Continuing Cat Care

Continuing Cat Care provides loving, attentive care for your cat(s) when you are no longer able to.

Do you have a plan for your beloved feline companion upon your passing? It's a hard thing to think of but you owe it to them to not leave it to chance. Make arrangements now. Enrolling in the Continuing Cat Care Program at the Hermitage ensures 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 beloved companion a safe and loving environment for as long as they need it.

Upon your passing, your cat will be taken into our clean, friendly shelter. Your cat will then be evaluated to determine its health and adoptability. If the Hermitage staff finds your 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.

Please note: we CANNOT honor requests for a cat to automatically be kept as a permanent resident.

How the Program Works

You 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.
  3. 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 9,000 square foot facility which has 4,500 square feet of home and 4,500 square feet of enclosed patios. Your cat will be free to roam its designated area without fear of escape and yet will be able to enjoy the outside.

Prior to your cat being rehomed, we will complete an extensive adoption interview and subsequent follow up call to make sure your cat is happy and properly cared for.

Enrollment

There is a $500 registration fee per cat to enroll your cat(s) in the Continuing Cat Care program. It is necessary that you provide an endowment in a minimum of $1,500 per cat or $5,000 per cat with special needs such as Diabetes, FIV/FeLV+ to the Hermitage. This endowment is effective upon your death. There are several ways in which you may accomplish this endowment to The Hermitage.

  • Designate The Hermitage as a beneficiary in your Last Will and Testament or Trust.
  • Designate The Hermitage as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Designate The Hermitage as a beneficiary of your IRA account and 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, you must complete the Bequest Form and the Continuing Cat Care Registration Form – which can be found below – and return the completed forms, along with the enrollment fee of $500 per cat to the Hermitage (the enrollment fee will be used as a General Donation).

With 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. You may be asked for our EIN which is 86-0213263.

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

Registration Form

Bequest
Form

Waiver
Form

If you have questions, please let us know.

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