# Adopting from ASPCA will be easier said than done!



## MidnightSparkle (Apr 11, 2012)

I just called the ASPCA turns out they adopted ALL of their kittens out yesterday. Made sense because I was calling them and I couldn't get to them. In addition, their truck was in my neighborhood. They ignored everyone who came to their truck. I asked her if any of them were Calicos. She said no, but didn't seem knowledgeable because I also asked her what breed of cats do they usually have. She said Domestic Short Hair and Domestic Long Hair. This was also after I asked her if they had Bombays and she said yes. I informed her that a Calico can be Domestic Short Hair and Domestic Long Hair. I might have to go there.
Because I was obviously talking to someone who had no idea what they were talking a bout. 

Also, I might have to spend an entire weekend looking for kittens. Also, you have to pay a fee to hold a kitten and I refuse to pay a fee to hold a kitten that I might not even click with. I want to see the kitten, hold them play with them before I choose it. 

Seems like they NEVER have kittens and they probably won't have the kittens I am looking for anyway. 

I don't want to do this, but I will probably have to call ACC for they might have what I'm looking for. I just feel they don't take good care of their animals and I honestly don't want to adopt kittens that have health issue from
the beginning.


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## maggie23 (Mar 10, 2012)

*so many kittens!*

wow. i guess that's good AND bad. good that all the kittens were adopted, but bad that so many people just want the kittens and not the older kitties. :-(

i hope you find the right kitten for yourself soon, though.

and i wouldn't expect the volunteers at the ASPCA to be real knowledgeable about breeds. most of them probably are there because they just love animals and want to do their part, but aren't experts on details. try not to be too hard on them. :wiggle


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

I'm not sure what you think she was incorrect about. It's POSSIBLE to find purebred cats at the shelter but it's rare and not likely, therefore m0st cats are Domestic short/medium/longhairs. They MAY get Bombay crosses there but it's a rare breed and therefore unlikely to be found there. I agree about not being too hard. If you were in the middle of your job and someone stopped you and kept grilling you on something that's not your department you'd probably blow them off too. That's IF it's a job and they aren't just an overworked and under appreciated volunteer.

Why do you assume they MUST have some calicos? Not all DSH/DMH/DLH are calicos, they come in all colors. They very well may not have any calicos there right now.

I wouldn't recommend adopting based just on color. You want to go to the shelter and play with a variety of kittens/cats and see which one picks you. You don't want to be so narrow in your options that you miss a soul kitty that will be your best friend.


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## MidnightSparkle (Apr 11, 2012)

MowMow said:


> I wouldn't recommend adopting based just on color. You want to go to the shelter and play with a variety of kittens/cats and see which one picks you. You don't want to be so narrow in your options that you miss a soul kitty that will be your best friend.


I must admit that ever since I've seen the color coating on the Calico, I have wanted one. But I don't think it's any different than people who fill out breed request forms requesting a specific Breed. I don't plan on going to the shelter and adopting the only calico regardless if we click or not. I want to make sure me and the kitty are right for eachother. And who knows, I might just go there ask for a Calico, they might have many Calicos and I adopt a totally different color coating because we've bonded. That has ran through my mind many times as well, but I still want that option available.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Do NOT adopt calicos. They are bad. Really really naughty girls. They would be the last cats I would *ever* bring home. Adopt a black kitty, they're the most special, and usually the last ones to find homes. 

I repeat. Do _not_ adopt a calico.


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## dweamgoil (Feb 3, 2010)

I suggest you go to the ASPCA and see the cats they have for yourself. It's a whole different experience than seeing a photo on a webpage or getting information by phone. The other thing is they do not collect a fee to hold a kitten for you. They collect the fee *after* you have signed the papers to adopt the kitten you selected. They have a questionnaire to match you with the best cat for you, and it is only after this that you are even allowed to view any cats. I have had more than one adoption from them so I am speaking from experience.

I am not trying to sway you from your dream kitten, but there may be young cats (under a year) that aren't the little wee kittens most people go for that would be perfect for you. I would go check it out before abandoning the idea.

