Feral/Stray Assistance
What areas does CC4C serve?
- CC4C operates within Contra Costa County.
- If you are not located within Contra Costa County, you may locate a list of local rescue groups through PetFinder.com, AdoptAPet.com, or by contacting your local Animal Shelter.
What should I do if I found a cat that I think someone owns? Can CC4C take it?
- No, CC4C cannot take a cat that may be owned; it is best if you house the cat yourself and attempt to locate its owner. If you are unable to locate the owner, CC4C may be able to help you find a home for the cat if you can continue to foster it.
- See Missing & Lost Cats
Can CC4C help me with feral, stray, or abandoned cats and kittens?
- For tame but stray cats, you must attempt to locate an owner before CC4C can help to find a home for the cat (see above).
- see Trap-Neuter-Return program
- see Fostering program
Can CC4C provide free spay/neuter assistance or voucher(s) for feral or domestic cats?
- CC4C operates a Cat Hospital for cats in our program, which provides routine spay/neuter and medical services and non-urgent surgeries. Appointments can only be scheduled by CC4C members. The clinic is not open to the public or owned-cats.
- See our Spay/Neuter Assistance page for more information.
Does CC4C loan or rent traps or recovery cages?
- Some CC4C members are willing to loan equipment that they are not currently using. Use the Contact Us form or leave a voicemail at 925-938-2287 and state what equipment you would like to borrow, for how long, and where you are located. You may be required to put a deposit down on the equipment and sign an agreement form that includes your contact information.
- See Trapping Tips for other helpful information.
Finacial & Pet Assistance
Does CC4C accept surrendered cat(s)?
- No, CC4C does not have a shelter and cannot accept surrendered cats that have been pets. CC4C’s mission is to help homeless and abandoned cats, which are fostered in our homes, and space is always limited.
I need to re-home my cat—what should I do?
- Giving up part of your family should be your last resort. Before you decide to surrender your cat, consider the reason for the rehoming. CC4C strongly recommends that you do everything possible to keep your cat, e.g., work through behavior problems, take the cat for a physical checkup, find an apartment that does take pets, find a boarding kennel that accepts pets, etc., because re-homing is challenging and may not provide a better or safer home than your cat already has with you.Please note that CC4C does not have a shelter and cannot accept surrendered cats that have been pets. If you are considering surrender due to…
- a behavioral problem, see Behavior Modification or Litter Box Behavior
- transitioning between housing,
- contact your family and friends to see if they can house your pet until your situation changes and you are able to take your pet back,
- call veterinarian offices or boarding facilities to see if they offer savings for a lengthier stay
- contact qualified pet sitters to see if they might assist you
- medical or financial hardship, see Medical Financial Assistance, Pet Food Resources – Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation (arflife.org)
If you must rehome your cat…
- Notify friends, family members, neighbors, and coworkers that you need to re-home your cat. If you choose to advertise on Nextdoor or rehome to someone you do not know, always charge at least a $50 adoption fee to ensure it is not used for snake food, dog fighting, sold to a laboratory for testing, or other ill intent.
- If you are able to continue housing the cat and it is spayed/neutered, then a CC4C member may be able to sponsor you to bring the cat to our adoption site on the weekends or provide a courtesy posting online.
- Check other organizations for assistance:
- We recommend that you surrender your pet to a shelter ONLY as your last option.
Do not abandon your cat by leaving it outside, thinking it will survive on its own. Abandoned cats typically do not survive outside, and die of starvation, disease, dehydration, accidents, being attacked by a wild animal, suffer injuries, and are helpless.
Can CC4C provide vaccinations, medical assistance for low-income households or for emergency care?
- No, CC4C’s Cat Hospital is not open to the public or owned-cats.
- See Medical Financial Assistance
Can CC4C temporarily house my cat for me?
- No, CC4C does not have a shelter and cannot temporarily house your pet for you.
- Reach out to friends, family, or neighbors. Or considering facilities that provide boarding or a professional pet-sitter.
What should I do if my cat is missing?
Fostering & Volunteering
I would like to foster a cat or kittens or volunteer—what do I need to do?
How long do cats stay up for adoption? How long is the commitment to foster?
- Our cats stay with their foster homes until they are adopted. We do not euthanize cats for lack of space and no adoptable animal is ever given a time limit.
- Assume 2-6 months if you volunteer to foster. It will depend on the age, health, and socialization needs of the kittens or cat. Baby kittens must be at least 8 weeks old, healthy, and started vaccinations before they are eligible for adoption. Older kittens (over 4 months) and cats must also be spayed/neutered before they are eligible for adoption.
- If 2-6 months is not as commitment you can make at this time, consider offering “vacation support” to foster-families for a week or two during the summer months. For such a short stay, the kitties would stay in one bedroom/office in your home and would not be integrated into your household.
My son or daughter needs to complete community service for their school—can they volunteer with CC4C?
- Children over the age of 13 may be able to at our thrift store, Rescued Treasures, with a parent present. Please contact the manager at 925-682-3201.
- See Volunteer page