Local places to adopt
Brooklyn Cat Cafe: “the Brooklyn Cat Cafe is where we recently adopted our two kittens. However, their policy is that you can't adopt a sole kitten unless you already have a cat - they don't think kittens are happy by themselves without another cat around. They have a whole procedure, forms to fill out etc, and I've found the adoption coordinator very communicative.”
“There's a fee to go hang out there but it's a nonprofit group and it's a blast petting the cats as they wander, and the goal is to adopt them all out.”
PS9 Pets: “We just adopted two adorable kittens from PS9 Pets this week! The day we went, they had two sets of kittens and were expecting two more sets that day. I would suggest calling in advance to ask when they expect to have kittens available for adoption. They're a great pet supply store and usually have cats for adoption from different rescuers.”
Bushwick Street Cats: “Bushwick Street Cats is an incredible group of volunteers who rescue amazing cats and kittens in the Bushwick area. ... We got two little kitties there in July. They were vaccinated, neutered and microchipped upon delivery. I can't recall the cost, but think it's about $100 a cat. You can tell they are high quality, well-treated kitties.”
Infinite Hope: “they are a non-profit, volunteer-led organization that rescues cats and kittens in brooklyn. our cats could not be sweeter in nature, and i believe that's in large part because of the care and socialization given to them from a young age from the wonderful volunteers at infinite hope.”
“They are caring volunteers who take kittens off the streets and give them shots and lovingly socialize them. They also follow up with lots of care. Our adoptees needed an extra vet visit in the first few weeks and they covered the cost. They also helped me get them to the vet for neutering, when the time came.”
For Animals Inc.: “We got our amazing and incredibly friendly cat, Augie, through For Animals, Inc. this past May. They are based in Queens but always have some cats at the NYC Pets at 5th Avenue near President Street. I think the adoption fee was around $125 and our cat was already neutered/vaccinated and they covered those costs. You can find them on Facebook (very active) and they also have a web site.”
“We absolutely loved the experience with For Animals, Inc. You can see a few of the cats they have at the NYC Pet store on 5th Avenue near President Street.
They always do foster-to-adopt first, and will take the cat back at any time for any reason (even years later, unfortunately I saw some cats on their Facebook in that situation), and they guarantee not to bring them to a kill shelter. The woman who runs it, Theresa, was super-responsive both before the adoption and while we were fostering. We knew just a few days in that we wanted to keep our sweet cat!”
K9 Kastle: “I foster cats for K9 Kastle and they do « foster to adopt ». They are a foster based organisation and organise adoption events in Unleashed by Petco on 7th Avenue sometimes on Sundays.”
Brooklyn Animal Action: "I'd recommend looking into who is up for adoption at Brooklyn Animal Action, who do amazing rescue work and have good fosters."
Animal Care Centers of NYC lets you search for available cats at adoption organizations in your borough.
Considerations before you adopt
Some organizations will have you sign waivers and have your place inspected before allowing you to adopt.
“We had a bunch of forms to fill out making sure that we would do X, Y, and Z before we were allowed to adopt. The organization was worried that we had kittens on a terrace and that the ‘teenage cats’ could fall. We had to give assurances that we wouldn’t let the cats out until they were a year old.”
If you can accommodate two kitties rather than one, chances are both you and your pets will be happier in the long run.
“One major piece of advice is to adopt two kittens. Kittens are very social and need the company of each other. Taking care of two cats isn't much more work than taking care of one, but kitten generally tend to do better when they have a furry friend.”
“Kittens can get really lonely when they don't have a companion -- and it can cause odd social behavior as adults (and I say this from personal experience). If at all possible, try to adopt two. Vets will often give you a discount for bringing in two cats at once (the office visits). It will mean, however, that the overall vet bills will be more expensive. I would argue it is worth it for mentally healthier/happier cats.”
