Pat Brody Shelter for Cats
Adoption Policies
Standard Adoption Policies
- Adoptions are by appointment only. We do not have open viewing hours.
-
You must be at least 21 years of age to adopt from us and must have your
landlord’s permission if
you are living in an apartment.
- Our Adoption Fee is $85.00-$125.00 for mixed breed cats and $125.00 - $150.00 for pure bred/exotic breeds. If the cats come with pedigree papers, the fee may be a bit higher. We are only able to accept cash or checks at this time.
- Prior to adoption, all of our cats and kittens have been vet checked, had rabies and distemper shots, been tested for FeLV/FIV, treated for ear mites and fleas, de-wormed, spayed or neutered, and given any other necessary medical care. (The only exception is that some kittens are not yet old enough to have their rabies shot.)
- We reserve the right to refuse to adopt a cat to anyone we feel would not provide a good home.
- If you have other pets in your household, they must be up-to-date on vaccinations before you adopt a new kitty from us.
- We require that each adoptive person sign a contract that they will NOT surgically declaw any cat adopted from us. We would be happy to adopt to you a cat that came to us already declawed.
- Kittens under the age of 4-5 months MUST be adopted in pairs, unless you already have a young cat at home. We have seen that kittens do much better developmentally and socially when they have a playmate to interact and grow with. This is a general guideline, and some kittens 4 months and older must still be adopted in pairs if they are bonded to other cats.
- The youngest kittens we will ever adopt out are 8 weeks old. Kittens younger than this are infants and still rely on their mother for many things.
- If you have problems with your new cat adjusting to your home, we require that you correspond with our shelter behavior specialist before returning the cat to us. Returns are conditional on space availability at the shelter and you may have to wait until we have the room to take the cat back.
It is the goal of the Pat Brody Shelter to find good, permanent homes for as many cats as possible, however, this is a very stressful process for the animal.
The
cats and kittens at our shelter have come from a variety of circumstances;
most of them unpleasant. Many were abandoned, others were turned into
large, over-crowded shelters or pounds, where they were scheduled for
euthanasia simply due to lack of space, some were fortunate to have
escaped from abusive or neglectful situations, while others simply were
unloved and unwanted.
The
calls the shelter receives to take in cats are far greater than the calls
received from prospective adopters. Because it is hard to turn an animal
away when you know the animal will suffer or die as a result, the shelter
is frequently overcrowded.
After
arriving at the shelter the cats and kittens are examined, vaccinated,
wormed, spayed or neutered, and blood is drawn for routine tests. This
process, while ruling out common problems, cannot guarantee the health of
the animals.
Although the shelter does everything possible to minimize the spreading of germs and viruses, it is an impossible task. The stress these animals are under is overwhelming, and one of the effects is that they will sometimes develop upper respiratory infections (colds). Symptoms are sneezing, runny eyes and nose, and coughing. (There is no need to become upset, a cold will not kill a cat and in most cases, if left untreated, will pass in a week or two.)
SEE YOUR VET RIGHT AWAY IF THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS
ARE EXHIBITED:
- Large amount of green discharge from nose
- Deep consistent cough
- Lethargy
- Fever (Feel ears & paw pads)
- No signs of eating their food. Kitten can "crash" within 2
days and adult cats within 3-4 days if they become dehydrated from lack of
food/water. This is why we recommend feeding both wet & dry food. Wet
food is a good indicator of their appetite. Do not combine these foods.
Canned food can be given morning & night. Dry food should be left in
bowl at all times for them to eat as needed during the day.
We strongly recommend that all cats and kittens adopted from us, although
they may not need any additional vaccinations at the time, be examined by
your own veterinarian in order to establish a lifetime relationship
between your veterinarian and your cat.
All vaccines, treatment and exams are at the adopter's expense. They
are not included in the adoption donation. Because
we are operating a non-profit shelter and the costs incurred for each cat
are usually much higher than the adoption fees we receive, we cannot
afford to pay for the veterinary visits after the cat is adopted.