Regarding the volunteer, I wouldn't be so hard, either. The first time I went I met this really socially inadequate young man. At first, he seemed rude, but I kept talking to him trying to get him out of his shell. After a good 20 minutes or so, we found some common ground, and he actually was very sweet in the end. If it wasn't for him, I probably would not have ended up with Azalia since another family was there at the same time and had her out of her enclosure. If it hadn't been for him helping us scoop her up the second she got back, she would've had another home altogether today. You just never know; keep an open mind.


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## kty78 (Mar 18, 2012)

I agree with the above posts. Kittens are so darn cute. They really are. But they don't stay kittens very long at all so I wouldn't limit my options to just kittens. I got my two at 5 months old and they already look like cats, not kittens. But I knew that, as I've had cats before and figured I'd rather just skip the baby kitten stage anyway. They are still young enough not to be totally set in their ways and to adapt easily to our family but not itty bitty babies either. As for the color... meh... I'd go and look. You never know who you might fall in love with. I wasn't worried about color, but my son wanted a black cat and I know they are harder to find homes for, so black was my preference. She happened to come with a ginger colored brother. Two for one! LOL!


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Not to mention the ENERGY LEVEL! I love Boo but if I had it to do over I would have gotten an adult cat.

It would have saved aggravation for both MowMow and myself...not to mention countless items that he broke.


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## Rinchan (Feb 13, 2011)

marie73 said:


> Do NOT adopt calicos. They are bad. Really really naughty girls. They would be the last cats I would *ever* bring home. Adopt a black kitty, they're the most special, and usually the last ones to find homes.
> 
> I repeat. Do _not_ adopt a calico.


 
I agree, black cats are the beat  I adopted one about a year ago because I heard that they have the hardest time finding homes. And he has been the sweetest most affectionate and social cat I have ever been around.


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## the_albino_1 (Apr 13, 2012)

I love black cats, I had one when I was a youngin'. (My dear friend had one named Pounce who was a black, ball of love. He loved to be held and loved to lick the condensation off your glass. She currently has a black one named Sphinx (often called Pinky) who is a portly fellow.) 

I always thought the next cat I would own would be black but as soon as I saw June I feel in love. I guess even if you have an idea of what the "perfect" cat will be you'll fall in love with which ever connects with you.

(Sorry... guess my comment is a bit off topic from the ASPCA topic. lol)


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

It sounds like you're considering the process of finding a kitten a big hassle and a chore. Maybe this isn't the right time for you to do this. "Spending an entire weekend" looking for a kitten is nothing compared to the time you'll spend dealing with kitten messes, broken stuff, scratched up furniture, chewed on stuff, etc.


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## sandyrivers (Apr 9, 2012)

Hi,

I think that if you want to go to a shelter to adopt a cat, you should not be biased about coat color... 
You are for sure looking for a cat friend to share your life, so please, be open minded about the cats you will meet there!

You may find that you ''click'' with a cat that was not what you went there for in the first place.
You may find that there is an adult cat there with whom you really bond with at first sight!
He/she may be a very old cat to whom you can give loving last days to in a loving home...
Or you may find that color and gender no longer matter when a very personable cat draws your attention!

In any case, props to you for wanting to adopt from a shelter!

sandyrivers


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## 3furbabies (Dec 7, 2011)

marie73 said:


> Do NOT adopt calicos. They are bad. Really really naughty girls. They would be the last cats I would *ever* bring home. Adopt a black kitty, they're the most special, and usually the last ones to find homes.
> 
> I repeat. Do _not_ adopt a calico.


What's wrong with Calico's? Out of my 3, my calico is the sweetest and most well behaved cat, maybe out of every cat I have ever met.

If you are set on a calico and theres none at the shelter, I would try either another shelter, petfinder.com, or a local cat rescue.


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## Mimosa (Dec 2, 2010)

3furbabies said:


> What's wrong with Calico's? Out of my 3, my calico is the sweetest and most well behaved cat, maybe out of every cat I have ever met.


