Who is Full Hearts Cat Rescue?

We are a small team of people that couldn’t sit by while local cats were in need. We continue to seek support from our community through foster volunteers and donators. We have been saving cats since 2020 and filed for non-profit status in 2022. You can read more about our board members on our Team page as well.

Where do Full Hearts Cat Rescue cats come from?

Many of our first rescues came from our backyard! Jess got involved with her local TNR (trap, neuter, return) community group and found many of the cats coming to her property were friendly and could live indoors happily with people. She started fostering them, and then founded the rescue as she learned how great the local need was for more animal assistance. Cats come from nearby neighborhoods and occasionally the greater Rochester area.

Where does Full Hearts funding come from?

As of early 2024, our financials are less dependent on the direct contributions of our founders and board members than our first two years in operation. We were awarded a grant in late 2023 from the Golisano Foundation via their Bailey and Friends fund, we receive monthly donations from a small core of our supporters, and all adoption fees feed back into animal care.!

Does Full Hearts Cat Rescue have a storefront or other public location?

We do not. Currently the majority of our cats are fostered in the home of our founder/president and vice president. Some cats are fostered in the private homes of volunteer fosters. The address where you can meet the cats you are interested in will be shared with you at an appropriate time in the adoption and screening process. All fosters are in the Rochester and Henrietta areas. We are also partnered with the Pawsitive Cat Café, at 120 East Ave #100, Rochester, NY 14604. A handful of our adoptable cats may be there at any given time and this will be on their profiles as we update our site.

Can Full Hearts Cat Rescue rehome my pet cat?

The short answer is “no.” Our mission is helping cats that are suffering outdoors and we take our mission very seriously. What we can do if you find yourself needing to rehome a cat is do “courtesy posts” on our social media platforms, in which we will share your cat’s pictures, personality, location, etc., and encourage people to reach out to you directly if they are interested. We also encourage you to contact as many other rescues as possible and get on their wait lists. Reach out to us to create a courtesy post and for some other rescues we would recommend. If you are seeking to rehome because of behavioral problems, we can also offer some tips or resources to consider before taking the drastic step of rehoming. The stress of an environment change can make behavior worse and it will be even more difficult for a new family to support your cat properly. We have experienced nearly every behavior issue you can think of, and while we aren’t experts at cat behavior, we have learned a thing or two. Also see the helpful links at the bottom of this page under “Other Resources.”

What are Full Hearts Cat Rescue adoption fees?

Adoption fees currently range from $150 to $200, depending on animal age and other considerations. Also if you adopt bonded pairs of adults or kittens, that will be taken into consideration and we typically combine the fees and give a small discount. Fosters also get a discount if they are approved to adopt the animal they have been fostering.

Why does Full Hearts Cat Rescue charge an adoption fee?

Most rescues charge fees. Some shelters have “waived fee days” and that works for them and that can be a great thing! However, we are a very small rescue and do not have the resources that other rescues or shelters may have. All adoption fees go straight back to taking care of the cats. We also try to charge a fee similar to what you would pay for a standard vet visit. This way our adopters can demonstrate their financial commitment to their new family member. All of our animals are fully vetted - spayed or neutered, tested for FeLV/FIV, dewormed, flea treated, rabies vaccinated and “distemper” (FVCRP) vaccinated. If you found a kitten on the street and did all of this yourself, you could easily pay over $700 just to fix and vet a healthy cat, not to mention if there were health complications!

What should I do if a cat outside needs help?

By all means, reach out to us! Even if we cannot directly help you depending on our current capacity and the details of the situation, we may be able to help connect you with someone that can. Sometimes you just need some questions answered and you’re not sure where to start, we have informally consulted many people that want to help cats. You can also read about “community cats” (feral cats) at Alley Cat Allies.

Other Resources:

A New Cat at Home: Great tips for bringing home your first cat, or to integrate a new cat with your current pets and family members.

Top 10 Tips for New Cat Owners: This does contain some links to products, and is sponsored by ComfortZone, a cheaper version of Feliway, but looking past the commercials there is some good information here.

Cat Behavior Associates: This is a great website for behavior issues. If you are thinking of surrendering a cat because of a behavior issue, please try this resource first. After all, your cat’s behavior will likely only get worse if they are taken away from their familiar environment and humans, making them very difficult to find a home for, and rescues and shelters have little time to make behavioral corrections. You are your cat’s best chance and advocate.

Lollypop Farm Lost and Found: Start here if you have lost a pet, or found an animal that you think may be a lost pet.

Lollypop Farm Rehoming Resources: Full Hearts does not take owner surrenders of pets per our mission. Start here if you have a pet of your own you seek to rehome, or if you need additional support to care for your animal (food, vet care).