Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Adoption

  • No. TAILS does not handle puppy or dog adoptions. We only have cat adoptions. We do support spaying and neutering local dogs.

  • Thank you for choosing to adopt!

    We invite everyone to apply to adopt a cat(s) or kitten(s). Our application is the first step and must be done online; we do not have physical copies of the application. Click here to apply. Please fill out all fields to the best of your knowledge; missing or incomplete information will stall your application.

    Once you hit the submit button for your online application, your application will be routed to the TAILS adoption team and you will get an automatic email response acknowledging your submission. If you do not see the confirmation email in your inbox, please check your spam or junk folders.

    Our adoption team will review your application and contact you if we have any questions or need additional information. We kindly ask that you give our adoption team time to review your application, as we are all volunteers working to save as many cats as possible!

    If your application is approved, congratulations! You will get an automatic email notifying you of our decision. You will hear from a member of the TAILS team soon after. We will contact you to join us at our next available adoption event, or schedule time for a meet-and-greet with one of our cats. Once you're approved, you're ready to take a cat home!

    TAILS only adopts to Connecticut residents, who are 21 years of age or older.

  • No, we do not do same-day adoptions. Everyone must fill out our online adoption application and become approved before they take one of our cats home.

  • Our adoption events are held monthly or twice-monthly at Petco in Westport (1850 Post Road East) or Fairfield (340 Grasmere Avenue). They typically occur on Saturdays or Sundays from 10AM to 3PM.

    Check out our website, calendar, and follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on our latest events!

    Only approved adopters are able to take cats home at our adoption events, so getting your application in early is important. We do not do same-day adoptions. If you haven't submitted an application yet, apply now.

    If you have not submitted an adoption application yet OR have an application in process, you will not be able to take a cat home during an adoption event, but we still encourage you to stop by and say hello to our cats!

  • TAILS kittens are $250 ($475 for two). Adult cats are $125.

    Kittens must be adopted in pairs, unless there is another cat in the home.

  • Our cats come from all over Fairfield County. A lot of our felines are kittens who were rescued from the streets and young enough to be socialized into loving house cats. We also receive emails, texts, and calls from people who need help with their cats, or community cats they see outside, and we help as many of those people/cats as possible.

  • Most of our adoptable cats are in foster homes around Fairfield County, Connecticut. TAILS does not have a brick-and-mortar location, so we rely primarily on our foster home network to care for our cats before they are adopted.

    You can find some of our cats inside Petco at our Westport (1850 Post Road East) and Norwalk (650 Main Avenue and 431 Westport Ave) locations. If you’re lucky, you might get to see one of our cats stretching their legs and playing outside their cubbies while one of our volunteers is at the store!

    To view all of our adoptable cats, head to our Petfinder page. Check out their photos and read their bios to learn more about them!

  • We always have a range of cats available for adoption, from kittens to adults!

    We do not adopt out kittens before 12 weeks of age. Kittens must be adopted in pairs, unless there is another cat in the home.

  • Yes. All of our adoptable cats are spayed or neutered and are at least 12 weeks of age, vaccinated against rabies and the first dose of the FVRCP (feline distemper) vaccine, dewormed, microchipped, registered with PetcoLove Lost and tested for FIV and FeLV at the time of adoption.

  • Every cat is different. Many of our cats are great with other animals or children because they’ve been fostered in a home with dogs or other cats.

    Some of our cats are bonded and must stay together.

    Other cats need to be your one-and-only. Read their bios on our Petfinder page to learn more about them!

  • Of course! We are happy to tell you about our cats’ unique personalities, and what we know about their histories.

    We ask that you please fill out the adoption application first before reaching out to us. Through our adoption process, we will work with you to determine the best cat(s) for you!

    In the meantime, take a look at our cats’ Petfinder pages and read their bios!

  • TAILS kittens must be adopted in pairs unless you already have another cat at home.

    We have this policy because kittens are high-energy and benefit from playmates. They require a lot of socialization and attention. Another cat of a similar age and activity level (such as another kitten) is a good match for them. Otherwise, you are their sole source of entertainment and playtime, all of the time.

    Kittens are also still learning, and being around other cats can teach them “how to cat” and behave appropriately at home.

    If you are thinking about adopting another cat later on, it may be easier to introduce two kittens into your household at the same time, vs. adopting one cat now and adopting another cat later on. Introductions between older cats may take more time for everyone to integrate smoothly.

    Another situation where you must adopt a pair is if you’re considering two cats who are bonded. We do not separate bonded cats.

  • We love to hear that someone has formed a connection with one of our cats!

    The first step is submitting our online adoption application. Apply here. We will be in touch regarding next steps.

    Please note we cannot guarantee that any specific cat(s) will be available for adoption by the time your application is reviewed and approved. We process each application as soon as possible and do our best to match kitties with the best home on a first come, first-best-home basis. We do not reserve our animals for anyone — please be mindful of the fact that there may be a qualified applicant who is further along in the adoption process at the time you submit your application.

