Foster Pets

As part of our continuing commitment to the Hamilton community and to all felines The Cat Clinic runs in both a feral cat program with the Hamilton SPCA and in the hospital our own foster cat program.

The Cat Clinic with the help of the HSPCA has started a feral cat program. Currently only in the pilot project stage, it is a trap and release program where wild unsocialized cats are humanely trapped and transported to the clinic where they are evaluated, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, defleaed and dewormed. After this is done they are taken back to the original colony site where they are released back into their familiar territory under the lifelong care of volunteers. Feral cats that are not spayed or neutered reproduce at an alarming rate, normally each individual feline will produce multiple litters each year. Without human intervention, many feral cats have short, painful lives and often die from disease, malnutrition, exposure, trauma, or predation. Adult feral cats are not suited to living indoors with people as they usually can not be tamed. We acknowledge that the safest place for domestic cats is indoors; however, because of the overpopulation crisis, there simply aren't enough available homes. The Cat Clinic feels the only humane and effective way to control the feral cat population and give the cats a chance at healthier lives is through Trap and Release programs.

The other program The Cat Clinic runs is our foster cat program. These kitties are normally brought to us by our clients or are the more social kitties from the feral cat program. Many of these cats come to us as sick or injured strays. Although the waiting list can be long, these cats stay with us until they are well and we find them a new home. They are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, dewormed, deflead and felv/fiv tested before they are released to their new homes. We prefer to adopt to our clients, but will consider anyone who will provide a safe and loving home. We have an adoption application and an adoption fee for non-clients to confirm their long term commitment to their new pet. All of our adoptions are initially on a trial basis if for any reason the kitty cannot stay with his new owner they must be returned to us.