I adopted a 6 yo cat from a shelter 5 mos after my 20 yo cat passed away. She was very shy at first, actually she hid under the bed. We thought we made a mistake because she was so unsociable. Now, a year later she has become such a little sweetheart.

She was trained to use a scratching post and I, too, trim her claws. I have a scratching post in all the rooms that she frequents and haven't had any problems with her using the furniture. The shelter tested her to see how she reacted to kids and dogs.

I did have to spend more money than expected because she had contracted a virus at the shelter and her teeth had not been taken care of so I had a big dental bill. She also has food allergies so I have to be very careful of what I feed her.

My fee from the shelter included required shots, testing and identity chipping in case she got lost.

I requested a house only cat. We have coyote and fox in our neighborhood and I couldn't stand the thought of losing another cat so soon. She has no interest in going outside but loves to sit in the windows so we provided lots of places for her to perch. Besides a cat that lives indoors typically lives longer than an indoor/outdoor cat.

You can buy strips of plastic that attach to the furniture to protect it until you're sure the kitty will use the scratching post.

There is lots of information on the web about adopting cats from shelters and how to introduce the newcomer to your family.

Adopting from a shelter requires patience since you don't get much information from them about the cat and you have no idea how they were treated in their former home so it takes time to understand their idiosyncrancies. The shelters are full of wonderful cats needing a home and I'm sure you'll find the perfect kitty.