Continuing Cat Care

The Continuing Cat Care Program provides for loving, attentive care for your cat when you are no longer able to care for the cat’s needs. After you are gone, your cat is first taken into our clean, friendly shelter. The cat is evaluated to determine its health, and adoptability. If The Hermitage staff finds the cat to be adoptable, it is placed with our other felines looking for permanent homes. If, in the opinion of the staff, the cat is not adoptable, it will become a lifetime resident of the shelter. We CANNOT honor requests for a cat to automatically be kept as a permanent resident.

Enrolling your cat in the Continuing Cat Care Program ensures that your surviving cat will not become an innocent victim of a relative’s or friend’s inability or unwillingness to provide your cat with a good home. Through this program, The Hermitage can provide your surviving cat with a safe and loving environment, preferably as a member of a private family.

Please be aware that to ensure that your cat has sufficient individual attention and medical care, we are only able to accept up to 3 cats in a surviving cat request.

How Does the Program Work?

You need to designate an individual who will contact The Hermitage and deliver your cat(s) to our shelter as soon after your death as possible. At that time, each cat will be examined by professionals at our shelter to verify that: 1) sterilization has been completed; and 2) vaccinations are current. Remedial action will be taken, as needed. Also, each cat is tested for FeLV and FIV.

Next, we try to find a suitable home for your cat, or if this is not possible or in the best interest of your cat, we provide a loving permanent home for your cat at The Hermitage. We have an 8,000 square foot facility which has 4,000 square feet of home and 4000 square feet of enclosed porches. Your cat will be free to roam its designated area without fear of escape and yet will be able to enjoy the outside.

If your cat is placed in a new home, we do an adoption application interview before its adoption and follow-up telephone calls to verify that your cat is happy and being properly cared for and loved.

How Do I Enroll My Cat(s) in the Program?

In order to enroll your cat(s) in the program, it is necessary that you leave a minimum of $1,000 per cat or $5,000 per cat with Special Needs such as Diabetes, FIV+ or FeLV+, etc;(with a limit of 3 cats) to The Hermitage. This endowment is effective upon your death. There are several ways in which you may accomplish this endowment to The Hermitage.

• You can designate The Hermitage as a beneficiary in your Last Will and Testament or Trust.
• You can designate The Hermitage as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy.
• You can designate The Hermitage as a beneficiary of your bank account by completing forms at your bank stating that your account is payable upon your death to The Hermitage. Alternatively, you can designate The Hermitage as a recipient of your investment account by completing forms with your stockbroker stating that your account is to transfer upon your death to The Hermitage.
• You can designate The Hermitage as a beneficiary of your IRA account. There may be some estate tax planning advantages for designating The Hermitage, a 501(c)(3) organization, as a beneficiary of an IRA account. You should consult with an attorney or accountant to determine whether this advantage may apply to you.

In addition to using one of the above methods to gift to The Hermitage, it is necessary for you to complete the enclosed “Bequest Form” and and “Continuing Cat Registration Form and Info” and return the completed forms along with the enrollment fee of $150.00 per cat to The Hermitage. In the event you have more than one cat, please complete both forms for each cat.

With regard to the Standard Bequest Form, please attach a copy of the applicable pages of your Last Will and Testament or Trust, or a copy of the beneficiary designation form for your life insurance policy, bank account, stock account or IRA account, nominating The Hermitage as a beneficiary. Further, please advise The Hermitage of the individual you have named as your personal representative in your Last Will and Testament or Trustee of your Trust.

With regard to the Continuing Cat Care Registration Form, if you need to update the information provided to The Hermitage, please provide such updates in writing so that The Hermitage can be certain current information is in your file.

Standard Bequest Form

Continuing Cat Care Registration Form and Info