The Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter was founded in 1965 as a sanctuary for the abandoned and unwanted cats in our community. We have worked hard for 50 years to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home these amazing kitties with their forever families.
We were the first no-cage, no-kill shelter in Arizona, and are one of only about two dozen shelters in the United States that cares for cats with FIV (feline immune-deficiency virus) or FeLV (feline leukemia virus) for the entirety of their lives, or until they are adopted. We believe that every cat has a family, and we just need to find them!
In order to find adoptive homes for our special needs kitties, we instituted a new program called Lease for Life. If you are interested in adoptive one of our FIV or FeLV kitties, ask us about it!
Not only are we a long-term sanctuary for kitties with special needs, or who might be considered unadoptable by other shelters due to behavioral issues, we're an active adoption facility! All of our kitties are adoptable or available for sponsorship.
When we rescue a cat or kitten, they are provided with love, attention, cuddles, medical care, toys and everything they need in order to have a happy, healthy life, for as long as they are with us. If we aren't able to find them an adoptive home, they will spend their lives with us at the Hermitage. We never destroy an animal to "make room for another", or because they are "inconvenient". Rather, they are protected and loved from birth/rescue until death.
Create an alert, and we'll notify you every time a new pet comes in who meets your criteria.
5278 E 21st St.
Tucson, AZ 85711
Create an alert, and we'll notify you every time a new pet comes in who meets your criteria.
Pima County, Tucson
Additional adoption info
How does the adoption program work?
Our shelter is open to the public from 10am to 5pm, Tuesday through Saturday. We can give visitors a tour of our facility, and introduce them to kitties who will be a good fit for their home, based on several questions, such as “do you already have pets?” and “how many people live in your home?” Potential adopters are given a 2 page adoption application, and when it is filled out, the cat or cats, go on hold for the duration of the processing. You can also find our application online at https://hermitagecatshelter.org/adoption-form/.
On our application we ask about your current and past pets, whether you have a veterinarian currently, and if your landlord will allow you to have pets (if you rent). We also ask for 2 personal references; they must be over the age of 18, and cannot live with you. We will perform a background check, contact your references, and if you rent, you can provide us with a copy of your pet addendum.
Please note the background check is integral to our process, and we will speak with you if anything come up on it that concerns us. Non-resident students, persons with a history of domestic violence or violence against animals, and those students in student housing will be denied. Under no circumstances can a Hermitage cat ever be declawed—this will put you in breach of contract with us, and we will reclaim the kitty.
We have an adoption contract that you must sign before you can take your new kitty home; we also provide a “cheat sheet” of vaccinations, letting you know when your cat was vaccinated, so you and your vet can plan for future boosters. We will discuss transition with you to help you and your kitty. We are also available to answer questions about your new kitty, so don’t hesitate to call us.
All of our cats are vaccinated, microchipped, spayed or neutered and SNAP tested (for FIV/FeLV) before they are available for adoption.
Adoption Fees:
Kittens (up to 1 year of age): $115 (two for $200)
Adult cats (1-7 years): $80 (two for $130)
Senior cats (7+ years): $50
Cats with special needs (FIV/FeLV/Diabetes etc): $50
Lease for Life: $50 (ask us about this program for special needs kitties)
Seniors for Seniors: $15 (ask us about this program!)
Adoption application
4000 N. Silverbell Road,
Tucson,
AZ
85745
Vail, AZ 85641
Tucson, AZ 85701
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