Our Adoption Process
Bringing home a new member of the family is an exciting time. Adopting with Itty Bitty City Kitties is different and unique method of adoption. We believe in what we call the - Fully Supported Adoption Model - Our animals are family when they are fosters with our organization. They are never caged (unless for medical reasons), and are cared for in our homes, socialized, played with, and loved. When they go to their new home, we are available for any texts, calls or questions at any point. We make it our job to make sure your new family fits in puuurrfectly. Once an Itty Kitty, always an Itty Kitty.
All kittens from Itty Bitty City Kitties are adoptable at approximately 8-10 weeks of age. 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. Eligible kittens for adoption are fully vetted, vaccinated, spayed/neutered and microchipped. They go home clean, nails trimmed, and ready to play!
Upon adoption we will provide you with their full vet record, as well as the Itty Kitty Kitten Starter Kit. The kit contains a three day supply of all the food they eat, litter materials (for transition at your home), their favorite toys, blankets, a cat carrier and an adoption photo.
Beginning the Process:
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, we 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:
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They MUST be kept up to date on all vet care.
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They MUST stay indoors or leashed when outside.
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They MUST never EVER be declawed.
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You MUST have a plan in place for any travel/illness/death.
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You MUST never just give them away if you cannot take care of them.
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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.
Adoption Related Questions
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I only want ONE kitten. Do you adopt single kittens?
No. We only adopt baby kittens (animals under 6 months of age) in pairs to homes, unless you already have a young cat and are looking for a friend for it. 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 we 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 will be deeply united.
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I want the smallest, most tiniest baby you have. I'd even love one with a bottle! Do you adopt neonatal kittens?
Never. The level of care and medical attention neonatal kittens need comes with hours of training and education. Taking on a neonatal kitten is taking on the care of a life. Young kittens are subject to all kinds of illnesses, diseases and gastrointestinal issues. While we know how cute a tiny baby is, we also know how fragile they are, too, and how quickly they can fail. Trust us - the best kittens are the healthy ones, ready for a home at an age-appropriate time.
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Do you only have baby kittens for adoption?
While we tend to work mostly with neonatal and orphan kittens, we often have older kittens (over 6 months of age) and friendly adults looking for their furever homes! One of our specialties is working with mama cats and their babies, and when mom is done doing her job, she needs a home too!
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We already have a cat and are very nervous about getting a second cat! Help!
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.
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Can we bring our cat to meet the kittens and see who gets along?
No. For the safety of the kittens and your cat, we do not allow trial introductions. It is far too stressful on the animals. Cats are territorial and deeply rooted in routine. Your cat doesn't want to leave their palace for a new, scary place- and most certainly not one full of other new cats to fight off! Any introduction of a new animal needs to take place in the animals forever home, post adoption, where they can feel safe in their space, set boundaries and establish a relationship.
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We're not sure we are ready to commit to a new cat. We'd love to take one or two of your kittens home and try them out! Is that ok?
No. We do not do trial adoptions. Prospective adopters needs to be ready to welcome an animal into their home forever at the time of application. Adjustment to a new space is difficult for a kitten and can cause undue stress. Kittens under our care are on a strict diet with regulated medical care. Sending a kitten into an unknown environment and potentially exposing them to illness or new foods, only leads to unnecessary veterinary care.
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I would love to come play with the kittens! Can I just visit?
As cute as they are, for their safety, we only offer visits to prospective adopters with completed applications.
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Do you have an adoption fee?
Yes. 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 is $175. Bonded pairs are a single kitten fee. It is payable via PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, Check, or Cash, and due at the time of adoption. This fee includes the Kitten Starter Kit, all kitten well vet care, all vet records, and of course, the animal!
