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at This Old Cat  Lifetime Care:
Frequently Asked Questions
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How do I get started in the application process?
Download our Pre-Qualifying Application. Print a copy of the form, complete it and send it to us via USMail or email. This form include basic
questions about you, your family, your cats and your preliminary wishes. Refer to our Admissions Page for more information on the application process.
Does The Sunshine Home also take in dogs?
No. We are a retirement homes for cats only. We love ALL animals equally however cats do need peace and quiet, not barking. We're not a kennel, we're not an animal rescue organization... the new building, our mission and our philosophy is geared exclusively towards ONLY cats.
After I have completed the admission process what happens when I pass away?
In case of your death, immediately upon notification we will come to your home and pick up your cat to transport them back to The Sunshine Home.
What if at that time all the rooms in The Sunshine Home are filled?
We hope to always have a room free but we will not stress the cats by overcrowding in The Sunshine Home. If it is currently filled we will welcome your cat into a room in our own home until a room opens up. If our home is filled we have qualified foster homes in the area that will care for your cat in the interim.
How many cats will be in The Sunshine Home?
Many "cat retirement" places may house several hundred cats at any given time. To us those are "institutions", not "homes". We, on the other hand, may have up to two dozen cats at any given time, giving us the opportunity to offer more personalized care. For us it's definitely QUALITY, not quantity. Unlike most other places we offer individual rooms, not cramped cages or large holding rooms. Single cats wishing to have their own rooms get what they want. Multiple cat families get to stay together in their own room or rooms.
Will the cats be left alone for long periods of time?
Absolutely not. The Sunshine Home is a mere six feet from the home where we live. Cats
in The Sunshine Home will have daily supervision, playtime and feeding care. We will
also be in their rooms cleaning each day. During daylight hours they'll have music or
television, too.
What steps does The Sunshine Home take to reduce and eliminate stress for the felines?
We feel this one question is probably the MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION YOU CAN ASK, yet surprisingly many places haven't a clue as to the answer. At The Sunshine Home it was Priority Number One from the beginning. A recent study completed by Tufts University Researchers (Assessment of stress levels among cats in four animal shelters, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Vol. 226, No. 4, February 15, 2005) concludes, among other things, that barking dogs, artificial lighting and cramped cages can contribute to high stress levels in cats. We have no barking dogs to stress the cats. The Sunshine Home has 35 windows and about 1/3 of total wall space is glass! We have extremely high levels of all natural lighting throughout the facility. And as previous stated, we have no cages... just spacious rooms. Another study (Quality of Life Issues for Companion Animal Shelters, a Doing Things for Animals presentation by Gary Patronek, VMD, PhD, Tufts Center for Animals and Public Policy, Chicago, IL, October 2, 1999) found that, among other things, high stress in cats can be caused by exposure to too many people, no privacy, housing with dogs, chemical smells, overwhelmed caregivers, crowded small cages, noise from public and other animals, constant activity and changing traffic, confinement and even isolation from other cats. Suffice it to say The Sunshine Home addresses EACH AND EVERY ONE of these issues to keep the cats in our care healthy and happy... where they don't just survive, they thrive!
Will you accommodate my cat's special diet and unusually rigorous routine of care?
Most definitely! We will work our schedule around the cats, not the other way around.
Our goal is to keep them stress-free, healthy and happy.
What about routine veterinary care for my cat?
All cats will have an annual (or semi-annual) complete physical and blood chemistry
analysis. We work with two full-service
animal hospitals with state-of-the-art medical care. They and their staff will remain on-call
for any medical emergencies that may arise.
Are all of the employees/volunteers trained and experienced in cat behavior?
With us, it's a simple answer. We have no employees, no volunteers, no turnover of help, no concerns about untrained people working with your cats... it's the two of us, combined with over 50 years of experience with cats and their behavior.
And what kind of experience do you have?
We each have over 28 years of experience in working with cats! Check out a list of our qualifications here.
Do you offer references?
Absolutely. We've built this business on trust, with people such as you putting their cats into our hands. All the advertising in the world cannot replace what people have to say about us, so yes, upon request we'll gladly offer up references.
What happens to my cat if something happens to the Deweys?
We have made arrangements for the proceeds of our estate to go to the continuing care
of The Sunshine Home. We will make sure your cat receives uninterrupted and continued
love and care.
What happens when the time finally comes and my cat passes away while in your care?
Unless it is specified otherwise in your admissions agreement, we will do a full-body interment with
casket and granite marker at the Rush Interpet Cemetery in nearby Rush, New York.
Are admission fees tax-deductible?
This question is best left to your tax advisor as we will not offer tax advice. From what we've read of the IRS regulations concerning this subject it appears to make no difference whether the organization accepting your cats is a for-profit or a not-for-profit business because either way you are receiving a substantial service in return for your admission fee payment and therefore you cannot assume it is a tax-deductible donation. Again, it's very important that you ask a tax accountant for his or her professional opinion on this matter.
If I chose a discounted prepayment option and my cat predeceases me, what happens to the admission fee?
The admission is transferable*. Should your cat pass away before you need our services you may transfer the
admission to a new cat that may subsequently be added to your family, transfer it to a friend or relative’s cat,
assign the admission back to us to help another cat in your honor or memory or request a refund (less a pro-rated
handling fee). *Please contact us for details.
How do I calculate how much I may spend to care for my cats?
Have you stopped to think what it costs YOU to care for YOUR cats? Why not take a few minutes and give our Cost Estimator a try? It's quick, it's easy to use, and we think you'll find it VERY interesting... CLICK HERE to give it a try!
Other questions? Please ask and we'll do our best to answer to your satisfaction! We
want you to be fully comfortable and 100% confident in our commitment to your wishes
and the care of your cat.