    We encourage everyone to submit an adoption application as soon as they are ready to adopt, as the reviewal process can take some time. Only approved adopters are able to take cats home from our monthly adoption events; however, we handle adoptions throughout the month. If you haven't submitted an application yet, apply here.

    Even if a particular cat is adopted — don't worry, we're sure we can find another cat that you will fall in love with!​

  • Thank you for applying to adopt! We will contact you if we have any follow-up questions.

    It is helpful to notify your vet (if applicable), references, and landlord (if applicable) that we will be calling. If we are not authorized to speak to your vet or have trouble reaching your references, we will not be able to process your application as quickly as we would like.

    If you are looking to adopt a kitten, know that kittens must be adopted in pairs, unless you currently have another cat at home.

  • As soon as your adoption application is approved and you've been contacted to meet one of our cats. If you haven't already, fill out our online adoption application now!

  • Thank you for choosing to adopt!

    Please be patient as we work on your application. When you submitted your application, you received an automatic email from us confirming your submission. If you are not sure if you got this email, please check your spam or junk folders.

    If you are still not seeing the email — please resubmit your application, making sure you fill out all fields and hit the submit button at the bottom of the page.

    When you receive the confirmation email from us, that means that we have received your application and we are actively working on reviewing it!

    If you haven't heard from us within two weeks, please contact us.

Community Assistance

  • Thank you for caring about the cats in your community!

    The first step is to make sure these cats are not owned or lost — you can do this by asking neighbors, posting physical flyers, and browsing and making social media posts online (consider posting to lost and found Facebook groups, local groups for your area, Nextdoor, and Ring Neighbors, or ask a friend to post to these platforms on your behalf).

    Spend some time generally watching the cats, observing their behaviors and appearances. How long have you seen these cats around? How many are there? Do they have collars? Are they friendly? Do they run when you approach? Do they appear to go home at night? For more information on the differences between owned, stray, and feral cats, please click here.

    For more information on community cats, click here. Please note that if any of the cats appear to have an ear tip or slanted left ear, that is the universal sign of an altered feral/community cat. This means that particular cat has already been to a vet before and has been spayed and neutered.

    Once you have determined that these cats are not owned or lost, please reach out to us.

    If you are willing to help us humanely trap the cats, great! We can train you on the cat-trapping process — it’s easy and not scary, trust us. It’s humane, safe and gets cats what they need —spayed/neutered and vaccinated, and (if they turn out to be friendly, or are young enough to be socialized) — homes. We will provide traps, training, and get the cats to one of our veterinarians.

    Adult cats who are feral in nature will be returned back to their colony after neutering.

  • TAILS offers low-cost spay-and-neuter or no-cost assistance for those in need, whenever possible.

    We are only able to assist in the following Connecticut towns: Bridgeport, Fairfield, New Canaan, Norwalk, Shelton, Stratford, Trumbull, Weston, Westport, and Wilton.

    Click here for more resources.

  • Kittens rescued from the streets (or friendly adult cats) who are young enough to be socialized will be placed into our robust foster program and go through our adoption program. Once they reach 12 weeks of age and have been to the vet to be spayed, neutered, vaccinated, tested and microchipped, they will be listed on Petfinder as an adoptable cat.

    Adult cats rescued from the streets who are feral in nature will be spayed/neutered and vaccinated. After a brief recovery period, they will return to their colonies and outdoor homes to continue to be cared for by their caretakers.

Volunteering

  • Anyone can volunteer with us! We offer a great way for teens, adults, and students to give back to their communities and earn volunteer hours for work, school, or religious reasons.

    We are committed to encouraging young people to volunteer to help animals and welcome those under 18; we base our volunteering on a maturity and animal handling level.

    Young kids must have a parent or guardian with them when volunteering.

  • Thank you for your interest in volunteering! There are several ways you can get involved with TAILS. Many of our volunteer opportunities are ongoing, so you can get involved at any time!

    Become a cat caretaker at Petco! — Our adoptable cats are currently at Petco in Westport (1850 Post Road East) and Norwalk (650 Main Ave and 431 Westport Ave) locations. Caring for these cats involves feeding them, cleaning their cubbies, and giving them time and space to stretch their legs and play. Training is provided and required in the form of an initial 45-minute orientation. We offer flexible volunteer shifts both in the mornings and evenings. We ask for an hour or two of your time per shift as often as you would like to. Volunteers manage their own time via our online volunteer calendar.

    To get started, sign up to attend a 45-minute orientation at your preferred store. If you don’t see an orientation listed, check back soon or contact us — we will notify you when we have new opportunities posted.

    Foster with us! — Fostering cats or kittens is critical to our ability to continue to save animals from a short, harsh life on the streets. Fostering enables animals the opportunity to be in a safe, home environment while getting socialization. We get a tremendous number of cats and kittens through our spay/neuter activities who we would love to help, but cannot without foster homes. All the cat/kittens need is a spare room. Duration of fostering typically lasts a few weeks, potentially longer if you are able/willing to continue. All fosters are supplied with food, litter, toys and bedding, as needed. Apply here!

