Rehome Your Kitty

There is never a shortage of unwanted homeless animals so we want to make every effort to help keep cats in their original homes unless we believe the animal is in danger or there is a history of abuse or neglect. Rehoming is very stressful for cats because they do not understand why they are being moved away from their family. We know your cat would rather live out its life with you and we want to help keep cats in their homes if at all possible.

The kitty advice page has additional information on handling common cat issues like litter box aversion, scratching, biting, spraying, and managing nighttime zoomies. If your cat is exhibiting unwanted behaviors, some can be corrected with minor adjustments once you understand the language your kitty is trying to communicate.

Allergies

Are you or a family member suffering from cat allergies then you are not alone, about 10% of the U.S. population has pet allergies. It’s not the cat fur that’s the real issue, it is the proteins in the cat’s saliva, urine, and dander (dried flakes of skin). People with cat allergies have an oversensitive immune system and their bodies mistake harmless things like cat dander for dangerous invaders, so their bodies attack them as they would bacteria or viruses.

Allergy sufferers rarely have a response just to one single allergy. Other culprits like dust mites and pollen may also be causing a reaction. Some people have had success managing their allergies with these remedies below and increased cat exposure. We recommend not to ignore the signs of cat allergies and seek your doctor’s advice on the best method to tackle the solution.

If your cat from allergies, click here for helpful suggestions on how to manage allergy symptoms in cats.

Here are some suggestions to help manage your environment:

Cat allergies can be controlled with standard allergy drugs such as antihistamines, decongestants, eye drops, or aerosol inhalers.
An allergy specialist can provide testing to determine the exact source of the allergic reactions. Immunotherapy may help increase tolerance to cats with the use of allergy shots once or twice weekly for up to six months followed by monthly boosters for three to five years.
For a more holistic approach, try Nettle tea, a bioflavinoid called quercetin, or acupuncture. In recent studies, antioxidants such as Vitamin C and Vitamin E have demonstrated significant anti-allergen effects.
The cat’s diet can be a method to help reduce allergic reactions. Fish oil or omega-3 fatty acids will reduce the amount of the allergic protein present on a cat’s body and keep the cat’s coat healthy. Omega fatty acids are found in wet cat foods that contain salmon oil or flax oil. Fish oil like Welactin can be added to the cat’s food.
Purina Pro Plan has designed cat food and cat shampoo to help reduce cat allergies called Liveclear. This Purina product was ten years in the making and significantly reduces the major allergen in cat hair and dander. We have consulted with some people who have been using Liveclear and they told us it works.
Cleaning your home environment often to remove dirt and dust will help control cat dander.
Vacuuming blows as many allergens through the air as it removes so use an allergen-proof vacuum cleaner with a high-efficiency particulate arresting (HEPA) filter. Removing carpets in your home and using hard flooring is the most effective method for managing allergies.
A central air cleaner with filters on the vents can help prevent cat dander from circulating through the house.
Use plastic covers that are designed to prevent allergens from penetrating your mattress and pillows.
Anti-allergen sprays like Allersearch ADS are a convenient way to deactivate pet allergens.
Grooming the cat frequently with a fine-tooth comb will help to remove the dander, although this aerosolizes the proteins, so it’s best done outside or by someone who does not have cat allergies. Check out these grooming tools: FURminator, brush, comb, and rake (removing mats and tangles).
Some cat breeds are known to produce fewer allergens than other cats. They are the Balinese, Siberian, Devon, Cornish Rex, Oriental Shorthair, Russian Blue, Sphynx, and Bengals. It is important to keep in mind that no cat breed is ever completely non-allergenic and each person has a different allergy threshold.

