Increasing Cat Adoptions
Wendy Blount, DVM
Get Heard: Unexpected Ways to
Gain Attention for Your Cats
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Get Heard: Unexpected Ways to
Gain Attention for Your Cats
Outgoing Voicemail recording
• MEOW!
• This is Mercedes, I'm a 2 year old spayed
female kitty with personality plus.
• The Animal Control Officer is not in right now, so
please leave your message and don't forget to
tell the ACO that you can't live without me.
• Adopt me today - you won't be disappointed!
• Submitted by Jaylin Ramos of Hugoton Animal
Shelter in KS
Get Heard: Unexpected Ways to
Gain Attention for Your Cats
Look for Performances of the musical
“Cats” in Your Area
• With permission, assemble outside to
distribute flyers of cats up for adoption.
• get creative and wear cat costumes.
• Bring animals to showcase and take
applications
• Submitted by Ally Harris of Halfway Home
Rescue in CT
Get Heard: Unexpected Ways to
Gain Attention for Your Cats
“Do Not Litter” Campaign
• Take a photo of a “Do Not Litter” sign with a
basket of kittens under it
• Make up flyers to post with permission at local
businesses with high traffic
• If you have restaurants with waiting lists, this is a
great place to take advantage of a captive
audience
• Promote adoptions and get leads for your low
cost spay-neuter program
• Submitted by Kathie Tonnessen of Communities
Altering The Strays (CATS) in NJ
Think Outside the (Litter) Box!
Alternative Off-Site Adoptions
Pet Friendly Apartment Complexes
• Approach reputable, pet-friendly apartment
complexes and offer to hold adoption fairs.
• The apartment manager publishes ads to
advertise the fair while promoting their pet-friendly
atmosphere in an effort to attract new tenants.
• The complexes offer a special, reduced-rate petdeposit good for any new tenants and current
tenants adopting from your shelter
• Submitted by Cheryl Knox of Humane Society of
Alamance County in NC
Think Outside the (Litter) Box!
Alternative Off-Site Adoptions
Showcase cats in local busineses
• Family-owned used book store located in an old,
refinished house in downtown Lufkin.
• That bookstore has become the official home of
the Lufkin Chapter of O'Malley Alley Cats.
• The customer traffic helps socialize feral kittens as
well as providing the visibility they need to steal
hearts.
• Customers always ask about the kitties if they are
not promptly greeted when they walk in the door.
• Submitted by Brooke Cooley of The O'Malley Alley
Cat Organization in TX
Think Outside the (Litter) Box!
Alternative Off-Site Adoptions
Showcase kittens in pet friendly schools
• Many school rooms have small mammal pets
• Some might be open to a cat cage for fosters to
visit from time to time
• Reluctant 1st grade readers can read aloud to the
kittens in the reading corner by the cage
• Foster kittens can be socialized
• Springboard to humane education for the kids
• Nothing is more fun than watching kittens play
• Adoptions to teachers, other employees and
parents might surprise you
• Submitted by Cynthia Dewy of GRASP in NY
Think Outside the (Litter) Box!
Alternative Off-Site Adoptions
“Cats Only” off site adoptions
• Invite local cat rescues to show their cats.
• Invite all pet associated groups to have tables.
– Dog rescues
– Pet Pantries, food and supplies
– Pet show, performance and therapy groups
• The atmosphere is quiet so the cats are calmer
and show better.
• Get serious cat people who are ready to adopt a
cat and are turned off by barking dogs.
• Submitted by Julie Bates of Hendricks County
Humane Society in IN
Think Outside the (Litter) Box!
Alternative Off-Site Adoptions
Local Veterinary Clinics
• Set up a cage behind the reception desk
• Or in the cat area of the waiting room near the
desk
• Great for adoptions and socializing kittens
• Submitted by Linda Brown of Backyard Friends in
ON
Dress Up Plain Jane Cats for
Formal Adoption Days
“Esperanza Ball” Black Tie Affair
• What to do with all the black, tuxedo and gray
tabby cats?
