As a volunteer, I'm extremely happy with HCN. After loosing a cat, I needed a way to fill that void in my life. Checked around at various shelters, where many required certain amount of hours to dedicate. Being that I still work, I couldn't accommodate that. Found Homeless Cat Network based on the work they do. It's a multi-volunteer organization. There is a trail along the SF Bay, where people have dumped their cats, and has become a feral cat community. During my walks along the trail, I saw signs posted explaining the status of those cat. They are fed by volunteers and captured spayed/neutered and released back. I decided to contact HCN and ask if I could volunteer once a month? They said yes, and if I could work in the socialization center? This is where the feral cats who've become too social are at risk and have the potential of being adopted to their fur-ever homes. I've meet so many kind hearts that just love cats and doing the right thing. Made friends out of the shelter. Fallen in love with MANY cats. It's heartwarming to find out someone wants to adopt them. The other part of HCN is the kitten camp. There is another group of volunteers that help raise kittens in their home or at the shelter. Right now they are all at homes. After reading some reviews about HCN, I read some unhappy potential adoption stories. I'm very sorry you had an unpleasant experience. It is true, our organization used to be very strict for some reason? Don't ask me why? I'm not part of the decision making. It has changed tremendously this past year. We used to have 18 cats at the shelter, in the past few months, we are now down to 7 cats! Shelter-in-place opened the door for so many adoptions. What makes our kitties different is, they weren't house cats, they used to live in the wild. They do have a lot of love and some become very spoiled pillow cats. They grow to love the pampered life. Not all the cats on the website are listed, because we are still working on their socialization skills. Please inquire and see what'll happen? All my favorite kitties that I bonded with, tend to get adopted. I miss them, then another new cat comes along and steals my heart. It's great. read more

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Every member is voluntary only and no one is paid for their service. They provide medical as well as spay/ neuter for homeless cats. They also provide food for volunteers to feed the homeless cats. If cats appear sociable, they continue to socialize the cats and find forever home for them. read more

You know i really hate to give a one star on a cat rescue but I've been reading some other reviews and whoever's answering the messages from people they seem not to care or they're very rude I've called a few times i even had someone in the cat rescue from another state send a special email requesting for me to be a foster, but they still decline me WTF why would you decline someone just because they're disabled and they don't drive or they're low income?! you are discriminating towards someone who was a disability and you know that's against the law and it saying you're in San Francisco? but when i called you, you said you moved to Oakland because of covid,and you're only looking for people who can drive or support you in buying the supplies. That's not what it's about. Show more love and compassion that you state that you have for animals change your ways and if the owner is the one that's discriminating towards me and other people shame on you and if not? then you contact me back, and let's see if you can have me Foster? because, as they say, you snooze and lose out on an amazing person who can help you out. Thanks for reading my review. ~Lizzie~ read more

We have adopted three cats from Homeless Cat Network, and the adoption process has always been smooth each time. One of those cats unfortunately passed away, but we are blessed to still have the other two. We have dealt with Cathy, Judy, and Nicola - all have been so helpful to us. In fact, I still send them updates on our HCN kitties regularly. Some wonderful kitties come out of HCN - you won't regret adopting one of their kitties! read more

We had a wonderful experience working with the Homeless Cat Network. They were very responsive, and Judy, the volunteer we worked with, was amazing. We met our kitty, and she coordinated everything with us, making the adopting process incredibly smooth. She came to our house to ensure it was suitable for a cat and then the following week she brought him over. The Homeless Cat Network does such wonderful work and we are so thankful they helped us find the newest member of our family! read more

