How adopting from a shelter works

Adopting from a shelter or rescue usually means browsing cats, meeting one or two, filling in an application, paying a fee and signing an agreement. Most shelters neuter, vaccinate and microchip cats before they go home. Expect questions about your home and plans. Once home, give the cat a quiet room and time to settle.

Where cats come from

Shelters take in strays, cats surrendered by owners, kittens born in colonies and cats from animal control. Rescues are often volunteer groups that place cats in foster homes before adoption. Both aim to match cats with suitable homes. Some run in-house vet clinics. Others work with local vets.

Procedures vary by place and by group. What follows is typical. Each shelter explains its own steps.

What to do, step by step

1. Think about the cat you want. Consider age, activity, other pets and children, and your time. A kitten needs lots of attention and supervision. An adult shows its true personality. A senior may suit a quiet home. Many shelter cats are mixed-breed cats of all ages. Pedigree breeds are less common, though breed rescues exist.
2. Find shelters and rescues. Search locally, visit websites, and look at sites that list adoptable pets. Visit in person if you can, since photos and bios do not show everything.
3. Meet the cat. Spend time in a quiet room if the shelter offers one. Watch how the cat reacts to you, and whether it seems relaxed. Shy cats often warm up slowly, so ask staff or the foster carer to explain the cat's behaviour. If you have a dog or another cat, ask about introductions.
4. Ask questions. Examples: - How long has the cat been here, and where did it come from? - Does it have a known medical history or needs, such as medicine or special food? - Has it been tested for feline leukemia virus and other infections, and what were the results? - How does it behave with other cats, dogs, children and visitors? - Does it use a litter tray consistently, and what litter has it used? - What does the adoption fee include? - What is the return policy?
5. Apply. Expect an application with your contact details, housing, other pets and who lives with you. A renter may need the landlord's permission. Some groups call a vet reference or visit the home. This is to find the right match, not to judge you.
6. Pay the fee and sign. Fees vary widely and usually help cover care. They commonly include neuter or spay surgery, a microchip, and the first vaccines (often the core vaccines) and parasite treatment. Some groups do not include everything, so ask for a list. The contract may say that you must not declaw, must keep the cat indoors or must return it to the shelter if you cannot keep it. Read it carefully.
7. Get the paperwork. You should receive vet records, the microchip number and registration details, and vaccine dates. Keep them. Ask the shelter how to register the chip in your name.
8. Bring a carrier. Take a secure carrier, and a towel or blanket, to take the cat home.

Costs

The adoption fee is only the start. Plan for food, litter, a carrier, a bed, a scratching post, toys, routine vet care, parasite prevention and some savings for emergencies. The cost-of-ownership calculator on this site lets you adjust the numbers for your area.

The first days at home

1. Prepare a safe room. Set up one room with a litter tray, water, food, a bed and a hiding place. Keep it away from other pets. Add a scratching post.
2. Let the cat come out of the carrier on its own. Open the door and leave the cat alone with water and food for a while.
3. Keep visitors to a minimum. Let the cat settle for days. Some cats are shy for weeks.
4. Use the same food the shelter was giving at first, and change it slowly if you wish. Ask your vet about diet.
5. Keep the litter box clean and away from food. Cats under stress sometimes avoid the tray.
6. Introduce other pets slowly. Swap bedding, allow smell first, then see each other through a gate. This can take days to weeks. See the guide on living with more than one cat for details about a multi-cat household.
7. Book a vet visit in the first week or so, even if the shelter did a check. Bring the records. The vet will examine the cat and suggest a schedule for vaccines and checks.
8. Watch for illness. Shelter cats are exposed to many germs, and stress lowers resistance. A common problem is an upper respiratory infection, with sneezing, runny eyes and nose and less appetite. Do not treat at home. Ask your vet.

Common mistakes

• Choosing on looks alone. Behaviour and fit matter more than coat colour.
• Skipping the questions. The shelter wants you to ask.
• Expecting instant love. A cat may hide for days. That is normal.
• Introducing pets at once. Go slowly.
• Letting an adopted cat outdoors too soon. Keep it in for weeks, until it knows home, and check local advice.
• Not updating the microchip. The record may still show the shelter.
• Giving up after a rough week. Ask the shelter for advice. Many offer support after adoption.
• Not reading the contract. Know what you agree to, including the return rules.

When to see a vet

Take the cat to a vet at once if it:

• breathes with an open mouth or struggles to breathe
• strains in the litter box or passes little or no urine, especially a male
• has not eaten for a day or more
• vomits repeatedly or has continued diarrhoea
• seems very lethargic, limp or cold
• has swollen or discharging eyes that do not settle within a day or two
• is a kitten that is cold and limp

Call your vet within a day or two for sneezing, mild diarrhoea, hiding that goes on or a poor appetite.

Summary

• Shelters and rescues match cats to homes through an application, a meeting and a contract.
• Fees often include neutering, a microchip and first vaccines. Ask what yours covers.
• Ask about health, behaviour and the return policy before you sign.
• Prepare a quiet room and let the cat settle at its own pace.
• Keep the vet records, update the chip and book a vet visit in the first week.
• Watch for signs of illness, and call a vet when the cat stops eating or struggles to breathe.