Volunteers reduce cost risks of adopting cats with special medical needs

Naples

Just like his namesake, a pink video game character, Kirby relentlessly bounced around the room, jumping from tower to tower.

Kirby was dropped off at the Humane Society's main shelter in Naples as a kitten and has since come into his active, agile self.

Smitty, a cat with diabetes in the Cozy Care program, is available for adoption at the Humane Society Naples. Someone who adopts a cat in the Cozy Cat program will receive supplies and financial support that helps to cover the first year of medical expenses.

"We worry about him sometimes. We know that he has heart issues, but he doesn't," said Josh Novak, one of the shelter's adoption counselors.

Kirby is one of four cats at the shelter who have special medical needs.

Finding someone to adopt a cat with medical issues is especially hard. Prospective cat parents often worry about additional costs for medication and the additional care these cats might need.

Kirby, a cat with a high degree heart murmur, in the Cozy Care program, is available for adoption at the Humane Society Naples. Someone who adopts a cat in the Cozy Care program will receive supplies and financial support that helps to cover the first year of medical expenses.

To ease the burden for new owners, volunteers created the Cozy Care program in 2008.

Using personal funding, volunteers established a program that assists the adoptive cat parents, covering up to one year of the cat's expected medical costs, as well as a basket of toys and other cat accessories.

"Anything that gets them out of here is better for them and for their health," Kovak said.

Especially for cats with medical issues, the shelter environment can be challenging.

Misty Mae, another cat in the Cozy Care program, has seizures that are brought on by stress. Living in a shelter with a group of other cats and a constant stream of visitors is not helpful in reducing stress levels.

Misty Mae, a cat with seizures, in the Cozy Care program, is available for adoption at the Humane Society Naples. Someone who adopts a cat in the Cozy Care program will receive supplies and financial support that helps to cover the first year of medical expenses.

A higher adoption rate also means the shelter is able to take more transfers from county-owned shelters, which often have higher shelter populations and less money to go around.

County shelters are required to take in all animals, regardless of their capacity, which often forces them to euthanize animals after they reach capacity.

"The more we bring here, the less they have to do that," Kovak said.

All cats receive a physical exam when they come in, another step to protect those interested in adopting from unexpected costs.

"We try to do most of the testing in-house, so they don't have to spend as much time with the specialist," said Istvan Sinka, the shelter veterinarian.

When it comes to medical specialists, time is money.

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Smitty, another Cozy Care cat, is diabetic and needs insulin shots twice a day. For some, administering drugs to a pet is a scary prospect.

"Some people get a little freaked out by that," said Pat Peters, 69, who is hoping to adopt a shelter cat.

Peters, a cancer patient, is considering whether to adopt Kirby.

"A cat with some kind of malady needs extra attention," Peters said.

Someone such as her, without any kids to take care of, would be an ideal fit.

However, concerned about her own medical bills and frequent doctor visits, Peters hasn't made a decision yet.

She decided to visit again Thursday, when adoptions of all adult cats will be free as part of Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat month in June.