How to trust who adopts these kitties

4 two week old kittens were abandoned. We took them in, and hand fed them.  They are 6 weeks old now & precious, but we cannot keep them.  I have a good home for 1 kitty.  I know the people.  How can I tell when a stranger is really legit?  Painfully, I read online where people will take free kittens to feed to snakes and other animals. 

Don't give them away for free. Keep them until they are old enough for pediatric spay/neuter, and have the prospective owner pay for the spay/neuter fee, and possibly their first kitten shots. That way you know they care at least enough to pay for the cat's medical care. Congratulations on hand-raising kittens! Are you finally getting some sleep now?

Also, we demand cute pictures. *points to Fur Pictures forum*

I never thought about that.  Thanks for the tip.  Yes, we are getting sleep.  They are all so precious.  I love animals and wish I could keep them. I truly prayed over them because it was exactly a week before their 1st BM.  I was afraid they wouldn't  make it.   But, the Lord kept them alive and now they are so playful & sweet. Not the best pictures, but you can see the personalities.

Oh! They're gorgeous! Look at that little tabby one. I love tabbies. The very first kitten I ever hand-raised was a little tabby cat whom I unimaginatively named Tiger. She was three or four weeks old... I was nine years old. Ah, fond memories. I used to dress her up. Such a little brat I was. But we muddled through somehow.

Don't feel bad you can't keep them. You saved their lives and they'll make their future families happy, and when they leave you, they'll be going to new homes. I guess it's like sending a kid off to college. You'll miss them, but you know they'll be okay.

Thank you.  They are truly blessed kitties.  I just want to make sure they have a good home.  Yes I am a parent that has raised two good boys, but animals can so easily become your babies just like your own kids.  We have two female Yorkies.  It's so cute.  One that has never had pups, but she loves the kitties.  She doesn't know to snuggle, but she has helped me with licking and cleaning the kitties.  She also helped by licking their privates to help them urinate.  We had to rub them when they were so small to make them go potty and she always was there to help.  I just want a good home for them.  Animals can really capture your heart like your own kids.  Silly I know, but mom's instinct just comes out about all critters. 

One time we found an abandoned baby squirrel (after a bad storm)  that we had to bottle feed, so I am used to the care and attention that little animals need.  Yes, my husband and I have a love for critters no matter what.  As he grew up, I started letting him outside to return him to his habitat.  He eventually quit coming home, but we could alway spot him because he was the healthiest, best fed squirrel out there.

I would also do an online search for "Cat Adoption Application" and you will find many good questions

that you can ask either in an application or in an interview of potential parents for the Little Ones  

Good luck to you - I know it is so difficult to let them go.

Thank you, I will find it online!  You all have been great.  I will let you know of my success.

When I tried to find a home for my kitten (I ended up keeping her) I put in the ad that I would ask for a "small negotiable rehoming fee" to cover the cost of spaying.  I believe that anyone who should be adopting the kittens should be willing to pay a (possibly reduced) fee for her spaying to be able to adopt her.  It ensures that the kittens are fixed before going out into the world as well as the fact that the owners are willing to invest into the cat's health. 

That said, almost on one showed any interest in my craigslist ad.  Thus, I ended up keeping the kitty.
 

debbie0220 said:

  How can I tell when a stranger is really legit?  Painfully, I read online where people will take free kittens.....

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You said it yourself.  Dont never ever give away kittens for free or for symbolic sum like "20 cents a paw, and 20 cent for the tail".   For many people, what is for free is practically without worth.

Even if they dont have evil plans, they tend to not to  care. "Why cost on a vet treatment if the resident get sick? It is much cheaper to get a new kitten".  For example.

The only exception to giving for free may be, if you are giving the kitten as a precious gift, and it is taken as a precious, priceless gift.

You have already got excellent suggestions.

I do have two tips.

1. If it by any reason feels embarrassing to ask for payment (say, you ARE well to do and you do easily afford to pay for the spaying, or you did got the spaying for free).  Ask the new owner to donate a sum to some charity you both do agree upon, in the cats name.   Or the cats name and the owners surname.  The cat is  Joey.   The owner is   mr  Alan  Smith.  The donator will thus be Joey the Cat Smith.   The extra point here, is,  the cat will give the owner associations to noble feelings of giving a sacrifice for this worthy cause, thus making a extra "magical" bond..

2.  My brother got once into this situation. He went for spaying with theirs two female kittens to the vet, but it was already too late. After a while they had 14 kittens running in the house: the two teenage moms, and their 12 kittens.

He had ads in the local newspaper, and tried to pick children families. He tried to arrange this as:

He stood with the kitten in his arma before the child and her parents. The child payed the sum (10 dollars), and in return got the kitten to hold.  Both parents stood behind the child, giving the quarantee and extra protection...

These magical bonds again...

As far as he knew, these arrangements did worked excellently even several years later,  for those he could follow.

The last tip.  You did got one adoption family lined up for 1 kitty. Tell them most cats prefer to have a cat pal. Try to talk them over into adopting one more. Preferably a sibling.  

Welcome to our Forums!

Good luck!

Another thing you can do is tell the prospective adopter that they have to pass an interview first before even meeting the kittens.    I did this when I had my two feral kittens I'd put some energy and heart into - no way were they going to someone irresponsible.    Some people when they heard they'd have to answer questions and give a reference were unwilling to do it.  Things like had they owned pets before, do they declaw, would the cat be indoor only, how did they deal with serious health issues with past pets.   It weeded out quite a few people.   To be fair it weeded out so many that I only got one of my two adopted, but I felt terrific about the home.     If you search online you can find some sample interview questions.