Impulse Buys Not the Best Gifts

Think that adorable kitten in the pet-store window will make the perfect gift for someone you know?

Before you put a ribbon around Kitty's neck, consider this: Many pets given as gifts wind up abandoned or in shelters, because owners are unable or unwilling to care for them. Even if the recipient has been considering pet adoption, he or she should be the one making the decision about being the new parent of a fuzzy bundle of joy. Unlike a toy or a toaster, which can be returned, a cat is a living creature that requires a long-term commitment.