    Trap with us! — Our feral cat trapping program is the single biggest program we have that saves cats. Also known as "TNR" (Trap-Neuter-Return) — we assist people with catching cats outside and getting them spayed/neutered and vaccinated. Feral cat sites are throughout Fairfield County and trapping is typically at night or on weekends. Training is provided.

    Help us with cat transport or recovery — We need help with transporting cats to and from veterinary appointments, foster homes, and helping house a cat one or two nights during their post-surgery recovery period.

    Join our fundraising team! — TAILS saves animals by raising funds through our events and newsletters.... and we need help because we are all out doing the rescue work! Whether you want to help plan the events or volunteer at them — this is the team for you.

    TEAM TAILS is our walk/run fundraising team. We need help organizing, soliciting for members, posting information and (if interested) participation. Team members walk or run a short distance in a local race and get pledges or make a donation for their participation.

    View our calendar of events for everything we have coming up! If you are interested in volunteering with us and do not see a training opportunity listed, or want to get involved in some other way, please contact us.

  • Thank you for your interest in fostering!

    Please fill out our online fostering application here. Someone from our team will be in touch!

  • All you need to foster is a spare bedroom, bathroom, or miscellaneous temperature-controlled room in your home, and some space and love in your heart! Our cats don't need much, but they do need YOU!

    All fosters are supplied with food, litter, toys and bedding, as needed.

  • Of course! Consider taking care of our cats at Petco in the Westport (1850 Post Road East) and Norwalk (650 Main Ave) locations. These cats rely on our volunteers to provide for them.

    To get started, sign up to attend a 45-minute orientation at your preferred store. Check out our opportunities and events. If you don’t see an orientation listed, check back soon or contact us — we will notify you when we have new opportunities posted.

    Young kids must have a parent or guardian with them when volunteering.

    If you are interested in helping with office or administrative tasks, please contact us.

  • We do not allow anyone to just play with the cats without providing further care. Signing up for a volunteer shift at Petco involves more than just play. Volunteers must clean the cats’ cubbies, provide fresh food and water, and scoop litter boxes for all cats that reside at that location.

    Cats can be played with once everything else is done, and if the cat is interested in playing.

    We base our volunteering on a maturity and animal handling level. Young kids must have a parent or guardian with them when volunteering.

  • Yes, they can! We are committed to encouraging young people to volunteer to help animals and welcome those under 18. We base our volunteering on a maturity and animal handling level.

    Please check our response above for all of our volunteer opportunities.

    Young kids must have a parent or guardian with them when volunteering.

  • Please check out our calendar of events for volunteer orientations, volunteer meetings, adoption events, and more. As we are all-volunteer, we do not have any paid staff.

    If you are looking for more information about volunteering, please contact us.

    Follow us on social @TAILSSpayNeuter to stay up-to-date on all things TAILS!

Support TAILS

  • Thank you for wanting to donate and to help us save more local dogs and cats!

    We accept donations through our main donation portal, PayPal, Venmo, and Facebook fundraisers. You can choose to make a one-time or recurring donation.

    Cash or checks can be mailed to P.O. Box 2277, Westport, CT 06880.

    During certain times of the year, we participate in day-long fundraising events, such as Giving Tuesday. The money we raise during these events fuels our rescue work throughout the year. Follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on our latest fundraising efforts.

    As an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) organization, every dollar you give goes directly to our animals, and your donation is tax deductible (as allowed by law).

    Your support is sincerely appreciated!

  • Yes, we do!

    Check out our Amazon and Chewy wishlists.

    We sell new or gently used items on Poshmark to raise additional funds.

    We accept the following donations: clothes, jewelry, footwear, handbags, electronics, accessories, gift cards, and pet items. If you’re interested in donating, please contact us.

    Thank you for your support!

  • Follow and engage with us on social! — Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn (@TAILSSpayNeuter). Like and re-share! 

    Leave us a review on Facebook or Google.

    Volunteer with us!

    Subscribe to our mailing list.

    Check out our items for sale on Poshmark.

    Take a look at our Amazon and Chewy wishlists.

    Know someone looking for a cat in southwestern CT? — We would love to hear from them! Whether they’re looking for an adept barn cat or a cuddly companion, we have a cat for everyone. Send them a link to our foster or adoption application!

    Speak up for the cats (and people!) in your community. — Animals need us to be their voice and advocate. If you see a cat in trouble, or if you notice a cat colony getting out of hand, say something. Do something. Get involved with TNR to rescue cats in your neighborhood. Let a friend, family member, or neighbor know about our spay-and-neuter assistance program. YOU are the solution — and the smallest acts of kindness can mean a world of difference to an animal whose life you just saved.  

  • For all other inquiries not listed here, please visit our contact us page.

Make a donation

We rely upon donations – both financial and of goods and services – from individuals and businesses to support our spay/neuter initiatives, and can credit the generosity of our community members for the success of our programs.