Food, Supplies, and Veterinary Services

If you need to rehome your cat because of a lack of food, supplies or medical care, here are some resources:

Pet Help Finder for finding financially friendly pet resources in your area by entering your location with a choice of the following categories: veterinary services, food pantry and supplies, and boarding and services.
Georgia Pet Resources for a directory of low-cost, reduced-cost, or free spay/neuter in Georgia. There are also directories for vaccines, medical treatment, help with ferals, and free food.
Feeding Pets of the Homeless has an interactive resource map where you can search by your location with a choice of the following categories: food & supplies, shelters, and resources.
Atlanta Animal Rescue Friends (AARF) operates a pet food pantry for low-income pet owners who need help feeding their pets and living in the following zip codes: 30021, 30052, 30083, 30084, 30087, and 30088.
Coco’s Cupboard assists with basic supplies like cat food and medications for flea/tick, and heartworm prevention. They also provide spay/neuter assistance.
Frida’s Foundation serves low-income families in Clayton County by providing cat food and dog food until struggling families can get back on their feet. They also work to provide cat food for caretakers who participate in their TNR program.
Kibble 2 Care provides Georgia residents with pet food, supplies, and veterinary care to help keep pets with their families during times of financial hardships.
League for Animal Welfare supports the Red Door Food Pantry at the Episcopal Church of Ascension in Bartow County by providing dog and cat food each week.
Pet Buddies Food Pantry helps families who have fallen on hard times by providing pet food, supplies, spay/neuter services, and education through its mobile outreach program.
Pets for Life (PFL) is an outreach program run through LifeLine Animal Project that provides free pet food, free veterinary care, free pet supplies, free transportation, free behavior assistance, and more.
Red Door Food Pantry is a food pantry to serve those in need in Downtown Cartersville and Bartow County.

Financial and Medical Care

If you need to rehome your cat because of financial burdens or medical care, here are some resources:

Many vet clinics offer low-cost spay or neuter services, vaccinations, and other medical services. Please see our list of low-cost spay & neuter clinics and voucher programs for feral cats.
Animal Cancer Foundation for resources to help you and your pet through the cancer journey.
American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) for a list of organizations with financial assistance for veterinary care costs.
SpayGeorgia for a list of organizations that provide financial assistance to pet owners in need.
Frankies Friends Hope Funds provides financial assistance to family-owned pets in need of lifesaving emergency or specialty veterinary care whose caregivers cannot afford the full cost of treatment. Hope Funds may be available at hospitals that have agreed to offer a discount on their services and collaborate with Frankie’s Friends, including BluePearl Veterinary Partners. This program is designed to help with the treatment of emergency and specialty medical conditions where the pet would otherwise suffer, be euthanized, or be relinquished without proper veterinary care.
Pets Are Loving Support (PALS) ongoing care and support to the pets of Atlanta residents living with disabilities due to HIV/AIDS, terminal illnesses, and the elderly.
Tommy’s Holiday Fund assists families and their companion animals with emergency and specialty care in metro Atlanta. Their primary goal is to offer families in financial crises an alternative to euthanasia when their pet has a treatable, yet life-threatening condition. The level of assistance to families is commensurate with availability.
Transitions Pet Care provides free pet care for pet owners diagnosed with major illnesses and needing help caring for their pets. They also assist other owners who are struggling to care for their pets due to injury or a decline in mobility.

Fundraising and Temporary Credit

Here are some resources:

CareCredit is a healthcare credit card that understands that pets are family so it offers veterinary care financing which can help with routine vet appointments, emergency situations, or surgeries. They have a comprehensive range of plan options as well as a low monthly payment to fit comfortably into almost every budget.
GoFundMe is a fundraising platform that enables you to create a personal fundraising page.
ScratchPay is a financing platform that offers simple and friendly Scratch Plans for pet health.
VetBilling is a third-party billing service that allows you to pay over time. Check to see if your vet participates in this program.
Waggle is a pet-dedicated crowdfunding platform devoted to raising funds for pets in medical crisis. You will need your veterinarian’s contact info, your pet’s medical estimate, and clear and compelling photos of your pet to create your campaign.

Pregnancy

Cats are not harmful to pregnant women or babies so there is no reason to get rid of your cat during pregnancy.