BEWARE!!!!! On Jan 8th, I applied for a cat, the organization messaged me within the hour with the application. I was excited that it was so speedy and ready to hear about the next step. After 2 weeks WITHOUT a reply, I emailed again to follow up on the adoption process. Still no reply. On Jan 25th I emailed again. Finally they replied back on Jan 26th, telling me that they are looking for a strict indoors home for the cat. And the "apartment" setting that I live in is not suitable for my animal I requested. Stating that due to it being in a high traffic area would be an unsafe living area for the cat if she got out. Not only did they make me wait 2 weeks to deny my request, they never even bothered to clear up an issues/concerns they had. Or let me know it was denied at all. I had to reach out to them. Poor structure of business. If they don't like you, just move on to the next without letting you know. Also I do not live in an apartment, I live in a condo home. And my condo lies far in the back, no where near traffic where the cat could potentially get injured. Also, we never intended on the cat being an outdoor cat, strictly indoors. But all these issues were never addressed from the organization. They just ASSUME what they like. If they don't like you, NEXT!! For a company who thrives on finding homes for "homeless" cats, they sure are very strict in who and what they decided is a good home. I understand finding a good fit is important, but to not follow up or even express your concerns with a potential client is wrong. I was so disappointed in the service I received. I hope no one has to go through what I did. And hope going forward they state on their website their "standards" before someone spends the time doing their application and waiting for a reply in hopes in taking home a loved one. Posted in the photos is my personal experience via email from them. read more

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I had an unforgettably positive experience with the Homeless Cat Network. I applied for the foster program because I was working from home, and I was looking for some cat companionship. The coordinators were very thorough in reviewing my application. They set up an initial video call with me to make sure that I was a good candidate and that the living conditions would be appropriate for fostering cats. They were able to find two cats whose personalities would match a first time cat owner, and we arranged a time for the cat dropoff. For the dropoff, the coordinator brought all of the supplies needed: litter boxes, litter, food, toys, a scratcher, cat beds, food/water bowls, and the carrier (with the cats inside). They spent the whole afternoon helping me to set up the supplies. They were like a personalized cat consultant. They found ideal places for the litter boxes and the food/water bowls. During the set up, they gave me helpful tips about cat care, which made the process much easier, especially for a cat newbie. Throughout the following weeks, they did a great job answering any questions and scheduling video calls to check in on the cats/me to make sure that everything was okay. They dropped off any supplies that were missing or replenished the food supply when it was running low. The experience was so positive that I ended up adopting the two cats! I would highly recommend the fostering program to anyone looking to foster any cats. read more

These people do care about these animals. I've been to many pop-up adoption spots and I always see the staff holding and petiting the animals. My cat finally found us, we are so happy with our little Blessy. Thank you... read more

I'll just echo what everyone else has said. A very wonderful, wonderful group to adopt from and they truly care about not only the pets but also their potential new homes. We adopted Sami & Maddy at the Petsmart on Industrial, and it was a very pleasant process. Our two kids are the most wonderful kitties in the world. It is disheartening to hear that, they are rescuing a lot of abandoned animals from foreclosed homes. Thats where Sami & Maddy came from. At first we thought they were brother and sister but turns they are about a month apart, from two different litters at the foreclosed house. :( While that is very sad, HCN puts forth a lot of effort into these rescued cats with foster homes, etc. We met Sami & Maddy's foster parent and she was happy to see the two adopted. We also got a nice Christmas card from HCN. Please adopt, don't buy, and give a little extra to these people if you can. They deserve it. read more

Homeless Cat Network - Sami & Miss Maddy, adopted from HCN - Animal Shelters Near Me

All of the people I have worked with are incredibly friendly and true animal lovers. They do extensive research before adopting out kitties and vow to take back cats if there's ever an emergency and you can no longer keep the cat. Adoption fees for each cat is $85.00 but you're encouraged to donate more to the cute little kitties. Please adopt instead of buying. Also, they always need more volunteers so if you can support them in any way please do. read more

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I had an amazing experience working with the volunteers of Homeless Cat Network. They were quick to reposed to my questions, schedule times to meet cats and overall friendly and passionate! Their facility is beautiful and they take amazing care of all of the cats. I highly recommend considering and supporting Homeless Cat Network if you are looking for a new best friend. read more

Very surprised by the number of success stories on this page. My experience was quite the contrary. I applied for a certain young cat about two weeks ago. Sent an initial e-mail without response, and I sent a follow up about a few days later. HCN responded to my second inquiry, asking me some basic information about me. I replied, and NEVER got another response. No courtesy notice saying "we appreciate your interest but this cat has been adopted" or "no, you do not fit the profile of the person we are looking to house this cat with". I waited about a 4-5 days, then called them leaving a courteous phone message. Still no response. I then posted on their facebook page(which, has been regularly updating every day[meaning, they have been ignoring me]). Still no response. I am disappointed with the exorbitantly L A C K L U S T E R service. The initial lazy e-mail response dictated it all to me about this organization. With a main aspect of a shelter's goal as finding new homes for cats, I truly wonder how many "unqualified applicants" are turned away based on a few e-mails(and, in return, the cats being stuck in shelters). -Phil read more

