It is that time of the month when we are ready to present you with some new photos featuring cute pets who have happily found their forever homes. We have compiled a long list of images shared by the online community on Reddit, along with some short stories about the fresh pet parents and their fluffy babies. You can admire adorable kittens, playful puppies, and some grown-ups who have been given a second chance at life and found loving families.

Adopting a pet is a significant decision that should not be made spontaneously. While there are exceptions to this rule, we have all heard heartwarming stories about people who stumbled upon homeless felines in need and decided to adopt them instantly. Then it all resulted in some wonderful outcomes for both- the cat and the rescuer. However, today we would like to discuss the most responsible and thoughtful way to bring a new family member into our home. We had the opportunity to speak with Paulina Andrzejewska, a cat and dog behaviorist, who is an expert in understanding the dynamics between dogs and cats. She also assists dog owners in training their beloved companions. Scroll down to learn more about what we found out!

#1 I’ve Been Trying To Rescue This Tiny Lady From Under A Broken Sidewalk For The Last Three Days. Today I Succeeded. Little Does She Know She’s About To Be Spoiled For Life

Image credits: Dont_Tell_Me_Now

#2 When Your Husband Finds A Stray Kitten.. Very Hard To Say No!

Image credits: Chipotleislyfee

#3 Tadpole And Joey Less Than An Hour After Moving Into Their Forever Home. I Think They Love Their New Dad Already ?

Image credits: Jacsmom

This month we wanted to focus on how to prepare ourselves for cat adoption. As we know, cats can be sweet, but when they are not understood, they can make their guardian’s life hell. With that being said, we should all realize that the majority of bad behaviors in cats come either from errors we contribute to, or some health issues they are struggling with. That is why it is so important to study a little bit more about felines and learn how to avoid some mistakes leading to future behavioral issues.

We asked Paulina to tell us more about some common behavioral challenges that newly adopted cats may face, and how owners can address them effectively. She shared with us: “Certainly, introducing a cat to a new environment is a significant challenge. Let’s remember that despite our efforts to provide the cat with plenty of entertainment, cat furniture, and toys, it can still be difficult for them. They enter a place they don’t know and start living with people they don’t trust. This can lead to various behaviors such as meowing, scratching furniture, marking territory and leaving their scent. Even in human-to-human relationships, things may not be perfect right away. The cat may hide under the couch and refuse to come out because they are so frightened, and any attempts to touch them may result in hissing. Therefore, it’s best not to have any expectations of the cat initially and simply allow them to be. Often, we want to show them love at all costs and make them feel safe in our home, but overwhelming the cat with love can have the opposite effect. It’s similar to a child who is afraid of getting a shot — will they actually feel better and more secure if we keep telling them, ‘It won’t hurt’? Not necessarily. After bringing the cat home, I would give them some time in a closed room, such as a bedroom. Leave the cat there and you can sprinkle some treats around. Give them at least 15 minutes before letting them out into the rest of the rooms in the house. This will make the process of familiarizing themselves with the new place smoother. Don’t keep following the cat around to check on their every move, as they may perceive it as pressure from your side. Give them time and space to get acquainted with everything around them — their new daily life.”

#4 We Were Worried That The Cats Wouldn’t Get Along With The New Puppy

Image credits: arykmax

#5 Adopted This Little One 2 Weeks Ago (Oc)

Image credits: neamli

#6 Meet Nugget!

Image credits: Shyra1989

Next, we were wondering if there are any specific factors or traits to consider when adopting a cat to ensure a good match with one’s lifestyle and living environment. Andrzejewska explained: “First and foremost, we need to dispel the myth that cats are solitary animals and that they will be perfect companions for us if we work a lot. Cats are incredibly social creatures, and the lack of proper contact with humans can result in behavioral problems in the future. The second issue is the decision between getting a kitten or an adult cat. Personally, I believe that we tend to focus too much on kittens and underestimate the value of adult cats. Adult cats already have some personality traits and maturity, making it easier to predict potential problems or challenges that new owners may face compared to kittens. Properly raising a kitten is a tremendous responsibility, and ultimately, the outcome depends on factors such as the traits inherited from their parents and the environment they experienced in their early days.

Therefore, we don’t have complete control over what kind of cat they will become in the future. It’s worth visiting a shelter and spending some time with the cat before adopting them, especially in the case of adult cats. These places are usually filled with cats, and volunteers often won’t be able to tell us about the cat’s character or preferences. The cat may also behave differently during the first meeting compared to their behavior at home, so it’s a good idea to give yourself 3-4 days when you visit the shelter for half an hour or an hour each day to bond with the cat. This will make it easier for them to acclimate to their new home later on.”

