Siouxsie: This week, we'd like to introduce our new friend, Miss Katrina -- or Miss Kitty for short. She just got spayed a couple of days ago, so she's a little sore right now. Say hi, Miss Katrina.

Miss Katrina: Hi everyone. I'd just like to thank y'all for opening your home to me.

Siouxsie: Grrrrrrrrr ... I mean, It was nothing. Mama asked us if we would be OK with it, and we said we'd try. How did you end up here, anyway?

Miss Katrina: I was living way far away in the Land of Swamps and Storms, and this lady took me to her house. Things were pretty hectic in her house, and she and her family had to move around a lot because of the Big Storm that happened a couple of seasons before. But in spite of the chaos, I was just glad to have a home. It's not easy to be a kitten out on your own, you know. Anyway, days went by and the humans paid less and less attention to me. And then they started getting rid of a lot of things, and I got nervous because the humans were always yelling at each other, and there were all these boxes and stuff going in and out of the house.

One day, I'd been outside wandering around for a while, feeling sad because my person had yelled at me when I tried to get in her lap and ended up scratching one of the human kittens by mistake. I got tired and decided to take a nap under an old, broken car. While I was napping, the Cat Goddess came to me in a dream and said that the Universal Cat Mom would welcome me in the Promised Land. But if I wanted to get to the Promised Land and the Universal Cat Mom, I had to wake up right away and go back to my people.

Well, I got up and barely gave myself a decent stretch and wash because I knew time was short! Sure enough, my people were getting into a car filled with stuff and I knew they were going away forever. I came running to them, meowing and crying, and they let me get in the car too. We spent a long time on the road, and the car was noisy with crying human kittens and a yapping dog and music that hurt my ears. But as we rode on, I knew I was getting closer to the Universal Cat Mom, because every time I napped I dreamed of the Promised Land.

Eventually we got here, to the Land of Snow and Fog, but the first place we stopped wasn't the Promised Land. I got to meet the Universal Cat Mom, though, so I knew we were close. Then, some bunch of days and nights later, we all moved to another place -- and it was the Promised Land! I was so glad to be there, because I was starting to feel all upset and itchy inside me. Then one day I just started crying and caterwauling and I just couldn't stop, and my people got really mad at me. I couldn't help it, though! I just needed something, but I didn't know what it was.

The Universal Cat Mom tried to help my people get me fixed, but they just didn't seem to be able to do it. Then my people moved away and they left me here. I was really sad again, and it was cold and lonely here. Y'all southern cats would not believe how those icy winds just cut right through your fur like a panther's fangs! But the Universal Cat Mom came to my rescue. She started feeding me and made me a little bed in her barn. She said she couldn't let me into her house until she was sure I wasn't sick in any way that would make the other cats sick. But she asked me to trust her and let her take me to the kitty doctor.

Even though the kitty doctor poked me with needles, shaved my fur, and made a hole in my tummy that hurt, I accepted it. I'm so happy and relieved now, and even though my tummy is sore, I'm feeling less and less of that awful urgent need inside me. I'm living in the Promised Land! And the Universal Cat Mom lets me sleep on her bed ....

Dahlia: SHUT UP!

Miss Katrina: No, YOU shut up ... ouch! Darn it!

Dahlia: I'm sorry, Miss Kitty. I told Mama it was OK with me if you moved in here, but now I'm just so upset I can't stop myself from hissing and growling at you.

Miss Katrina: I understand. I can't help growling at y'all, either.

Thomas: I know I do my fair share of growling at you, too. Mama says it's just the way cats work things out, but I'm trying really hard to keep it at the level of growling and hissing until you feel better.

Siouxsie: It wouldn't be a fair fight if we got into a scrap with a sore and tired kitty. Right, gang? And we all know Mama still loves us. It's like she told me when she brought Thomas and Dahlia home -- her heart expands with each new family member, and she loves everybody just as much as she did before.

Thomas: But still -- after this, no more cats! Right, Mama?

