Advertising and Screening

There are a number of ways to advertise that your foster cat is up for adoption. The obvious one is the newspaper; but it may not be the safest one. They reach a very wide audience, including people who answer "free to good home" ads and adopt animals for unscrupulous purposes. If you choose this route, screen callers very carefully; and ask for at least a $25 donation. The idea is to discourage those who want your foster cat for purposes other than a family pet.

The best way to advertise is by word of mouth. Ask everyone you know, and ask them to ask everyone they know. You might even post notices on bulletin boards at work. Placing a cat with a friend or acquaintance gives you peace of mind. You know that your cat is going to a reliable person, and you may even be able to keep track of its progress.

Our most successful advertising is done through flyers with a colored photograph of each cat, and the story of its background. Most vet's offices have bulletin boards, and are happy to post notices about pets for adoption. You stand a good chance of reaching responsible pet owners there, and vets often get calls from people who are looking for a new pet. Make your flyers neat and professional. More people will take the time to read them if they are attractive and easy to attractive and easy to read. Put your phone number on your flyer, but never your address, or you may begin to find "drop-offs" in your yard!

Screening

Don't hand a cat over to a person unless you feel confident that it's a good match. When someone calls, find out what kind of cat they're looking for, and if your cat doesn't seem a good fit, tell them. Placing a cat in the wrong home doesn't help either the cat or the person who is adopting it. You may want to ask for a deposit to be refunded upon proof of spaying, neutering, or other veterinary care; or a donation to help cover expenses.

How do you know whether a caller will be the kind of loving, responsible pet owner you are looking for? It isn't difficult to tell if you ask the right questions and LISTEN to the answers. Listen as much to the caller's attitudes as to their answers. Open-ended questions -- the kind that can't be answered with "yes" or "no"--give you the most information. Some areas to discuss might be:

• How the caller feels about de-clawing, whether the cat will be kept indoors or out.

• Whether there are children and their ages, and whether there are other pets.

• Whether they have had cats before, and what happened to them.

• How their spouse feels about a new cat in the family, and what kind of cat he or she would prefer.

• If they own or rent their home, and if the landlord has given permission for a cat.

• What kind of cat they are looking for, especially as far as personality is concerned. A cat's personality generally doesn't change. In other words, if they want an affectionate cat, and yours is not affectionate, they probably will not be able to "teach" it to be affectionate.

• Who their vet is, and what kind of veterinary care they give their pets.

• Why do they want a cat?

Don't forget to tell them about any fees they are expected to pay; whether it's a spay/neuter deposit, a donation, or reimbursement for vet fees. Be cautious about people who want to give the cat as a gift. The intended recipient may not be happy to receive it, or they may not be the kind of person you would choose to adopt to.

Many cat rescuers do home visits, and/or check with vets and landlords to be certain that the person in question will be a good pet owner. Though people sometimes may be a little "put off" by this kind of screening, most will be very glad to cooperate if you explain the reasoning behind the questions. If people are very resistant, they may have something to hide.

Finally, you may want to specify a return policy. That is, if the adoption doesn't work out, or if they can't keep the cat for any reason, the cat is to be returned to you. This helps assure that the cat will not be abandoned or passed along to someone you would not approve of. And do follow up the adoption with a phone call a few weeks after the adoption. Kitty will have had time to adjust by then, and it is wonderfully satisfying to see the bond that has developed between your former foster cat and its new family. Makes you want to start all over again with another stray!

Baby Emma-Jordash

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