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 $110.00-$135.00 for mixed breed cats and $135.00 - $200.00 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.
Please
Read:
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.
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