Finding a Home for a Rescued Cat or Kitten

 

"With my gray and white fur, I can match any color or decor!"

We receive daily emails and calls inquiring if we could take in a kitten or cat or two or more.  The stories surrounding the situation vary. Often the caller has found a mother and litter of kittens or just the kittens. Or an owner has to give up their pet for a number of reasons (valid or irresponsible). More often we hear of scenarios where an elderly person has to move to a nursing home or has passed away. Sadly, no definite plans were made for the continued care of their pets.  The fact that you clicked on this tab and are taking the time to read this post shows you care! Thank you.

Most nonprofits like Riverfront Cats/Pawsitively Humane, Inc. can NOT take them in, not on a daily basis. Why? As a no-kill shelter we are all limited in space and funds.  We have to find homes for our current rescue cats (and dogs) before accepting new ones. Plus, there are half a million homeless pets in South Florida.  There are just not enough shelters to take them in and homes to readily adopt them. It takes time to find homes. But there is hope--in you! Yes you. Individual contributions make a difference.  It requires work but this will ensure your rescue kitty has a chance to live in a permanent home and off the streets. Only as a last resort should you take the cat to a county or city shelter.

PROVEN TECHNIQUES to FIND A HOME FOR A KITTEN or CAT

In this post we offer proven techniques to help you find a home for a kitten or cat. 

1. Ideally, it's best to take the kitten or cat to a vet for an initial exam, bloodtest (primarily  for FIV and FLV) and vaccinations.  This is step one in the protocol followed by nonprofit shelters to determine if your rescue carries the two most common illnesses. (FIV = Feline Aids; FLV Feline Leukemia*). If you are limited in discretionary funds, then go straight to step 2. If the cat is more than two months old, please get him/her spayed/neutered.  This is critical to prevent unwanted litters and more homeless cats.  Chances are there is a local organization that offers low-cost spay/neuter.  Check online.


2. Photos. Lots and lots of photos. We don't mean five or six snapshots. Take at least 50 photos!  Half the trick is marketing or advertising.  ALSO, take the time to stage the setting with solid and contrasting colors, accessories for kitty (if he/she will not get scared). You can have fun with this task!   If the cat is black, use a solid white or bright background or even a pattern.  If the cat has a pattern or stripes, then use a solid background. By taking 50+ photos this gives you the opportunity to take photos in different lighting, changing the props, capturing kitty in cute, funny and adorable positions and poses, using Instagram...GET CREATIVE!

1. Brainstorm a unique name. Think of the personality of the cat and connect it to popular characters on TV, movies, pop culture, or literature.


2. Create a nice flyer with one or two quality photos, the name, and a brief description.  Be sure to include your contact information. 
1. We encourage you to ask for a fee especially if you invested in veterinary care for the kitty's initial checkup. Giving the kitten or cat away for free means the cat has no value and there is higher risk the cat will become unwanted in the near future.  
2. If the cat's story is sad or heroic, share that story in one paragraph. Stories sell! Please describe more than the cute and adorable attributes. That's wallpaper and attract minimal interest.  HUMANIZE the cat.  Ie.  We once rescued two male sibling kittens.  One was a terror and the other sang opera so we named them Figaro (Italian opera) and Luciano (after Italian mob boss Lucky Luciano). We described their behavior "Figaro will serenade you..." and "Luciano lures into dark alley (the kitchen) and will pounce you for food!"
3. Post that flyer in every single veterinary office and pet store with public bulletin board in your city.
4. Share that flyer or photo/description with all your friends, family, colleagues via email, Facebook, Pinterest and all social media. You will learn some people prefer email, some prefer Facebook, some texting. 


3. If you are not able to keep the cat or kitten for an extended period, you can always invest in a newspaper ad.  This will cost more but you will reach thousands of readers and increase the rate of adopting sooner than later.  It's all a numbers game.  Contact your local paper for rates. 
1. Craigslist is one form of advertising for free but we strongly advise you to ask interested persons to answer a few questions. You want to ensure the person is ready for the LIFETIME responsibility of adopting a pet.  It costs money and takes time to care for a pet, similar to a child. If they travel a lot, will this person readily invest in a pet sitter? If anyone hesitates to answer your questions, then that is a sign they are not serious. Move on.  In our line of work, we come across many people who fall in love with the cute kitten or adorable puppy but when Fluffy and Fido grow up, owners are not enamored and tire of the responsibility and later dump them into the streets or county kill shelters.  Yes it happens. You can always join a local animal nonprofit organization as a member and use their form.  In Miami, Cat Network membership is only $25 a year.  This will entitle you to low cost spay/neuter ($25) and sometimes free when CN wins grants. You can then use their application and a member will mentor you in interviewing potential adopters and to perform a home visit.  ALWAYS conduct a home visit when working with strangers. Just as a home needs to be baby proofed for infants and toddlers, dogs and cats also need a home free of dangers. Also, hoarders exist more than you know. Here is a sample Adoption Application. Feel free to borrow the questions to utilize in a casual email. Do not adopt out to anyone that would permit the cat to walk onto a balcony of a highrise building--cats will jump on the ledge and fall. It happens more often than people think. All it takes is a flying bug or floating piece of lint to ignite the cat and the next second they are jumping on the ledge and do not realize the actual height.

