Jackson Galaxy Explains Why 'Clear The Shelters' Should Be Important to Everyone

Clear The Shelters is a nationwide pet adoption and donation campaign that helps find loving homes for animals in need. More than 1 million pets have found their forever homes since 2015.

'Cat Daddy' Jackson Galaxy , who was the host and executive producer of Animal Planet’s My Cat from Hell for nearly a decade, spoke to ParadePets about why he's so passionate about this cause.

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ParadePets: You've been super busy helping with 'Clear The Shelter' events. What else do you have going on? Any new books or TV shows in the works? Is there anything new going on with the Jackson Galaxy Project or the Good Fix?

Thanks for asking. Clear the Shelters is occupying my mind these days for good reason but by and large, my work with animal shelters is the single most important thing I'll ever do so I'm spending a lot of time helping animal shelters in this challenging moment. Beyond that, I'm working on my new book which is so exciting for me because it is a multi-media account of my life with animals through the past couple of years.

Related: 10 Tips on Adopting the Right Cat or Dog

ParadePets: What are the top three things you wish cat parents would remember when bringing a cat home from the shelter?

Number one: Remember that whatever their journey through the shelter system looked like, it was a hard one. When they arrive at your house, a quiet, slow adjustment will go a long way. Remember to provide your new family member what I call base camp. It's a room just big enough for them to "own" and establish their scent on the furniture. It should be a place where they can smell and look at their neighborhood through the windows and welcome you to their new world. Take your time at the beginning because you have a whole lifetime to enjoy each other.

Second, just like you want to take it slow introducing a new cat to their territory, you also want to take it slow with both two-legged and four-legged family members. Adjusting to a new social group is not something that comes quickly with cats. The more positive the associations, the better it will be for everybody.

Third, play with your new cat! Nothing solidifies the bond and increases their natural cat mojo like interactive play. A simple wand toy with a feather on the end of it will make for amazing moments together and will help them establish a new routine. Above all, have fun exploring your new relationship.

ParadePets: Can you tell me the #1 reason a potential cat parent would want to consider a senior cat versus a kitten?

We're currently in the middle of kitten season and so shelters and rescues are full with both cats and kittens. Senior cats are more likely to be passed over when there are a lot of kittens in the shelter and the longer they have to live in the shelter, the more susceptible they are to stress-related illness. That said, adopting a senior cat is amazing - you've never seen gratitude quite like what a senior cat will show you when you give them a loving home. One potential advantage, particularly for busy adopters, the older a cat gets, the more they just want affection and a comfy lap to sleep on. If you're looking for a relaxed cuddle buddy, a senior cat will often fit that bill.

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Jackson ended with:

First and foremost, I want to say how grateful I am to be working alongside Hill’s and NBC to help spread the word about Clear the Shelters and all of the incredible animals looking for new homes. Hill’s has a 22-year history of shelter advocacy, and I’m excited to team up with them to encourage people to bring a shelter pet home. As someone who started their career in sheltering 30 years ago I can tell you this is a particularly tough moment in animal welfare and we need all hands on deck - adopters, fosters, donors, and volunteers alike.

On September 7 and 8, to help bring the Clear The Shelters campaign to a close, join Hill’s Pet Nutrition and myself in volunteering at your local animal shelter – visit Hills Clear The Shelters to learn more and find a shelter near you. Thanks for asking - you can find me at Jacksongalaxy.com where you can find links to all my social platforms.