“I agree with everyone who says it is better to adopt 2 kittens together especially if they are young kittens. They need to play together to develop their social skills. The best is to get 2 kittens who grow up together (same litter or different ones, it doesn't matter). If you adopt 1 kitten and realise he is bored, it is more difficult to introduce another kitten later on... If you adopt an adult cat, some like being with other cats, some prefer to be the only cat of the house. In my case for instance, Omelette is fine on its own as long as I play everyday with him, however, when he went to someone else with cats while I was away, he had a blast playing with other cats (we will never replace completely a furry friend)...”
“BTW, I hesitated over the 'two kitten' rule when I adopted in April, but now they're here, I do agree, because they're so bonded to each other, and spend a lot of time interacting.”
"One additional thought, you might think about 2 cats, ideally from.the same litter. We have always had 2, and it makes a huge difference for them psychologically to have a playmate, etc. There is not a big incremental difference in terms of care, etc."
"We didn't [get two cats], and at this point it would more complicated to add another one to our cat's territory (although we've considered it off and on), but I think it would be good for our cat and (from the selfish perspective) make him less demanding of our attention; if I had it to do over, I'd get him a friend or adopt two siblings."
You can expect to pay between $100 and $150 per cat for the adoption.
“the adoption fee is partial reimbursement of vet bills for being micro-chipped, neutered, vaccinated, flea and worm treatment and tested. ... I think Omelette, the kitten I'm fostering, is at about $130 (as someone said, the older they are, the more difficult it is to adopt them out, so organisations need to reduce their fees even if these cats cost more as organisations continue having vet bills for them).”
In terms of cat breeds, you have tons of great options to choose from.
“I got a lot of great responses regarding my post looking for the most cat friendly breeds, here are some of the highlights:
On type of cat:
- several responses supporting adoption and many highlighting that it's less about the breed, so visit an adoption center and see which cat(s) come to you
- opt for a neutered male
- a few votes for adopting older cat rather than kittens - allows you to see their characteristics
- several votes for tabbies, especially male orange ones
- Maine Coons (x2 votes) - furry, friendly lap cats
- ragdoll
- Scottish Fold - relaxed, social
- Burmese (particularly the sables) - affectionate, intelligent, loyal
- Ococat - smart, playful, active, cuddly - require a lot of attention though
- Russian Blue - social, chatty, and hypoallergenic”
More thoughts shared with a family on the fence about adopting a cat:
"1. Cats are relatively easy to care for.
2. Pets make a life time of difference for kids - in a really positive way.
3. Your life will be richer with an animal in it.
4. Please don't get a pet if you are going to abandon them."
"I know in my experience, having a cat was life changing when I was 7 years old and gave me responsibility and focus and care, which continued as I grew up. But you shouldn't get a pet if you don't want one, because the responsibilities (and teaching that responsibility to your child) is substantial. Have you (and your child) been to the Brooklyn cat cafe? You might want to spend some time with cats before taking on ownership?
I think the smell and clean up are all manageable with a cat, with have a modkat top entry litter box, which is quite small, and use crystal litter, which is expensive but really manages the smell.Our 18 month old currently loves our cat.
cat personalities are a total crapshoot. the best way to get one that is affectionate and cuddly and kid friendly is work with a cat foster organization so someone has spent time with the specific cat you might home. You can also follow bethstern on instagram, who spends a lot of time showcasing the personalities of cats.
travel we've had great success trading pet sitting for a free place to stay, but it is not without its headaches and limits"
"Regarding cat-sitting when you go away, it's pretty low key. Basically someone stays at your place, changes a litter box, and puts food out. I've done it for a few family friends and a relative. Their cats had a range of personalities from wanting affection to leaving us completely alone while we stayed. So if you have an apartment that's amenable to having a guest you trust who does little work when there, it shouldn't be too bad!
As far as having a pet: they are family, and everything you do for them should be seen as a labor of love. I say this as someone who has lived with or visited a dog (after I moved out) for 27 years straight. At the end it was more maintenance when they were old but I wouldn't trade it in for anything. I miss those little honeys."