JaneA: Yes, Thomas. The reason we helped Miss Katrina is that she needs a home and veterinary care and love. She'd never had any shots, she wasn't spayed, and her people found her adult behavior annoying. I couldn't abandon her to a future of living in the wild and having endless kittens until she got sick or hit by a car or eaten by coyotes. It's not Miss Kitty's fault that her other people couldn't do that for her, any more than it was Dahlia's fault she was born outside to a wild mother or Thomas' fault that his former person couldn't take care of him anymore and he had to go to the shelter.

Siouxsie: Miss Katrina's story is an important lesson. You absolutely must consider all the consequences of deciding to be a cat's caretaker before you adopt a cat.

Thomas: Lots of people bring kittens home because they're cute and sweet and small, and they seem like they won't be any trouble at all. If they even think about the fact that Kitty is going to need to be spayed or neutered, they think it's so far in the distance that it's nothing to worry about.

Dahlia: Also, far too many people neglect basic health care for their newly adopted cats. We cats need annual checkups and vaccinations. Here in the United States, for example, rabies vaccinations are required by law in every state -- for dogs and for cats!

Siouxsie: The number of vaccinations recommended beyond the required rabies shot varies from vet to vet, but the American Association of Feline Practitioners recommends that all cats be vaccinated against distemper (FVRCP or HCP), and that any cat spending time outdoors be vaccinated against feline leukemia (FeLV). The reason for this is that leukemia and distemper are potentially fatal illnesses, and vaccinations can greatly reduce the risk of these illnesses.

Thomas: These vaccinations may seem expensive, but immunizations cost a lot less than the treatment of an illness.

Dahlia: Any new cat should have a blood test for feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). If you adopt a cat from an animal shelter or a breeder, the cat has probably already been tested for these viruses. However, if you get a kitten from a friend or a person in a store parking lot, the odds are that the kittens were not tested.

Siouxsie: Cats should be tested for worms as well. If you provide a fecal sample to your vet, they will examine it under a microscope for worms or other parasites. Many kittens, especially those born in less than ideal circumstances, have roundworms. So you can add the cost of deworming to your kitten's initial health care costs.

Thomas: And of course, you'll need to have your cat spayed or neutered. This is best done before the cat goes into heat or starts spraying. A spay on a cat in heat is more complicated than an ordinary one. Because blood flow to the womb and ovaries increases when the cat is in heat, there is more risk of blood loss. The extra complexity of the procedure brings extra cost.

Dahlia: There are programs around the country that can help low-income pet owners get their cats fixed. Local humane societies can also help. But if you need this assistance, you need to start looking for it before your cat goes into heat or exhibits other signs of sexual maturity. The process of getting a voucher can be painfully slow, and if you only start when your cat goes into heat, she may well be pregnant before the aid gets to you!

Siouxsie: Pregnant cats can be spayed, but again, this will substantially increase the risk and cost of the procedure. And some people may have ethical problems with "giving the cat an abortion."

Thomas: So, when Miss Katrina got here, she hadn't had any vet care at all. No shots, no checkup, no spaying, nothing ... and she was in heat! The poor thing was just miserable! The only reason she didn't get pregnant was that there are simply no available tomcats nearby.

Dahlia: And her people were mad at Miss Kitty because she was making all this noise. How dare those nasty people get mad at a cat for acting like a cat?!? Hisssss. How irresponsible and rude of them to not take care of her most basic needs and then act like it's her fault! Grrrrrrr!

Siouxsie: It's okay, Dahlia. I understand. It makes me mad, too. But that's why we're writing this column -- to help humans understand their cat caretaking responsibilities. It's easy to be won over by a kitten. After all, kittens have those Cuteness Rays that turn human brains to mush.

Thomas: But remember, that kitten will become a grown-up cat. And when you bring that kitten into your home, you've made a commitment that can last as long as 20 years! It's a wonderful experience sharing your life with a cat, and we recommend it highly. But you need to be aware that as the cat's caretaker, you will have ongoing responsibilities.

