Adopting Our Kittens

The Cat Shack requires that young kittens be adopted in pairs unless you have an existing kitten or young cat at home. This policy is NOT based on a desire to increase our number of adoptions. Rather this ensures that the kittens we rescue, nurture, and love are adopted into homes that offer the best possible environment for their social development. We understand that some people will still want to adopt a single kitten. Most rescue groups have similar policies regarding kittens. Thus, we suggest you adopt from a local animal shelter where kittens may not otherwise find any home.

When Two is Better Than One


While we may pride ourselves on how we pamper our pets with the best of everything, we may be denying them what they need most--the companionship of one of their own species. Most feline behaviorists agree that cats generally lead healthier, happier lives if there is another feline in the household. Even if the cats never become bosom buddies, just sharing the house with another living creature while you are away helps to break the monotony and loneliness. Of course, if they become playmates, there is the added benefit of exercise and entertainment that is especially needed by kittens and young adult cats. Many cases of playful aggression directed toward the owner as well as various forms of household destruction, can be prevented if the cat's energies are focused on a playmate. Young males (3-24 months) have an especially strong need for a "buddy". While owners of rambunctious young males often hesitate to take on another cat, those who take that "leap of faith" and get another young male are generally delighted to see how much the "boys" enjoy each other.

Why Kittens Should Be Adopted In Pairs


Mother Nature knew what she was doing when she created kittens in litters!
  • Kittens need interaction with other kittens for healthy social development. A kitten learns a lot in the first several months of life from its mother and litter-mates. Separating a kitten from its mother is often a necessity for adoption purposes, but taking it away from its litter-mates and isolating it can delay the kitten’s development emotionally, socially, and sometimes physically. Kittens who are able to remain with one of their litter-mates or a similarly-aged companion tend to be healthier and happier, and in the long run, better socialized pets than those who are isolated from others of their kind at an early age.
  • Even loving, caring, humans are not adequate substitutes for kitten companionship. Even if a person is fortunate enough to be home quite a bit, the amount of attention a lone kitten will demand is likely to occupy more time than the person has available. A pair of kittens will definitely still want to interact with people, but can keep each other occupied. Most cats, regardless of their age, are highly sociable and are truly happier living with other cat companions. This in turn makes them better pets.
  • Kittens are curious and crave constant stimulation. Out of boredom, a single kitten will often entertain itself by chewing plants, climbing drapes and furniture, unrolling toilet paper, exploring electrical cords and sockets, etc. Kittens who live with other kittens may sometimes do these things as well, but if they have another kitten to tumble around and play with it is less likely they’ll need to entertain themselves with behaviors like these, which can be destructive and dangerous.
  • Kittens bite and wrestle with one another--this behavior is normal. You can't prevent a kitten from doing what comes naturally, any more than you can force a two-year-old toddler to sit still. Though it's not acceptable for a kitten to bite and wrestle with its human companions, in the absence of having a litter-mate or companion its own age to play with, this is precisely what a single kitten will want to do. Even if you are willing to allow (and can tolerate) this behavior from your kitten, by the time the kitten matures, you will end up with an adult cat who has developed very bad habits (i.e. biting and scratching as “play”).
  • Kittens are very active at night. A single kitten is likely to keep people awake at night with constant jumping, pouncing and other “hunting” behavior. With a companion to play with at night, this behavior is minimized because they will have each other to chase and play games with until they too fall asleep.
  • A single kitten is not a good companion for an older cat. Kittens have boundless energy. They want to play and run constantly which typically overwhelms and irritates an older cat. Likewise, a kitten is apt to be frustrated that its companion doesn’t have its same level of energy. At the very least, this can lead to two very unhappy cats. At worst, behavior problems such as litterbox avoidance or destructive scratching can occur as one or both cats act out their frustrations on their surroundings. Its not likely that the two will have a close, bonded relationship, even after the kitten matures, since their experiences with one another from the beginning of the relationship are likely to be negative. An older kitty is better matched with a cat closer to its own age and temperament.

Adoption Form

Contact The Cat Shack by E-mail at catshack@ptd.net. You may apply on-line using the application link above. There is no fee or obligation to adopt at the time of application. If you choose to adopt a house cat, we request a $85 adoption donation to help defray our expenses.

Applicants are asked to supply a vet reference, a personal reference and to list all current and former pets. Our goal is to match you with the right pet so you will both be happy for the remainder of your new pet's long and happy life. Remember- cats often live into their 20s and become very attached to their families. We have seen cats literally pine to death when dumped at a shelter by their long-term caretakers. Adopting is quite a commitment.

An adoption donations of ONLY $85 for house cats and kittens is requested. Barn cats may be adopted for free, with an approved application. This $85 donation includes (Typical vet costs in our area):
  1. a FeLV/FIV test (a $35 value)
  2. Spay/Neuter for all cats and kittens(a $120-$150 value)
  3. Worming and flea treatment (a $16 value)
  4. All required vaccinations (a $30 value)
Clearly this adoption fee does not begin to cover even the standard vet work our rescued cats receive and many also require non-routine work. We appreciate any and all donations. This is what help keeps us in the business of helping strays.

A standard legal contract of adoption will be completed at the time of adoption. Any animal adopted from The Cat Shack that cannot be kept for any reason must be returned to the rescue. The agreement included a clause that you will not declaw a cat adopted from The Cat Shack. Declawing is a painful and unnecessary amputation of the first joint of the paw that can cause litterbox problems and behavioral issues. Declawing has been banned in Europe where it is recognized as an act of cruelty. We would be happy to send you information explaining why we oppose this damaging procedure. If you wish to adopt an already declawed cat we have many waiting.

In some cases we assist pet owners who are adopting out their pet directly from their home by listing the pet for them on our pet list web page. In such cases the name of the pet will be followed by an * and the pets description will indicate that the pet is being adopted directly from it's present owner. In those cases you will deal directly with the pet's owner. Contact information for these adopt from owner pets will be included in their description. In cases of direct adoptions from an owner, the terms of adoption will be dictated by the owner, not The Cat Shack.

Visiting the Kittens!
There are no specific shelter hours because our animals are housed in foster homes rather then a central shelter. Adoptions are by appointment only.