Questions About Us

 

What pets do you have available for adoption?

Our current focus is to assist rescues with the growing feline population due to covid-19. We offer matchmaking adoption services for all the cats and kittens in our care along with referrals to our partner rescues. See Adoptable Cats and Kittens Here!

 

How does the adoption process work?

​

Step one: Browse!

Start by browsing our available cats and kittens for adoption! Not seeing your perfect match? You can also visit our partner rescue groups on Petfinder to see more available pets for adoption. If you need help narrowing down what kind of cat or kitten would be a good fit for your home email us for help! With our many years of combined experience matching pets to people, we will be happy to provide assistance.

 

Step two: Apply!

If you find a cat or kitten you are interested in, just send us an email letting us know! We will email you an adoption application. Once you've completed the application - just email it back to us and we will send it to our adoption team for review.  Please allow up to 3 days for our volunteer team to complete the review.  Since the majority of our work is volunteer managed - your patience is greatly appreciated.  We work very hard to process requests and applications as quickly as possible, so if you grow concerned about a slow response, we encourage you to send a follow up email.  

 

Step three: Meet and Greets!

Meeting your future fur-ever friend in person is an important step of the process! While we do our best to provide accurate descriptions online of each pet in our care, meeting your kitty in person and speaking with their foster will provide you with the best picture of what they will be like in your own home. After your application has been approved for an in person meet and greet, we will coordinate a date and time for you to meet with the cat in their foster home. Please see our COVID-19 precautions for more information on how we are keeping you and our fosters safe!

 

Step four: Decision Time…

Now comes the time for you and your family to decide if the cat you applied for is the best fit for your home. You may “just know” this is the kitty for you OR you may meet the cat and feel you just didn't click. Either way, we encourage potential adopters to “sleep on it”. Give it 24 hours - after all - this could easily be a 20 year commitment.  If after 24 hours you’re still confident in your choice and are ready to bring your new family member home - we’ll move on to Step 5!  If for any reason you come to the decision it just wasn't a match, that’s okay too! Our priority is "best match" for cats and their adoptive homes.  Just let us know so we don't run the risk of missing another home who might be better suited for a specific purrsonality. If you find there are other cats in our care you’d like to meet - just let us know on that front too!   We will gladly hang on to your application so you won't need to fill it out again at a later date. 

 

Step five: Adoption!

Time to make things official! We will work with you and our fosters to find an adoption date and time that works best for everyone. This may involve returning to the foster home to pick up the kitty or a home delivery! Since our fosters become very attached to their foster cats and kittens, they many times love to see where their new fur-ever home will be.  There will be an adoption contract for you to sign, an adoption fee to be paid and the adoption coordinator or foster home will provide copies of your new cat's medical history and review any information we have on your new pet.

And just like that - you have welcomed home your new fur-ever friend!

Fear not though!  We are still here to help with any questions or concerns that may come up along the way! We make a lifetime commitment to our alumni and are more than happy to help guide you our best care and health practices, behavioral training, nail trimming and feeding.

For any future medical concerns, we do recommend you please contact your veterinarian for a professional opinion.

And of course, we love updates! We encourage you to send us emails or post to our Facebook page to let us know how you and your feline friend are doing!

 

 

Can I put a cat or kitten on hold?

Since our rescue groups focus on a best match scenario for placing adoptable animals in homes, we do not operate under a "first come first serve" policy. We work very hard to ensure each cat in our care is placed in a home best matched to their (and your) needs.  This means no animal will go home same day and no animal may be placed on hold. However, it also means if an cat has an application pending; you can still apply! Working in this manner helps to ensure our furry friends do not find themselves back in rescue over their lifetime.

 

How can we meet adoptable cats in person?

See our adoption process above. After submitting an adoption application and being approved, we will set up a time with our fosters for you to meet the animal of interest!

 

How do you manage meet and greets during Covid-19?

