CAT ADOPTION POLICIES

Thank you for considering adopting a cat from us! Please read our adoption policies below.

Policies

cats must be indoors only
cats can not be declawed
kittens must be adopted in pairs unless you already have a young, compatible cat at home
adoptions are a lifetime commitment

An adoption official makes all final adoption decisions with input from the foster parent. These policies are designed to ensure the health and safety of our cats and the compatibility of the cat with their adoptive family.

Our adoption fee is $125 for one cat and $150 for a pair. These fees help defray the veterinary expenses we have incurred which includes: exam, FELV/FIV testing, age-appropriate distemper and rabies vaccinations, spaying/neutering (if over 4 months of age), deworming, and all other necessary vet care.

Are Pets Allowed?

If you rent your home or are subject to a condo association, does your lease or by-laws give you permission to have cats? If you move, are you committed to finding housing where cats are allowed? Reason: We want to ensure upfront that your housing allows cats so they do not have to be returned to our care or you are asked to move.

Spaying/Neutering

All cats and kittens over 4 months of age are spayed/neutered by SPCA before adoption. Younger kittens not spayed/neutered by SPCA before adoption must be spayed/neutered by the adoptee at approximately 4 months of age. SPCA coordinates the surgeries and offers adopters a discounted spay/neuter through our Spay, Inc program which offers discounted surgeries from local vets. The adopter incurs the cost of the spaying/neutering. Cats will not be placed in a home where there is an un-neutered cat or dog. Reason: Virginia law requires all cats/dogs adopted from animal welfare organizations be spayed/neutered. Each year, millions of cats/dogs are needlessly euthanized because there are too many of them and too few responsible homes to care for them. There are also significant health and behavioral benefits to spaying/neutering (e.g., reduced risk of certain cancers, elimination of spraying urine).

Family Member

An indoor cat can live up to 20 years. Are you prepared to make a lifetime commitment to your cat? A cat is not a toy but a member of the family to be treated with love and respect. Your cat should share the house with you and not be confined to one area.
Reason: A cat who is not a member of the family will not be happy and may become withdrawn, mean or destructive.

Costs of Care

A single cat will cost about $400 per year in food, litter, and basic medical care. This does not include any health-related illnesses or emergencies. Your cat will need an annual checkup and age-appropriate vaccinations for rabies and FVRCP (“distemper”). All cats require periodic vet care. You are responsible for all medical bills once you adopt the cat.
Reason: FVRCPs prevent your cat from catching upper respiratory infections (URIs) and distemper (which can be fatal). Rabies shots are required by law even for indoor cats. They prevent your cat from contracting rabies and passing it on to humans if the cat comes into contact with a rabid animal. Your cat may catch an occasional URI or ear infection. Expect medical needs to increase as your cat ages.

Children

If you have a child under 6 years of age, you must adopt a cat or kitten who is 6 months or older. Reason: Younger kittens are more fragile and can be accidentally injured by a small child. Also, young kittens have not learned yet to retract their claws. While a scratch is typically no more harmful than falling down on a playground and scraping a knee, young children who are scratched may develop an unnecessary fear of a kitten. And, the kitten, in turn, may become fearful of a child who cries after being scratched. Children and pets make wonderful companions for one another when supervised and matched up appropriately.

Single Kitten/Cat

Kittens MUST be adopted in pairs unless you have a young, compatible cat in your home. In addition, adult cats that need feline companionship, regardless of age, MUST be adopted in pairs or into a home with a compatible cat. We will advise you which cats in our care would be happy as single cats and those that need feline companionship. Reason: A kitten by itself will get lonely, depressed and/or destructive. Also, many adult cats need feline companionship to be happy.

Indoor Cats

You must keep the cat indoors at all times, unless the cat is on a leash and accompanied by you. Reason: An indoor cat with proper care can live up to 20 years. The average life span of a cat who wanders outside is two years. Cats are killed and injured by cars every day on neighborhood streets as well as major roads. Other dangers include contracting diseases from other cats, getting injured by other animals, and being poisoned or abused by people who find it annoying for cats to wander onto their property. A cat can also devastate wildlife such as birds, squirrels, and chipmunks.

Declawing

Our cats may not be declawed for any reason. If you want a declawed cat, ask us if we have one that is already declawed.
Reason: Declawing is cruel, physically and psychologically, and completely unnecessary. A cat’s claws function as part of its fingers and toes. Declawing is amputating the last joint of a cat’s toes. The surgery and recovery is extremely painful. Declawing impedes a cat’s ability to walk and play as well as protect and groom themselves. Psychologically, cats need to claw as part of their grooming ritual and many cats knead with their claws to express comfort. Declawed cats tend to have higher levels of anxiety because they feel defenseless and often become biters. They also tend to react to stress by acting out (e.g., not using their litter boxes). Frequent clipping of the tip of the claw can help alleviate damage due to scratching. An SPCA volunteer or your vet can show you how to properly clip claws. Give your cat plenty of appropriate things to scratch and gently correct your cat if he/she scratches the wrong things. A little patience, positive reinforcement, and consistency in training will alleviate the vast majority of scratching problems.

Lifetime Commitment

In signing the adoption contract, you are making a lifetime commitment to care for your cat. You may contact us if you have an urgent situation and cannot continue caring for your cat. We will do everything we can to help you resolve your situation such as providing advice, helping you find a new home for your cat, or returning your cat to SPCA's care at our discretion. Your cat remains your responsibility unless and until SPCA agrees to take the cat back into our care.
Reason: We want our cats to be cared for all their lives. We will do everything that is reasonably possible to help ensure this happens.

Home Visit

We may visit your home after the adoption to make sure you and the cat are happy. We occasionally do a pre-adoption home visit if questions arise relating to the compatibility of a certain cat with a particular home environment.
Reason: We want our cats placed in compatible, loving homes. Most people provide good homes for their pets. However, sometimes a cat or person’s needs are not met or lifestyles are incompatible. If this occurs, it’s best to return the cat to our care and to discuss the possibility of adopting a more compatible cat.

Revised June, 2009