"I always had cats growing up which was a very special and memorable part of my childhood. I simply adore them.
I finally got a cat for my own family in September 2020 when my kids were then 12 and 8 yrs old. They were so happy to have a pet they could help take care of and love. This was soon followed by a kitten that December and yet another older cat the following November.
The 3 of them have distinctly different personalities which adds to the joy. Their relationships with each other also provide endless amusement.
I’ll add my husband grew up in a no-pet household and has become quite an obsessive cat dad! He actually wants a 4th.
Below, one of my favorite articles about a human/ cat relationship! Written by Tim Kreider.
"We got a cat under similar circumstances (I never had a pet, DH had a dog for a while) almost 5 years ago, when my son was 9, and although it does add minor chores and complications (and my son is currently not really taken his share of those, something I plan to Work On Soon), we've been very happy we did. He's a lot of fun, he cheers us up on dark, depressing December days, he provides a topic of conversation when we're bored with all others after months indoors together, etc. We take average about weeklong (or so) out-of-town trips a year, and pet sitting has not been a major problem although we do pay someone to do it (we mostly hire the wife of a friend whose primary income is from dogwalking and catsitting, but we also have a teenaged friend of my son's as an option, which would cost less - it's generally not hard to find a teenager to do this). We got him from Sean Casey Animal Shelter - we just went in and checked out a few cats, and he was the one who came out of his cage and seemed interested and friendly, which he is (although if we'd picked a more sedate animal, he might be less demanding about having us entertain him with cat toys, lol). Cats ARE chaos magnets, so you'll probably find that you need to cat-proof in some ways, depending on the cat; for instance, my brother can't keep knicknacks on shelves because his cats knock them off, which hasn't been a problem for us, but conversely I have to keep certain cat-toxic plants in inaccessible places, which my brother hasn't had a problem over.
Our cat sitters have not stayed at our place, just come by once or twice a day to feed/clean litter, hence the fact that we pay them. Cat sitting in return for a place to stay is a separate option (probably a little more complicated to arrange, but great when it works out - I've only seen it from the other side, mainly through a friend who does it periodically for travel; there are agencies that organize this)."
"I want to echo those people who say that like with people/kids etc., with cats you really don't know what you're getting until their habits and personalities become more apparent over time so like any situation where you're living together and making a family, it's just a decision to love them despite or sometimes because of their faults and eccentricities. So one needs to be ready for surprises, like with anyone. We had 3 cats between 1999-2019, and between 2013-2019 they passed away of old age; and while the last one that died was amazing (he was like a dog that used a litter box), one of the others was a brat at night and got locked out and would wail at the bedroom door sometimes; one of the others got senile and was always hungry and sometimes ate inappropriate food. But overall they were great cats. We got 2 kittens in 2019 and they are lovely but kind of brats, are not good overnight and have to be locked out of the room, are always hungry, one is so skittish that it's near impossible to pet her unless she's cornered (then she purrs), the other is huge and destructive and has a bit of pica. They add some stress that the prior cats didn't, but we work around their issues and they give us a lot of love - and laughs."
"I will try to keep this short: your child's (and your) life can be incredibly enriched by having a cat. Maybe two cats (yes they are social animals). Just please remember that they are their own creatures, not yours. That being said cats are ( not can be, are) incredibly loving, caring and giving creatures. Learn to communicate w them, verbally, with affection, with your eyes. Oh, and please don't buy a cat. Rescue or adopt."
"Our experience: we are not cat people but our daughter (then 6) really wanted one. Conclusion after a year and a half: they are very low maintenance compared to dogs. They are clean and all they need really is food and water and scooping/changing the litter regularly (and spaying/neutering if it hasn't been done already). I too hear personality is a crapshoot but ours is pretty affectionate and quite well-behaved. With an automatic feeder you can go away overnight and not need a cat sitter. Longer than one night you do need to get someone to visit, but we use Brooklyn Cattitude, they can come in as little as once a day for half an hour and it's not expensive (and they send you pics!).