I recently started volunteering with the Homeless Cat Network. So far, so good. The kitties hang out in their "condos" or scamper around freely; they are well cared for and the place is very clean. Volunteers come in twice a day to clean out the condos (dump the litter, wash and re-fill the food and water bowls, clean the kitty bedding, sweep and mop the floors) and vacuum the surrounding areas and then spend time hanging out with the kitties. Pretty plush! There's a log for each cat so volunteers can note if a cat is scratching, sick, being super-playful, needs to go the vet, whatever. It sometimes take a while for a cat to get used to human touch, although persistence seems to be paying off. I've noticed that the cats react differently to each person, so bear in mind that the kitty you like may not initially like you. Nothing personal, just a cat's perogative. ;-) read more

Be aware that they don't adopt cats to families with children before you fill out the application, or at least so they told me.

Melissa, a staff volunteer, was amazing to interact with and very kind and understanding. My trial adoption with one cat didn't go well because he wasn't really suited for my long-term life goals and environment and Melissa was very understanding of that and did not blame me. I had such a great impression that I would definitely look to adopt from them in the future and maybe even volunteer with them. read more

Homeless Cat Network is such an incredible organization! As an all-volunteer, donation-based no-kill rescue group, HCN works hard to help as many cats as possible while also addressing the root causes of cat homelessness. It's a great organization to adopt from since HCN gives high quality care to each cat/kitten, and volunteers make sure that each adoptable cat is a good fit for their new families. HCN volunteers also help people with Trap-Neuter-Return and provide mentoring to people who want to help cats in need, and the provide free spay/neuter for homeless cats. How cool is that? It's a great organization filled with really caring volunteers, and really awesome cats. read more

I just stated volunteering with the Kitten Kamp section of the Homeless Cat Network. In the facility in San Mateo that I am working in, omg they treat their kitties so well. Made me re-evaluate how much time and attention I am spending on my own 3 kitties. Sounds like from the reviews that some help is needed with the feral cats. I guess there are always good and bad reviews. I will see how much I can do to help. Give this place a chance. They have some wonderful kitties and if it's inefficient or confused it might be because volunteers are trying to help versus someone getting paid to do a job..... read more

I am a volunteer with this organization and would recommend anyone looking to adopt a kitten or older cat to meet the kitties at the socialization center in Belmont. I'm surprised at the negative comments here as everyone that I have met in this group have been very nice. This group is run strictly by volunteers, if there is a delay in communication I imagine it is not intentional. If you are having difficulty, please don't give up. The cats up for adoption are very well taken care of and are in need of loving homes. read more

A REALLY can not say enough about this organization. I would give them a BILLION MILLION stars if I could. There is a colony of feral cat's and kittens that live in the horrible parking lot of my work. They have come out and helped trap, spay and neuter and feed, when no one else would help me. The SPCA said "they don't do field work and will just kill them if you bring them in." They have let me borrow a trap and taught me a lot. I'm so thankful that people like this exist in the world and show compassion. HOMELESS CAT NETWORK GIVES ME HOPE FOR HUMANITY. I might sound over the top, but it's true. Thank you so much for all that you do. You make the world a better place. read more

It is very difficult to locate a reliable organization that takes CARE of , supports, and promotes the well-being of cats up for adoption. When I say "care" I'm referring to the animal's health: the protection of spreading contagious diseases amongst other cats. A cat was adopted from the Homeless Cat Network for a family member of mine that had non-life threatening health issues from day one, or so we thought. The foster parents of my family member's cat admitted, a month after the cat was put to sleep, the presence of FIP in their foster house. The foster parent's cat was put to sleep in April from FIP, which was reported to my family member in August after her cat was put to sleep. My family member was also advised that HCN has lost other cats to FIP this year. This cat that had been adopted December 2006 has been put to sleep approximately 5 weeks ago. NO ONE from this organization has taken any responsibility in this tragic loss. NO ONE CARES. Now, my family member has a broken heart, and yet NO ONE is taking responsibility for this loss. What about the other cats that resided in the same foster house/room? What about those cats? As reported by a reputable vet., Clorox and a water mixture is the only product strong enough to destroy the virus. And now there is a possibility that other cats within this particular foster home have been exposed. This network is NOT taking the time to EDUCATE themselves regarding FIP. They're still continuing to bring innocent cats into this particular foster home to prepare them for adoption. PLEASE RESEARCH ANY ORGANIZATION CAREFULLY BEFORE ADOPTING AN ANIMAL. read more

