So that’s the goal, right? Everybody loves a happy ending, and we at Frogtown Fosters are no different. We want every kitten and cat that comes into our care to find the purrfect home.
After all, why else would we go through all the midnight feedings, administrating of meds, and sick visits? Sometimes we get lucky, and our foster (or someone they know) steps up and wantsto adopt one of our kittens. But eventually we all run out of family members, friends and co-workers to ask to adopt one of our charges.
Hello! My name is Lisa, and I coordinate adoptions for Frogtown Fosters. Let me give you a
peek at what goes into our adoption process.
First – some preliminaries
The adoption process starts when an application has been submitted. You can request an app, email us, text us, message us through Facebook, and comment online about your interest in adopting, but nothing starts until you submit your completed application to us for review.
Yes, I do a background check on each applicant and any other adult in the home. No, I don’t
care about that traffic ticket, or unpaid credit card bill from ten years ago. What I do care
about are animal cruelty charges, indications of violence, and any pattern of ongoing and
current financial difficulties that mean now might not be a good time to add to your financial
burden. And as a foster-based organization, I owe it to my fosters to know who I might be
sending to their homes for a meet & greet.
Verifying your pet policy (if you are a renter) lets me know you are aware of the additional pet
deposit (often non-refundable) and pet rent that you may have to pay after adopting a new pet. It also helps avoid issues down the line if your landlord suddenly finds out you have pets they haven’t approved. Nobody wants to be put in the position of getting rid of their pets or being evicted. Pets don’t deserve to be suddenly uprooted, surrendered to a shelter or returned to the rescue group, or worse – being dumped outside to fend for themselves because their owner got caught. And if your cat should “door dash” and get out one day, I never want there to be any hesitation on your part about posting signs and speaking with your neighbors because you are afraid of getting caught having unauthorized pets.
I take vet reference checks seriously. How you care for your current and previous pets is a
great indicator of how you will care for your new kitten. Do they get regular exams? Cats are
great at hiding illness, so getting regular exams is important for catching issues early while they are most treatable. Are vaccinations up to date? The kittens we adopt are usually 8-12 weeks old. They won’t have a fully developed immune system for several more months. Making sure your other pets are vaccinated helps protect your new kitten during this vulnerable period. Do you generally consult with your vet regarding medical issues, and follow their recommendations for treating illnesses or injuries that come up? Do you treat your cats with the same diligence as you do your dogs? Does your vet have any “red flags” regarding aggression, or medical watchouts that would impact whether we should be concerned about placing a young kitten into the home? Do they consider you a responsible pet parent? My conversation with your vet isn’t just a “check the box” exercise. It gives me a general picture ofhow we might expect you to care for your new kitten, and often leads to lines of inquiry whenwe speak. When you include your pet policy with your application and inform your vet that they have your permission to speak with us when we call, we can usually move through these preliminary steps in a timely manner.
But when information is missing or in someone else’s name, and numerous calls and emails must go back and forth to find out where the rest of your application is – this delays the process and frustrates both you and me. I want to get you matched up with kittens
as well!
Making a Match
Matching up qualified adopters with their new furry family member is a little like juggling six (or twenty!) balls in the air all at once. New applications are constantly being submitted, and
kittens are adopted as soon as they are spayed/neutered and go through clinic (at 8 weeks
old/2 pounds). The active list is always a moving target. As I write this, I have 20 applications
open (many wanting a pair of kittens), and only 11 kittens that are close enough to adoption
age to start lining up their new families. None of the current kittens in our program are “ready for adoption” today, so nobody is available for same-day adoption.
Applications are reviewed to find the best match for the needs of the kitten at hand.
Applications for pairs are prioritized over those wanting single kittens, and homes that already have a kitten or young cat are prioritized over single kittens to be adopted as an only pet. This is because studies have shown over and over that kittens do better when they have another kitten or young cat to learn from. Nobody wants a bitey, needy, or “always getting into trouble because they’re bored” kitten. It isn’t uncommon for adopters of single kittens to come back(usually at about 10 months old) to find a buddy for their resident kitty.
But even the most qualified adopters aren’t guaranteed to be the best match for a particular
cat or kitten. If you have a dog, you aren’t a good match for a kitten afraid of dogs. If you have an active house with lots of people coming and going, a kitten needing a quiet environment won’t thrive in your home. If everyone works or is at school all day, a single kitten is going to get bored (and probably into trouble) when left alone all day. Applications are reviewed with these things in mind. When we talk, I’ll ask about your home environment, what your other pets are like, and how your kids are around kittens. I want to make sure we match you up with a cat or kitten that best fits your family. I’ll ask about your experience with cats in the past, and help you think about whether a kitten is right for you if this is your first time as a cat owner. I’ll
walk you through proper introductions to the home and other pets, and kitten-proofing your
home if this is your first cat. I’ll provide information about vet histories and personalities to try to find the best match for your family. But even after all that, an adoption isn’t “approved” until you meet the kitten that you are interested in and make sure its personality is what you are looking for.
We don’t have a shelter location with paid staff open 7 days a week from 9-5. We are a foster-based volunteer organization working out of our homes. Consequently, we must work around work schedules, family activities, vacations and any number of other things when we’re scheduling meet & greets. During the height of summer when lots of kittens are in our
program, it is more likely that you can go to our adoption center and meet a kitten that’s “ready
for adoption” today. But often, the kittens I’m seeking adopters for are still underage and in
foster homes. It is not uncommon for more than one applicant to be interested in the same
kitty – especially those with compelling stories that have been a focus on social media. If one
adopter is in the meet & greet stage, the next adopter will have to wait until a decision has
been made by the first person. As kittens get paired off with their future families, the list
whittles down until every kitty has a pre-approved adopter lined up. Rest assured, there are
always more kittens coming through our program. The more flexible you are, the easier it will
be to find a match for you. But we aren’t a “build a kitty workshop”. If you want a male, and all
we have ready are female kittens, you will be placed on our wait list until the next litter with
male kittens is ready for pairing. If you insist on an orange kitten, I can’t magically wave a wand and turn my black and tabby kittens into gingers. And no amount of wishful thinking will make a six-week-old kitten old enough or heavy enough to safely go through clinic so they can be adopted in time for your child’s birthday party tomorrow.
I know that this process can seem time-consuming. I understand that you would love to apply in the morning and go home with your furry family member that afternoon. But, if you are aqualified adopter, and willing to work through the process, I’m certain we can find a greataddition for your family. After all, I love those “And They Lived Happily Ever After” endings too!
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