We are thrilled that you are considering adding a kitten or adult cat to your family! Please review the following information regarding our policies and fees. Once you’ve done that, please either email information@4pawsrescue.org or call 623-773-2246 to discuss next steps in the adoption process.
Policies and Fees
To ensure happy, successful, life-long adoptions for cats and adopters alike, Sun Cities 4 Paws encourages the following policies below for adoption:
Indoor-Only: Because cats live much longer, safer lives indoors, Sun Cities 4 Paws asks that you keep your cat inside.
Declawing: Sun Cities 4 Paws asks adopters not to declaw adopted cats. Your adoption counselor can provide information about the detriments of declawing, humane alternatives, and how to train a cat to use a scratching post. For adopters looking for declawed cats, there are almost always previously declawed cats at Sun Cities 4 Paws awaiting adoption, although many get adopted quickly.
Kittens: Kittens must be 15 weeks old for adoption. This ensures that kittens receive a strong, healthy start in life and minimizes behavior problems because they are fully weaned and litter box trained. All kittens are spayed or neutered prior to adoption and have received all age-appropriate vaccinations, along with being microchipped.
FeLV+ and FIV+ Cats: Sun Cities 4 Paws usually has a small number of FeLV + (Feline Leukemia Positive) and FIV+ (Feline Immunodeficiency) cats available for adoption. These cats can live relatively long and healthy lives in an indoor, low-stress environment.
Because there is a risk of FeLV transmission only to other cats, the adoption of a FeLV+ cat into a home with FeLV negative cats is done on a case-by-case basis.
The transmission rate from an FIV+ cat to a non FIV cat is rare and would only happen if the FIV+ cat is aggressive (deep tissue biting) to the non FIV cat. Most FIV+ cats can share a home with negative cats with no issues. FIV is only transmissible between cats.
In some instances, FeLV+ or FIV+ cats may be required to be adopted as only cats or share homes only with cats who are also FeLV+ or FIV+. FeLV or FIV is contagious only between cats. Humans, dogs, and other non-feline pets cannot contract the diseases
How to adopt: because adopting a cat or kitten, or any other pet, is a serious decision, Sun Cities 4 Paws has a team of adoption counselors trained to assist you with finding a feline companion that is likely to be a good fit for your household. They will help you get to know the cats and kittens for adoption, answer questions, and provide information about cat behavior and care.
To adopt a cat or kitten:
1. Meet the cats and kittens in-person
2. Allow at least an hour for your visit
3. Meet with an adoption counselor, fill out and sign adoption contract
4. Children under 16 must be accompanied by adult
5. Must be 18 years or older and provide proof of residence
6. Check your lease or renter’s policies prior to visiting Sun Cities 4 Paws
7. Make sure you or other family members are not allergic
8. Sun Cities 4 Paws reserves the right to refuse an adoption
Sun Cities 4 Paws Rescue is a private, nonprofit organization that relies on individual donations, grants, and our own fundraising to operate. We receive no federal, state, or government funding.
Adoption fees** help offset only some of the costs associated with providing for the cats and kittens in our care—this includes housing, food/litter, medical care, sterilization, enrichment, behavior modification, and more.
Included in the adoption fee:
- Spay or neuter surgery
- Medical examination
- Age-appropriate vaccinations
- FIV/FeLV testing
- Microchipping
- Any additional treatment needed while in our care
- Purebred cats (when we get them) will have various adoption fees
The adoption fee schedule (updated as of Jan 1, 2025) is as follows:
- Kitten (3 mo to 11 mo) – $200.00 | Second kitten* – $100.00 (*second kitten fee expires on the 7th day after first kitten adoption)
- Adult (1 yr to 9 yrs)– $150.00 | Second adult* – $75.00 (*second adult fee expires on the 7th day after first adult adoption)
- Senior cats (10 years & up), FeLV+ cats or FIV+ cats - $50.00
Sun Cities 4 Paws participates in various adoption promotions throughout the year. Adoption fees may be reduced during these events. Please check our ‘Events’ section for any upcoming adoption events.
Although we believe that all cats are equally wonderful and deserving, we also know that some cats will be adopted more quickly than others. We tend to assign higher adoption fees for kittens and purebred cats. Because there is no time limit on how long a cat can stay in our adoption program, assigning higher fees to the cats who have a higher chance of getting adopted quickly also allows us to reduce the adoption fees for those cats who might spend more time in the shelter.
**Regardless of where our adoption fees are set, they cover only a fraction of the costs of caring for the cats who come into our shelter. We rely on donations and on sales in our thrift store to help us save lives. If you can make a donation in addition to your adoption fee, please consider this lifesaving gift! Your support means a lot to all the cats and people at Sun Cities 4 Paws. Thank you!