Do not delay in following these steps.  Also, kittens are easier to find homes for than adult cats.  This is why you want to act quickly with kittens before they get bigger.  Bigger is not as cute.

Thank you for taking the time to learn how to find a home for a rescued or abandoned kitty. Please do not hesitate to email (riverfrontcats@yahoo.com) us with any questions.  We're all in this together and the more people working together, the sooner we can make a difference in the plight of homeless pets.

Thank you GOOD SAMARITAN!

* Please do not be alarmed if you learn that your rescue cat is positive for FIV and FLV. Often these cats live long INDOORS.  While initially it was suggested not to mingle FIV positive cats with healthy cats, we are finding more experienced cat owners  willing to let their healthy cats co-mingle with FIV or FLV cats as long as there is no fighting.  Transmission of the diseases comes from blood transfer usually through aggressive fighting.

If You Find Kittens

We receive many of these calls especially now that it's kitten season. Most nonprofits are overwhelmed with rescue animals that they can not take in more cats or dogs. The solution is YOU! But don't worry, we offer information and tools to guide you through the process. It's three overall steps.

1. Take kitten to vet for medical checkup and get kitten spayed/neutered if it's 4 months old
2. Providing nourishment, warmth and relief
3. Find the kitten a home if you can not keep it

First, if you found kittens and a mother cat, try to observe if they are still nursing from the mother. If not, they are ready to be separated from the mother and taken inside so they can find permanent indoor home.  Another sign is the color of their eyes. If they are blue, they are still young and likely to be under 6 weeks of age and should remain with the mother unless you are prepared to bottle feed. Once the eyes are no longer blue is a good indication they can be separated from the mother. However, if you find kittens and not the mother cat, it could be that the mother is searching for food.  Do not remove the kittens right away. Please check regularly for the mother cat. She will need to be trapped and spayed immediately.

When bringing in the kitten, if you have other pets, it's important to keep them in a separate room until they are bloodtested and vaccinated.  This will also help minimize any allergic reactions for family members that suffer from allergies.

Take the kittens to a local veterinarian  to help determine the kitten's age, exact care needs or if any health problems exists. At this time the vet will perform a physical exam, a bloodtest and possibly administer vaccinations. If the kitten is at least 4 months old, it is critical to get it spayed/neutered but instead of spending $250+ at a vet, you can go to a low cost spay/neuter clinic for outdoor cats. Cats can get pregnant as young as four and five months.

SPAY/NEUTER
In Miami you have options. The Miami Dade Animal Services (MDAS), The Cat Network and Planned Pethood all offer low cost spay/neuter. At MDAS you have to make an appointment. With the Cat Network you must become a member for the year ($25) and then purchase a S/N certificate ($25) and take to participating veterinarian. Be sure to check their website to see if there is a vet near you.
With Planned Pethood you must make an appointment. They are located off of I-95 and Opa Locka Blvd at shopping center just west of I-95. Very easy.

If the kitten can eat and drink well on its own, he or she may only need routine care (a safe environment, kitten food, water, toys, bed, litter box--use non-clumping litter for kittens ).  If the kitten is too small to eat and drink unassisted or does not have eyes open yet, then they are too small to be taken from the mother. But if you do not see the mother, do not immediately assume she abandoned them. Try to spend some time observing. Often she's searching for food. If the mother does not return, then do take in the kittens. You will have to act as a replacement mother.

MILK
Extremely young kittens need to be fed kitten milk replacer according to the manufacturers' directions as often as every 2-4 hours, depending on age. NEVER give the kittens regular cow's milk. They are lactose intolerant so give any lactose-free milk at room temperature or goat's milk is the best.

WARM BED
They may require a SAFE heat source such as a heating pad and an enclosed area like pet bed or box with blankets. If a heating pad is used, be sure to keep it very low and only use for half of the nest area or bed. This the kitten can move between warm bed or cooler spot in self regulating their body temperature. We recommend warm towels, no heating pad, if they are staying in a heated home during winter.

BATHROOM
Newborn kittens can not pass stool and urinate by themselves.  They need gentle rubbing in the genital areas (with moist warm cotton balls or a very soft moist cloth) to help them pass bodily wastes.  This should be done every time the kittens are fed. Any stool or urinate MUST be gently, but completely cleaned off the skin to avoid potentially severe skin rashes and even blistering from body wastes. 

What if you find the mother cat?
CLICK HERE for help on what to do if you find a mother cat, or adult cat.

Finding Homes for Kittens
CLICK HERE to learn how to find homes for kittens.

Any questions, the best way to reach us is via email at
riverfrontcats@yahoo.com

or call 786-205-6165
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