• Room decorated like a formal ballroom
• Punch and treats for those who visit this room
– Oreos and black and white m&m’s
• Music is nice
• Female cats get hot pink soft paws and pink frilly
collars
• Male cats get bright blue soft paws and
turquoise bow ties
• Volunteers & staff dress in black and white
Dress Up Plain Jane Cats for
Formal Adoption Days
“Esperanza Ball” Black Tie Affair
• No “flashy cats” allowed that might steal the
show
• Some call it a “Black Cat Ball” & host it in the fall
• Special evening hours for the event
• Adopted cats delivered by limousine service with
a donated pet supply gift basket
• Photograph the delivery and submit to the local
paper or use in advertisements
• Submitted by Tina Puentes of A Pets F.A.T.E. in
WA & Linda Young of KittyCorner of CNY, Inc. in
NY
Themes Days: Have Fun and
Boost your Adoptions
“Baby Shower” Day
• Donors bring kitten/puppy/bunny supplies to help
during critical spring baby season.
– Kitten milk replacer & Pet nurse bottles
– Cat beds and kitten toys
• Post a Kitten Gift Registry
• Showcase the adult female cats that have had
their babies and now need good homes.
• Showcase kittens that are ready to go.
• Decorate like a baby shower for the day.
• Submitted by Debbie Ringer of S.T.A.R.T. in NJ
&Tyler Lewis of Providence Animal Rescue
League in RI
Themes Days: Have Fun and
Boost your Adoptions
Mother’s Day Event
• Feature all the little mama's who are the "leftovers"
of the kitten season.
• They are often only kittens themselves.
• For all qualified adopters, offer a goodie bag full of
coupons, samples and handouts and of course a
low-cost spay/neuter certificate for the very young
kittens.
• Post on Petfinder website and Facebook page
• Submitted by Rebecca Endsley of C.A.T.S. Cats
Are Totally Special in TN
Themes Days: Have Fun and
Boost your Adoptions
“We Have Irish Cats” for St. Patrick’s Day
• Put a shamrock on each cage with the cat's Irish
name.
– Sally O'Patch for a calico
– Mitch McStripe for a tabby
– Mr. Stubbins for a Manx
• People may stop in to see what an Irish Cat looks
like
• Green softpaws and collars on the cats
• Submitted by Cindy Seigel of PATCH in NJ
Themes Days: Have Fun and
Boost your Adoptions
“2012 Models Just Arrived” for New Year
• Name Cats after Cars
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Herbie the Love Bug
Fiesta
Marquis
Audi
Lexus
• Submitted by Cindy Seigel of PATCH in NJ
Themes Days: Have Fun and
Boost your Adoptions
Cinco de Meow-O! first week in May
• Pre-event ticketed raffle to raise money for the
adoption center called the Purr Pad
• More than 25 donated prizes.
– TV-DVD player, gift certificates from area businesses
• Boutique with donated gifts and fabulous Cinco de
Meow-O t-shirts
• Food and drink booth.
• Over fifty adult cats for adoption, as well as
several kittens.
• More than 30 adoptions that day
• Submitted by Elizabeth Ledet of Friends of the
Jefferson Animal Shelter in LA
Themes Days: Have Fun and
Boost your Adoptions
June is Adopt A Cat Month
• Cats are like potato chips – you can’t have JUST
ONE!
• No fees on the second cat if you adopt 2
• Some give the new owner up to 2 months to
choose the second cat
• Adopter gets a bag of potato chips
• Cats get a goodie bag with toys and catnip
• Submitted by Lorraine Askam of Maui Humane
Society in HI & Nikke Beer of Humane Society of
Northwestern Pennsylvania in PA
Themes Days: Have Fun and
Boost your Adoptions
Karoke Kitties Event
• Public can sing, sponsor a singer, send a donation
or come just to show their support.
• Winners are recipients of "Ameri-Cat Idol" prizes
for:
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"Purrrrrfect Singer" (best voice)
"Money Cat" (most sponsors)
"Alley Cat" (the crowd pleaser).
Everyone that sang is awarded a little "Cool Cat“
trophy
• Submitted by Diane Show of Sheltara Humane
Society in MA
Themes Days: Have Fun and
Boost your Adoptions
Fundraiser Pool Tournament
• Tables are "named" after select cats who need
medical care.
• When players' names are called to play, they must
read the descriptions on the placards to find the
cat name and locate the appropriate table.
• Kitties gain additional visibility and tournament
participants learn about the animals who are
receiving the donated entry fee.
