Adopt a Cat

Thank you for choosing adoption! We encourage you to visit our shelter often to interact with these adorable cuties. 

Please understand that some cats might be a little overwhelmed in this new scary environment and may not show you their true personalities. 

Kittens under one year of age require other animals to play with as they continue to develop social skills in order to remain friendly and to play nicely with their human housemates.  At HSCC, we have an extensive Kitten Foster program that all underage kittens are placed into prior to adoption. In their foster homes, kittens can grow up and receive the proper nutrition and medical care they require. During their time in foster, kittens are also socialized by their foster families who teach them how to become good pets by exposing them to a variety of stimuli and experiences. When they finally join their new forever families, they are better adjusted and more easily assimilate to their new surroundings. 

A critical factor in a kitten’s early development and socialization occurs by playing with other kittens near their own age, and we find that kittens who grow up as “singles” tend to be less socialized and play rougher with the humans who are their only playmates, often developing undesirable behaviors as they mature. To help our kittens grow up to be well-socialized adult cats, we now have a policy that all kittens under 1 year of age need to be either adopted with a buddy or go to a home where another pet is waiting to be their friend. 

Please see an adoption counselor if you have any questions referencing this policy. This article from the  Kitten Lady entitled, “Two Kittens are Better Than One” explains the benefits of adopting kittens in pairs.

Some things to consider before adopting a cat or kitten:

• Thinking about adopting a new cat? Read Jackson Galaxy’s 6 Tips for Adopting A New Cat
• Make sure all family members are on board with a new cat.
• While visiting the shelter, keep in mind that it is a stressful place for some of our cats, and they might not show well.
• We encourage you to interact in our free-roaming “kitty city” with the cat that catches your eye.
• Don’t see what you are looking for, consider visiting “Tri-County Animal Shelter” or a local area animal rescue.
• To see adoption fees and what is covered when you adopt from the Humane Society of Charles County — CLICK HERE.

If you have any questions feel free to email or call us at 301-645-8181.

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Show your pride by taking home one of our custom #HSCCRescue cat collars for your newly adopted kitty!  Help the shelter and help the pets by purchasing a cat collar!  Our custom cat collars are $10.00.