Cat FAQ
Cat FAQ
What the Humane Society Gets Asked Most Often About Cats

Did it come in as a stray?

Most of our cats come in as strays. Some have been surrendered by their owners. All are loved and cared for with compassion from the minute they arrive. Strays are held for 5 days to allow their owner time to locate their pet, after that time period they are put up for adoption or occasionally transferred to other shelters.

What age-range are your cats?

Our cats are anywhere from 8-weeks old to seniors. Our initial assessments of teeth and health can get us close to an age, but they are estimates.

What do your cats eat at the shelter?

Thanks to the generous donations of cat food from Blain’s Farm & Fleet, all of our pets are fed, at no cost to us, the Blain’s Farm & Fleet All Life Stages dry food.

Can you declaw my cat before I take him home?

HSSW does not support the declawing of cats due to the negative effects it can have on cats including, but not limited to, the potential for permanent pain and irritation, nerve and tendon damage, and/or lost sense of touch.  There are a number of alternatives that provide the same or close to the same result such as trimming the cat’s nails, applying soft plastic caps to the nails and/or providing scratching posts/boards. If you are not interested in any of the alternatives options and insist on declawing your new addition, we will decline your application to adopt. 

My new cat is hiding under the bed and won’t come out.

Don’t take it personally! Some cats take a while to adjust to new people/places, and some are especially shy. It may take weeks or even months for your cat to warm up to her new home, so be patient. You may want to keep her in her own room for a few days so she can adjust to her new digs in a safe and comfortable spot.