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Okay, I'm old.
I remember the days when a family would sit outside the neighborhood grocery store with a box of kittens their cat gave birth to. It was pretty common. 20 years ago, we did get our dearly departed amazing lovable tuxedo brothers through the Humane Society and they gave us so much joy! It was a pretty simple process. Happened to walk into a pet supply store, and there they were.
So yeah, I know it's Covid time, but I'm waiting for the shelters to actually open up. Call me old fashioned but I'm having trouble with "look at a cat on the web site, fill out an application and come to the shelter for an interview, then bring it home and it you don't want to keep it after 3 days you can bring it back" thing.
At least this is what I'm told by the shelter where I live.
Then I found a few Facebook groups for adopting cats and kittens. An adorable tuxedo kitten was posted saying it was ready for adoption and provided a link to take applications! Lol, like the housing market? One kitten and a hundred applications? Lol! Okay maybe not that many applications, but in the meantime, I'm hearing about a kitten explosion and people returning their Covid pets to the shelter cause they went back to work etc.
Oh yeah! And they all have names already! Little "Gary" "Warthog" or "Shredder" is ready for adoption now. Anyway, it's just weird to me and this is nothing more than a first world vent on something I don't like.
I know we'll be adopting a couple as soon as things open up again, and one day if we get out of our apartment and get our own place, I'll probably end up a crazy cat lady.
I'm guessing it's not like this everywhere... anyone adopt during Covid this online way? Are the shelters in your area opening up yet where you can actually go inside and hang out with the animals to see if there's a connection?
We adopted a cat from a shelter about nine months ago.
There were several posted on line from the local shelter so we called, made an appointment, confirmed the day before that the cats were were interested in were still available.
At the appointed time we showed up, got put through the covid protocol, and then were let into the "cat barn". There were maybe 50 or 60, including a couple handfuls of kittens--but only one of the cats that we were interested in was still there. Did we get lied to? Probably, unless there was a rush on cats that morning.
So, we looked around, got the back story on a few cats that interested us. One was a medium haired, gray and white, neutered female. With some goofy name, and a back story which didn't make any sense. Supposedly was not a "street" cat and not feral, but very reticent around people, and the first adoption, several months before, had not worked out.
"Is this the worst case you have, we asked? Yup". About the worst. She needs a really special home where she might grow into being a pet and not a frightened feline.
Great. We'll take her!
After filling out a bunch of forms, and making a "donation" we were headed home with "Porsche". Long and short of it, she wanted nothing to do with us and leapt from her carrier and made a new home on top of the high cabinets in the laundry room. That was her perch, although we did put out food and she must have come down during the night to eat a little something as her food was always disturbed.
I'll save you the long story, but after several months of gentle and kind interaction we were actually able to touch her, then get her to play with a toy, then have her sleep in a cat bed at floor level...and on and on. At the least provocation she would bolt like lightening and flee to a safe place. The top of the cabinets, under the bed, behind the washer, and on and on.
Now, we are nine months in. We have a true friend and a loving cat (with a new name!). She will sit beside us, let us pet her, be wonderfully interactive with soft toys, and even will sleep on the bottom of our bed if we leave a t-shirt down there for her to sniff and feel comfy with. We get purrs and the occasional "rub my belly". By a year's time, we think she will might actually be pretty "normal", but the shelter was right: She needed a very special home where she could adapt and adopt us at her very own place.
So, OP, it can be done. It is not like it "used to be", but you have to persevere and ignore the barriers which people put up to prevent good adoption situations.
I too would never adopt a kitty I hadn't spent any time with. In fact, the last time we adopted a kitty, I went to the shelter to look at one cat but chose a different one instead.
I would still look online and choose 2 or 3 that seemed like a personality match, or a bonded pair since you're interested in that. Then I would call the shelter and be honest about what I prefer regarding adoption.
Perhaps you can schedule an appointment to meet some kitties. You may need to wear a mask or stay in one room while they bring the cats to you, but you should feel comfortable with the process.
Yes, many rescue groups give kittens names, but you're welcome to change the name. In fact, there's a trend in naming "themes" (like characters from movies, types of food, etc).
The world is not a safe place for "free kittens" any more. "Free kittens" attack evil people who take the kittens for unspeakable evil things. Dog fight bait is the least of it.
Shelters, and rescues require applications and to get to know you for a reason. Some even insist on home visits. they will contact your vet as well.
People who don't spay their cats are irresponsible, but hopefully when their poor cat pops out yet another litter they at least make the effort to know who is going to take the kitten, by some form of application and charging a decent fee.
Ethical breeders of course, are going to make anyone who wants to buy their kittens jump through hoops. And that is how it should be.
The world is not a safe place for "free kittens" any more. "Free kittens" attack evil people who take the kittens for unspeakable evil things. Dog fight bait is the least of it.
We adopted a cat from a shelter about nine months ago.
There were several posted on line from the local shelter so we called, made an appointment, confirmed the day before that the cats were were interested in were still available.
At the appointed time we showed up, got put through the covid protocol, and then were let into the "cat barn". There were maybe 50 or 60, including a couple handfuls of kittens--but only one of the cats that we were interested in was still there. Did we get lied to? Probably, unless there was a rush on cats that morning.