It is not in my nature to "bash" an organization, especially one that is trying to do something altruistic by rescuing cats and finding homes to place them. This, though, has been one of the most unpleasant experiences that I have gone through when adopting a pet. I am sure there are others that have nothing but praise and I am glad their experiences were positive. In the end it is about the cats. My application was submitted on January 4th and I expressed a desire to adopt Baby J and his sister (Juno). I resubmitted my application on the 5th when I noticed that the email address was different on PetFinder vs their own website. On Jan 6th, I discovered they had a Facebook page and sent them a messenger inquiring about my application because I had not heard back. I received a response asking me to send it to the original email address. I replied informing them that I had. It was shortly afterwards that I received the first email from HCN informing me that Baby J's sister had been adopted but that Baby J was still available. Since I had expressed an interest in a pair of cats, HCN offered another bonded pair to me. I replied that I would look at their profiles but wanted to proceed forward with adopting Baby J. On Jan 9th, I reached out through Facebook about the status of the adoption and expressed my disappointment about the lack of response. I received an email on the 10th from HCN that apologized for the delay and misunderstanding. They thought I was going to come back and let them know if I was interested in any others. Again, in every email I sent, I clearly repeated my desire to adopt Baby J. I responded that I felt that adopting two "older" males may create a competitive environment and that I would like to proceed with adopting Baby J. I did not receive any follow up. Instead, I reached out again through Messenger to get a status update...since it appeared that the only way to get a response was by Messenger. Yesterday, I logged on to Facebook and discovered the cat I had been trying to adopt all week was now the "Featured Kitty of the Week". Which, to be honest, felt like a slap in the face. So I aired my disappointment more publicly by posting my desire to adopt Baby J. Once others had started to see my post and point out my interest, I received a note from HCN asking if their emails have been going to my spam. I replied and said no...they have always gone directly to my inbox. I even checked to make sure. I again provided my email and phone number and asked them to call or email me. They didn't until I received the note last night telling me that they decided not to move forward and not allow me to adopt him. Their email read "We're sorry about the miscommunication that occurred. We're sorrier still that what started as a simple mistake snowballed into something more complicated on Facebook. Please understand that it was very tough for us to see repeated negative posts about our responsiveness when we were acting in good faith. We have made the very difficult decision to continue looking for another home for Baby J. We sincerely wish you well. I truly don't feel that Homeless Cat Network was acting in good faith. The furthest I got in the process was to repeatedly express a desire to adopt him. Their lack of responsiveness was my only complaint. I have the communication trail to back up my claims. I have no doubt that Baby J will find a home. The unfortunate, sad reality, is that there are plenty of other cats in need of a home. So I will move on...I tried to give him a forever home. read more

HCN truly helps cats in need! They rescue cats from the streets and give them shelter, love, food, and an opportunity to find a forever home. They have beautiful cats! read more

Homeless Cat Network does a great job and has helped many LOCAL cats and kittens, the numbers are definitely down thanks in large part by the dedication of the volunteers. I would like to say that this is a 5 star rescue group, but Melissa needs to tone it down - a LOT. You don't want to offend potential adopters or volunteers by being so uptight and controlling. Yes, we want to find great homes for these cats and kittens but be realistic. I wouldn't volunteer with HCN in large part because of her. And adoption fairs only having a half dozen kitties during kitten season? Why is that? There are way too many homeless cats for that, the process is clogged up. You need to do something to facilitate the adoption process. Maybe even allow the many other rescues share adoption venues. It's about saving lives, isn't it? Please people, if you're looking to adopt a cat and have been offended by Homeless Cat Network please look into the many other rescues instead of supporting breeders. read more