• Submitted by Vivian Cooper of Companion Animal
Rescue Alliance in MD
Themes Days: Have Fun and
Boost your Adoptions
Love an Experienced Cat
• Pair Senior Cats with Senior Citizens
• Some well funded programs have senior foster
programs where the rescue
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delivers food and litter monthly
Conducts a welfare check at this time
handles all vet care
Cat returned to the rescue if senior can no longer
care for the cat
• Submitted by Carol Storm of Callie's Home for
Cats in CA & Nancy Engel of Pet Angel Adoption
& Rescue Inc. in MI
Themes Days: Have Fun and
Boost your Adoptions
Pair Handicapped pets with people with the same
handicap
• Deaf, blind – local schools for deaf/blind
• Epileptics
• Diabetics
• Amputees
• Typically unadoptable animals might become
adoptable
• Submitted by Diana Nelson of Cornish and Devon
Rex Rescue NW, Sphynx Too in OR
Themes Days: Have Fun and
Boost your Adoptions
Pet Care Expo
• County Fair type event that benefits the shelter
• Rent tables to those in the pet care and rescue
industry
• Canine Good Citizen Certification
• Of site adoptions
• Pony Rides for the kids
• Petting zoo (work with your health department on
this)
• Concessions
• Sell t-shirts listing sponsors
Themes Days: Have Fun and
Boost your Adoptions
Pet Care Expo
• Kitty Cake Walk
– Numbered squares are laid out on a path.
– Tickets are sold to participants, and they walk
around the path in time to music, which plays for a
duration and then stops.
– Use songs like “Cat Scratch Fever,” “What’s New
Pussycat?,” etc.
– A number is then called out, and the person
standing on the square with that number wins a
cake or other kitty gift as a prize.
– Multiple cakes are given out, one for each round.
– Cat theme cakes and cookies are great
Themes Days: Have Fun and
Boost your Adoptions
Pet Care Expo
• Kitty Cake Walk
– The stepping stones the participants will be walking
on are the actual pictures of kitties looking for
homes.
– Use placemats that are taken to local restaurants
after the cake walk.
– Have sponsorship levels for the walkers
• $5 pays for a shelter kitties vaccination
• $10 pays for the vaccinations plus parasite
removal
• $25-$45 pays for the spay/neuter
• $50 covers the whole schmeal for a healthy cat
• Submitted by Denise Novak of Save1Pet in MS
Themes Days: Have Fun and
Boost your Adoptions
Pet Care Expo
• Kitty Cake Walk
Themes Days: Have Fun and
Boost your Adoptions
Pet Care Expo
• Kitty Cake Walk
Themes Days: Have Fun and
Boost your Adoptions
Pet Care Expo
• Kitty Cake Walk
Attention Grabbing Housing
Stage Your Cage
• Blue towel and a blue stuffed animal to bring out
the eye color in a blue eyed cat
• Colorful rugs rather than newspaper in the
bottom of the cages
• Color coordinate the bedding and litter pan with
the cat
• Well staged photos of the cat on the cage, rather
than the usual mug shot in the metal cage
• Submitted by Dee Carroll of Marin Cat
Connection in CA & Submitted by Linda Hickam
of Friends of Ferals/Greater Huntsville H.S. in
AL
Attention Grabbing Housing
Stage Your Cage
Attention Grabbing Housing
Stage Your Cage
Attention Grabbing Housing
Stage Your Cage
Attention Grabbing Housing
Stage Your Cage
Attention Grabbing Housing
Stage Your Cage
Attention Grabbing Housing
Stage Your Cage
Attention Grabbing Housing
Stage Your Cage
Attention Grabbing Housing
Stage Your Cage
Attention Grabbing Housing
Crash the Cat Show
• Rent a table at the cat show for your mutt cats, and
actually enter them in the “Household Cats”
• Decorate the cages like show cats
• Create some catchy competition CAT-egories for the
cages
– Champion Heart Stealer
– Black Belt Ninja Kitten
• Put all the ribbons they win on the fronts of the cages
• Display ribbons at the shelter and off site adoptions
• Submitted by Lee Ann Causey of Little Orphan Angels in
TX
A Way With Words: Creative
Writing on the Cage Cards
Humorous Talent Lists
• types 50wpm, snow boards and does
windows!
• Trained with Jackie Chan
• Speaks 7 languages
• Official food taster
• Gifted AND talented!
• Submitted by Michelle Brandenburg of
Brenton-Franklin Humane Society in WA
A Way With Words: Creative Writing
on the Cage Cards
Humorous Talent Lists
A Way With Words: Creative
Writing on the Cage Cards
Promote Adult Cat Adoption
• Adult cats know their way around a
litter box“
• Adult cats love couch potatoes
• Adult cats don't climb curtains
• The bigger the better
• Submitted by Andrea Traganza of
Noah's Ark Pet Adoptions in AZ
A Way With Words: Creative
Writing on the Cage Cards
Pet Personal Ads
• TwinkleToes - 20+ pound cat
– "Full-figured single black & white spayed female
seeks human for brushing, petting, and LONG
walks."
