Additional adoption info
The adoption process is as follows, when adopting with us:
1. You'll fill out an application and send it back. It takes approximately a week for processing and completion once it's received. Make sure all information you provide for references, work and living, are up-to-date and correct, as we call everyone.
2. Once the application has been verified, I ask we do a phone interview to go over all details and talk about the rest of the process, and answer any additional questions. I also ask that as part of the process we conduct a FaceTime or Zoom interview, in lieu of a home visit (which can be your phone interview, too).
3. If all goes well, after all steps are completed, we can formalize the adoption.
The Itty Kitties MUST LIST with adoptions are:They MUST be kept up to date on all vet care.They MUST stay indoors (or in a safe, enclosed outdoor space they cannot escape from).
They MUST never EVER be declawed (it's actually illegal now, thank goodness!).You MUST have a plan in place for any travel/illness/death.You MUST never just give them away if you cannot take care of them.You MUST be able to provide for their well-being and their care. Pets can be very expensive, so before you take one on, you must be really ready for it.
All baby kittens from Itty Bitty City Kitties are adoptable at approximately 10-12 weeks of age. All kittens have their first (or first two, depending on age at adoption) FVRCP vaccine, a well visit, deworming, and a blood panel to check for disease. Kittens are hand-raised, often orphaned, infants. We care for them around the clock and provide high-quality vet care, socialization and diet. When they are ready to adopt, they will be on a daily feeding schedule (of both wet and dry food) and litter trained.
Older cats (6-months and up) can go home (usually) right away. They are often solo, and totally up to date medically.
Upon adoption I will provide you with their full vet record, as well as the Itty Kitty Kitten Starter Kit. The kit contains a 1 week supply of all the food they eat, litter materials (for transition at your home), their favorite toys, and an adoption photo.
I try to adopt baby kittens (animals under 4 months of age) in pairs to homes without other animals. Once in a while, I send singletons, but only if the cat seems to do well as a solo. Cats are very social creatures that do best emotionally and psychologically, with a feline companion. Young kittens are especially needy for time and energy, and can become restless, depressed or aloof without constant playful engagement. Plus, bringing two requires the same as one, as you already have to buy all the materials for a single cat, adding a second takes no extra additional supplies (aside from extra food), and gives you the benefits of watching two babies grow, learn, and play as a team. Very often I get litters where specific kittens are bonded, and breaking that bond to adopt them to different homes is emotionally damaging and can cause potential issues to outside adopters. This is especially true if the litter is a pair of orphans. Because they are without a mama, they will spend ALL of their time with each other (and me), and will be deeply united. When this happens, I give adoptive priority to a home who will take the pair, and not a single. This article is a great resource for information of duos:
http://www.kittenlady.org/twokittens
For adopters looking at adding a new furry addition to their family, it’s important to remember it takes time, care and patience to slowly introduce a new animal into an established animal's home. Usually older cats do best adjusting to a younger kitten, as they feel less threatened. But, in time most animals adjust and become fast friends. It is critical to know that if you are going to bring a new animal into your family, you must be patient and not expect instant friendship, and you must support and love both your current pets and your new ones, as they make the transition.
This is a great article and video for tips and tricks on introductions:
https://www.jacksongalaxy.com/blog/the-dos-and-donts-of-introducing-cats/
As with all rescues, animals with Itty Bitty City Kitties are subject to contractual obligation and an adoption fee. The fee for a single animal, 6 months and under is $175 (kittens who go home in pairs are 2 for 1). It is payable via PayPal (ittybittycitykitties@gmail.com), Venmo (@ittykitties), Check, or Cash, and due at the time of adoption. This fee includes the Kitten Starter Kit, all previous vet care, all vet records, adoption photos, and of course, the animal! :)
Adoption application
https://www.ittybittycitykitties.org/adoption