Here are some precautions that you can take to stay safe:

The chief concern is catching toxoplasmosis from a cat. Toxoplasmosis is a disease that results from infection with the Toxoplasma gondii parasite, one of the world’s most common parasites. Infection usually occurs by eating undercooked contaminated meat, exposure from infected cat feces, or mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy.
The truth is that you are more likely to catch this parasite from eating undercooked meat than from your cat feces. This is especially true if your cat lives indoors since cats get this parasite from eating infected prey. The parasite is transmitted from cats to people through cat feces so as a safety precaution, we recommend pregnant women avoid cleaning the litter box. Ask someone in your household to take on the duty of cleaning the litter box while you are pregnant. If this is not possible, consider wearing gloves or purchasing a self-cleaning litter box.
Here is an article on toxoplasmosis in cats from PetMD.

Temporary Foster Home

If you require a temporary foster home for your cat, here are some resources:

Ahimsa House assists those fleeing domestic violence with their pets.
Home to Home is a foster network where you find your pet a temporary home by creating an online pet profile.
911fosterpets helps pets from entering the shelter by keeping families together through peer-to-peer fostering.
Paws Between Homes provides temporary foster homes to the pets of Atlanta residents who are being evicted or otherwise losing their housing. The high demand for their services has required them to limit assistance to pets of people who are located within the I-285 Perimeter. Consult the resources list on their website for other potential areas of assistance.
Temporary Cat Fostering is a “Cat Temps” group on Facebook where owners can post their need for a temporary foster e.g., owner hospitalized, lost home, military deployment, cat sitter bailed out at last minute, etc.

Additional Resources

There are so many homeless cats and kittens that rescue groups like ours are flooded with requests. Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate all of them. If you are still thinking about rehoming your kitty, here are some additional resources to help find a new home.

Rehome by Adopt a Pet is a peer-to-peer pet adoption platform designed for pet owners to help them find good homes for their pets. Make sure to check out their resources page for a wealth of helpful information. If you decide to create a free online profile to rehome your pet, please make sure to select “All About Cats Rescue and Adoption, Roswell GA” as the referring rescue for this service.
Re-Home Me Georgia is a Facebook group with a page devoted to finding new homes for cats and small pets in the state of Georgia. Individuals and small rescue groups are welcome to post individual pets needing rehoming or adoption.
Home to Home Animal Adoption is an online interactive pet placement platform that helps pet owners find new homes (permanent or temporary) for their pets.
Georgia Spot Society has a list of cat rescue organizations located in Georgia.
Best Friends Animal Society for more information on finding a new home for a pet with a detailed walk-through of the entire process.

Final Considerations

Our rescue is unable to take cats that come from another organization so please contact the original rescue where you adopted your cat.
Per the guidelines of the Georgia Department of Agriculture, we must prioritize cats in high-kill shelters.
We do not accept out-of-state animals.
Our rescue does not accept unsocialized feral cats. We recommend feral cats be sterilized and returned to their colony as part of TNR.
Cats adopted from our rescue can be returned to us but we ask for some notice to give us time to secure space with a foster home.
Our organization is a small foster-based rescue and currently does not operate a physical shelter. We can only take a small number of owner surrenders on a case-by-case basis when we have funding and space available, including securing a foster home.

We will require the following information listed below as a condition to accept your kitty into our rescue:

Your cat must be Feline Triple SNAP tested for the following: feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) antibody, feline leukemia virus (FeLV) antigen, and heartworms (HW). As a condition of acceptance, your cat must test negative for all. Per PetSmart policy, all cats and kittens must test negative for FIV, FeLV, and HW.
Your cat must be up to date on their shots (FVRCP, FeLV, and Rabies).
We will need your cat’s complete medical history and copies of all vet records.
Our rescue will want to be made aware of any behavior or medical issues.
We will ask the reason you are giving up your cat and we will expect a truthful and honest answer.
Our rescue will as for a monetary donation toward the care of the kitty especially if the cat requires any additional medical care.
As a requirement to list the cat on our adoption sites, we will request current photos and a bio of your cat to include a description of the ideal home.
Securing a foster home for your cat is very limited in our rescue, so it would be beneficial if you could foster the kitty until adoption.
You will be required to sign a relinquishment form where you will give up all rights to your animal and this cat will become the property of our rescue.