1. I have found a cat what do I do? 

When you find a cat, there are extremely specific things you need to do according to the By-Laws of the area where you found a cat. 

Access the situation: 

a) Is this cat new to the area? Please take a picture of the cat and post it on community sites as well as Ottawa Valley Lost and Found and look for its owners. File a report with The Ottawa Humane Society and / or  the Arnprior and District Humane Society depending on your location. In Arnprior's Animal Control By-Law no cats should be roaming freely outdoors. However, some owner do let their cats outside and sadly there are several dumped or feral cats in Arnprior. 

b) Is this cat hurt? Well-fed? Friendly? What are you most concerned about? Unfortunately, cats roam, you may see a cat one day and not again. Keep track of when you see this cat and if you can, offer food, water, and shade on the hotter days. If you have concerns about where this cat is sleeping you can add shelter with straw (we can provide you with one of these) in Winter. 

c) Can you approach the cat? If that cat becomes a frequent visitor and you can approach and even catch the cat without harm to yourself or the cat, you can put it in a garage or bathroom and call the Arnprior By-law. The Arnprior Humane Society will only intake cats through By-Law but once received they will be provided medical attention and scanned for a microchip. 

If you can not approach the cat, you can borrow a live trap from us, and/ or we can assist with trapping so that you can then call By-Law. We do not intake cats from the Town of Arnprior because of the preexisting relationship between the town, By-Law, and the ADHS.  

Phone numbers: By-Law services for Arnprior- 613-809-7048 

Arnprior District Humane Society: https://www.arnpriorhumanesociety.ca/contact-adhs/ 

Ottawa Humane Society: https://ottawahumane.ca/services/lost-and-found/ottawa-lost-cats/

Ottawa and the Valley Lost Pets Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lostpetnetwork

 

2. I’ve lost my cat what do I do? 

Don’t panic! If your cat is a young kitten, make sure that you check all the dresser drawers and bed frames. Kittens can squeeze into the smallest spaces in your home. 

Go outside and call your cat often, set up a camera if you can watch for them when you are not home. Contact your local community sites, see the list below. 

Notify your vet office and if they are microchipped contact the company to let them know they are missing.  

DO NOT PUT YOUR LITTER BOX OUTSIDE! This attracts unwanted visitors and can out your cat in danger. It is an urban myth that this will help your cat find their way home.  Instead, you can put out something of yours so they can smell it.  Cats are usually terrified and hiding close to home. Should you require assistance we may lend you a trap and can connect you with a local trapper that would be able to assist.   

Arnprior District Humane Society: https://www.arnpriorhumanesociety.ca/contact-adhs/ 

Ottawa Humane Society: https://ottawahumane.ca/services/lost-and-found/ottawa-lost-cats/

Ottawa and the Valley Lost Pets Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lostpetnetwork

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3. I need to get my cat spayed/ or neutered but can’t afford it at the vets, can you help? 

Yes, we can! We offer multiple options based on where you are located and when you require the surgery. See our Spay & Neuter page for more information on affordable options to sign up for one of our low-cost spay and neuter clinics. To inquire more about this please email us arnpriorcats@outlook.com if you have further questions or concerns. 

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4. Do you offer other vet services? 

During our Spay & Neuter clinic days, we do offer the option to have your cat, treated for fleas, ticks, and worms, also vaccinated for Rabies or Microchipped. We may also be able to suggest a vet that is accepting new patients or a virtual Veterinarian if you are searching for a vet for your animal. We cannot advise pet owners legally about medical situations as we are not licensed Veterinarians or Veterinary Technicians.  

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5. Do you take Owner Surrenders?  

Owner surrenders are accepted on a case-by-case evaluation of the situation. As we are a not-for-profit organization, it will depend on if we have the financial resources and a viable foster home for the cat. Often the cat that is being surrendered has preexisting medical issues that the family cannot afford to address. We can post on our site and ask through social media for assistance. If we do take in an owner surrender, the owner gives up all rights to their cat and cannot request updates or that the cat is to be returned and documents stating that is to be signed at the time of surrender. This is the same for cats that have come into our care through a partner Veterinary clinic. Please see our Surrender page for the form. 