Irony - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

3furbabies said:


> What's wrong with Calico's? Out of my 3, my calico is the sweetest and most well behaved cat, maybe out of every cat I have ever met.
> 
> If you are set on a calico and theres none at the shelter, I would try either another shelter, petfinder.com, or a local cat rescue.


Joking. Please refer to my signature. :grin:


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## robert4301 (Aug 27, 2011)

MowMow said:


> Not to mention the ENERGY LEVEL! I love Boo but if I had it to do over I would have gotten an adult cat.
> 
> It would have saved aggravation for both MowMow and myself...not to mention countless items that he broke.



I agree totally! I adopted two black kitties 4 months ago. One is female, Ximena, now 1 year old. The other is male, Trey, now 8 1/2 months. He is by far the most affectionate cat I've ever had, but he's also such a kitten. Most of us here know what that means! 

If I had it to do over again, I would consider an adult companion for Ximena. Thankfully both cats get along very well. I can't wait for Trey to grow up.


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## Janz (Mar 26, 2012)

IMO, there is nothing wrong with wanting a calico kitten. We all have our preferences. I prefer short haired over long haired and black over white. That doesn't mean I hate long haired white cats. I love all cats. 

Many people adopt kittens and dump them at a shelter years later. If you are giving a kitten a forever home then you are ensuring there is one less cat at the shelter years from now.

As 3furbabies suggested, try PetFinder.com. You can enter Calico for the breed, choose Baby and see what Calico kittens are nearby.

Good luck!


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## littlesushi (Jun 8, 2011)

i love my calico!! she is the sweetest little thing! she also makes an amazing host when guests come over. she is purdy, but i picked her because of her purrsonality first and foremost


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## Dave_ph (Jul 7, 2009)

MowMow said:


> It's POSSIBLE to find purebred cats at the shelter but it's rare and not likely, therefore m0st cats are Domestic short/medium/longhairs.


 
There you go. Dashing peoples hopes and dreams again. 

Humiliating me for my grammar isn't enough for you?

Go back to tearing the wings off flies.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Hey, it's not my fault you can't manage to type properly at your advanced age.

I would never tear wings off of flies, I would set them on fire with a magnifying glass. Get it right.


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## Claiken (Dec 18, 2007)

marie73 said:


> Joking. Please refer to my signature. :grin:


I was gonna say, i have a callico (at least shes called a tortie callico) and shes a very sweet little girl. same with the one next door!


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## Catmamma (Apr 18, 2011)

I have a calico--always wanted one and one day she walked right up the sidewalk to me. I don't know where she came from. She was about 4 months old and I had never seen her around the farm house before. Ruby Tuesday is turning fifteen and is a queen, she thinks. But, I must remind you that cats choose their slaves, not the other way around.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

sandyrivers said:


> Hi,
> 
> I think that if you want to go to a shelter to adopt a cat, you should not be biased about coat color...
> You are for sure looking for a cat friend to share your life, so please, be open minded about the cats you will meet there!
> ...



All of this. I had gone to check out what they had at the shelter. If I didn't find one that day then so be it. I knew I wanted a silver tabby kitten though. I was pretty settled on that. Once I filled out the questionnaire about what kind of cat I wanted and my lifestyle they turned me loose. I petted and cuddled every tabby there but didn't really fall in love with any.

Instead I got hijacked by a ginger and white adult cat with a God complex. I didn't want him when I first saw him but he was pretty darn determined that he was coming home with me and the longer it took me to adopt him the more exasperated he became with my stupidity. He has spent the past 4 years training me to be a good slave. Had I walked out because I didn't find a silver tabby kitten that I liked I would have missed the most amazing heart kitty in the world.


