kitty

Frequently Asked Questions

Check this page for questions and answers about our kitties and our adoption process.

Are all the kitties on your website currently available for adoption?
We strive to keep our site very current. We are all volunteers, however, so every once in awhile a kitty who has been adopted may remain on the website for a couple of days after adoption. If you see a kitty on the website you are interested in, go ahead and fill out an application for that kitty. If the kitty has been adopted, we will work with you to help you find other kitties that will fit the bill. View our kitties online here.

How long does it take to get approved once I submit an adoption application?
Our goal is to contact you within 48 hours of receiving your application and start the application review. Our volunteers are very motivated and eager to have our kitties adopted, so we move as quickly as we can. Often, if there is a delay, it is because the personal reference or landlord has not called us back. Please be patient, as our work to place the right pets in the right homes is all done by volunteers.

What if I don't know what kitty I want?
Just fill out the application without entering a kitty name in the line that asks which kitty you are interested in. That will trigger the screening process, and during that process our volunteers can help you identify kitties that might be right for you!

How can I meet the kitties I'm interested in?
Once you are approved to adopt, our volunteer will connect you with the foster(s) of the kitties that you are interested in. You can talk with the foster to learn more about the kitty from the person who knows the kitty best. Then, a visit can be arranged.

Are your kitties litter-box trained?
All our kitties are litter-box trained. If we have a kitty with litter-box issues, we do not consider that kitty adoptable until those issues are resolved.

I have a kitty I can't keep. Can you take it?
We will always take in any kitty who was one of our foster kitties in the past. We also work very diligently to take in as many kitties as we can. In addition, we have a large network of rescue colleagues and are happy to connect you with them to see if they can be of help.

Can you refer me to a no-kill shelter?
We are happy to do so. There are very few no-kill shelters and space is limited. We urge you to make a significant donation to the shelter if they are able to take your kitty in.

What do the adoption fees cover?
Our adoption fees cover an initial veterinary health examination, spaying/neutering, rabies & FVRCP vaccinations, testing for FIV & FELV, microchipping and general veterinary care. For older cats, we run a senior blood panel to make certain that thyroid, liver and kidney functions are normal. On average, we spend much more on a kitty than the adoption fee the new family pays. We could not cover the cost of rescuing kitties through adoption fees alone, and we rely on donations and grants to make up the difference.

Where do you get your kitties?
We rescue them primarily from high-kill shelters in the Bay Area. High-kill shelters are those which normally euthanize 8 out of 10 animals who come into the shelter. We rescue as many adoptable kitties as we have foster homes for.

What does it mean if a kitty is listed as a "courtesy post" on your website?
That means the kitty is not in our foster care. We work with other rescue groups and shelters and offer them space on our website to post kitties that people who want a Maine Coon might be interested in. If you are interested in a "courtesy post" kitty, you should get in touch with the contact person person listed on the ad rather than contacting Maine Coon Adoptions. We do not review applications for courtesy post kitties.

Will I be able to learn why the kitty was in the shelter?
We do not usually receive information about kitties from prior owners, and we receive no information at all if they were strays. To ensure successful adoptions, we have the kitties examined by our vet, and evaluate their behavior in a foster home environment. We try to learn as much as we can about their personalities in order to match them with the right home.

If I come to an adoption fair and like a kitty, can I take him/her home?
The adoption fairs are designed to allow the public to meet our kitties. Owning a pet is a lifelong commitment. We require that you submit an application and be approved before taking a kitty home, but you can submit your application prior to a fair for review. If you are approved before the fair, you can take the kitty home from the fair. If you haven't submitted an application before the fair, you can begin the adoption process at the fair.

If I adopt a kitty and it doesn't work out - what can I do?
When you adopt from us you sign a contract which states that if anything happens whereby you cannot keep your pet you will notify us and return the animal to us. We will then attempt to find a new home for this animal. Adoption fees are refundable if the kitty is returned within one month after adoption.

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© 2008 Maine Coon Adoptions