The Owl House is financed by one person's personal funds (I can only work so many hours in a day) and the generous donations and time of a few dedicated adopters. Our mantra is "If you are at least as smart as we are, and make about as much, your cat has already found a sucker to help her...and that's YOU."  However, we know how hard it is, and how hard times are, so we want to help you as much as we possibly can.

Tabby's Place, a creative small sanctuary and adoption center in New Jersey, is frequently approached by people hoping they'll take a needy cat into their great program. Space is limited however, so they have come up with a great click-by-click tutorial. Please start there--you will learn a lot!

More people will be interested in adopting your cat she has vaccinations, a dose of worm medicine for roundworms, and has been altered (spayed, neutered). Call your veterinarian.

A note on asking your veterinarian for help:

Just as The Owl House is constantly asked to "take this cat, please" your vet has been asked to "provide medical care for free because I'm broke, please."  Just as we can't afford to be miracle-workers (even if we want to) your vet can't afford to help every stray for free (even if they want to). However, veterinarian's and vet technicians also tend to get a little miffed at people who run around trying to "vet" their own cats without veterinary guidance. Bad things happen to animals who are treated haphazardly by people who are just trying to do things on the cheap.

Be a good client to your veterinarian BEFORE a stray cat shows up and they will be more likely to help you! Bring your pet cats in for annual check-ups. Buy your flea treatments, ear cleaners, pill-pockets, etc. at your vet's office rather than your local pet store. Smile, say thank you, always mention how your pet is doing (so they remember you!), and send them a card at the holidays.

It is tough on everyone involved when money is tight. Your first step should always be your veterinarian. The best option is always a full-care package at your vet's office. Please do this if you have the resources, even if you have to skrimp and save. It is the best option for everyone involved, especially the cat.

Concerning over-the-counter and on-line options:

There are medications available over-the-counter. Many of them are down-right dangerous and ineffective. Some of them are the same drugs your own vet uses. Always call your veterinarian for advice and guidance.

• FVRCP vaccinations are available for an affordable cost at Central Tractor (farm store) type stores. They must remain refrigerated at all times, and if you don't know how to administer a vaccine, you should find a friend who knows how. Reach out to experienced farmers or friends who have worked for veterinarians. Don't just wing it on a real live animal.
  

• The wormer commonly used by veterinarians is pyrantel pamoate liquid. It treats roundworms and hookworms. This is available online from agricultural web sites, however it is not labeled for use in cats.  If you Google "pyrantel pamoate" plus "cats" you will find information. Pyrantel pamoate is now also available in better stores and on-line, labeled for cats. Don't look for "roundworm medicine."  Look for pyrantel pamoate.
  
• Good tapeworm medicine (Praziquantel) is now available over the counter at better quality pet stores, labeled for cats. It seems expensive ($13 for three pills) but it is safer and more effective that the "cheap-stuff" you'll see for sale at the grocery store, and your cat will be less likely to vomit or pass a miserable mess of worms for days.You can also find pills that treat both tapeworms and roundworms (Praziquantel/pyrantel pamoate). Write it down before you go to the quality pet store. If you cannot find it at a store, it is available on line. Google the drug names and "cats" and you will find pet-med online stores. Be sure to get one that is in the United States and is reputable.
  
• There are countless flea treatments. Note: if it's cheap, it's not safe!   "Advantage" is the best, in our experience, over-the-counter option for FLEAS.  "Revolution" requires a prescription but kills FLEAS, EARMITES and ROUNDWORMS. Repeat doses are required for earmite treatment. "Frontline" is available over-the-counter and kills FLEAS and TICKS. You may be able to purchase a single dose of any of these from your veterinarian if you cannot afford a whole 3 to 6 month box right now. Explain to your vet that it is for an outdoor cat that you need to help as soon as possible.
• There is NO non-vet alternative for a rabies vaccination, and these are necessary and required by law. Your county may hold rabies clinics, or a local low-cost spay/neuter clinic may include a rabies vaccination with your package.
• YOUR VETERINARIAN SHOULD ALWAYS BE YOUR FIRST STEP. Even if you call and they say "a spay is $300" and you don't have $300, don't just hang up! Say "Do you have a few moments to answer questions? Can I call back if you are busy now? I'm really in a bind here and don't want this cat to suffer from lack of attention." They may be able to direct you to a rescue, a spay/neuter clinic, or another veterinarian who has a lower-cost option. Always be polite, even when you are worried, scared, frustrated or overwhelmed. Your vet is your lifeline. Don't alienate your vet just because you are broke on this particular day when a cat showed up skinny, flea-ridden, with ear mites.
  
