WATERLOO -- Six-year-old Lexi Butz of Waterloo received an early Christmas present Friday.

Two presents -- to be exact.

"My daughter has been saying for the last three years that she wants a kitty," said her mother, Traci, who adopted an adult cat and a kitten for the child. "Before, I just wasn't ready to have that responsibility or to give her that responsibility."

But now that Lexi is in first grade, Traci thinks her daughter is old enough to help care for the animals. She picked out a free tabby kitten at an area farm and adopted a 3-year-old gray cat from the Cedar Bend Humane Society.

"She's wanted this for so long," Traci said. "It'll be a Christmas wish come true."

In cases like this one, in which families have carefully considered the requirements of animal adoption, both people and pets benefit from a holiday match-up, said Dr. Chad Smith of Taylor Veterinary Hospital in Cedar Falls. But problems can crop up when gift-givers adopt a cat or dog without considering the time or money needed to give the creature a happy home.

Prospective pet owners should make sure their family is prepared to provide food, shelter, health care and exercise opportunities before adopting, Smith said.

"Pets as planned presents are great," he said. "But what we tend to worry about is when people go out and get a pet as a Christmas present without really considering what it takes to care for that animal. It shouldn't be a spur-of-the-moment thing."

Many people grossly underestimate the time and money required to care for a cat or dog, Smith said. Depending on the breed, a puppy can cost between $511 and $6,600 in the first year, according to PetEducation.com, a Web site published by two Wisconsin veterinarians. Over the course of a 14-year life, a dog can cost $4,242 to $38,905. A new kitten will set you back $491 to $3,125 during the first 12 months, and $4,521 to $18,322 over 14 years.

Families strapped for time should consider cats before dogs, said Smith, but both species need daily socialization and exercise. Puppies demand extra attention in the first few months as they become housebroken. All dogs generally require a consistent toileting schedule. And it is recommended that cats and dogs receive a battery of "starter" vaccinations and are spayed or neutered in the first 16 months of their lives, Smith said.

"There's a lot to consider," he said. "The biggest thing to remember is by adopting a pet, you are committing yourself to care for that animal for (its) lifetime."

Before choosing an animal, families should surf the Internet and talk with breeders or veterinarians about what kind of cat or dog would best suit their lifestyle. Staff members at the Cedar Bend Humane Society can also help people pick the right pet, said co-director Kristy Gardner.

"We ask them about what they want in a companion, how much time they have to devote to caring for the animal, and how much space they have for the animal," she said. "There are some dogs, for example, that do fine in apartments and others that need much more room."

Business at the Humane Society usually picks up around the holidays, Gardner said. But before finalizing adoptions, shelter staff stress the importance of proper pet care. After all, Fluffy or Fido will remain a part of the family long after you've dragged your Christmas tree to the curb, she said.

"We want to make matches that work," said Gardner. "We're looking for 'forever homes' for our animals."

Contact Mary Stegmeir at (319) 291-1482 or mary.stegmeir@wcfcourier.com.