#7 Happy First Cat Dad Father’s Day To Me ! Meet Frida And Florence

Image credits: beforemyeyesforget

#8 Onyx, My First Pet, My Pride And Joy

Image credits: cancerbabygoincrazy

#9 Pretty Girl Names For This Baby?

Image credits: ImaBeRealRich

Asked how fresh cat parents can establish a successful integration process between their new cat and any existing pets in the household, Paulina Andrzejewska said: “Having a separate space at the beginning is crucial. Each animal should feel safe in the presence of the other. This situation is difficult for both of them: the new cat enters a place with existing smells and other animals, which makes it feel threatened. On the other hand, for the resident animal, it seems like someone is violating its boundaries and intruding into its space. That’s why it’s always necessary to separate the animals at the beginning. If we have a cat at home and we’re adopting another one, we need to implement what is called socialization with isolation. There are plenty of guides available online on how to do this while respecting the boundaries of each animal. This process takes time, and we need to be aware that cats rarely just look at each other and immediately embrace or start grooming each other. In the case of dogs, it’s a bit more challenging because they often fear sudden movements like jumping, for example.

Additionally, many breeds have a strong hunting instinct, which can lead to problems with the dog chasing the cat. Fortunately, having a cat and a dog in the same house is no longer a sensation but rather a common occurrence, so the approach to the topic has changed. Safety gates can be helpful in separating spaces for the dog and the cat, even in a small apartment. Furthermore, the appropriate arrangement of space, such as shelves for the cat to jump on and hide from the dog, can be very helpful. The gradual introduction of the animals to each other involves initially exchanging scents (for example, bringing an item that belongs to the dog to the shelter where the cat is, and vice versa). Later, we can put the dog on a harness and leash and allow it to approach the cat (if the cat is willing, of course). The leash ensures safety and doesn’t restrict the dog’s space. Treats can be used for both animals, but only from a distance, to build positive associations between them. Sometimes, food can disrupt communication, so it’s better not to rely too heavily on it when building relationships between animals.”

#10 My New Kitten Philip J Fry, Small Fry For Now

Image credits: silver_fawn

#11 Adopted My Sweet Kendall From Animal Control Last Week

Image credits: Equivalent-Map-3207

#12 Guess My New Puppy’s Breed!

Image credits: FoxSeaHole

Lastly, we wanted to know if there are any particular behavioral considerations to keep in mind when adopting an adult cat versus a kitten. She told us: “I believe that every cat is different, and we shouldn’t generalize that one cat will be better or worse behaved than another. Each cat can have behavioral problems, which are not only influenced by the environment it lives in or lived in, but also by its health, how we react to different situations and unwanted behaviors, and simply genetics and the characteristics of its parents. With adult cats, it takes more time to open up to people again. With kittens, this happens faster, but they bite very intensively, which adult cats don’t do. The entire kittenhood period requires a lot of work: growing teeth, unlearning biting hands, learning to interact with humans, discovering dietary preferences, learning to use the litter box, and an endless amount of energy. Adult cats have passed that stage and face other challenges, such as building a bond with their caregivers and establishing a sense of security in a new home. But the most important thing is accepting the adult cat for who it is. We often adopt adult cats because they are already trained, but then we try to force them to change, play more and better, be more open, or sit on our laps. These are animals that already have their habits and characteristics, and we can’t turn a fearful cat into a super brave one by force. It’s essential to keep this in mind.”

#13 My New Friend

Image credits: Goldigger101

#14 What’s One More? We Foster Failed

She’s the perfect final addition to our family. We feel insane but we tried to find her a home and instead found ourselves feeling like she was already home. Welcome to your forever home, Paloma

Image credits: Syngoniumgirl

#15 New Kitten And Her Ice Cream Toy

Image credits: a_tattooed_artist

#16 Two Week Old Void

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#17 We Added A Family Member To The Homestead! Hopefully He’ll Keep The Turkeys Out Of Our Garden

Image credits: Al4Jenkins

#18 Picked Up A New Newfie For My Other Newfie. Everyone Meet Hank

Image credits: Constant-Recover-935

#19 My Roomate Adopted This Baby! She’s Been Hospitalized But Survived And Now Happy With Us ❤️ We Are Thinking Naming Her Ursula, Another Ideas?

