Snowshoe Cats for Adoption in Long Beach, CA

Snowshoes tend to be sweet and devoted, often picking a favorite person and following them from room to room. Many are a bit reserved with visitors. Their soft, melodic voice is easy on shared apartment walls, though personalities vary, especially among Snowshoe-pattern mixes, so watch how each cat behaves while you spend time together.

Expect moderate activity: a daily session or two with wand toys, balls or a food puzzle keeps a Snowshoe content. They're smart enough for trick training and fetch. In a Long Beach apartment, a tall cat tree by a window and a shelf or two give them a place to climb and watch the street.

Snowshoes are generally healthy and often live into their late teens. Urate bladder stones show up more often in the breed, so watch for straining or blood in the urine and see a veterinarian promptly. Dental disease and heart conditions are worth screening for at yearly checkups, as with many cats.

A Snowshoe does well in a condo, apartment or house as long as it has vertical space and company. Many dislike long, empty days, so a home where someone's around often, or with another friendly pet, suits them best. Long Beach's many apartments and condos offer plenty of workable homes.

Winter runs 47 to 67°F, so a Snowshoe's short coat with little undercoat is fine indoors with a sunny perch or a warm bed. Most of the year's rain falls from November through March, often in a few heavy storms. Keep a wand toy handy to burn off energy on those stormy days.

Spring brings 54 to 71°F days, ideal for open windows. Make sure every window has a sturdy screen, since a curious Snowshoe may try to chase birds outside, and secure any balcony. Shedding is low to moderate, so a weekly brushing is plenty as the weather warms.

Summer runs 64 to 80°F with cool nights, so fresh water and a shaded spot are usually enough. Never leave a cat in a parked car, and treat panting as a warning sign, since cats don't normally pant. Fireworks are illegal citywide but still frighten pets around July 4: keep your Snowshoe in a quiet room with a radio on and its microchip registration current.

Fall runs 58 to 78°F, but August and September are Long Beach's warmest months, and a few 90-degree days can linger into October. During heat waves, like the September 2024 alert that forecast highs up to 102°F, offer shade and water. Regional wildfire smoke can drift in too, so keep windows closed and your cat indoors.

A Snowshoe's best space is indoors: a window perch, tall cat tree or wall shelf lets it watch the street safely. Long Beach's dog parks and beaches are for dogs, not cats. Coyotes live in the city, and keeping cats indoors is the only way to fully protect them, so for fresh air, consider an enclosed balcony, a catio or a harness and leash.

Long Beach requires cats over four months old to have a current rabies vaccination and to wear a City license tag or carry a registered microchip with an annual license. Cats that age must also be spayed or neutered unless exempt. No breed-specific rules apply, and households are limited to four pets.

About 59% of Long Beach households rent, at a median rent of $1,962, so get pet permission in writing. California caps total move-in security at one month's rent for most landlords, so a pet deposit generally has to fit inside that cap. State law doesn't limit monthly pet rent or guarantee a right to keep a pet.

A Snowshoe typically costs about $1,200 to $2,700 a year in Long Beach. That covers food at $25 to $50 a month, insurance at $25 to $50 a month, routine vet care at $150 to $350 a year, and other costs of $462 to $1,162 a year, including litter. Adoption fees vary and appear in the listings.