Perhaps the only real downside is they shed fur (at least ours does) so there is more vacuuming, and you should make sure nobody is allergic before you get one!"
"I will echo what others have said — sharing a home with an animal can be life changing, in the best ways. I was fortunate to grow up with both cats and dogs, and being around animals and helping care for them taught me so much about kindness, patience, and responsibility at a very young age. (And it continues to as an adult...) I now have a young son and a cat, and it is a joy to watch their relationship unfold. My cat has been so patient with my son as he learns how to interact with the world, and they have a really special and loving connection. My son lights up when he sees him every morning (having a cat does not get old :)
It is also a commitment. While, in general cats are really easy to care for, like any other being in your family — they will get sick, have bad days, sometimes need a little extra support. This is something to be mindful of when you choose to bring any animal into your family. And, like so many other close relationships, the tradeoff is very worth it.
...
Please, please, please adopt, don't buy, a cat. Buying supports the continuation of the breeding industry when there are so many animals in need of homes (and being euthanized because of a lack of them).
One other thing to keep in mind if you feel that just one cat is right for your family — many rescues (and breeders) will not let you adopt a single kitten, because they so greatly benefit from the companionship of another young cat. Consider adopting an older cat (even one who is just a few years old). There are many amazing young adult and adult cats in need of homes, and they tend to do better in single-cat households. There is also the added benefit that their personalities are more evident in adulthood. All kittens tend to exhibit exuberant kitten-ness, and it can be hard to sort out what they will be like to live with in the long-term. It is much easier to get a feel for the personalities, quirks, etc. of an adult cat.
There are lots of options for pet care and ways to mitigate cost when you're traveling if that is of concern. On average, we pay between $30 and $50 per day to have a professional sitter come to our home. Not free (and, as others have noted, there are free or lower cost options!) but not exorbitantly expensive in consideration of all the other expenses of travel... and makes it simple / worry-free for us.
Cats are amazing, loving creatures and can bring so much joy to your life. I hope, if you do decide this is right for your family, that you find a wonderful companion!"
"PS for cat sitting, I just learned about an app "trusted house sitters" for sitting swaps including for pet sitting, haven't tried it and it's a paid membership but looks interesting, and for our sitting I found a neighbor who has pets and we cat-sit for each other as much as possible (saves us both bucks), we're in a house so it's super easy to go up or downstairs, but I've also used neighbors and my teen son cat-sits for others, my advice is to go local and do swaps if you can, use local responsible teenagers. And I also recommend kittykind.org which is generally at Union Square Petco doing good work, for fostering and adopting."
Considering fostering?
Fostering a cat can be a great option if you have love and TLC to spare but don't want to permanently commit to a pet. PSP members have shared the following thoughts on the ups and downs of fostering:
"Take all this with a grain of salt, as it's been a decade since I fostered, but...
I loved fostering because I got to meet so many kitties! I found that, if I went into my foster with that mentality - I'm a part of their journey toward finding a new home, and once they do, I'll have a new kitty to help - it made it much easier to hand them back over when their time with me was up. With any luck, you'll wind up working with an organization that can give you updates on the cats when they do get adopted, so you and your kids can know that the cats you've loved have found their forever homes. It's so rewarding!
I never felt any pressure to adopt the cats that I was fostering, but nor did I feel any shame if I decided to keep one (though I never did). There was an aw-shucks warmth toward those families who just loved a cat too much to give it up, but all the same I got the sense that fosters are such a valuable resource that most organizations would gently prefer you not to keep the cat.
Cons are that, at the organization I was working with, most fosters need help in some way. My first foster had an eye infection that was too contagious to have him at the shelter; my second and third fosters were kittens that were too young to be fixed. They all needed a little extra TLC, which I was more than happy to provide, but you should be prepared for that possibility.
