Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to some of the questions you may have regarding Pooler Paws here. We’ve addressed some of the most common ones below, but if something isn’t clear feel free to contact us. We’ll be happy to assist you in any way possible.

Where can I view cats/kittens available for adoption? 

You can view available pets on our Facebook page, Website, or Petfinder.

What is the adoption process?

The best way to start the adoption process is to fill out an adoption application. Once the application is submitted, it will be reviewed by our organization and the potential adopter will be contacted to discuss the application. Or if you prefer, schedule an appointment with us and if you find the perfect kitty, you can fill out an application at that time. The second step in the adoption process once the application is approved is to schedule a meet and greet with the potential kitty. Adoptions are by appointment only. Please be aware that some of our kitties are living in foster homes, so schedules may need to be coordinated to schedule a kitty meet and greet. The third step in the adoption process once the adoption application has been approved and the kitty has been selected, we will require full payment of the appropriate adoption fees. The adopter will also need to provide a carrier to transport the adopted kitty to their new home. If bringing a carrier from home, please make sure the carrier is clean which includes any blankets or pads inside the carrier. We also want to ensure the adopter has all the appropriate cat supplies for a successful transition to their new home! We will review if needed at the time of adoption. You will be given samples of what the kitten/cat has been eating, along with feeding schedules at the time of adoption.

I saw a cat/kitten I’m interested in, what do I do?

You can fill out an adoption application Contact the rescue to set up an appointment to see the cat in person to see if it’s a good fit for you. Email: PoolerPaws2@gmail.com FB: https://www.facebook.com/poolerpawsinc

How much does it cost to adopt a cat? What is included?

Please be aware that these adoption fees are subject to change. $100 fee includes: • Spay/Neuter, and pain meds associated with surgery • First set of shots Rabies shot, to be given at time of neutering • The first (of a series of 3) FVRCP shot; Adopter will be responsible for the next two • Dewormed and treated for fleas In addition, any additional medical needs the animal has had prior to adoption such as diagnostic tests, treatments, additional surgeries, and medications per the recommendation of our veterinarian. Our adoption fee does not cover all of our expenses which is why we appreciate extra donations to help cover our additional costs. Please consider making a donation to help support the homeless cats and kittens that come to our rescue. Adoption fees are nonrefundable. Pooler Paws. is a nonprofit, no-kill humane organization. All funds go to help the animals.

What are your requirements for adopting a pet?

Adopter must be at least 18 years of age and have identification. Adopter must be willing to allow a Pooler Paws representative to make an adoption follow up, either in person or by telephone. Spaying/neutering of cats is required when cats/kittens reach an appropriate age/weight but before they reach 6 months of age, (per Georgia Department of Agriculture) When adopting a pet from Pooler Paws, a legally binding and enforced contract must be signed.

What should I bring when I come to adopt an animal?

A valid ID and a carrier to transport your new pet

What is the method of payment accepted for the adoption fee?

We accept credit card payments through our shelter management system. Venmo and cash are also accepted.

What if my new pet doesn’t work out?

Both you and your new pet will need time to get better acquainted and adjust. For some pets the transition is quick and easy. Others may need more time and help from you to acclimate to their new environment. We understand that after you get your pet home, the adjustment period can be difficult. We encourage you to call us with any questions or problems, hopefully, before small problems become big ones! We are very experienced with pet transitions and welcome the opportunity to help make it as smooth for you and your pet as possible. Our contract states our organization will take our cats back if it does not work out with no time restraint but we do ask for notice to give us time to secure space with a foster home. Please be aware that you will not be eligible to receive a refund of the adoption fee. We are unable to take cats that come from another organization, so please contact the original rescue where you adopted your kitty.

What if my new pet gets sick?

Transitioning to a new home is often stressful in cats and kittens and this is often seen in the form of diarrhea or not eating. Please contact us immediately if this happens and we’ll work with you to determine the cause and offer suggestions. We will never knowingly send home a sick cat, but sometimes conditions do not show up at the initial vet appointment. If in the ensuing days of adoption your cat becomes ill, and we’ve determined it’s not stress related, Pooler Paws will continue to work with you and our vets to make sure you have adopted a healthy cat. Once your adoption is finalized and we’ve resolved all immediate health concerns , you will be responsible for all medical bills and decisions regarding your pet.

After adopting my new kitty, when do they need to go to the vet?