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6. My cat is spraying everywhere/ and/ or not using the litterbox, help!  

Cats spray or mark their territory for many reasons, firstly, we always advise that you see your veterinarian. If you require financial assistance or do not have a vet currently, we may be able to help. Please email us at arnpriorcats@outlook.com 

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7. What is Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP)? 

Click this link to learn more. You'll be taken to a Google Document. 

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8. What is Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)? 

Click this link to learn more. You'll be taken to a Google Document. 

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9. What is Feline leukemia virus (FeLV)? 

Click this link to learn more. You'll be taken to a Google Document. 

 

10. How much to adopt a cat? And what does it include? 

Our adoption fees are based on the age of the cat or kitten to see a breakdown of the costs visit our  Adoption page. All adoption fees include deworming and parasite treatments, core RCP vaccines (at least two rounds for kittens and cats under a year), the Rabies vaccine, and a microchip. Depending on the cat and its own unique circumstances there may have been other vet visits and/ or treatments provided while the cat was in our care. 

 

11. What is the two-kitten theory/ policy? Do you follow it? How young can your kittens be adopted? 

The Two-Kitten policy is something most rescues have in place to ensure that a single kitten does not become bored and destructive. Young kittens need to have a playmate. While as a rule we follow that guideline, there are exceptions. We do not adopt out young kittens under the age of 3 or 4 months. We feel it is important that we get to know their personalities and ensure that they are healthy and ready to be adopted. Some kittens are quite independent and are bonded to a human, we call these “People cats”. Other times, there is a young cat already in the home or a young dog that the kitten will bond and play with. We try to match each kitten with their ideal home to ensure a successful adoption. 

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12. Do you offer Barn Cats?  

We do not as a rule. We have in the past and if we know of a barn that is requesting feral cats that we know then we may make an exception. We have multiple sanctuary homes where fosters work with the feral and shy cats to see if they can be rehabilitated and eventually homed. 

 

13. Where are you located? We are a foster based rescue. That means that our cats are spread out in homes throughout Ottawa and the Valley.  

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14. What is your adoption process?  

1. From start to finish we try to make the adoption process as simple as possible. The first thing to complete is the Adoption Application (insert link). In this application, you will tell us as much about yourself as you can as well as about your home and ideal pet. Please do not leave any blank spaces. 

2. Next, the application will be reviewed by the Adoption Coordinator and if approved will then go to the Foster of the specific cat you are interested in. 

3. The foster will review your application and communicate their concerns or approval to the adoption coordinator. 

4. The Adoption Coordinator will then contact you to set up a date and time that would work for you to meet the cat.  

5. Once you have met the cat and have decided to adopt the foster and adoption coordinator will check references and finalize the process. You will receive the adoption contract and agreement and pay your adoption fee and a date and time will be arranged for pick up. The process itself can take approx. 7 days. Please keep in mind that we are a volunteer run organization and will do our best to respond to every inquiry.  

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15. Can I come meet the cats? Because we are a foster-based rescue, you must complete the adoption application before meeting a cat in one of our foster homes. This is for the safety and privacy of our fosters. We offer many adoption events every month and should you wish to meet a cat we can arrange to have that cat at the event. See our Facebook page for upcoming events.  If you would like to play or work with cats, we are always in need of volunteers, see the Volunteer Page to learn more. 

 

16. Do you offer Tax receipts?  

At this time, we are only a registered not-for-profit organization, while we are in the process of obtaining our Charitable status, we cannot provide tax receipts until it has been completed and we have our CRA number.  

 

 17. What do I need to foster? Do I need a car? Do you provide supplies? What will I need to do? 

Fosters are the heart of our organization. They need to be kind, patient and compassionate and have a working knowledge of cats.  You do not need a car. While the cats in our care may have vet appts, we have volunteers that are available to pick them up and transport them to their appointments. 

We provide all the supplies necessary for the cats and kittens for the duration of their stay with you. 

As a foster we will expect updates and photos of the cats and kittens in care. We expect to be kept advised of any health or behavioural issues that may arise while in care. We expect all cats to be always kept inside. The more you engage with us and the public to promote the cats in your care the more likely they are to be adopted. When it comes time, it will be you that decides if the family and their home are a right fit for your foster.  

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