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## cinderflower (Apr 22, 2012)

MidnightSparkle said:


> I just called the ASPCA turns out they adopted ALL of their kittens out yesterday. Made sense because I was calling them and I couldn't get to them. In addition, their truck was in my neighborhood. They ignored everyone who came to their truck. I asked her if any of them were Calicos. She said no, but didn't seem knowledgeable because I also asked her what breed of cats do they usually have. She said Domestic Short Hair and Domestic Long Hair. This was also after I asked her if they had Bombays and she said yes. I informed her that a Calico can be Domestic Short Hair and Domestic Long Hair. I might have to go there.
> Because I was obviously talking to someone who had no idea what they were talking a bout.
> 
> Also, I might have to spend an entire weekend looking for kittens. Also, you have to pay a fee to hold a kitten and I refuse to pay a fee to hold a kitten that I might not even click with. I want to see the kitten, hold them play with them before I choose it.
> ...


i don't know what state you live in, but you don't have very long to wait before kitten season. the end of may there are generally tons of kittens available and that lasts through august.

i got a beautiful lilac point siamese who was 20 weeks old july 2010, the only thing that really annoyed me was that it ended up costing me $140 to adopt and then three days later they *completely waived all the fees to adopt* grrrrrrrrr. i even said something to the owner--he wasn't inclined for any refunds but he has since gone out of business (he owned the store called the barking boutique and bakery and was charging $30 for those cube things they play in that you can buy for 6.50 each at walgreens. so you have some idea of his business acumen. he was also a volunteer for dumb friends so put cages with kittens for adoption in his store).

this was the dumb friends league though and you said ASPCA. houdini was taken in at 12 weeks but i guess he had a severe worm problem so he had been medicated twice before he was put out for the general public. i got a free vet's visit with the adoption fee but he was totally healthy.

(my vet gets $135 an office call and houdini was already neutered which would have been another $75 so the $140 was the right price, i was just annoyed that i only missed the free giveaway by three days. maybe they weren't getting the first vet's visit free. that's what i tell myself anyway )


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

I got MowMow for only 30.00 from the shelter. It was a huge bargain. Until I racked up 1400-1700 in vet bills a few weeks later due to UTIs and ear infections from the shelter. 

I thought I was being smarter with Shepherd Book. He was only 20.00 from a local rescue and had a clean bill of health. He was young (5 or 6 months) when I adopted him. He has cost me WELL over the 1300-1700 in damages to my things, my apartment and food he has stolen. He is a little demon and I don't see myself ever adopting another kitten. 

Even when they are cheap, they are never cheap.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

cinderflower said:


> the only thing that really annoyed me was that it ended up costing me $140 to adopt and then three days later they *completely waived all the fees to adopt* grrrrrrrrr. i even said something to the owner--he wasn't inclined for any refunds


The $140 went to the Dumb Friends League, not the store owner. Adoption fees cover very little of the expenses associated with running a shelter or rescue...about 10%. Unless it's a city or state funded organization, which I believe Dumb Friends is not, then all the funds come from donations, fundraising events etc. So not only do they need staff and volunteers to take care of animals they need people to raise money too. Rather than be irritated that you didn't get a bargain, feel good about contributing to an organization that helps homeless animals...takes care of their medical issues so they are adoptable and just doesn't take the easy way out by euthanizing them. Don't begrudge them that money, be thankful you are able to help them continue doing the great work they do.

Read the Myth Busters page on their website for more info on what their costs are:

Myth Busters | Dumb Friends League


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## Carmel (Nov 23, 2010)

cinderflower said:


> it ended up costing me $140 to adopt and then three days later they *completely waived all the fees to adopt* grrrrrrrrr.


When I hear about cats selling in some areas for next to nothing it really saddens me. These cats cost a lot to care for and spay and neuter, to practically give them away is not a good thing, doesn't look like a sustainable practice.

This my my areas price, and I don't believe if fluctuates - I'm always shocked at the low prices mentioned on this forum:

Cat $149.00
Kitten (under 6 months) $179.00 
Bonded Adult Cats (must go as pair) $223.50
Senior Cat (over 8 years old)
$74.50

When you think about it, it's a small amount to give in support of a great organization and considering the love you'll get out of it's way more than reasonable. Getting something for free just leads to people adopting that aren't serious.

