So, are you ready to adopt?

Excellent! Thank you for considering us for your new furry family member!

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Before you apply, please review the following points & FAQs:

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We spay/neuter, microchip, flea treat, deworm, test for FeLV and FIV, and provide age-appropriate vaccines to all kittens and cats prior to adoption. All they need after this is a human to love them forever. Once they are available for adoption, we feature them in our Adoption Gallery as well as PetSmart Charities adoption centers, and on several animal adoption listing websites.

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• Adoptions require work and patience which our kitties deserve from us and their new families. You must apply and be approved.

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• We generally not do same-day adoptions because of the work that goes into application process. 
   

• Our cat adoption application is the FIRST STEP of our adoption process.

• If other animals are in the home or you are a previous pet parent, a vet reference check will be done to make sure you are a responsible pet parent. Please have your vet's name and correct phone number available. ​

• Cat's need yearly checkups just like humans. They often don't show signs of serious illness until it's progressed significantly. All your current pets MUST be spayed/neutered, up to date on age-appropriate vaccines (unless is medical exception), and cats should be combo tested for felv/fiv if possible and on flea/tick prevention. 

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• There are two core vaccinations for cats. The FVRCP vaccine is one of  the two. Core vaccines are shots that are strongly recommended for all cats regardless of whether they are indoor or outdoor cats. Although you may believe that your indoor cat is safe from infectious diseases such as those listed below, the viruses that cause these serious feline conditions can live for up to a year on surfaces. That means that if your indoor cat sneaks out the door even for just a minute, they are at risk of coming in contact with the virus, and becoming seriously ill. This increases if any of your cats does enjoy time outside and could bring the virus inside to your other pets. 

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• The FVRCP vaccine is an extremely effective way to protect your kitty against 3 highly contagious and life-threatening feline diseases, Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (that's the FVR part of the vaccine name), Feline Calicivirus (represented by the C), and Feline Panleukopenia (the P at the end of the vaccine name). 

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Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FHV-1)

• Feline viral rhinotracheitis (FVR, feline herpesvirus type 1, or FHV-1) is believed to be responsible for up to 80-90% of all infectious upper respiratory diseases in our feline friends. This disease can affect your cat's nose and windpipe as well as causing problems during pregnancy.

• Symptoms of FVR include fever, sneezing, inflamed eyes and nose, and discharge from nose and eyes. In healthy adult cats these symptoms may be mild and begin to clear-up after about 5-10 days, however in more severe cases symptoms of FVR can last for 6 weeks or longer.

• In kittens, senior cats, and immune-compromised cats symptoms of FHV-1 may persist and worsen, leading to depression, loss of appetite, severe weight loss, and sores inside of your cat's mouth. Bacterial infections often occur in cats that are already ill with feline viral rhinotracheitis.

• Even after the symptoms of FVR have cleared up the virus remains dormant in your cat's body and can flare up repeatedly over your kitty's lifetime.
   

Feline Calicivirus (FCV)

• This virus is a major cause of upper respiratory infections and oral disease in cats.

• Symptoms of feline calicivirus (FCV) include nasal congestion, sneezing, eye inflammation, and clear or yellow discharge from the infected cat's nose or eyes. Some cats will also develop painful ulcers on their tongue, palate, lips or nose due to FCV. Often cats infected with feline calicivirus suffer from loss of appetite, weight loss, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, squinting and lethargy.

• It's important to note that there are a number of different strains of FCV, some produce fluid buildup in the lungs (pneumonia), and still others lead to symptoms such as fever, joint pain and lameness.
   

Feline Panleukopenia (FPL)

• Feline Panleukopenia (FPL) is an extremely common and serious virus in cats that causes damage to bone marrow, lymph nodes and the cells lining your cat's intestines. Symptoms of FPL include depression, loss of appetite, high fever, lethargy, vomiting, severe diarrhea, nasal discharge, and dehydration.

• Cats infected with FPL frequently develop secondary infections as well, due to the weakened state of their immune systems. Although this disease can attack cats of any age it is often fatal in kittens. 

• There are currently no medications available to kill the virus that causes FPL so treating cats with feline panleukopenia involves symptoms such as dehydration and shock through intravenous fluid therapy and intensive nursing care.

• The second of the Core vaccinations is the Rabies Vaccine. Rabies vaccinations are Pennsylvania state law required. One-year vaccines are acceptable, or if you boost it the next year at the appropriate time you can take advantage of getting a three-year vaccine. There is no treatment for rabies infection. Prevention is the only hope to combat infection or spread. 

• ​​Please have your landlord's information handy before filling out our adoption application. We will require proof payment of pet deposit if your landlord requires it and written confirmation of their permission for you to have a pet/additional pets.

Please thoroughly read and fill out the whole application.

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• YOU MUST BE OVER 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER TO APPLY.

• You must be able to provide a copy of a driver’s license or state issued ID with your current address listed on it, or it and accompanying address update card.  

• We DO NOT adopt to new to town college students. The abandonment rate is just too high. We're preventing homeless cats don't want to go backwards.  

• Adopters must consent to keep the cat INDOORS​.

• Adopters must consent to NEVER declaw​​.

• Please keep in mind that a cat is a 15-20 YEAR commitment.

• Having a pet is also a FINANCIAL commitment! Don’t take on the responsibility for an animal’s welfare unless you have the resources to house, feed, and provide REGULAR veterinary care for your pet. 

• Not everyone who applies will be approved. We will contact you if you are APPROVED and we will set up an appointment for you to come to meet our cats or kittens. We will contact you as soon as we are able, we promise. Our organization is run by volunteers, so we appreciate your patience. Our applications are not just approved on a first come first served basis. We want the best possible fit and home for our kitties. So, we will work to approve the best possible adopter for each one. Our animals are listed online as well as some being housed at PetSmart adoption center. We actively try to update pending animals as frequently as possible. Sometimes apps for same cat come in from multiple places at once. 

• If you have an approved application with us and the kitty you hoped for isn't the best fit for your household. Your application approval will be good for six months from the date it was submitted, and we'll be happy to work with you to find your perfect furry friend. 
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Or check us out at Petfinder, Adopt-a-pet, or Rescuegroups.org

To contact our Adoption Coordinator, please email us at: harleysangelscatrescue@gmail.com