Adoption Guide

This post is meant for foster parents and rescuers who have kittens that need to be adopted out. I'm outlining the process I and some of my fellow rescuers have been following. Please note that depending on the situation, this process can be modified. A good time to start the process would be when the kitten is about 35 days old, and has started eating independently and uses the litter box consistently - this process takes time and should not be rushed. The actual adoption will take more time, and should be done only after the kitten is more than 45 days of age.

Step 1: Pictures

Take good quality, clear pictures. Individual pictures of the cat/kitten looking into the camera. Pictures in natural light with a sober, non-cluttered background work best, the focus will stay on the cat. Get close up pictures of the face, and also full profile pictures. Take a video too, if possible - a short one of the kitten playing. I personally prefer to not put bows and "decorating" the kitten. The idea is to get people to see the real kitten for what it is.

Step 2: Spread the Word

Circulate the pictures on social media. Facebook is usually a very good avenue to share adoption posts. Share the pics on your profile, and with permission, tag more people so that the post gets more visibility. Share the post on multiple animal and pet-related groups for your city on FB. There are animal welfare organizations and shelters in every city that have a Facebook presence. Request them to share your post on their page. They have a very wide viewership and will get your post more visibility. Details like name, age, and gender of the kitten, along with a few lines about them should be mentioned. Mention vaccination and deworming status, and whether the kitten is litter trained. And don't forget to add your contact information!

These first two steps may need to be repeated every 10-15 days depending on the kind of responses you get. Fresh pictures to be posted every time. 

Step 3: Screen Calls from Interested Parties

Now the phone calls and messages should start coming in - this is the most difficult and important part of the adoption process. Very careful screening of the potential adopters needs to be done. Maintain a civil and courteous tone when speaking to potential adopters, make them feel comfortable talking to you.

Assess the readiness of the potential adopter by discussing these points with them. Try to understand their motivation for wanting to adopt a pet, and assess if they will be able to do justice to the kitten, lifelong. Share pictures of the kitten and tell them more about the kitten - his/her personality, quirks, eating habits, etc.

Encourage them to ask any questions or doubts they may have, and answer them patiently. Remember to keep your tone and content civil, friendly and amiable throughout the discussion.

Some situations to be careful about:

• I prefer to not let students adopt kittens/cats unless I speak to the parents and they agree to be the primary caregiver and are 100% on board. If a parent seems to want the kitten for the child's sake, I do not encourage it. The adult of the family should be 100% on board to take up this long-term responsibility.
• If the potential adopter has pets previously, ask about them in detail. You can get to know a lot about the adopter once you find out what happened to their previous pets. Some would have abandoned them while moving, some would have given them away without being able to give a good reason for it, some would have bred them multiple times. 
• Assess the reliability of the adopter. Are they not responding promptly to your messages and calls? Are they brushing off your concerns about the kitten's adoption? Do they sound overconfident, say that they know it all? 
• Most people staying in a hostel or a PG don't have the stability necessary to keep a pet. There may be exceptions, but they need to be carefully vetted. There will be space constraints in such situations, as well as the permissions needed from the hostel/PG, cooperation of the other people living there, etc. At this stage of life, the person will not know how their future is going to be, and hence adopting a pet might not be the best idea. 
• If someone is adopting a kitten to deal with a difficult situation in life, pay extra attention. While pets really do help people tide over life's disappointments and setbacks, the adopter should be in a place to do justice to the pet as well. It's a two-way street. The pet cannot be just a distraction to get over the problem. 
• Carefully evaluate any specific criteria they may have - like wanting a cat of a certain color or gender or breed. Understanding the reasons behind these will give you an idea of their biases and commitment.
• Be careful of double adoptions. While adopting two kittens has a lot of positives - for the kittens, for the adopter, and for the rescuer - it may sometimes get overwhelming for the adopter, especially if they are inexperienced with kitten care. They need extra counseling to make sure they are ready for the slightly added responsibility. 
• Discuss sterilization of the cat in detail. This is very important because your rescue cat having more babies and adding to the cat population means more rescues lose out on homes. Most people are not aware of the need for sterilization, educate them. Refer to this post for content for a more detailed discussion.
• Ask if the adopter would be willing to sign an agreement stating the basic conditions of the adoption - proper care of the kitten, medical care when needed, spaying and allowing post-adoption checks in future. 

