Adopt

Complete our Adoption Application on the link. Save and download it and email it to ParkSlopeCats@gmail.com . A coordinator or volunteer will reach out to you. Scroll down for our Adoption Process and basic FAQs and for the Adoption Contract.

(Note: Approved Foster-to-Adopt adopters who have been in contact with the rescuers can proceed directly to the contract & do not need to fill out a separate Adoption Application.)

Thank you for your interest in adopting a cat from Park Slope Cats.

Please note that kittens generally only get adopted in pairs, unless there’s a resident young cat in the house already.

Every cat adopted by us (unless it’s a kitten that is too young to receive all the vaccines yet) is:

examined by a vet, spayed/neutered (unless too young), SNAP-tested (FIV / FeLV test), up to date on age-appropriate vaccines (FVRCP, rabies), microchipped, flea treated, ear-mite checked and treated, and dewormed (we always recommend getting a fecal test regularly anyway, as cats can get worms very easily, and a basic dewormer doesn’t cover everything at times).

Get started →

Our Adoption Process

  1. Apply to adopt: All potential adopters must complete the Adoption Application (click for editable PDF) to ensure that we can help you find the best match for your home.
    Email your completed application to ParkSlopeCats@gmail.com (Note: Since a few of you ask, there is NO fee to apply.)
    If you’re only fostering, you can complete the Foster Application and email it to us.
  2. Home Safety Check: After your initial application is reviewed, a coordinator or volunteer will complete a home safety check either in-person, or over Zoom, facetime, or speak with you over the phone and/or ask you to email/text/whatsapp photos/videos of your windows, screens, balcony or backyard (if any). We look for multiple things during these checks, including secure window screens and potentially toxic plants. You can see the list of toxic plants in our Cat Safety Essentials document.
  3. Meet the Kitty: Once your application is approved, we will invite you to meet the kitty virtually or in-person, based on what is most convenient. The majority of our cats and kittens are in foster homes, and in and around Park Slope and adjoining neighborhoods. Occasionally, we also bring over the cat/kittens to your own home to meet them.
  4. Make it official: Following the meet/e-meet if you decide to move forward, we will complete your reference check. After this you must fill out the adoption contract and pay the adoption fee. The fee can be paid online or in-person. Pre-approved adopters can adopt/foster any cat(s) from our rescue who is a good fit, if for some reason it does not work out with the cat you’ve initially adopted from us.
  5. Home transfer: After you’ve made it official, you will be able to take your new cat(s) home at your earliest convenience. When close by we usually offer to bring them in ourselves. We request that the cats be transported by car only, as public transportation is extremely stressful for them. We are here to support you as your new family member acclimates and meets other animals in your home. During the initial days and week we’ll check in with an occasional text or email to see how the cat is doing. Please remember the 3-3-3 Rule.

Adoption Fee

Our adoption fee is $200 for a kitten ($370 for a bonded pair) $175 for an adult ($320 for a bonded pair adopted together.) This money goes towards reimbursing a fraction of the costs of vetting the cats by us, and immediately goes towards helping the next cat. We pay for everything out of pocket, and the only financial support we get comes from donations. Currently, we have not found any time for doing a fundraiser, so we have not received any monetary donations. We have received food and litter from our Amazon wish list. Thank you for your support!

At times, when kittens too young to be altered are adopted, adopters may opt to get the spay/neuter + vaccinations taken care of by their own family vet. But they still pay the adoption fees. Conversely, should an adopter decide to go to the rescue group’s designated vet clinic for the spay/neuter/vaccination for kittens, the fee covers that in advance. The choice of vet is yours. Either way, the fee needs to be paid at the time of adoption.

Notes

Applications are processed in the order in which they were received.

There are no paid employees at Park Slope Cats. We are just a tiny group of coordinators/volunteers doing this along with our day jobs. We try to respond and process as quickly as we can.

Due to the high volume of emails, texts and calls we receive about abandoned or dumped animals whose rescues take up time, we cannot respond to each inquiry individually at all times, so we thank you for your patience in getting back to you on your adoption application.

If a cat from our rescue is not a good fit, we encourage you to adopt from other independent rescuers in Park Slope and Carroll Gardens. (Or from the ACC At Risk of euthanasia list). Thank you again and remember to always #AdoptDontShop to help alleviate companion-animal homelessness.

Remember

We take the safety and well-being of all our adopted rescue felines very seriously post-adoption and post-fostering. We ask all potential fosters and adopters to go through our Cat Safety Handout and other info we send out. We require you to read that thoroughly and implement it in practice. Failure to provide a safe and loving environment, evidence of neglect, abuse, negligence, carelessness which endangers their well being – by you or another person who has access to the animal through you, will result in immediate termination of your adopter/”owner”/foster status and the rescuers will reclaim the animal(s). Situations where reclamation of the animal(s) is non-negotiable include but are not limited to the following:

  • Presence of lilies, sago palm and any/all plants and flowers toxic to cats and kittens. We ask all adopters and fosters to remove plants toxic to cats permanently before the animal(s) is transferred to your home. If we observe evidence of lilies, sago palm or such toxic plants present in your home after the animal(s) are at your place, whether in pots, bouquets, backyard, front yard etc. your adopter/owner status is terminated effective immediately as a serious breach of the adoption contract, and rescuers can proceed with removal of the animal(s) from your home for their health and safety effective immediately.
  • Injury to the animal(s) caused deliberately or due to negligence, apathy or carelessness on your part and failure or delay to go to the vet immediately upon such injuries. This may include wounds, all burns, falls, ingestion of toxic or dangerous substances left around by you and/or a member of the household. If safety guidelines are not followed for the care of cats and kittens causing bodily harm and injury to the animal(s) due to negligence and carelessness, rescuer can begin the process to reclaim the animal(s) and hold the adopter responsible for damages and veterinary expenses. Injuries to animal(s) due to failure to practice simple safety measures (keeping screen-less windows open no more than 2 inches, not letting the cat go out on dangerous open balconies in high rises, leaving the stove on or hot oil or hot plates unsupervised when young kittens are jumping on the counter increasing the risk of burns, leaving candles on in areas where a cat/kitten has access – are all viewed as a serious breach of the contract and the adopter loses all rights and claims to the animal (s).
  • Letting the animal go outdoors where he/she could possibly be exposed to traffic, fleas, bird flu, FeLV, feral cats, wildlife that attack cats, and birds of prey. Rescuer may reclaim the animal from the adopter/foster due to breach of the adoption contract.
  • Failure to provide adequate food, water daily and also vet care when the animal becomes ill. Abandonment of the animal, or giving to someone not approved or authorized by the rescue group will be considered as a breach of the contract. If you can no longer keep the animal for whatever circumstances you MUST contact the rescuer/rescue group or their representative immediately to begin the rehoming process.