Dahlia: Just to put it into perspective. In the last two weeks, Miss Kitty has had a checkup, first round of vaccinations, blood test for FeLV and FIV, and has been wormed and spayed. This has cost approximately $300 US, of which the spay and associated costs were $190. Miss Kitty needs to have boosters in a couple more weeks, and that will probably be another $50.

Siouxsie: Annual checkups, flea control, worming and vaccinations as recommended by our vet cost Mama about $150 US per year per cat. Of course, that doesn't include food, veterinary care for injuries or illnesses, toys or treats. If we lived in an urban area, the annual cost for our health care could be significantly higher.

Thomas: Likewise, if we lived way out in the boonies or in a different region of the US, the cost could be lower.

Dahlia: Mama has thought really hard about how many cats she can afford to have. She's not a rich lady, but she doesn't have any human children and her needs are relatively simple by American human standards. If she had human children, their care would have to be her first priority, and she might have only one cat ... or no cats at all!

Siouxsie: Well, I couldn't imagine Mama without any cats. But I'm sure that if she did have human kids, we certainly wouldn't eat such nice food or have so many toys or be able to sleep in the bed with her and stuff.

Thomas: Miss Katrina was very lucky. Her first humans would have left her in the Land of Swamps and Storms, and she probably would already have had a litter of sickly, unhealthy kittens that were covered with fleas, ticks and other nasties. But she came north with her people, where once again she could have been left to fend for herself had Mama not taken responsibility for her care.

Dahlia: Most cats aren't so lucky. They get over their "cute kitten" stage and are abandoned in the woods or the city, where they live short, hard lives and contribute to the overpopulation of diseased feral cats.

Siouxsie: Or they get left in a box by the animal shelter door in the middle of the night, only to be discovered by the staff the following morning. If they're fortunate, the shelter is a no-kill facility and the staff will keep them there until they find homes. If not, and the kittens are too weak to survive on their own, or nobody adopts them in a week or so, they get killed.

Thomas: If you want to know what really happens at most animal shelters, read this article. It originated on Craigslist: Sacramento, and one of my friends sent it to me after reading it on Best of Craigslist. I'll warn you, the article is graphic and disturbing.

Dahlia: *sniffle* That's so sad! I'm so glad I was at a no-kill shelter and they got me strong and healthy, and then I went to a forever-home!

Miss Katrina: I don't know what would have become of me if I'd been left down south. The Big Storm pretty much did everybody in, including the people who help cats and dogs find homes. And it's so easy to get sick there. There's worms everywhere, and bugs, and other nasties too!

Siouxsie: Please, everybody: Think realistically before you adopt a cat or add to your cat family. Your cat friends deserve the best care and all the love you can give them. They can't take themselves to the vet, and they can't stop themselves from going into heat or exhibiting other "problem" behaviors. Only you can do this.

Thomas: We cats are wonderful companions, and in a lot of ways we're pretty low-maintenance. We don't need to be taken for walks, we don't take up a lot of space, we're pretty self-entertaining. But we do need your attention, your love, and your care. When you bring a cat into your home, you're committing to being his "parent" and providing for him what he can't provide for himself.

Dahlia: If your home life is unstable or your financial circumstances are difficult, this may not be a good time for you to bring a cat into your life. There will always be cats in need, and you'll be a much better "cat parent" if you wait until you're truly ready before you adopt.

Siouxsie: To all you loving, responsible cat caretakers -- thank you so much! There's a special place in heaven for you.

Thomas: Before we go, we'd like to say congratulations to our vet, Doctor Sarah, on her new human kitten! We hope he grows up to be a wonderful, caring vet just like you! Purrs from all of us!

Dahlia: By the way, I really am glad Miss Katrina is living here with us. I'm sure I'll get over my Growlypants Syndrome soon enough.

Got a question? Need some advice? E-mail us at advice@paws-and-effect.com. None of the material in this column is meant to be a substitute for regular veterinary care.