Image credits: onlyludovica

#20 Meet Our Newest Babies, Mia And Lilly!

Image credits: SpaZMonKeY777

#21 Adopted This King A Week Ago!!

Image credits: Wolf_God_020287

#22 What Should I Name Her ??? Any Suggestions!!!!

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#23 Meet Winston ❤️

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#24 New Kitten’s First Nap In Her New Home!

Image credits: The_Shadow_Of_Yor

#25 Got Our Husky A Kitten And They Are Smitten

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#26 Adopted My Girl!

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#27 I Present To You Mireya. We Found Her A Week Ago In A Very Cold Ditch, We Adopted Her And We Made Her A Coat. I Love Her So Much. [oc]

Image credits: Mistressafrodita

#28 Just Adopted These Wild Boys And Struggling To Name Them. Any Suggestions?

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#29 Introducing Amadeus. I Got Him Only Two Days Ago And Now I Can’t Imagine My Life Without Him

Image credits: pippythepaladin

#30 Adopted This Sweet Girl While We Foster Her Siblings! Her Name Is Coconut!

Image credits: viku123

#31 Just Adopted This Cutie! Renamed Him Bear Because That’s Exactly What He Looks Like. He Is So So Sweet And So Friendly

Image credits: cucumberscities

#32 We Adopted This Sweet Boy!

Image credits: Emptydata_Enzo

#33 She Came Up To Me And Just Started Meowing For Me To Pay Attention To Her, I Liked Her So Much That I Took Her Home, Now I Think How To Call This Beauty With Beautiful Graces!

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#34 Our Newest Residents Here At Sara Morocco And We Are In Love!

Image credits: sproggs44

#35 Adopted The Little Boi 2 Weeks Ago

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#36 I Adopted This Voidling Today!

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#37 (Oc) Reddit, Meet Pearl. My Lil Street Kitty

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#38 Our Newest Family Member, Nero

Image credits: fugly_neighbour

#39 Here Is Pickles. The Newest Criminal In Our Gang

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#40 I Adopted A Cat Today!

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#41 Just Reserved This Lil Guy As A Pal For My 1 Yr Old Cat Who Is Lonely, He Can Come Home W Us At The End Of The Month!

Image credits: dracumorda

#42 I Adopted These Two Bundles Of Joy Recently – They Seem To Have Settled In Quite Nicely. The Burnt One Is Named Haru, And The Lightly Toasted One Is Mango!

Image credits: rugile

#43 Few Days Ago We’ve Adopted Our Baby Boy Peter

Image credits: SteveHood

#44 I Got This Handsome Dude Yesterday. His Name Is Charlie

Image credits: Relative_Neck

#45 Our Buba, Found On The Highway In A Plastic Bag, After 4 Days With Us She’s Already Potty Trained, Happy

Image credits: kaltasikni

#46 He’s Never Been Around Cats Before So I Was Nervous Taking In A New Kitten… But They Quickly Became Best Friends ?

Image credits: lishyloser

#47 (Oc) Meet My New Puppy, Tsukiko!

Image credits: gh0stpyxl

#48 Mirra Is Home With Us! Thank You For All The Well Wishes!

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#49 I’ve Never Owned A Pet Until Now And I Think I’m Furever In Love

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#50 My New Baby Tofu ?

Image credits: NinetailsBestPokemon

#51 The Sick Baby Chose Me!

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#52 Meet Olive! My Second Kitty. Got Her From A Rescue Yesterday. Shes So Small

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#53 I Am Hopefully Adopting This Little Dude Tomorrow!!

Image credits: OrganicChemist92

#54 We Adopted A Baby Today!

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#55 First Day Home

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#56 I Just Adopted Him, What Name Can I Give Him?

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#57 Can You Help Me Name Our New Family Member 🙂

Image credits: Life-Roll

#58 So… Ben Has Really Gotten Used To The New Home Quickly!

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#59 Help Me Name The Latest Addition To Our Cat Menagerie. We Have Peanut, Coconut And Karen. We Can’t Decide On A Name For This Lady

Image credits: Soft_Cash3293

#60 New Member Of The Family

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#61 Adopted A New Friend

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#62 Help Me Name My New Dog!!!! It’s A Boy!

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#63 My New Puppy! Any Guesses On What Breed He May Be?

Image credits: moneybagmike22

Source: boredpanda.com