Step 4: Meet and Greet, Pre Adoption House Check

Once this initial phone call is done, give them a day to think it over and discuss with family. If the potential adopter gets back to you with a confirmation that they want to proceed, invite them over (entire family preferably) for a meet and greet. This interaction will give them an idea of what to expect. You will be able to better judge the adopter in the face to face meeting, reiterate the previous discussion, and judge them based on their interaction with the kitten. This will also be a good time to see if the adopter of their family is allergic to cats. Typically, reaction to the cat's fur starts in five to ten minutes if someone is allergic. 

Simultaneously, arrange for a pre-adoption check of the potential adopter's house. This will primarily be to evaluate how safe the kitten would be in that house. Point out any windows and balconies that need to be meshed, as well as any potential safety concerns for the kitten. If certain members of the family were not available for the meet and greet, this would be great opportunity to meet them and make sure they are also fully on board with the adoption. 

When these steps are done, give them time to think about the adoption again and get back to you. At this point as well, encourage them to ask questions and discuss concerns, if any.

Step 5: Buying Kitty Supplies

Once all questions are answered and both parties are ready to proceed, send the adopter a list of things to buy before the kitten goes home.

• Cat food - wet and dry
• Litter
• Litter tray and scoop
• Some cat toys
• A basket for transportation (a crate will be mandatory once the kitten grows up)
• Bowls for food and water

The pace at which the adopter undertakes this step is important. I had a case where the adopter kept pushing me to drop the kitten to him, saying he will manage the cat supplies soon. After 3 days of to and fro, he still hadn't bought any of the supplies and yet wanted me to drop the kitten off to him. Needless to say, the kitten did not end up with him. So watch out for people delaying this step!

Step 6: Taking the Kitten Home

Once any necessary safety measures are undertaken (like meshing) and the adopter has purchased all the above-mentioned items, on a day mutually agreed day (I prefer Saturday mornings so that the adopter can spend the weekend making friends and getting comfortable with the kitten before leaving for work on Monday), take the kitten over and get him/her settled in the new home. 

Take something with you that is familiar to the kitten, like a bedsheet or a towel that s/he used to sleep on, some toys, etc. This will help the kitten be less confused with the change. The kitten should be kept in one room to start off with (2-3 days), so that s/he doesn't have too big an area to explore and become overwhelmed. Gradually, the kitten can be allowed into the rest of the house. It is quite okay for the kitten to hide and be scared and nervous, to begin with. The adopter must be told to expect this behaviour, and be patient with the kitten. This is a big change for the little creature, and s/he will take time to adjust. 

Step 7: Post Adoption

Stay in touch with the adopter at least twice a day initially, for the first 2-3 days. Monitor the food intake, activity levels, pee and poop schedule. Once the kitten, the adopter, and you are more comfortable, the check-ins can be less frequent. Request the adopter to share pics and videos, so that you can rest assured about its well being. 

If needed, do a post-adoption check - especially if you have any concerns about the kitten's well being or the adopter is unable to manage and having trouble with the kitten settling down. If anything feels off or makes you uneasy, have a polite but frank conversation with the adopter. The future of the kitten is at stake, so be open. Anyone who cares enough about the kitten will be open to advice. 

If, unfortunately, either the adopter or you feel that this was a wrong call and the adoption is not working out well, discuss the problems the adopter is facing and offer advice and solutions. Patience is key here, and the adopter needs to understand that. If nothing works out, offer to bring the kitten back, without hesitation. Do not risk the adopter dumping the kitten somewhere. Have a foster ready and then begin the adoption process again.

The kitten you rescued and fostered is your responsibility, and you need to make every effort to give him/her the best possible life. Don't be in a hurry to adopt them out, that usually results in bad decisions. Be patient and be convinced fully before giving the kitten away. Wait for the right home, even if it takes time. Persistence and patience are very important and will save you and the kitten the stress of bad adoptions and returns. I have learned the hard way to not ignore my instincts and never compromise. So stay hopeful and positive, and that perfect home will happen sooner or later. 

Happy Adoption!!