• Smudge – very talkative
– Young single gray & white neutered male seeks
Lovely Lady (or Gentleman) for late night chats and
long naps in front of the fireplace or on the heat
vent."
• Kayla – prefers quiet
– Recently divorced mother of two seeks quiet family
who will take care of me during my retirement.
• Submitted by Jeannette Srivastava of The Kitty Cat
CARES in MI
A Way With Words: Creative
Writing on the Cage Cards
Pet Personal Ads
• Whiskers – doesn’t like other cats
– 7 year old Libra enjoys long naps in sunny locales
and prefer chicken over tuna. My ideal home is one
where I can be adored...meaning I prefer to be the
only cat. Some describe me as sensitive, and this
can be said about me on many levels. Not only do
prefer a quiet household, I eat a sensitive stomach
diet. If you are looking for a long-term committed
relationship, please speak with my people at the
front desk."
• Submitted by Moon Wymore of Pioneer
Valley Humane Society in MA
A Way With Words: Creative
Writing on the Cage Cards
“Pet of the Week” – Letter from Pet
• Dear Editor,
I turn one year old this month. Everyone has been
coming in and saying "Happy Birthday, Mary!".
You're probably saying "Congratulations". Except,
it's not a happy day for me -- you see, I'm a shelter
kitten, correction, a shelter cat. Very few people
look at the cats in the shelter; they go for that cute
cuddly kitten. The younger the better, or so they
think. They don't take the time to look at the others
like me, who don’t attack like a Ninja in the middle
of the night and don’t think it’s fun to climb curtains
any more. The volunteers at the shelter sing high
praise about us cats, but it falls on deaf ears.
A Way With Words: Creative
Writing on the Cage Cards
“Pet of the Week” – Letter from Pet
• Don't get me wrong, we get love from the
volunteers at the shelter, but they are there only so
long during the day and they have so much to do
and so many cats to love. Oh! To have the freedom
to roam around a real home, looking for a sunny
place to sleep, or a warm lap to curl up in. This is
my dream. Please, would you help us and print my
plea, so when people are looking to add an animal
to their home, they adopt from a shelter, and take
time to look at the older animals? We make great
companions for humans of all ages. Thank you for
listening to me. Maybe after this is printed, my
family will find me.
Mary, A Shelter Cat
A Way With Words: Creative
Writing on the Cage Cards
“Pet of the Week” – Letter from Pet
• From a cat named Easter:
• The kids went back to school so I am here. No had
time for me. The volunteers brought us all toys with
dangling skeletons for Halloween but I did not get
to see any costumes this year. I was hoping to go
home for Turkey Day but everyone has been so
busy. I asked Santa for a new home but he just
couldn't find one. I made a New Year's resolution
to enjoy my time here. Everyone is very kind and I
do have my own room. Now it's spring and I miss
my family. I'm hoping for one more Easter Egg
hunt....
A Way With Words: Creative
Writing on the Cage Cards
Off Site Placement
• 4 color “tents” on restaurant tables
• Christmas trees at local vet clinics and
pet stores
– Each ornament has pet picture and info
– In photo albums for the rest of the year
• “Pet of the Week” at store cash
registers
It’s All in the Finish
• People often can’t remember the name of the
pet they were interested in
• People may not know how to contact the shelter
or rescue group from an off-site adoption
• Make up “business cards” for each pet for
people to pick up and take with them
– Example: Angelo, Quality Control Analyst, Treat
Department.
– include the animal's picture on the business card.
• Submitted by Rebecca Leinenback of Open
Door Animal Sanctuary in MO
It’s All in the Finish
Goodies to Go
• “Kitty Kupon” book with each adoption
– Free grooming
– Volunteer home visit if any challenges
• T-shirt with each adoption
– “I adopted a Feline Friend
– T-shirts are cheap advertising that keeps
working for years
• Submitted by Nancy Job of Affection
Connection Rescue in MI
It’s All in the Finish
Even Exchange
• Guilt free exchange for another cat if the
adopted cat doesn’t do well in the
household
• Encourage “sleepovers” to try out cats
prior to adoption.
– “Paws to Consider” Program
• Finding the right owner-cat fit is crucial to
long term adoption success