If we are not able to foster your cat due to foster availability, you can place your cat on our "Offered By Owner" program. The "Offered by Owner" program is designed to help keep owner-surrendered cats out of Shelters as they await new homes. 

The problem:

So you say you have a cat you can no longer keep? Maybe it is older and belonged to your deceased relative, or you have a new baby or a child/spouse that is allergic? Maybe you are moving to an apartment that doesn't accept pets, or you are homeless or being evicted…. the list goes on and on. If you are still struggling with the decision, take a few minutes to check out these tips and advice from experienced professionals. Sometimes, sending the cat away is not the only solution.

Maybe, despite all the hype and realistic reasons for giving your cat up, we can still help you. It really is our aim to help your cat find a place to live where he/she is comfortable and valued. Sometimes for reasons we cannot control, this is not with the family that had pledged to keep him/her forever in the first place.

Sometimes things change and we, too, have to adapt. And so, sadly, do our pets.

How CCR can help:

Plain and simple - we put your cat online and advertise him/her (check out the current postings). In the interim while we are waiting for someone to respond to our posting, the cat stays with you where he/she is safe and comfortable until adopted to a new home.

When someone inquires about your cat, we ask that person to complete our standard adoption application. We will then send you the completed application. You will be expected to follow up with the applicant within 24 hours - even if you don’t think he/she would be the right candidate for the cat.

 

What we need from you:

1. Take GOOD pictures of your cat. We need (3) pictures with one of them a face shot with the cat’s eyes open and clear. Blurry, out of focus, cat in the background shots or eyes that are slits, closed or ears that are back making him/her look mad are NOT examples of what to send. Try turning the flash off so you don’t get Zombie Eyes.

2. The picture is what grabs the potential adopter. Bad pictures are passed by so don’t send something you are not proud of. If you think you cat is cuter than the picture you took then KEEP TRYING. You are probably right.

3. We need a bio about your cat. Try to be creative but honest. Be honest but not overwhelmingly so - so that the potential adopter gets scared away thinking your cat is a project. It helps potential adopters to know what kind of household your cat will fit in. Does he/she get along with other pets? What about kids? Is he/she an inside-only cat or indoor/outdoor? Is there any medical or behavioral issue that needs to be addressed? “Accentuate the positive” – dwell on the good points. You must have had a good reason adopting the cat in the first place. And yet another good reason why you have to let him/her go. Tell us the full story. This makes people more willing to help. 

4. If you think this program is for you, fill out this ONLINE FORM about your cat. You can also email the required information to info@catscradlerescue.com. Remember to put in your subject line "Offered by Owner". This helps us locate your message.

5. Patience. Re-homing adult cats takes time. There are 1000’s of adult cats in our area at any one time that need new homes. Even in a "shelter" he/she might not come out the front door. You are doing the RIGHT THING by being involved in the rehoming process.

 

Somebody wants my cat – now what??

Someone wants to adopt!!

First, interview the person by phone. Call the reference listed on the application. Don’t be in a hurry to adopt to the first person that shows interest – if the home is not right you might well get the cat back or never know what happened to it. You are, after all, sending away a pet you love. Do your due diligence. It is okay to send a respectful denial.

  

How does this end?

You found a home for your cat! Congratulations. Please ask a rehoming fee for your cat as FREE euqals NO VALUE to some people and every cat has worth. Your final step is to advise Cat’s Cradle Rescue so we can remove him/her from our list of cats that need help. Oh, and while this is a free service we do operate on donations. Every penny is appreciated and goes to the cats and kittens we help. Or please rate us on YELP - this helps people learn about what we do and consider CCR as a place to adopt their next pet.

 

To submit information for an OBO posting, please click here.

To see our current "Offered by Owner" postings, please visit here.