• THE CAT MUST GO TO THE VET ASAP IF SHE OR HE HAS ANY OF THESE SIGNS: Green snot from the nose and eyes with difficulty breathing and lack of appetite (requires antibiotics); any injury larger that one you would treat if it were on your body (scratches might be OK. Gashes and abscesses are not, and require treatment). Difficulty passing urine or stool (blocked cats can die within 24-48 hours). Serious general lethargy (sitting there hunched with paws tucked with little interest in much of anything -- this generally means the cat has a fever or has reached the point where organs may shut down). If you cannot afford a vet, this cat must go to a shelter, even if you are concerned the cat may be put down. Death outdoors from any of these conditions would be horrific. Do not delay.
  

A great photo can be the difference between a home and no-home for a cat if you are advertising on-line or sending emails around to friends. Find a chair and drape it with a jewel-toned blanket or fleece. Get a stick and make it into a cat toy or use a commercial wand-type toy (see photo!) If possible, get a friend to help.Get a point-and-shoot digital camera. When the cat is in a settled mood, place her in the chair and give her a push onto her side. Get her attention with the toy. Cameras don't focus well on the softness of a cat. They do focus very well on colorful feathers, etc. so a feather toy helps with photo clarity, and also looks cute.

If the cat has some gunk at the corner of his eyes or nose, do clean that out first, OK? Dirty ears should also be cleaned.

Take lots and lots and lots of photos. A photo that looks great on your photo viewer may be fuzzy when you pull it up on your computer. You may need a few sessions to get a really great shot of the cat. Remember, you can always replace a poor "first shot" with a better photo, so don't give up with your first try.

If you don't have photo-managing software, here is a really simple, easy, free program called Irfanview. Go to http://www.irfanview.com/

No one is going to adopt your cat if they can't learn about her. Advertise her everywhere.

• Flyers in places where you'll find good homes (your vet's office; post office; places where people with a few extra bucks spend their money.
• Send an email to your friends. Include a photo of the cat, and if you can attach a copy of your flyer for them to put up at work, that's wonderful. Some workplaces have employee community email listservs. Your friends may be able to send your email there.  NEVER include information that makes you look bad, like a personal note that uses swear words about the SOB who abandoned the cat. Remember, your email could be forwarded on unedited.
• Advertise in local papers, weeklies, and online (see below)

Local (Spencer/Owego NY.) news sources were you can advertise your cat:

Broader View Weekly, PO Box 56,Van Etten, NY 14889 -0056  (607) 589-7878 (no website).
Owego Pennysaver, 181-183 Front Stree Owego NY. Phone: (607) 687-2434,E-mail: opennysaver@stny.rr.com
Ithaca Times, http://www.ithacatimes.com/
The Morning Times (Sayre) http://www.morning-times.com/
Star-Gazette (Elmira)  http://www.stargazette.com/

Online advertisement:
Petfinder.com classifieds  http://www.petfinder.com/local.html
Craigslist Ithaca http://ithaca.craigslist.org/

ALERT ON SCAMS: When advertising on-line you will undoubtedly receive some inquiries that are scams. They will commonly mention shipping companies, complicated "payment" methods, certified checks, etc. DELETE ANY SUSPICIOUS EMAILS unanswered. Do not reply back for more information or to say "I know you are a scam." If you reply, the scammer will know she/he has a "live" address that they can pass onto other scammers. Don't worry about "losing a chance for a home." If the email sounds at all odd, chances are almost 100% that it is a scam.