All of our cats and kittens are healthy and vetted at the time when they leave our rescue for adoption to their new homes. We do recommend visiting with your veterinarian within the first month after adoption to establish your kitty’s medical care. Make sure to bring your adoption records with you to the vet visit. If you have adopted a kitten, it will have received age-appropriate vaccinations at the time of adoption and we will provide instructions if further vaccinations are necessary. It is imperative that you follow that vaccination timeline otherwise, the kitten will have to start over with the vaccines and it will be the adopter’s responsibility to complete this program. Please contact us if you need a vet recommendation.

I CANNOT AFFORD THE ADOPTION FEE. CAN YOU GIVE ME A DISCOUNT?

We do not give discounts or run “specials” on adoption fees. Owning a pet is a big financial commitment. The adoption fee is just a small example of this. If an applicant cannot afford the adoption fee, that is an indication they may not be financially ready to adopt a cat. Additionally, though the adoption fee does not cover our expenses for each cat, it does help recoup some of the cost and helps us keep the rescue running.

I adopted a cat, can I send updates?

YES! We have the best adopters and we encourage you to stay in touch. We absolutely love updates! You can submit your success story and photos to our email: poolerpaws2@gmail.com or the contact page of our website.

What volunteer opportunities are available?

• Socialize the cats • Help clean at the Cat House • Feed once or twice a week at feral colonies nearby. • Assist us with our fundraising efforts • Foster cats/kittens

How much time do I need to commit to volunteer?

You can volunteer as much or as little as you’d like. If you volunteer for cleaning and feeding at the cat house, you need to show up when scheduled (you can choose your own time slots).

How old do you have to be to volunteer?

You need to be at least 16 to volunteer without a parent/legal guardian. Under 16 are welcome to help with adult supervision.

Can I receive credit for service hours for school?

Yes, let the volunteer manager know that you need your paperwork signed.

How do I sign up to be a volunteer?

Fill out the volunteer application. The volunteer manager will contact you to set up an appointment for an orientation.

Can I pick up any infections or diseases at the shelter?

Our cats are all under veterinary care and have received their standard vaccinations. In the event an animal comes down with a contagious infection, we isolate them from the rest of the shelter and inform volunteers of their condition. While we take every precaution to protect our staff and volunteers, the risk of contracting minor infections ( i.e. Ringworm), is present in all animal shelters and facilities with a large number of animals.

I have a disability. Can I still volunteer?

Pooler Paws has a place for everyone. Some of our volunteer opportunities (such as cleaning the cat house) require volunteers to be able to bend, lift and carry items, however, we have different options for volunteers of all abilities.

What are the current weekly cleaning shifts for volunteers?

If you are interested in volunteering to help clean the shelter the shifts are 7 days a week in the morning and evening. Times can be slightly flexible.

I have pets. Do I have to be worried about taking any diseases home?

No! Not if you take certain common-sense precautions: • Wash or sanitize your hands carefully after handling any cat. • Don’t leave the clothes you wear to clean the shelter where your pets can come into contact with them.

Are there other ways I can help in addition to volunteering?

Absolutely! • Do you have a contact that might be able to provide us with supplies or services? • Do you have friends who haven’t heard about the services we provide? One of the best ways you can help is to just talk about us! • Purchase items from our wish list to donate • Follow us on social media and share posts of available cats and donations needed

Why should I foster a cat?

Fostering creates space in a shelter for another cat in need, allowing organizations to save more lives. Fostering is important work that provides so much value for cats and shelters: Care, training, and socialization for the foster cat, plus information and photos. What do we mean by information and photos? In order for organizations to match cats with forever families, they need to know about the cat’s behavior in a home, their likes and dislikes, their personalities. And they need photos and videos to show potential adopters how cute they are! Fostering gives you time to get to know a cat, in a home environment, which helps organizations learn as much as possible about that cat in order to make a great match for their new home. Fosters learn all about their foster cats, and it’s nearly impossible to resist grabbing adorable photos. Fostering is a more natural way for a cat to live during the transition period between a past family and their new forever future. An environment that feels like a home instead of a shelter is usually best for cats. When you become a foster, you positively impact your community instantly. Fostering opens the door to a giant network of pet lovers throughout your community, and all over the nation, and expands adoption marketing opportunities outside of the shelter’s usual network. By providing a safe and stable environment for a pet, foster families can help pets heal from any physical or emotional trauma they might have experienced, and develop into the best family member they can be. By opening your heart and home, younger family members can experience the value of helping others, while learning the best ways to care for a pet in need. The lessons learned through fostering a pet, translate to different situations throughout life.

What kind of cats need fostering?

