My wife and I adopted a 2-year-old female cat from the Green County Humane Society on Friday.

“Polly” had been a rescued cat that came to the humane society with a group of several other cats. In that group, which the humane society took in last May, Polly was one of four pregnant females. She apparently had a healthy litter of kittens and was deemed the “best mother of the bunch.”

My wife and our family had a cat previously named “Sarah,” who passed away at the ripe old age of 17. Sarah was the most unique “meower” I had ever heard and it often sounded like she was trying to talk. Sarah stayed active up until her final week and her passing was hard on my wife and step-son, who had raised her. Sarah was part of the family connection with my step-son, Nathan, who passed away in a prom-night car crash in 2010. Saying goodbye to Sarah was difficult.

Our choice to adopt a new cat was not taken lightly, because being a pet owner brings with it a great deal of responsibility. Since Brenda and I are officially “empty nesters,” we thought this was a good time to adopt a cat.

When I was growing up, my family always had dogs. We had a beagle/terrier, black lab and Irish setter. While none of the dogs were mine personally, I had the responsibility of feeding and cleaning up after them.

Dogs take a great deal of training. Puppies are incredibly cute, but they need constant companionship and the proper direction. Of course, puppies don’t stay puppies forever. Getting dogs to be obedient is something that requires training for both the owner and the pet. Certain breeds of dogs can be problematic in certain circumstances. Dog owners must be aware of the traits that come with different breeds in order to ensure safety for all.

As a paper boy, I visited many homes with dogs. Virtually all were well trained and well treated. However, there was one home on my route in which the customer had a poorly-trained pit bull. On two occasions the dog broke the glass in the front door trying to get out of the house to come after me. Dogs can sense fear, and at age 11, I had plenty of fear of this pit bull. I had been around a lot of dogs in my short life at that point, but I had never been around such an aggressive dog. Of course, in the pet’s home, it may have been the sweetest, most loveable, pet that the family ever owned. I only know that from my perspective as a visitor who had to go to the home, I did not feel safe around that dog.

Owners of dogs with breeds like the pit bull, rottweiler, Doberman pincher and American (German) shepherd support their breeds and point to training and safe handling as factors that make their dogs as safe as any other. According to the Canine Journal, the dog that bites people the most is the Chihuahua.

While I spent a lot of time around dogs growing up, I understand that dogs need more socialization than cats. With both my wife and I being busy people, having a cat fits our lifestyle.

When we brought Polly home last week, we were prepared for the worst. Maybe she wouldn’t come out the pet carrier for hours. Maybe she would run somewhere and hide for days. Maybe she would have difficulty using the litter box. Perhaps she would start destroying things. Our decision could have been a disaster.

Instead of the worst, we got the best. 

Polly emerged from her carrier and ran around the house getting used to her new surroundings. She found two alcove windows where she liked to perch and look outside. She used the litter box. Within four hours she had become a lap kitty, making sure to visit both my wife and I regularly. She entertained herself by tossing around a penny on the floor. She used the new scratching post we bought for her. She didn’t try to get into things she shouldn’t.

We’re still very early in our relationship with our new addition to the family, but so far so good.

I would not obtain a pet unless it was through a humane society. I imagine that Polly’s life before she came to the Green County Humane Society was very difficult. She was in a household with more than a dozen cats of various ages and they hadn’t been cared-for properly. All came to the humane society with illnesses common to neglect.

Green County has a wonderful humane society. It’s professionally run, has a kind staff and avid volunteers. It’s clean as a whistle. The two cat rooms are thoughtfully designed.

“Polly” was not the first cat we saw, but I think as soon as Brenda saw her, the “looking” was over. I’m very agreeable about these types of things and Polly fit all of the categories we had on our checklist. She is a short-haired, spayed, female with claws on her front paws and is past the age of 2, but not past the age of 4.

I’m a sucker for rescue stories. We will give her a loving home.

If you’ve never visited the Green County Humane Society, even if you’re not looking for a pet, spend an hour making a visit. It’s a gem in our community.

— Matt Johnson is publisher of the Monroe Times. His column is published Wednesdays.