Adoption Process
Step 1 - Kittens are born; updates go out
Once kittens are born and are stable and thriving, we announce them on social media and to our email waitlist.
Filling out our adoption application and joining our email waitlist gives you first priority for updates on kittens, and actually getting the chance to adopt one - the adoption form is at the bottom of this page and on our kitten page!
I send out email updates and social media updates on the kittens as they hit major milestones over the first 5 weeks to give people an idea of what each kitten is like!
If you know you're serious about getting a kitten from that litter, I also start taking phone calls / video calls if you'd like to talk more with me about a particular kitten, or to get to know us here at Mittenstar!
Step 2 - Kittens are evaluated and listed
Between weeks 6 - 8 I start to know really what kittens will be like in personality and color. I might wait longer to list a kitten if evaluating them for breed standard qualities if I am deciding to keep them for the next generation of our cattery program, but generally I will begin updating the email wait list with what kittens will be available between 6 - 8 weeks old.
People who have filled out the adoption application and are on our email wait list are always given first priority to talk things over with me an adopt a kitten.
Step 3 - Kittens are Matched with Adoptees
I no longer do ' first pick / second pick / third pick ' type reservation wait lists... as these just get too messy too fast. Our kittens are listed as available as they are evaluated and become available, and to some extent it is first come, first serve. If you are strongly interested in a kitten, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND RESPOND TO THE UPDATES WE SEND OUT. I try to match kittens to the right homes and right personalities. I know most people picture a perfect 'moment' where you can come meet all the kittens and have ' the one ' single you out from the crowd, and they'll come right over to you and it will be all magic and rainbows - but this is rarely how it actually plays out! Kittens are playful, rambunctious, and how they act when first meeting them is not always how they actually are once you get to know them. I have to take in account all of the serious adoption requests we have, and I do my best to match the best fit for each family / person.
Step 4 - Reserving your Kitten
Once we talk and agree on the right kitten for you, the next step is reserving them with a security deposit. This can be paid in person, or through Paypal or Venmo. You are welcome to come and meet your kitten once the deposit is paid!
Once your kitten is reserved, I will take your preferred contact information and begin sending you regular updates on your kitten(s)! I try to send candid pictures / videos every few days, and I do at least one or two 'professional' photoshoot sets of the kittens around 6 weeks old and 11 weeks old just before they leave us. I totally understand this is a very special, often once in a lifetime type experience - so I do my best to send very regular updates on your baby as we go along.
Step 5 - Kittens are vetted
Between 6 weeks old and 11 weeks old, kittens get two vaccines about 3 - 4 weeks apart, and are spayed / neutered once they are old enough and over 2 pounds in size (they are normally about 2.5 - 3 lbs at 10 weeks old when they are fixed).
I send out confirmation of vet records and health to the waitlist / adoptees as we go along!
Step 6 - Kitten gets to come home!
And finally, we reach our go-home week!! Kittens must be at least 12 weeks old before going home - we often have kittens leave between 12 and 16 weeks old depending on their family's schedules, they are still very much kittens even if they are leaving at 16 weeks / 4 months.
We will schedule a time and location to meet for you to pick up your kitten, and I will have lists of information I will send you prior to go-home week so you can begin preparing to bring baby home.
For going home I will have lists with the types of food and litter you'll need, recommended lists for their care and toys, and kitten proofing / kitten behavior articles I will send you via email to help you prepare for bringing them home.
You'll need to have a room (whether a bedroom, bathroom, or guest room) where you can fully kitten proof and keep the kitten whenever you cannot watch them directly. I do not recommend letting your kitten have full run of your home until they are old enough to be trusted not to eat things they shouldn't - this is usually 6 months or older.
You will also need to line up vet care to inspect your new kitten and line up their next vaccinations BEFORE you pick up your kitten, as many veterinarians are often booked out a week or more.
Your kitten(s) will also come with 30 days of completely free, full coverage Trupanion pet insurance that I require you activate the day of pick-up.
Adoption Form
To adopt one of our kittens please start with filling out our adoption form by clicking the button below.
Right now all of our springtime kittens are spoken for, I am expecting we will have one more litter in the fall of 2023!
If you are interested in joining our waitlist, please fill out our adoption form here!
Thank you! And follow us on Facebook and Instagram for daily kitten updates!
Loraine, Mittenstar Ragdolls
