ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS​

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"Where are you located?"

We are one of many small foster-based cat rescues in the Cleveland, Ohio area.  "Foster-based" means "volunteers care for animals in their own homes". We only have a mailing address for our rescue.  Similar to most foster-based rescues, we do not have a street address or facility you can visit.  

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"I need to rehome/surrender/give up my cat(s).  Can you take them, please?"

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We are sorry to hear that you need to find your animal(s) a new home whether because of landlord problems, allergies, relocation, deployment, financial problems, a death in the family, or something else.  It is always a sad situation when you need to give up an animal that has been cared for so lovingly and who has grown attached to you, your family or a loved one for their food and care.  

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Please realize that if our status is FULL, then unfortunately we cannot take your animal(s) into our rescue.  A FULL status means all of our foster homes are full of other animals at the present time, and we have no room available to adequately provide love and attention to additional animals.

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ONE EXCEPTION:  If you are seeking to return/rehome a cat you adopted from Viva Los Gatos Cat Rescue, and have the records to prove it was a Gatos cat, we will ALWAYS take one of our own back as stated in your adoption agreement.

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If we are currently FULL,  we can suggest the following alternatives for rehoming your pet:  

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1. GetYourPet.com:  The best way to save a beloved pet is to keep them out of the shelter system. Get Your Pet is a free online community that connects people who need to find a new home for their pet with people who want to adopt a pet like theirs. 

   • Use their website to submit information about your kitty with some pictures/videos and then wait for responses.   Follow up with inquiries using their guidelines.

   • Their process includes a free examination by a local, participating GetYourPet veterinarian. 

   • Shelters and animal welfare organizations benefit from a portion of the profits from Get Your Pet.
      

2. Adopt-a-Pet, one of the most popular internet adoption portals, has a special rehoming program that's free and easy to use.

   • Submit information about your kitty with some pictures, and use their adoption forms and contracts when you find a new home.

   • Be sure to follow their safety guidelines by asking for an adoption fee for your kitty.  Click here for more information.
      

3. Facebook has a large group of Cleveland-based cat lovers who might be able to help.  The group is a registered non-profit, has over 20,000 members, and is called "Weirdo Cat Lovers of Cleveland" (click to visit them on Facebook).  Please consider posting your information there to reach a larger audience. 
   
   Not on Facebook?  Weirdo Cat Lovers also has a wonderful list of resources on their website.   
    

4. Contact a local no-kill shelter that may have space to take in an animal. The best way to save a beloved pet is to keep them out of the shelter system, but if you feel the need to pursue this option, we suggest finding a NO KILL shelter near you.  No kill shelters usually have a physical facility with cages for the display of animals, and will not euthanize an animal because of space requirements or length of stay.  In Northeast Ohio, we can recommend:

   • Parma Animal Shelter, Parma, Ohio (440-885-8014)

   • Cleveland Animal Protective League, Cleveland, Ohio (216-771-4616)

   • Berea Animal Rescue Friends, Berea, Ohio (440-234-2034)

   • Friendship Animal Protective League of Lorain County, Elyria, Ohio (440-322-4321)

   • Valley Save-a-Pet, Solon, Ohio (440-232-9124)

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"If I make a donation, can you possibly find room for the cat I need to rehome/surrender?"

We appreciate your willingness to make a donation for the care of an animal you need to rehome.  Unfortunately, our ability to take in animals is limited by the number of our foster homes.  If all of our foster homes are full, we do not have the ability to take in additional animals, even with a donation attached.  

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"If you can't take my cat, I'll just have to toss it outside."  

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Unfortunately, our ability to take in animals is limited by the number of our volunteer foster homes.  If all of our foster homes are full, we do not have the ability to take in additional animals.  Please try one of the four alternative options we have listed above.  

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"There's a cat I found living under my (porch, trailer home, old car, deck, etc.).  It runs away every time I go near it, but can you come and rescue it?"

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When a cat refuses to make contact with a human and always runs away, then that cat would probably be classified as 'feral'.  A feral cat is used to living on its own or in a colony with other feral cats.  It is a harsh life, but they are perfectly happy living outside without human contact and are able to adjust to weather conditions as needed. 

 

Even if a human feeds feral cats or feral colonies, that's not a sign the cats are socialized to live inside a house or close to humans every day.  

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If you know of a population of outdoor cats (called a 'feral colony') that may need assistance, we recommend you contact the Weirdo Cat Lovers of Cleveland.  They have a program for trapping, sterilizing, and returning cats to their colonies to manage the colony.  

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"The cat I found under my (porch, trailer home, old car, deck, etc.) is actually a friendly cat. Can you come get it or can I bring it to you? "

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Our experience has shown that there are many degrees of friendly behavior in cats that are found outdoors. An outdoor cat who is friendly to one human being, may not necessarily be friendly to other humans. 

 

As a rescue, we are always looking at animals from the perspective of their adoptability into a worthy home.  That doesn't fit all found animals (see notes about feral cats above).  

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However, if you have found a cat that is friendly, receptive to human contact, and perhaps even able to be picked up and cuddled, then you might have found someone's lost pet.  If you think that might be the case, here are some options:  

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1. The cat's family may be worried sick about their furry friend and might be searching for it. 

   • Look for 'lost cat' notices in your neighborhood.

   • Use social media in your community or local internet-bulletin boards (such as Nextdoor.com) for posting about the animal you have found.  
      

2. A friendly cat might be microchipped so that it can be returned to its owner. 

   • Contact your local animal warden to find out if they have a microchip reader, or

   • Visiting a local PetSmart that has a Banfield facility inside to scan for microchips.
      

3. There is also the real possibility a very friendly cat may have simply been tossed outside by a family who no longer wants to or is unable to, care for the cat anymore and didn't want to rehome their animal.  Unfortunately, that is an all-too-common situation and is one reason we exist as a rescue. Abandoned pets are often terrified by being outside for the first time in their lives. Furthermore, if the cat is declawed, they are completely defenseless in the wild and easy prey for predators.

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Viva Los Gatos Cat Rescue doesn't have a street address or facility, so, unfortunately, you would not be able to bring the animal to us.  If we have volunteers available, we might be able to provide some direction on a found, very friendly cat, so feel free to contact us if you have tried the other suggestions listed above. 

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However, please pay attention to the status indicator above as to whether we would be able to take in animals at this time. 

 

If we are currently listed as FULL, please feel free to check back again in the future to see if our status has changed.  

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