To ensure the utmost safety for you and our fosters, we ask you follow certain guidelines before attending a meet and greet. All parties in attendance must wear a face mask during the in person meet and greet and during an adoption. If you have been experiencing any symptoms of COVID19, have been exposed in the past 14 days, or have tested positive in the last 14 days, please let us know immediately.  We will gladly reschedule any and all  appointments and you will not lose the opportunity to meet your chosen pet.  We also offer meet and greets via video call if you or your family are uncomfortable entering a foster home.   However; we do recommend meeting our cats in person if at all possible.

​

Why is the adoption application so long?

We put a lot of hard work, love, and finances into the care of our animals and want to be certain they go to the home that is perfect for them and you.  Every question on our application form is meant to ensure you and our feline are meant for each other. We never want the to start off with an improper fit that can often lead to a heart-breaking return to rescue for adopter and pet. The more detail you provide gives us a better idea of what you are looking for in a new family member.  If you have any concerns or need clarification around specific questions on our application, please let us know before you submit.

 

What if I adopt a cat and it doesn't work out?

While we work very hard to make sure everyone has a "happily fur-ever after", we also understand life can throw curve balls. Please contact us if you are having specific issues in caring for your adopted cat or if you are contemplating a return. We will work with you to try to resolve your concerns or offer a safe haven for your adopted cat. All of our affiliated groups accept their alumni animals back into their care if a home does not work out. Under our adoption agreement terms, we DO require you not re-home or surrender to a different rescue without contacting us first.

 

Is there an application fee?

Nope! It’s completely free to apply to adopt; however, there is a non-refundable adoption fee.

 

How much does it cost to adopt?

Adoption fees traditionally range from $150.00 to $275.00.  Now for the good news!  All of our adoptable cats and kittens go home spayed or neutered, up to date on all vaccines (Rabies and FVRCP), tested for FIV and FeLV, dewormed, treated for fleas/ticks and microchipped. See Adoption Fees for more information.  Keep in mind, the average cat owner spends about $800 per year caring for their pet. Pet food, litter, annual vet visits and vaccinations can quickly add up! Be sure to keep these costs in mind when considering adoption.  

 

I need to re-home my cat - can I drop him/her off to you?

Our primary mission is to offer assistance to the existing homeless cat population.  This means the cats in our care come from unsafe circumstances.  We do not accept owner surrenders. If you need to re-home an animal, please see our Rehoming Advice page. If you have found a stray, a lost cat kitten or trapped a feral, please see our Found Cat Advice for next steps.

 

My application was declined, what now?

We get it.   It can be completely discouraging and even feel hurtful when an application comes back declined. But hang in there!  Just because one pet wasn't your perfect fit - it doesn’t mean you should give up your search! Bottom line?  Most applications are declined because we know the cat, not because of you.  When your wants and needs are reviewed, the our reviewers have the benefit of personally knowing your pet of interest.  Sometimes what you envision from a photo simply isn't  the reality of a particular cat's personality.  While we understand you may be unhappy, please know our job is to protect you from the bigger disappointment of bringing the wrong pet home.  Stay optimistic! We will be happy to continue to work with you to help you find the right ball of fur YOU are looking for. Do not give up! Your purrfect match is out there and we promise they are worth the wait!

​

 

Donations and Volunteering

 

I have items I’d like to donate; how can I get them to you?

We except, and greatly appreciate, donations of new and gently used items! See our In-Kind Donation suggestion list to see what items are most needed. If you have items you’d like to donate, please email us at s.o.s.rescuerelief@gmail.com and we will set up a pickup or drop off time and place.

 

Can I get a donation receipt for tax purposes?

Yes! For monetary donations made online, an emailed donation letter will be sent within a week of receipt of your donation.  For monetary donations mailed to us, a letter of receipt will be mailed back to you, If you are looking for a receipt for an in-kind donation, please let us know before we set up a time to pick up or drop off items so we have one ready for you.

​

Are you currently accepting new volunteers?

We do not currently have a volunteer program due to our adoption center closure in August of 2020. However, as we continue to grow and expand, we look forward to offering volunteer opportunities in the near future! Stay tuned and stay updated on our activities by following our Facebook page.

