The Adoption Process
Interested in adopting from Kawakuji? Please read the following!
All potential adopters MUST fill out and submit the Kawakuji adoption application form. Please submit this first.
If your application is approved, we will move forward with the next steps.
Required Procedures:
-
A one-hour phone interview with you (the potential adopter) and a Kawakuji admin and the foster caretaker.
(in English or Japanese) -
A home visit at the potential adopter's residence by a Kawakuji admin.
-
Donation for medical care
If all of the above requirements are met, a Kawakuji adoption contract will be signed during the home visit. Once everything is completed, you can begin your journey with your new furrever friend(s)!
FAQ
I'm interested in adopting an animal. What do I need to do?
As stated above, please completely fill out and submit the Kawakuji adoption application form. If your application is approved, we can move forward with the other procedures.
Where can I see what animals are available for adoption?
We announce when each each cat or kitten is available on our social media! For the most accurate updates, please check there first.
Why is a phone interview and home visit required?
These procedures allow us to get to know potential adopters and help us make the best decisions for our animals. We want to ensure that once an animal is adopted, they will be in the most compatible forever home.
Are there any costs involved?
Animals transferred from Kawakuji Animal Rescue are already vaccinated twice, microchipped, FIV/FeLV tested, dewormed, and sterilized. These medical procedures cost at least 30,000 yen. We ask prospective foster parents to donate a portion of this amount as a cooperative donation.
Is it possible to only adopt one of the cats listed as a pair?
We only adopt out individual cats if they arrived to us as a singleton. The reason we require some of our cats to be adopted together is because they are a bonded pair. Many of the kittens in our care arrive in large litters, so they are attached to their siblings and would not do well alone. In some circumstances, we will separate kittens if they will be joining a cat already in your home.
Why does it seem like you only adopt out pairs of animals?
It seems counterintuitive, but often two cats is easier than one as they are much less prone to behavioral issues stemming from loneliness and boredom. The majority of cats and kittens we intake come in as large litters or already in bonded pairs. It would be more traumatic to separate them at that point than to keep them together waiting for a forever home a little longer.
Is it possible to adopt a single cat or kitten?
Yes. However, because we try to never separate bonded pairs, you will be waiting until a cat or kitten comes in alone. As the majority of our intakes come in as large litters or in already bonded pairs, you could be on our waiting list for an extended period of time.
I filled out an application, why haven't I heard back from you?
If you didn't receive a reply to your application, it's because we don't have an animal that is an appropriate fit at the moment. We keep all applications on file and will contact you if an appropriate animal becomes available.
The kitten/s I applied for was adopted by someone else. Why didn't you contact me?
Unfortunately, we often receive far more applications than there are kittens available. We screen each application and contact those who we think would be a good fit for the animal/s in question. We may contact you if there are other animals in our care we think could be compatible with you or your family.