Dear Dr. Evans,

I am looking to adopt a cat, so I've been cruising Petfinder.com. Some of the cats are tagged with a heart, meaning they have special needs. As I read some of their stories, I'm intrigued and feel like I'd like to help. How can I tell if I'm a good candidate for a special needs kitty?

—Looking for a Friend

Dear Friend,

It's wonderful that you feel the urge to help a cat whose needs might exceed those of the average cat. To evaluate how good a fit you'd be, forewarned is forearmed. What you need is 1) as much information as you can get in advance and 2) brutal honesty about yourself and what you are willing to and capable of taking on.

Information first. Petfinder, as you know, identifies the nature of the special needs, as do most good adoption programs. So do your research. A quick peek at the website shows that "special needs" encompasses a wide variety of conditions, some far more challenging than others. Three-legged kitty? Go for it. Positive for feline leukemia or feline aids? Maybe—but only if you're willing to confine the kitty to the house, to have no other cat in the house, and you think you have the emotional strength to love a cat who may not live as long as you would like (but really, what cat or dog has ever lived as long as we would like?). Chronic medical conditions like diabetes, constipation, or glaucoma? Please do your research and be very honest with yourself.

Start by talking to the caretakers at the shelter, who should be intimately familiar with the care the kitty needs. If the cat requires medication twice daily, do your circumstances allow that? Do you have competent backup if you have to leave town or will be delayed? What are the consequences of missing a dose? How expensive are the medications? Is a special diet required? If a disease like diabetes requires a strict and consistent diet, and your grandmother or 2-year-old can't resist feeding table food behind your back, this is not the kitty for you. By the way, if you have a working relationship with your vet, he or she should be a terrific resource.

If the special need is a behavioral problem, you especially need to go in with your eyes open. Fearful or aggressive pets need an experienced owner, one who can commit to a behavior-modification program and a lot of patience. I adopted a golden retriever, Coyote, with a history of swallowing foreign bodies when there was household stress. He was surrendered after his third surgery. Eyes wide open, puppy-proofed to the max, I was sure that wouldn't be a problem for us—until it was. Twice. (Not to mention that he's the world's only agoraphobic golden, but that's another story...) So if you are considering a pet with a behavior problem, be aware that there are no quick and easy fixes, and he or she deserves your entire commitment.

After all this, I hope you decide you can open your heart and home to some kitty who needs you. And I hope you'll be very happy together.

—Dr. Evans

Dr. Lynn Anne Evans of the Barrington Veterinary Clinic has been practicing veterinary medicine for 26 years. Do you have a pet question for Dr. Evans? Please email life@eastbaynewspapers.com, with "Dr. Evans" in the subject line. The Barrington Veterinary Clinic is located at 260 Waseca Ave., Barrington.