So, we looked around, got the back story on a few cats that interested us. One was a medium haired, gray and white, neutered female. With some goofy name, and a back story which didn't make any sense. Supposedly was not a "street" cat and not feral, but very reticent around people, and the first adoption, several months before, had not worked out.
"Is this the worst case you have, we asked? Yup". About the worst. She needs a really special home where she might grow into being a pet and not a frightened feline.
Great. We'll take her!
After filling out a bunch of forms, and making a "donation" we were headed home with "Porsche". Long and short of it, she wanted nothing to do with us and leapt from her carrier and made a new home on top of the high cabinets in the laundry room. That was her perch, although we did put out food and she must have come down during the night to eat a little something as her food was always disturbed.
I'll save you the long story, but after several months of gentle and kind interaction we were actually able to touch her, then get her to play with a toy, then have her sleep in a cat bed at floor level...and on and on. At the least provocation she would bolt like lightening and flee to a safe place. The top of the cabinets, under the bed, behind the washer, and on and on.
Now, we are nine months in. We have a true friend and a loving cat (with a new name!). She will sit beside us, let us pet her, be wonderfully interactive with soft toys, and even will sleep on the bottom of our bed if we leave a t-shirt down there for her to sniff and feel comfy with. We get purrs and the occasional "rub my belly". By a year's time, we think she will might actually be pretty "normal", but the shelter was right: She needed a very special home where she could adapt and adopt us at her very own place.
So, OP, it can be done. It is not like it "used to be", but you have to persevere and ignore the barriers which people put up to prevent good adoption situations.
Patience is indeed sometimes needed for sure. After our nearly 17 wonderful years with our 2 boys, last Thanksgiving we were visiting an elderly relative who is suffering from some dementia problems and he was neglecting to take care of his beautiful old kitty. She was matted from head to tail, meowed a lot and pretty much slept with her face in the water dish. We insisted on taking her with us and after a little fighting with him, he relinquished the kitty.
We knew she was sick and old, but wanted to give her some comfort. We took her to the vet and she was diagnosed with diabetes and it took all afternoon to remove the mats from her skin. After being free from those torturous mats, she became a very sweet old lady and loved to be petted while on our laps!
Unfortunately after a month of insulin treatments, she was still getting weak and it ended up that she also had pancreatitis. We gave serious consideration after the diagnoses for her to be hospitalized and receive treatment to give her a chance, but she went downhill the next day so fast and was howling. Called the vet and she recommended euthanasia. It broke our hearts to send her over the rainbow bridge and we cried like we had her since forever, but we didn't want her to endure one more minute of pain.
Anyway, I totally get wanting to give a home to an "underdog" animal. My niece recently adopted a 3 legged boy and he's doing well.
I too would never adopt a kitty I hadn't spent any time with. In fact, the last time we adopted a kitty, I went to the shelter to look at one cat but chose a different one instead.
I would still look online and choose 2 or 3 that seemed like a personality match, or a bonded pair since you're interested in that. Then I would call the shelter and be honest about what I prefer regarding adoption.
Perhaps you can schedule an appointment to meet some kitties. You may need to wear a mask or stay in one room while they bring the cats to you, but you should feel comfortable with the process.
Yes, many rescue groups give kittens names, but you're welcome to change the name. In fact, there's a trend in naming "themes" (like characters from movies, types of food, etc).
I hope you get to adopt a kitty or two soon.
I did try and went there in person just about a month ago, but the lady who came to the door told me they were only doing straight adoptions online. No coming in to visit at all. Apply for cat you choose from picture, interview, take home, then 3 day trial. Yeah right! It would have to be a literal Tasmanian Devil with poison spikes for me to return a cat, lol!
The world is not a safe place for "free kittens" any more. "Free kittens" attack evil people who take the kittens for unspeakable evil things. Dog fight bait is the least of it.
Shelters, and rescues require applications and to get to know you for a reason. Some even insist on home visits. they will contact your vet as well.
People who don't spay their cats are irresponsible, but hopefully when their poor cat pops out yet another litter they at least make the effort to know who is going to take the kitten, by some form of application and charging a decent fee.
Ethical breeders of course, are going to make anyone who wants to buy their kittens jump through hoops. And that is how it should be.
Oh I totally get it, however, we have a pet store in the mall and of course they're just the opposite. At least paying money might deter some of those horrible people. My cousin has a bunch of black cats she's rescued over the years around Halloween in her area. Frikkin' evil weirdos out there!
We adopted a third cat from our local shelter about three months ago. I had been keeping an eye on their pets on Facebook and saw a beautiful gray and white guy that was a year old that I was very interested in adopting. So I made an appointment and went in to see him. In the cat area they were all in their cages except for a year old ginger girl who was just wandering around. She had been brought in as a stray a week earlier. When I walked in she was all over me like I was her long lost best friend.
No way I could resist that sales job. Had to wait a few days until she was spayed, but right now she is zonked out in a cat tower next to my desk. She is so affectionate and friendly to everyone right from day one. I wish I knew what her story was before she wound up at the shelter, but she sure knew how to play the game to get adopted quickly. Luckily for the gray and white guy, he got adopted later that same day
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