​

My child has a community service assignment, can they volunteer with you?

We do not have a volunteer program outside of our current specialized foster base at this time. Due to the nature of working with live animals and their occasionally unpredictable behaviors, we do not accept volunteers under the age of 18 for safety and insurance reasons.

​

Below is a list of service projects you may want to consider for your child if you are looking to complete a community service assignment with their school. Please be certain to email us before you get started on a project so we can be certain to support your work and potentially offer guidance and educational resources.

• Host a bake sale or some other kind of fundraiser.

• Make fleece tie blankets or sewing fleece blankets, beds or toys.

• Build feral cat houses,

• Host a kitten shower or food drive to collect items we need most!

 

Cat Care

 

Why is it better to adopt kittens in pairs?

It is critically important for the development of a kitten’s social skills to grow up around and reside with other cats and kittens. Separating a kitten from litter mates or adopting a single kitten at an early age can result in unwanted behavior problems like biting, rough play, inappropriate urination, destructive scratching behaviors and intense territoriality resulting in very difficult (if not impossible) future additional pet introductions.  This scenario is routinely called Single Kitten Syndrome. You can read more about Single Kitten Syndrome here! and here Kitten Lady: Why two kittens are better than one .

 

If you are looking for a single cat, try looking at young adults who have displayed a desire to BE a single cat. At around two years of age, a cats personality is much more developed and rescuers are better able to evaluate which cats will thrive as a single pet and which cats will need a friend to be happy.  

 

What supplies should I buy before bringing my new cat home?

See our Cat supplies list!  There is even a print option available so you can take the list to the store and check off items as you stock up. We also offer advice on the products we prefer and some money-saving tips!

 

I just brought my cat home….what now?

If you have adopted a cat through The Adopt-A-Pet Shop, you were provided with an adoption folder that included reference materials for taking care of your new cat. You will find lots or great reference material and tips to help guide you through settling in at home and proper pet care in the coming years! 

If you adopted your cat elsewhere or lost your adoption folder, you will finds tons of helpful information on our Resources page.  You are also welcome to email or call us if you have any specific questions or concerns about your new kitty.

​

How often should I scoop a litter box and how many litter boxes do I need?

We recommend scooping litter boxes at least once a day. Scooping less often creates the risk of inadvertantly teaching your cat to find another place to go potty.  Cats are incredibly fastidious critters and their sense of smell is 14 times greater than yours!  If you've ever used a Port A Potty at a concert - you will understand what we mean.  If you can smell the box - they have been smelling the box for a while!  

​

A general rule on number of litter boxes?   One for each cat plus one extra. So, for one cat - two boxes. Two cats -three boxes etc.. If you have more than 3 cats, you may be able to get away with having 3 or 4 litter boxes, but you should make certain they are EXTRA large boxes and you scoop them more frequently.

​

My cat won’t use the litter box! What do I do?

Find answers to this and many more litter box questions Here!

  

What kind of food should I feed my cat?

If you are about to adopt, we always recommend you start with the food your cat was eating during his/her time in rescue.  We strongly recommend you feed the same brand and quantity of food as fed in their foster home until they are fully acclimated to your home. Cats can have very sensitive systems.  Stress (good OR bad) can cause gastrointestinal upset resulting in loose poop and/or vomiting. Ideally,  you won’t want to switch kitty’s food while still adjusting to your home. It should also be noted we occasionally adopt out cats with certain dietary restrictions,. We may recommend or even insist a cat be kept on a particular food for the benefit of his/her overall health.

When it comes to choosing a diet for you cat, we encourage you to do your homework and take note of the individual needs of your new cat.  Just like people - one size doesn't fit all.  The information regarding food choices can be overwhelming and some recommendations are good, some are bad and some are just plain confusing. You may want to check out Catinfo.org for tons of great information about your cat's nutritional needs and possible diets.  Keep in mind - highly advertised doesn't necessarily mean the best.  Think fast food ads.  We want to encourage you to do your own research to find what works for you and your kitty!