Top Ten questions
1. Does your shelter or rescue test for FIV/ Feline Leukemia?
A. Many shelters and/or rescues will not test kittens/cats for FIV/Feline Leukemia because of the expense and time that it takes. We test to insure that our kittens/cats are negative for FIV/Feline Leukemia before we adopt them out.
These diseases are silent killers and it is extremely important that the animals test negative prior to adoption to prevent heartache at a later date. If a kitten/cat has one of these disease you should consult your veterinarian for advice on options for long term care and handling.
2. How does your rescue socialize your kittens and cats?
A. Many shelters and rescues manage their kittens/cats in a cage based environment. They often lack the individual attention that helps the kitten to develop the social skills required to adapt quickly to new situations.
All of our kittens/cats are raised and/or kept in a home environment. This way they get used to all the sounds of home – toilets flushing, ice makers, hair dryers, etc. and can more easily acclimate to a new environment. We socialize the kittens with our existing babies so that they are used to a variety of cats – all sizes, shapes, colors and dispositions. This helps to increase the odds that they will integrate into your household fairly easily.
3. What is your adoption fee and how much do you make on each animal that you adopt out?
A. MKR’s standard adoption donation is $100 and is tax deductible.
We lose money on every kitten/cat that we adopt out. The cost of veterinary care, food, etc. far outweigh any money that we take in for adoptions. We depend heavily on individual donations and on a few grants that we have been able to obtain.
Please consider giving a little extra if you can find it in your heart to do so.
4. What services does the adoption fee cover?
A. The donation fee covers the cost of veterinary care up to the time of adoption. For kittens this includes: a) testing for FIV/Feline Leukemia, b) a well kitten visit at a local vet – 1st set of shots (FVRCP), deworming, fecal exam, treatment for ear mites if required, Revolution flea treatment, any other required veterinary services and c) a spay/neuter certificate to cover the cost of spay/ neuter surgery. Note: Kittens should get FVRCP booster shots at 6, 9 and 12 weeks of age.
5. What additional costs am I responsible for after I adopt the kitten or cat?
A. After the adoption is finalized the client is responsible for any additional veterinary charges for your new baby with the exception of the cost of the spay/neuter surgery. Specifically, you must provide the kitten with the required shots after the adoption is finalized. So, if a kitten is adopted at 10 weeks of age, MKR will pay for the first two sets of shots/vet visits and the client is responsible for the last vet visit and shot(s). If the kittens does not get the shots the vet may not honor the spay/neuter certificate without administering the additional shots.
You will need a carrier to pick up your new baby so if you don’t have one you will need to purchase one before you pick up your baby. We recommend getting a carrier large enough to accommodate you kitten/cat as they get older.
You are also responsible for the everyday needs of your new baby – food, litter, litter box, water dish, etc.
6. Do you microchip your kittens and cats?
A. Our adoption fee does not currently cover the cost of a microchip. We do have an option to purchase a Smart Tag microchip for a small fee.
If you get one of our microchips you are responsible for (1) the cost of having the chip placed in your kitten or cat and (2) registering your information with Smart Tag. The actual cost to place the microchip in your baby will depend on the vet that you use. The fee is usually minimal if you have the chip placed at the same time as the spay or neuter surgery.
7. Will you take the babies back if it does not work out for me?
A. Any time you add a new kitten or cat to your household there is a possibility that the new baby and your existing baby may not be able to get along at all. We want you and your new addition to be happy with the new household situation.
We do ask that you try for two weeks to see if the animals can learn to get along in a way that works for you.
We will take back the kitten or cat up to a month after the adoption. After that it depends on whether or not we have available space to house the kitten/cat.
8. How many kittens/cats do you adopt out in a year and how many returns do you have?
A. In the Birmingham Area the two Humane societies are the largest adopters of kittens and cats. We currently adopt out over 200 kittens/cats every year and are unofficially the 3rd largest adopter of kittens in the Birmingham area.
We have a return rate of less than .1% over our seven year history.
9. Are you a 501-c3 non-profit and how long have you been in operation?
A. MomaKat Rescue is a 501-c3 non-profit. To most folks this may not seem important but it means that we took the time and went to the expense of becoming a registered entity and that any donations to our organization are truly tax deductible. We have been in operation officially since February , 2009 and have adopted out over 1,000 kittens/cats in that time frame.
10. What do you do to improve the odds that your kitten/cat will get along with my cat? dog? kids?
A. There are no guarantees when it comes to integrating a new kitten or cat into your household. We work hard to make the process as smooth as possible by preparing our adoptees for a variety of home environments. All of our babies are home raised and interact with a large number of cats/ kittens so they tend to accept new animals quickly. They generally see your animals as a new buddy versus a feared enemy. When you adopt from us we share with you a step by step process for introducing your new family member to the rest of the tribe (kittens, cats, dog, kids, grandparents, etc.)
We use two different kinds of litter boxes (open and closed) so that the kitten or cat you get from us will quickly accept the new potty environment. Our kittens/cats are exposed to all types of home noises (toilets flushing, hair dryers, ice makers, etc.) so this dampens the fear factor. We train all the babies to go up and down stairs so they are used to both 1 and 2 level houses. We put the kittens up at the same time every night and let them out at the same time so they are used to a routine which helps them adapt to your sleeping environment.