As far as the original poster goes, there's a lot I could bring up, mainly, asking what "breed" the SPCA has is what doesn't seem knowledgeable... if you're looking for "Bombay"... I think you just mean black cats? Because you're not going to find a real Bombay at a shelter. And spending a weekend is nothing, there's no rush on finding the perfect companion animal. If you rush in you may regret it.


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## shan841 (Jan 19, 2012)

I got a cat for free!! She just showed up at my backdoor. She was pregnant, so it was actually a 2 for one deal. Then, I took her to the vet and spent $400. In a few months I will spend a few more hundred having her and her kitten spayed and vaccinated. And thats if they are both healthy and there are no other unexpected issues.
Like the others have said, the adoption fee barely covers the medical expenses for the cat, so consider it more of a donation. Don't be upset. They only lower fees and run specials when they are really really desperate to find homes for cats.(Like the springtime)


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

They way I figure it... I spent around 1730(including supplies and vet visits to fix his problems) on a cat who will (God willing) live for at least 15 years from the time of adoption.

So, I would say 115.00 a year was well worth the cost of the love and adoration MowMow gives me.

Book was 30.00 and he'll live for (God willing) another 17 years... so he works out to 1.76 a year..... I think that's worth the times he's cute and cuddly.

If someone is going to fuss at the cost of adoption then they shouldn't adopt a pet because if that's what they're worried about, it's going to drive that person crazy paying to feed and house the pet properly.


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## MidnightSparkle (Apr 11, 2012)

Just called today. I guess I missed my chance last week because they don't have any today. I'm not too far from becoming Anti-ASPCA. 

She said to call everyday because when they do have them they get adopted VERY fast. Sometimes usually within the same day. 

Does anyone have any experience with Animal Care and Control in New York City.
I hear that they don't take good care of their kittens and I don't know if they give a vet certificate like ASPCA does. I don't know if they provide the resources ASPCA does for new owners.

I guess ASPCA has th resources just not the pets.

I am very frustrated and venting.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Not sure why you're so angry with the ASPCA. It's to their CREDIT they are adopting out these poor animals and that they aren't sitting in a cage for weeks on end.

You need to hit the streets and visit these places instead of calling only. You won't know how you feel about how the animals are cared for until you see their physical condition.

Have you tried craigslist? Newspaper classifieds? Kitten season is approaching fast and there will be a LOT of kittens available in the next few months.


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## Carmel (Nov 23, 2010)

The SPCA is not a store, they are no required to have the particular color/age group at any given time that you wish to see. They help animals without homes, and at this time, they happen to not have what you are looking for.

If I were you I'd be visiting them instead, often the kittens are snapped up by people that go in and visit them when they've just been put up for viewing or by people that inquire about when kittens they have in quarantine will be available for adoption.


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## The Divine Miss M (Oct 4, 2011)

Go in person. Kittens tend to go quickly. They could easily have the perfect little calico when you get there, that would be gone sooner than they could advertise her.


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## Ted (Aug 28, 2011)

I'm not sure what your schedule is like, but perhaps offer to volunteer there? You'll be helping them out and also possibly there when the "right" kitty comes along for you.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

The ASPCA is not a pet store that orders up more kittens from a kitten mill when inventory runs low. They have what they have...when they have it. You seem to think the perfect kitten that meets all of your requirements should just fall into your lap. 

Personally I think it's great that they don't have any kittens!


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## dweamgoil (Feb 3, 2010)

doodlebug said:


> The ASPCA is not a pet store that orders up more kittens from a kitten mill when inventory runs low. They have what they have...when they have it. You seem to think the perfect kitten that meets all of your requirements should just fall into your lap.
> 
> Personally I think it's great that they don't have any kittens!


ditto!

I also think the suggestion about searching on craigslist is a very good one, but you can't be all picky there either because with a lot of ads, by the time you call they are already gone. You will also need to be prepared to go pick up the kitten at a moment's notice if you manage to secure one. If not, they do have local pet stores that sell cats or you can locate a breeder. With these latter resources you can afford to be more particular. Like they say, you get what you pay for!


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