Adoption Procedures + Things to Know • Cats

1.) Get approved (if you got an email from a coordinator to set up a time to meet, you’ve been approved!). We choose the best application out of many that we receive. We approve one application at a time for each animal.

2.) Come meet the cat at our adoption center by appointment. We cannot schedule appointments too far in advance - must be within 3-4 days following approval, ideally 2-3 days. We can keep you as a backup adopter if your schedule doesn’t work with this. (We try to act in the interest of our cats to help them find good homes as swiftly as possible). When you come in, please be sure you have prepared your home in case you bring a cat home!
Adoption Center (Google Maps):
19142 E Walnut Dr N
Rowland Heights, CA 91748

Shelter: (626) 810-0197
Monica: (323) 229-3418
Laura: (626) 374-1551

3.) Complete the adoption the same day. We cannot hold animals, so a decision to adopt or pass will need to be made at the appointed time. It will be at the discretion of your adoption coordinator to allow you to pick up your adopted cat at a later date, or to allow a trial period. If you have pets at home, we strongly advise going for a trial period. Our coordinators on site are Monica and Laura.

4.) Bring your pet home! We provide digital vaccination records, spay/neuter certificate, medication records + flea/tick/dewormer treatment records, as well as a digital packet with tips, advice, a free vet exam, and instructions on how to register your cat’s microchip and more.

  • *Your adoption fee is non-refundable. If your adopted cat is not a good fit for you, we can match and offer a 2nd cat for a trial period. If the 2nd is also not a good fit, you will forfeit your $159 (adult) or $175 (kitten) adoption fee donation.

  • Please be aware that there may be further issues with the animal that VIDA Rescue is not aware of at the time of the adoption. All animals are given behavioral evaluations and wellness checkups, but we do not perform costly blood tests or DNA tests as a part of every adoption process. We will provide as much information as we possibly can to you. Feel free to ask additional questions!

  • Please reach out to us at adoptions@vida4animals.org immediately should you need anything or have any concerns or questions post-adoption.

  • Most of our cats and kittens are strays or surrenders from LA County or are transported across the border from our sister rescues in Tijuana and Ensanada, Mexico. To read more about why we rescue from Mexico, click here.

Note, we are no longer requiring masks during meetings. However, if you would prefer that everyone wears masks, we can do so! Just let us know.

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What should I bring?

Please bring:

  • Payment: cash, card, check, Venmo accepted
  • Carrier (soft or hard plastic): all cats MUST leave in a carrier. We also sell them, but please try to bring your own!
  • Masks!

    • What does the adoption fee cover?

    Your adoption donation ($175 kittens, $159 cats) comes with:

  • FVRCP vaccine (2 sets for kittens) - we do NOT include rabies for cats - some kittens will need 1 follow-up appointment at our location, free of charge, for their second booster vaccine
  • dewormer (1-2 rounds)
  • collar, microchip tag, and microchip + lifetime free registration
  • flea/tick medication (up to date for up to 1 month after your adoption date - this varies because we medicate on intake)
  • 30 days of PetFirst pet health insurance
  • free vet exam at any VCA hospital (must be used in 14 days post-adoption)

    • Add-Ons:

  • $35: FIV & FeLV testing + heartworm* (feline immunodeficiency virus, feline leukemia virus) *heartworm tests only work on cats >7 months old

    must be requested for ahead of time or done via follow-up appointment (fee must be paid ahead of time via Venmo or our website)

  • $17 for 2 sets - FeLV vaccination

    *only eligible after FIV/FeLV test is performed, first round can be done the same day of adoption, second round 3-4 weeks after

    • Our location is a bit hidden. Please review these instructions for the smoothest arrival.

    1.) The best way to navigate is Google Maps - search for us on Google: “VIDA Rescue.”

    2.) When you arrive, you’ll see an office building (PCI Business Lot) and parking lot - park in this lot. It says private property, but our adopters and staff are allowed to park there. You will also see our banners posted.

    3.) Walk to the back of that parking lot - there will be a black gate (sometimes opened) with 2 banners on it. Be sure you bring your carrier and other materials with you. Mask up!

    4.) Manually pull open that black gate and pull it closed behind you. Walk down the driveway forward up to the white building - that’s our office! We will be waiting for you inside. Generally, our coordinators on site are Monica and Laura. If we are busy working with someone, please wait outside of the office for a few minutes, but let us know you have arrived!

    **Another rescue, Ozzie and Friends, operates in the same address as us, though they are a completely different rescue. They sometimes hold events outside of our office area. Always walk up to the building forward instead of tables and easy-ups!

     
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    Ways to help, even as an adopter!

    • If you have old towels/blankets/sheets at home, we could always use them for our animals! Feel free to bring them - no need to worry about laundering them, we take care of that!

    • We welcome any pet supplies (opened, unopened, used, or brand new) that your pet(s) at home might not use! We make use of everything.

    • Leave us a review on Google after your visit to help us improve for future adopters! It also helps us get seen by more people, which means more prospective adopters!

    Follow us on Facebook & Instagram for updates and to share images of your adopted pet (if you adopt) with us! We love when adopters tag us in photos. If you don’t adopt during your appointment, you can also stay updated on newly posted animals by following.

    Rescue is hard work! We are a nonprofit 501c3 organization. Your adoption fee goes directly to the rescue and recovery of homeless animals. We thank you in your interest for a rescue animal from VIDA Rescue and for choosing and supporting rescue!

    After Adoption

    If you need anything after your adoption, please reach out immediately at adoptions@vida4animals.org, and please CC your adoption coordinator who made your appointment in the email as well. Email is the most prompt way to contact us as opposed to call/text. We are a small-scale rescue!

    Remember, cats can often experience stress and anxiety after just arriving home. If you have pets at home, do not introduce them until a few days after bringing your new cat home. This can often cause conflict - short sessions of meeting through a barrier (such as a crate) are important, but this should only be done after a few days of being away from the other animals at home.
    How to introduce a dog to a cat
    How to introduce cats to each other

    Do not be discouraged if your pet or your newly adopted pet try to defend themselves or hiss! Cats are picky and often take a few days to adjust.

    You may also notice your cat not wanting to eat for the first day - this is generally normal for a cat, since a new environment can often be a stressor.

    If you have children, we also recommend that you only allow short play sessions with your kids for the first few days to prevent any stress for your newly adopted cat. Please reach out to us at cats@vida4animals.org for any advice!