Animals (CARA) told me about their low-cost spay and neuter program. CARA is an established nonprofit and non-government animal welfare organization specializing in education, public awareness, and affordable sterilization. They also rehabilitate rescue animals, and get them adopted out to responsible and loving homes. I quickly called and made the soonest possible appointment as cat pregnancies could happen in the blink of an eye.
Spay-and-neuter day came and I signed up on the spot to become a volunteer. I brought my camera with me to take photos of their adoptable cats as I waited for my cats’ procedures to finish. The cats under their care were rescues, a great number of them with heartbreaking stories as part of their history – yet they were all such a sight to behold.
These adoptable cats were equally lovable and cute as their purebred counterparts. There are no ugly cats if they are treated with love and care.
As I got to know each of them, it was then that my eyes were opened to the fact that they deserved the best homes.
By adopting a cat, we change not just one cat’s life, but another cat’s as well. When we adopt from animal welfare organizations like CARA, we give another cat the chance to be rescued. It’s a win-win.
Want to hear another perk of adoption? Adoption fees are very small compared to the amount you would have to shell out to buy a cat.
Breeders who are profit-driven may be keeping pets under dire conditions, caring only about ensuring that they have a constant supply of cats to sell. We want to make sure that our animal companions do not come from those who are cruel to animals.
Money and fancy breeds aside, you know you love your fur-babies when you can’t put a price on them. Having a genuine bond with them is more precious than a champion bloodline. Actually, having a handsome price tag or perceived value does not guarantee anything, as pedigreed cats also get abandoned.
Raise your hand if you can admit that it is rather the other way around – that our cats are our best friends, that they are our family, and that they possess our hearts.
When I was adopted by cats Mark and Bunny from CARA back in 2017, I paid an adoption fee of Php 800 for each of them. When we adopt, the fee actually serves as a friendly donation to the organization so that they can sustain their work in helping animals in need.
For a meager amount, I know wholeheartedly that these adopted cats have returned their love generously. My adopted cats are actually the sweetest cats of the bunch. Call me crazy but I think they are grateful, and they show their appreciation in their own little way.
Sometimes they do more for us even if we were supposed to be the ones to have rescued them, which begs the question, “Who saved whom?”
You might have a soft spot for those missing an eye or a leg, and you might already be aware that they don’t need to be perfect to be lovable, in the same way they look at us as if we didn’t have our flaws. Do you think our cats judge us according to our lineage and net worth? I think not. All they know is that we are these funny looking creatures who happen to be their source of love and comfort, and when we look at them in the same way, then we get to enjoy the gift of a beautiful relationship.