What an amazing organization. The volunteers here are extraordinarily kind and generous. They are dedicated to doing what is best for their cats, and are diligent in ensuring each cat goes to a home well-suited for it. We recently adopted a sweet young kitty named Dempsey, from the HCN's San Carlos PetSmart location. The adoption process could not be more different from back in the old days when someone had a box of kitties or puppies in front of a Safeway. Here, you fill out a well-written and thoughtful questionnaire/adoption application. Your application is reviewed, and if you are found to be a decent match, you are invited to come interact with the cat(s) you are interested in. If that goes well, the volunteers come to your home to validate that you are a good match, and presumably, that you aren't lying on your application about your home, other pets, kids in the household, etc. The volunteers were wonderful every step of the way and it was clear they are dedicated to what they do. Despite the number of steps in the adoption process, it could not have gone more smoothly or more quickly. Dempsey joined our family within just a few days of when we first saw him and reached out to HCN. One final word about PetSmart... Ordinarily we avoid large pet supply chain stores like this one, but we found ourselves there buying cat food for our other cats and that's where we first saw Dempsey and fell in love. I learned that PetSmart does not, itself, sell dogs or cats, as there are so very many out there that already need good homes. They do, however, DONATE real estate within their stores to local rescue organizations so that homeless animals are able to find homes. They take it a step further and donate all food and litter for those animals as well (while they are staying at the store). They do get a significant cut of the adoption fees, which is only fair, I suppose. So kudos to PetSmart and kudos to HCN and its volunteers. They are doing extraordinary work. Please adopt a kitty from these kind folks, and give a little extra if you can... read more

I saw a cat I wanted to adopt at the Petco in Daly City. I filled out an application and was contacted that evening by Lana, a volunteer. Lana brought my new Snowshoe Siamese named Bailey over. She looked over my place and gave me tips to acclimate my new cat. She was a very sweet lady and I can tell she has a passion for helping these cats out. My new cat was very healthy and well socialized. I truly appreciate Lana and this organization. They are very passionate and dedicated to their work. I recommend this organization highly. read more

I've been volunteering with them at their socialization center for less than a year and this is an excellent group of people. Health issues with the cats are addressed promptly. The center is clean and the cats receive a lot of attention. The volunteers are notified about any concerning behaviors or special needs of the cats. They really want to ensure a cat is a good match for a home. They do a home inspection and have the people who would like to adopt meet with the cat a couple of times. The volunteer are familiar with the cats and all their quirks, so the owners are informed about them. They are honest with people about the positives and negatives of the cats. The other things I have really appreciated is the remain dedicated to the cats they have adopted out and followup with the families. Sometimes they post pictures of the cats that their new owners have sent us. Recently, a couple cats that were adopted out years ago (one in 2002) have appeared at animal shelters, but fortunately the shelters notified the Homeless Cat Network and they were brought to the socialization center. HCN would far prefer for people to bring the cats back to us, than to take them to a shelter. I don't have much experience with their feral cat program, adoption fairs or the foster homes, but all of what I've seen is that they are as well run as the socialization center. Some of the cats at the socialization center are friendly cats that the feral cat program encountered. read more

Have been trying since October to volunteer at this organization. Wanted to work in their socialization center with my college and teenage sons (13-year-old uses a wheelchair). Even went and spent time in the center to see if there were any physical access issues. No problems from my point of view. Unfortunately, they thought the cats would be afraid of my son's chair. I and college-age son were welcome, but younger son's wheelchair was not. They didn't like it when I pointed out that they were discriminating. Very unfortunate experience. Hopefully, they will take advantage of some education on this issue. Volunteer or not, discrimination is never acceptable. read more

Like another person, I left a thoughtful email inquiring about a particular cat but never gotten a reply. To the other negative reviewers, you are not the only ones out there ignored. At least a courteous reply saying the cat had been adopted or I am not being considered would have been appreciated. read more

I can't say enough good words for this rescue center's volunteers and their accommodations for cats. I love their attitude and beliefs about respecting the well being of cats. They pay individual attention to each cat. Every volunteer that I've met is kind and considerate of the adopters and adoptees. My appreciation goes to the volunteers at HCN, especially Melissa Riofrio, who is one of the kindest, most articulate, intelligent and caring person I've known. I hope this organization can become an example for the larger pet rescue and adoption agencies. read more