Nursing moms: They need quiet and safe places to care for their kittens without fear of predators or environmental challenges. Motherless kittens: From itty bitty neonates to toddlers learning to play, young kittens need an extra set of eyes on them while they grow healthy enough to be adopted. Sick and injured cats who need medical recovery: These felines often heal and recover more quickly in a home than in a shelter environment. Having a quiet, safe home to relax and be loved, allows the immune system to focus on the body’s needs. Stressed cats: Often adult cats struggle to make the sudden adjustment from home life to a kennel. There are strange sounds and smells, their favorite blanket is gone, the food is different, and there’s no sunny window spot! That can be really stressful. For those cats that end up shutting down in a shelter environment, a foster home is the opportunity for them to adjust and to be themselves while the foster parent helps get them ready for a forever home. Shy cats: A lot of our cats/kittens come from dire situations and were abandoned or abused and when they arrive at a shelter they are terrified! Fosters can teach a fearful feline that new people and places are ok! Cats that shelters need to learn more about: There are some things that organizations just can’t learn about a cat in the shelter. The role of the foster caregiver is to learn as much as possible, and share that information with the shelter/rescue group, and all the friends and family you know, in order to make a great match with their new forever home.

Will I have to buy anything in order to become a foster?

We will provide food, supplies and medical care for pets in foster care.

So, I don't keep my foster cat?

As a foster parent, you are taking care of a cat that belongs to Pooler Paws. Foster parents can, if they choose to do so, potentially care for many cats during a year as they nurture one cat through to adoption and then take in the next cat in need. That means reliable foster homes play a huge role in developing lifesaving plans. Remember that after your first foster cat finds a home, there’s another one that needs you! If you fall in love with the cat and can’t possibly let them leave your home, you can adopt them. You just need to pay the adoption fee. Most volunteers have had “foster fails” and have made a foster cat into a family member.

Isn’t it hard to let a foster cat or kittens go to another family?

Sure, it can definitely feel sad to say goodbye. But we like to focus on happiness! Nothing outweighs the joy of knowing you helped save a life (or a whole litter of lives), and because you got your foster cat to an adoptive home, you can now foster another cat in need!

Will my foster cat be sick?

It’s possible. When a lot of animals are housed together, they easily spread germs, and the stress of a shelter weakens the immune system. It is not uncommon for a cat to get a cold a few days after being placed in your home. Contact someone at the rescue and let them know what’s going on. They may need to make an appointment for the vet or have you give them medication. It’s best to separate the foster cats from your household pets for a short time to be sure they don’t have an illness.

What if I have other pets in my home?

Be sure your resident pets are up-to-date on their vet-recommended vaccines and flea treatment. We also strongly recommend that your pets are spayed/neutered, if possible, for a few reasons: • Spay/neuter is a very big part of the animal welfare mission and a key part in preventing and tackling pet overpopulation. • It will help to alleviate some territorial behaviors on their part that could arise from bringing home a foster cat. • To prevent any pets in the home from getting pregnant (or impregnating another cat) if they accidentally get out of your house or interact with a foster cat who isn’t yet altered.

What do I do when I bring a foster home?

Coming to a new home can be scary and overwhelming to a foster cat, especially if they’ve never lived indoors before. We never want to walk in the door with a new foster cat and just open the carrier, giving them access to the whole home. It’s just too much at once and likely will result in them hiding in a place that you can’t reach. They may not come out or eat for days. The stress could also make them sick. Even if your foster cat or kitten is friendly, please have a safe space in your home for them to slowly adjust and call their own The best place to first place your foster cat is in a safe, secure space in the home with a door to that space that can be closed. A spare bathroom, bedroom, basement area, or any other safe, quiet space will work great. Young kittens will need smaller enclosures inside of this space, like playpens. As they grow, their living space can grow too. Learn more about safe and appropriate enclosures for kittens here. You can leave the cat carrier in the foster space with the carrier door open and a soft blanket inside. By leaving the carrier in the room, it becomes another safe space rather than something that’s only used when they’re going to the vet or shelter.

How can I help my foster cat find a good home?

It’s important to socialize the cat and get them used to being around people. Encourage them to engage with you and get used to being pet, loved and played with. • Having good photos and videos of the cats are very helpful to prospective families. Try to get good photos/videos that are in focus and show the cats personality. Get a variety, some cuddling and some playing. Chances are they will be so cute that it won’t be hard to take lots of photos/videos. • Write a brief description of the cat to help prospective families get to know them and their personality. This helps adopters to know if they would be a good fit for their home. • Email them to us at PoolerPaws1@gmail.com • Share the cat on social media and let friends and family know that you are fostering and that the cat is available for adoption. The more people that see the cat and share the photos the quicker they will be able to find a forever home. • Bring the cat to adoption events. This is a great way for them to meet families looking to adopt.

Frequently Asked Questions

Caturday Adoption Event