Adopt

The Goathouse Refuge has many incredible cats in need of loving homes.

Behind the Scene

Special Stories of Special Cats Your Support Helps

Donate

Tax deductible donations and gifts of goods to help run the refuge are always welcome.

Jag

Fill Out an Adoption Application

Our incredible cats are in need of loving homes. We currently have a population of 200 cats. That number is always changing, so you'll need to stop in for the most up-to-date roster. Some of these cats have biographies; some we are getting to know better. Quite a few you can see only by visiting the refuge, as they are very young or very shy and are in the process of being socialized. Please take the time to read some of their stories.

If you would like to meet the cats in person, we are open Fridays by appointment, and  Saturday & Sunday from 11am - 3:00 pm. Hand sanitizing is required. The kitties love visitors and will be happy to see you!

   

What's Next?

  • Learn more about our adoption process
  • Meet our Cats and Kittens
  • When you're ready, fill out an adoption application
  • Once we receive your adoption application, we'll schedule a home visit with our home visit team. If you have an approved visit, and still want to adopt a cat or cats, we'll mark them as 'adoption pending' in our system while they wait for you to pick them up!
  • Please note, kittens must be at least four months old before they are adopted. Kittens must be at least nine months old before they are adopted into homes with children under the age of six years. We also require kittens to be adopted in pairs until they are five months old, as they are very bonded to their siblings and kitten friends and can become quite depressed and stressed due to the separation. If you have any questions about this policy, please contact us.

 

Siglinda's Advice for Settling your New Goathouse Cat into your Home

Siglinda has adopted out hundreds of cats and kittens from the Refuge as well as taking care of many different cats and kittens in her home. She is an expert at introducing a new cat into a strange environment and her method has worked for hundreds of cats. She strongly urges you to try this approach when adopting a new cat. It reduces the stress on you, your family, and the cat. Cats that are not properly introduced can have behavioral problems so please take the time to give your cat the best start it can have.
  • Get a medium sized dog crate (we can often loan you one).
  • Set it up against a wall in an area in your home where the family and other pets congregate.
  • Cover the crate on 3 sides and on top with a blanket or towels.
  • Put in a litter pan with our litter (given to you when you leave with your new cat) at the back of the crate. Clean the litter box daily.
  • Put in food and water bowls (food similar to what the cat is eating at the Refuge will be given to you when you leave with your new cat) in the front of the crate with a bed in the middle, so that the bowls are not beside the litter pan.
  • Put in comfortable bedding. Add in something with your scent on it (worn t-shirt or used towel). Put one of your t-shirts you have worn while holding your existing pets in the new cats' bed so that they can get used to all the home scents together.
  • Upon coming home with your new cat, put them into the crate. This lets the cat acclimate to the scents, sounds and routines of your house in a protected and safe environment.  Because some the bedding contains your scent, it lets the other animals in your home smell your scent on the new cat as well.
  • Feed them twice a day and give them fresh water every day. At least one meal needs to be canned wet food to help the cat get extra water in it's diet. This is very important because not all cats drink a lot of water. We strongly recommend giving glucosamine and Vitamin C to your cat to avoid painful urinary infections and blockages, especially for male cats. We do this for all the cats at the refuge.
  • Closely observe body language cues of both the new pet as well as the existing pets in the home to see if they are still stressed or are calm and content. Once everyone shows signs of being at ease and comfortable with each other and the situation, then you can open the cage door and let the cat come out at his/her own speed.
  • If the new cat is slower to adjust, then you can it into a bedroom after several days and shut the door so that he/she can get some exercise and you can play and spend time bonding with the new cat without it being stressed from the other pet being nearby. Then put the cat back in the kennel to continue adjusting.
  • Remember – patience, patience, patience is the key to bringing a new cat into your home. It can sometimes take several weeks for a new cat to adjust. It must be on their time table, not yours. It could be a week or it could take a month. Each cat is different and it MUST be at their pace.
  • This approach lets your current pets get to know the new resident as well as let the new cat know the smells and sounds of your home by being located where everyone is and able to observe daily routines. It's better than isolating them in a room for a week and then let them out for the first time with the other pets who could then have territorial issues. Pets also can get stressed if just isolated in a room because they can smell and see feet under the door of another animal but can't see it.
  • Once the new cat is out of the crate, make sure to spend quality time with each pet so they know they are each important to you and also play with them together and encourage both to be near you at the same time so that they see it's okay. Hopefully the pets will all become good friends. If not, that's okay as long as they peacefully exist.

Sponsoring a Cat

Can't adopt right now? How about making it easier for a kitty to be adopted by someone else by sponsoring a cat's adoption fee of $125. Simply click on the Donate link, submit a PayPal donation of $125, and indicate which cat or kitten you want to sponsor in the "Add special instructions to the seller" on the PayPal review page. We'll list them as sponsored on our cats and kittens page and it might just be the thing that helps someone make the decision to adopt.

Another Alternative... Adopt a Virtual Cat!

No room for another pet? Current pets won't accept another cat in the house? Then adopt a virtual cat, it's the next best thing to taking one home. Here's how it works:
  • Do this by visiting our Cats and Kittens on our Adoption pages.
  • Pick the one who will make that perfect virtual pet for you or for a friend or loved one and make a note of that kitty's name
  • Go to the Virtual Cat page, fill out the form and hit submit
  • Then use the PayPal Donate button to buy your virtual cat for only $20 and we'll email you a photo plus the behind-the-scenes story on your new, virtual cat!

Other Adoption Resources

     
These articles may help you in your search for the perfect kitty companion. Adopting a second cat can have multiple benefits. Learn more: More helpful information:
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