"Fetch!" teams up with the ASPCA

The popular PBS KIDS GO! series FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman is teaming up with the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) to help spread awareness of Adopt-A-Shelter Cat Month in June. On June 5, kids can learn just what it takes to adopt a pet when they tune in to watch a special pet adoption episode of FETCH!, a game show/reality TV series produced by WGBH Boston that targets six- to 10-year olds, featuring an animated dog host named Ruff Ruffman.In this episode, Ruff Ruffman challenges two cast members to volunteer as "kitty adoption counselors" at a local animal shelter. Visit http://pbskids.org/fetch/parentsteachers/schedule/index.html to find local broadcast times. Viewers will be encouraged to go online to the ASPCA's Animaland Web site at http://www.animaland.org where they will find tips on everything from pet adoption to pet care and animal careers.
According to Ed Sayres, president of the ASPCA, "The risks shelter animals face have dropped tremendously over the years, but it is estimated that approximately eight to 12 million companion animals still enter animal shelters each year. By celebrating June as Adopt-A-Shelter Cat Month, we hope to raise awareness of the life and death situations faced by so many shelter animals every year, including cats, and emphasize what special pets cats can make."
Ruff Ruffman, adds, "We are thrilled to be partnering with the ASPCA to help promote Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat Month...Wait, we're promoting CAT adoption?!?! First my boss gives me a cat as an intern and now this?!?!...What did you say? I'm on record? Oh, well then, we're thrilled to be supporting such a worthy cause."
The following tips address common concerns about bringing a cat into your family:
Consider your needs and expectations. If yours is a full-time working household, the ASPCA recommends passing up kittens and adolescents (less than 18 months old) in favor of a more low-key adult cat whose energy needs will be easier to meet.
The "look" of the feline is only half the equation. By all means, choose a cat that attracts you, but remember that a gorgeous cat hiding at the back of its cage may well go into prolonged hiding once it is in your home. A social and relaxed cat is probably a better choice. Consider the cat's entire personality, not just what it looks like.
Don't be discouraged by what you may have heard about feline behavior. Have you heard that cats tend to tear up furniture, curtains and upholstery? Cats do scratch surfaces, but it's only because they inherently want to remove dead nail sheaths from around their sharp new claws. You can eliminate this by trimming the cat's nails every two weeks to keep them blunt and making favorite scratching targets feel unpleasant, such as by covering them with double-stick tape, balloons, tin foil, contact paper (sticky side up) or a commercial product like Sticky Paws(TM). Also, consider providing a suitable scratching post as a more appealing option--that should solve this problem.
For more information on how to choose the right feline for your family, please visit http://www.aspca.org/adopt. And to stay up to date with the ASPCA's plans for Adopt-a-Shelter Cat Month in June, or for more information on how you can find the right cat for your family, please visit http://www.aspca.org.