You should definitely talk to potential foster organizations, as each group might have different expectations, requirements, and types of cats in need of fostering, and see if any of them are the right fit for you."
"I also fostered after losing my boy in February of 2020. I fostered several kittens and found it to be a wonderful way to grieve while helping other kitties. I worked with Flatbush Cats and Brooklyn Animal Action. Both are great organizations that go the extra mile for the cats. They are flexible to work with and will give you cats to foster based on your capabilities and situation. There is no expectation for you to adopt. In fact, there was always a foster home shortage during the year I fostered.
I found it difficult to give up the cats when they were adopted. Some of them stayed with me for months. However, I was able to interview the potential adopters and give input on who I thought would provide a good home. I also was able to check in on the kitties after they went to their new home. All of this was optional. You can be as involved as you want.
Ultimately, I adopted two cats, but I always knew that I would eventually adopt."
"I recommend fostering to adopt if you're not sure, which gives a release valve if it doesn't feel right. In 1999 I fostered 2 cats and one just didn't belong in a small apartment in Manhattan, and I returned him quickly after he kept breaking things (he needed more space) and he got adopted to a suburban home where he did great. Then I and my then-boyfriend fostered then adopted a 2nd cat some months later who we kept until her death in 2014, and added a third in 2000 who I found on the street (best cat I ever had, an orange tabby) who died in 2019. But fostering 2 of the 3, helped me get comfortable trying out being a cat owner after growing up with way too many cats (my parents didn't get the first ones fixed and then didn't give away the kittens, oddly) and swearing off being a pet owner for about 15 years. There are some rescue groups that will work with you and I am so thankful I did (the person I worked with 20 years ago left NYC, and in 2019 we did something similar with 2 young cats, a lovely grad student who was fostering a few let us visit and meet them in her apartment and we took 2 of them, so she could foster more to adopt out; she probably would have taken them back if needed - it felt saner than all the red tape with some groups). Brooklyn Animal Action jumps out as one to consider; there's a group in Williamsburg that a friend used."
"As suggested by some other folks, if you are at all uncertain, I would strongly recommend fostering as a starting point. It is a GREAT way to get a sense of what it is like to care for a cat, and also to get acquainted with a cat before you make the full commitment. Every cat has their own personality and unique way of being. There is no better way to find the right fit for your family, then via the shorter-term commitment of fostering. If/when you find the right one, rescues are always thrilled to have a "foster fail." :) There is a huge need for fosters, and there are many rescues across the city who would be so grateful to have another family willing to help out in this capacity. Among them: kittykind.org lwnyc.org catcafebk.com puppykittynyc.org anjelliclecats.com nyanimalrescue.org"
"I just want to echo that fostering is a great way to get to know a cats personality before you fully commit to adapting it, also there is a far greater need for adult cats to be adapted vs kittens that exude cuteness.
We went this route, I haven’t seen it mentioned yet but we fostered a few cars with the Animal Care Centers of NY and ended up adapting one of them, he was an older cat (8 at the time), so we knew what we were getting, he is very cuddly with our kids and almost like a dog in that sense, always around and always up for interactions, if that is what you like, some cats hide in a room and you almost never see them."
"I’ve had lots of pets of all kinds and have had some very big vet bills including surgery for my cat with breast cancer. You might want to get pet health insurance."
"We use the Trusted Housesitters site for our cats all the time and have had wonderful sitters! We also hope to use it for travelling in the future (ie, we’d love to cat sit for someone in another country!). Cannot recommend it highly enough and am happy to pass on our discount code if anyone is interested.
As far as getting a cat for a kid, I echo everything that’s been said! So much great wisdom, especially regarding fostering before adoption! We adopted two kittens the day before I found out I was pregnant with our surprise/miracle baby, so while our experience has been that our daughter has always had the cats with her, their interactions together and the love she has for them is amazing."
Related resources on PSP
Member reviews for Animal Shelters
