Frequently Asked Questions

If you’re looking to add to your already puuuuuurfect family, please fill out an adoption form here:

caringheartscatrescue.ca/adoption-form

Adoption Fee is $300 for all cats and kittens, except for the featured cat of the month or unless otherwise stated.

All Cats are fully vetted which includes the following:

• Wellness Check
• Deworming
• Screening for viruses
• Treatment for ear mites, if needed
• Spay or Neuter; when age appropriate
• Vaccination, including rabies, when age appropriate

Cats will be neutered/spayed depending on the age of the cat. If the cat is released to you prior to their neuter/spay, you will need to book an appointment for them at Highview Vet Clinic under their Caring Hearts name and it will be your responsibility to ensure they get to this appointment.

All of our cats are in private foster homes, so if you are seriously interested in a specific cat, it is usually possible to arrange a visit with their foster parent (although some fosters are not allowing visitors to their homes because of Covid-19)

If your cat is unwell it is extremely important to act immediately. You should contact your veterinarian immediately. To contact emergency services after hours, please call the Nurses’ Registry at 623-9180.

We sincerely appreciate your interest in adopting from us. At Caring Hearts Cat Rescue and Sanctuary, the health and safety of our cats is of the utmost importance to us. We do full screenings of potential adopters. Approval of an application is based on the best interest of the cat(s). If something comes up on the screening that indicates an adopter is not a good fit for a cat or kitten, we reserve the right to refuse any application that we think is not in the animal’s best interest. 

There are several reasons you may not have heard back from us after applying for a cat or kitten.

1. First and foremost, please remember that all of the Caring Hearts team are volunteers, with busy lives outside the rescue. We do our best, but sometimes we can’t respond immediately. If you haven’t heard back within a few days, please send us an email at caringheartscatrescue@gmail.com or message us through our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/caringheartscatrescue
2. Often, we receive multiple requests for a cat that is available for adoption. The specific cat you were interested in may have already been reserved or adopted. In cases like these, if you were not the first or second person who applied, you may not hear back from us due to time constraints.
3. Sometimes, our adoption form can be glitchy when completed on a phone. You will received a notice telling you your form was submitted successfully if your application went through. If you are unsure whether your form sent, please contact us to verify.
   

Transitioning to a new environment can be a stressful time for your new cat. It is recommended that you continue the same diet your cat received in foster care to prevent potential stomach issues such as vomiting and diarrhea.
After your new cat has adjusted to their new environment, if you wish to switch your cat’s diet to a different food, it is recommended to gradually decrease the amount of current cat food while increasing the amount of new cat food over a period of 7 days.

It is important to ensure that new cats are introduced safely and calmly to your resident pet, as their introduction can set up how they interact with each other for the rest of their time together.
Here are some steps you can take to make a calm and effective transition:

1. Take it slow – don’t rush your pets or move too quickly at introductions – your pets will tell you if they are uncomfortable. This can be a slow process and depending on the temperament of your resident pet and new cat, it can take hours, days, or even weeks.
2. Isolation – your resident pet should continue to have free roam of your house, and your new cat should be isolated to a specific area in your home (such as in a bedroom) – this will make your new cat feel safe, and will help them get used to the sounds and smells in their new home.
3. Let them smell – if your resident pet and new cat are smelling each other through a door – encourage it, praise them and talk to each of them to reassure them that the new pet they are meeting is trustworthy.
4. Let them see each other – once your resident pet and new cat have had some good sniffs of each other, you can then introduce them and let them see what they are smelling on the other side of the door! However, it is important to do this safely. Some ways to do this, is to put your new cat into a carrier, and bring them out into an area such as your living room or separating rooms with a baby gate. Allow the resident pet and new cat to sniff each other. 
5. Gauge how they are feeling with each other – you can do this by watching their body language and attitudes toward each other. This can be negative, such as putting their ears down, lifting fur on their back, flicking their tail, hissing, etc… or positive such as having ears up, purring, rubbing against the carrier/gate, relaxing around each other, etc… 
6. Allow them to mingle – once you have assessed their body language and behaviours with each other to be positive, you can allow them to mingle with each other. Remember to praise positive interactions.